Neoliberalism & the Public School

Modality: Remote-Synchronous Neoliberalism is an economic and social model of governance rooted in the idea that society is best organized under the rule of radical free markets. This course examines and charts the rise of neoliberal driven school reform in the U.S. Special focus will be given to how free market school reform models treat ongoing racial and economic injustice in the U.S. Case study examples of New Orleans, Chicago, and Washington DC will be used to analyze the results of corporate education governance. Both a theoretical and historical approach will be taken to evaluate the claims made by neoliberal education reform proponents for achieving racial and economic equity through public education. Students will also be asked to analyze and present reflection projects on the recent Washington State Charter School Initiative (Proposition 1240) as well as community responses such as the "opt out" movement. Learning Outcomes: Define and understand the principal assumptions of neoliberal economic and social policy; Identify consequences of neoliberal education reform policies in major U.S. cities; Evaluate the claims of equity and justice made by proponents of neoliberal education reformers; Apply course knowledge to construct arguments for what a racially and economic just public education system should include Credit and Evaluation: Participation in class discussion and regular attendance; Timely and thoughtful completion of course readings and writing assignments; quality of writing assignments that use evidence from course readings; quality of reflection projects; critical and respectful engagement in class Required Texts: 1.) Naomi Kline, The Shock Doctrine. 2.) Kenneth Saltman, The Failure of Corporate School Reform. 3.) Pauline Lipman, The New Political Economy of Urban Education: Neoliberalism, Race, and the Right of the City