American School Reform Persuasive Essay
American School Reform
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Description:
The paper examines the history of American school reform movements and looks at how educational policy makers have repeatedly amended academic and organizational aspects of American schools. The paper discusses how these initiatives may be more favorable for economically privileged students since the school reform movement is motivated mainly by global capitalism and economic competitiveness. The paper further asserts that education has become a production-oriented training process with its outcome measured by standardized and biased assessments. The paper contends that a democratic society should take the welfare, equality and diversity of all the members of the society into account, and provide student-centered schooling with a balanced integration of liberal and vocational education.
From the Paper:
"After World War II, economic abundance and hardship coincided due to race discrimination and segregation as well as the onset of depression (Tozer, Senese & Violas, 2006, pp. 228-229). Fear of the spread of communism and pride in the nationalism also coexisted as the Truman administration justified the expansionist plan declaring the American system, as the representative of democracy and corporate capitalism, should be internationally adopted (pp. 230-231). Curtailing communism and protecting the welfare of the United States were believed to be dependent upon bright and confident leaders selected through meritocracy (p. 232). These future leaders were expected to supply the armed forces with adequate training and tactics to defeat the Soviet system."Upon the onset of Cold War, new liberalism came forth with an emphasis on active freedom, which granted the government responsibility and right to put public interest and wellbeing before those of individuals' (Tozer et al, 2006, pp. 233-245). This socioeconomic and ideological context of Cold War prompted the emergence of the modern American secondary school, or the comprehensive high school. The apparent primary function of the American comprehensive high school was to integrate and educate students of various socioeconomic backgrounds and academic abilities within the same school, which appeared to withdraw social class distinctions to empower democratic unity (pp. 233-245)."
Sample of Sources Used:
- Courville, M. (2003). Education reform: Success as investment. Social Policy, 34(1), 49-55. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
- Harris, D., Handel, M., & Mishel, L. (2004). Education and the economy revisited: How schools matter. PJE. Peabody Journal of Education, 79(1), 36-63. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
- McGregor, G. (2009). Educating for (whose) success? Schooling in an age of neo-liberalism. British Journal of Sociology of Education, 30(3), 345-358. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
- Noddings, N. (2008). Schooling for democracy. Phi Delta Kappan, 90(1), 34-37. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.
- Tozer, S. E., Senese, G., & Violas, P. C. (2006). School and society: Historical and contemporary perspectives (5th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Cite this Persuasive Essay:
APA Format
American School Reform (2012, June 08)
Retrieved March 25, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/persuasive-essay/american-school-reform-151362/
MLA Format
"American School Reform" 08 June 2012.
Web. 25 March. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/persuasive-essay/american-school-reform-151362/>