The Politics of American Education

by Joel Spring

Turning his distinctive analytical lens to the politics of American education, Joel Spring looks at contemporary educational policy issues from theoretical, practical, and historical perspectives. This comprehensive overview documents and explains who influences educational policy and how, bringing to life the realities of schooling in the 21st century and revealing the ongoing ideological struggles at play. Coverage includes the influence of global organizations on American school policies and the impact of emerging open source and other forms of electronic textbooks. Thought-provoking, lucid, original in its conceptual framework and rich with engaging examples from the real world, this text is timely and useful for understanding the big picture and the micro-level intricacies of the multiple forces at work in controlling U.S. public schools . It is the text of choice for any course that covers or addresses the politics of American education. Companion Website: The interactive Companion Website accompanying this text includes relevant data, public domain documents, YouTube links, and links to websites representing political organizations and interest groups involved in education.

Genres: Education, School

296 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2010

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found myself challenged by much of what was presented in this book, and I discussed the ideas presented with several people. Very thought-provoking.

[Heather Fidler · Rating 2 out of 5]

The problem with writing a textbook about the politics of education is that it is easy to have and show a bias. The author of this text has a very obvious bias, making it difficult reading even when I completely agreed with him on a philosophical level.

[Drea Rusher · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would have learned a thing or two if the author's own political biases weren't so blatant.

[Alex Mobley Hildebrandt · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good review of how government, corporate entities, and the global economy impact our educational systems at all levels and in all capacities.