The Assault on Public Education: Confronting the Politics of Corporate School Reform (The Teaching for Social Justice Series)

Wow--I have now read a number of quality books on many different facets of education in America during my time at Georgia Southern, but I don't think I have ever read a book as powerful as this one, nor a book that congealed so many of the myriad ideas and conundrums I have had difficulty verbalizing on education that have been bouncing around in my head. This book pulls no punches as on page 2 Watkins states that corporations are "fashioning a new America to conform to their economic and political ideology [by] employing the language of democracy and distress"! I don't know how many times as I read this book I read statements such as this and almost said YES! out loud. This is exactly what is happening. Furthermore, he writes, we "are now being organized around digital technology. We have moved into a new era of techno-globalism [and] the "democracy" has become a performance where the public are spectators" (pg. 8). Again, this passage reminded me of Stiegler's discussion of the impact of technology on the manipulation of the citizenry in Taking Care of Youth and the Generations. This "techno-globalism" makes the control of the citizens much easier as reality is conveyed to us in instantaneous digital format that is ever-changing and to use the words of Stiegler "short-circuiting" our young and the needed order of the generations from elder down. A bleak picture of the culminating disaster forthcoming is described by Watkins as he writes that "speculative capitalists are not re-investing in industry in North America [leading to] a disappearing entrepreneurial middle class...and declining wages" (pg. 24). The political term applied to this chain of events is neo-liberalism whereby it is required that "government withdraw[s] from much of its social service or "safety net" activity. The emergent task of the national government is to protect the new pyramided economic structure, protect private property, and control inflation, seen as the killer of an economy where financial speculation flourishes" (pg. 14). As government goes into this "protection" mode for those with power (coded whites), war must be waged against certain dangerous parts of society. Education is one of the most dangerous as it is one of the few change agents remaining. In this neoliberal world, a humanistic, socratic, interracial questioning education would be dangerous indeed. And so, as this books points out, war is being waged on universal public education and it is being done many times with the collusion of parts of society and even many teachers and teachers unions (pg. 97)! This book helped to crystallize for me many fragmented ideas I have had over the years since NCLB. I have told colleagues before that standardized tests are designed to discredit us. As a matter of fact, just last month a colleague said to me: "I think you're right about those tests, I think they just want to make us look bad". YES!!! Has it reached the point that we must put our fear behind us (as we have discussed in a number of our posts this semester) and go about the job of informing? Is it time for us to somehow become the "Paul Revere's" of our era and spread the word that something bad is coming? This book helped me to vocalize my feelings and in turn has helped me vocalize to my colleagues in a better, more cogent way and for that I am eternally greatful to Dr. He for having me read it. The work is before us and the stakes, as written is this book, could not be higher, let us truly go about the job of educating, and I don't just mean our students in our classes.

awesome

Post: Watkins - Assault on Public EducationThe crux of this book lies in the statement, "One of the major reasons for the continuation of dominant discourse and policies is that the very nature of our common sense about education is constantly being altered" (Watkins, 2004, p. x). I see this with the Richmond County School System when they constantly change the curriculum before anyone can fully grasp what has been mandated for implementation. This is not only an assault on education it is an assault on the minds of students, teachers, administrators; the public as a whole. Due to the fact that "Today's world is all about profit and wealth accumulation at any cost" (Watkins, 2004, p. 16), the greedy corporations are creating a world where people are simply slaves to a system. The question we should be asking is how do we get out of this new age slavery? The first thing we have to do is regain our common sense about education and realize that the big corporations see true education as a danger to their big profits and wealth.Reply to Anthony Young - WatkinsWhen Watkins states that corporations are "fashioning a new America to conform to their economic and political ideology [by] employing the language of democracy and distress" why aren't we looking and asking ourselves what is the big picture? What is the agenda? When we do ask without the information put forth in this book then we are called conspiracy theorists. I, like you, have been talking to my colleagues for years saying the same things about education and many of them respond with, "Noooooo, they would never do that. That is a conspiracy theory." I would tell them to just sit back and watch then. I'm so glad Watkins wrote this book. The thing I like most about your post is that you use the word `us' in reference to people in society who are subject to these atrocities happening in the education system. So many times I get that it is a plot against blacks and the poor but I've always said the agenda is against people in society especially those who would dare to get an education to try and become change agents. There is an attack on education because as you stated the book points out that, "Education is one of the most dangerous as it is one of the few change agents remaining. In this neoliberal world, a humanistic, Socratic, interracial questioning education would be dangerous indeed." We certainly do need to sound the alarm and inform everyone before we all become too dumb to do anything but succumb to the agenda at hand.

Book came in brand new condition. Thanks!! And fast shipping.I also enjoying reading many of the brilliant essays collected inside. They are illuminating.

Well documented presentations of position of the authors. Excellent editing.