Literature on the hidden curriculum suggests an essential meaning behind either "unintended consequences" or "latent functions" of formal curricula, but this claim is largely unfounded. Four major perspectives underpin studies in this area: functionalism, Marxism, humanitarianism, and existentialism. This paper demonstrates how…

Identifying the assumptions of the dominant, functionalist paradigm in considerations of educational administration as inadequate, this study proposes an alternative paradigm: a politics of schooling that can both describe administration and organization and contribute to the development of leadership as praxis. Criteria for an adequate theory of…

A study of 188 superintendents and 379 school board members in districts with student enrollments above 25,000 sheds light on several factors affecting the working relationships between superintendents and their local boards. Board members tended to follow personal judgment rather than constituent preferences when making decisions, and received…

Raymond Callahan's superintendent vulnerability thesis suggests that school superintendent behavior is subject to the political winds of local school boards, in turn dominated by the economic values of American businessmen. This thesis inspired a body of research termed "dissatisfaction theory," which describes the sequence of events…

Efforts of educational interest groups to defeat merit pay for Pennsylvania teachers during 1983-1986 are explored in this case study. Political systems theory and allocative theory provide the conceptual framework. Deutsch's (1973) outline of variables that affect the course of conflict was used to organize indepth personal interviews and a…

One of the most significant changes influencing school board policy-making over the last dozen years has been the advent of politics. The advent of politics in educational organizations is best demonstrated by the emergence in the 1970s of interest groups. Schools and school boards have become highly targeted by such groups in part because of…

Race has been the major determining factor in the development of education for Blacks in the United States. Blacks have always opposed White educational oppression and taken every opportunity to educate themselves. Suggests ways that Blacks can continue to combat racism in education. (FMW)

Inspired by Franz Kafka's predatory leopard anecdote, this speech explores the plight of Canadian secondary school principals trying to meet students' educational needs within the constraints imposed by politics and finance. A cross-country survey of 60 principals disclosed some typical problems. Principals must be reponsive to public opinion…

The increasing use of test results as a mechanism of educational reform is diminishing local control of schools and changing the curriculum to train students to pass tests rather than to educate students. (MLF)

The Dissatisfaction Theory of American Democracy (Iannaccone and Lutz, 1970) describes the political process whereby citizens in a reform governmental system, particularly in local school districts, make their values manifest in terms of public policy. The theory consists of four causally related factors; (1) community member values; (2) citizen…

This paper approaches the concept of collaboration by using a workshop format in three segments: (1) a puzzle to solve, (2) lessons on collaboration learned from solving the puzzle, and (3) a tabular overview of the fundamental differences between universities and school districts which hinder collaboration. After participants have formed teams to…

This report describes and analyzes the role played by key actors in initiating and implementing major reform in the management of the department of education in Victoria, the second largest state in Australia. Focus is during 1979-84, the time of the greatest administrative reform in the department's history. Study goals include the analysis of…

Teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) is a political act, and those who are engaged in teaching English to non- or limited-English speakers are directly or indirectly implementing a language policy that promotes a form of language change in students. This means that TESOL teachers are faced with certain moral dilemmas whose…

This paper explores the degree to which the public education funds in selected districts have become players at the policy table and examines the factors that permit funds to have a credible voice in the turbulent political world of urban districts without seriously jeopardizing their working "inside" relationships with these systems. The analysis…

A law-based dissertation which contains a 400-page legal reference guide for public school teachers and administrators in the area of teacher-employer relations is mentioned in this speech. A case law approach was utilized in understanding the issues involved in teacher-employer relations. The background, discussion, and trends are founded on…