Ideology and Educational Reform: Themes and Theories in Public Education

Ten years of educational reform have not brought dramatic improvements. In Ideology and Educational Reform, David Paris traces the underlying ideological problems that make genuine reform difficult. These include different and often conflicting beliefs concerning the proper role of public education as well as the public's natural ambivalence about schools as government agencies. Paris describes three major themes in public education--common school, human capital, and clientelism. He critically evaluates current policies and explores proposed reforms associated with each of these topics, including moral education, the school-economy relationship, school choice, and the delivery of social services. Paris proposes better ways for dealing with ideological problems in school practice, and suggests appropriate directions for policy reform.