In this article, the author analyzes public education, and whether America can survive without it. There is a deep sense in which the phrase "public education" is redundant: Education is public, above all in a democracy. To think of it any other way is to rob it of its essential meaning. For education is an essential public good addressed to young…

The persistent inflow of Hispanic immigrants threatens to divide the United States into two peoples, two cultures, and two languages. Unlike past immigrant groups, Mexicans and other Latinos have not assimilated into mainstream U.S. culture, forming instead their own political and linguistic enclaves-from Los Angeles to Miami-and rejecting the…

The public schools in the US should go beyond teaching fundamental skills in a democratic society. The teachers should be allowed to interact with students as whole persons and new policies should be developed that treats the schools as a whole community because the future of the children and democracy depends on them.

English language arts teachers play a vital role in helping students to connect skills they learn in school with the larger purposes of democracy. Hence it is noted that the future of the US depends, at least in part, on the commitment of the language arts teachers toward democracy and social justice.

This paper attempts to develop a more sophisticated notion of multiculturalism in Britain. It starts by examining the philosophical basis of the Crick Report on citizenship education to resolve the theoretical tension between liberal and multicultural approaches to the subject. To achieve this resolution, it compares the Crick Report to the Parekh…

Where is the manual on American higher education in the 21st century? In this article, the author argues that there is none and that it is up to the federal government and higher education leaders to provide this strategic vision. She further states that the federal government and higher education leaders must have the vision to see where higher…

"Go where nature and human nature are still sought, and where the great books live," is Jeffrey Wallin's counsel to seekers of liberal education. Wallin defines such learning as a subtle interplay of self-knowledge, freedom, an awareness of tradition that allows for independent judgment, and the willingness to question even one's most dearly held…

Student participation in shared governance of higher education institutions is considered in the context of a civic role for higher education in a democracy. Statutory provisions for the governance of Irish higher education institutions are reviewed by reference to models of shared governance. Findings from a survey of actual levels of student…

The character of civics education is dependent on the world view in which it is embedded. Thus, citizenship education that is not explicitly committed to a vision of democratic citizenship will be shaped by the dominant ideology of our times: neo-liberalism. After contrasting neo-liberal and radical democratic perspectives on civics education, we…

Giving young people a voice builds their confidence, self-esteem and motivation and encourages them to develop an interest in current events. It helps them to develop and express their own opinions while listening to others, and to appreciate the importance of researching topics unfamiliar to them. It is an important way of developing their…

This report describes the demographic and educational characteristics of the U.S. immigrant population and discusses barriers faced by legal immigrants seeking to enroll in postsecondary education. The report focuses on older immigrants, who confront significant challenges in understanding and gaining access to the U.S. system of higher education…

Typically, school curriculum has been viewed through the lens of preparation for the workplace or higher education--both worthy objectives. However, this is not the only lens, and perhaps not even the most powerful one to use, if the goal is to optimize the educational system. "Curriculum on the Edge of Survival" attempts to define basic aspects…

College campuses provide lots of institutions that look like those one finds in a democratic society--newspapers, government, courts--but ultimately the campus versions are not the same. When anybody sign up for college, he/she is volunteering (and paying) to be part of a particular community with particular rules. This article discusses the…

This paper offers a preliminary tribute to the work of the late Jean Rudduck, pioneer of student voice, both as an academic field and as a potential agent of school transformation. Tracing the roots of her student voice work back to CARE (Centre for Applied Research in Education) and the Humanities Curriculum Project (1967-1972), the author…

This article aims to enlarge the conversation about religion and public education by inviting readers to think about the benefits to be gained in society by providing a comprehensive religious studies curriculum in our public schools. In such a program, students will develop knowledge and understanding about various religious traditions, forge…