Bemoaning the quality of education research--and offering prescriptions for improving it--have become popular pastimes in recent years. Now, some scholars say, it is time to take a hard look at the consumers who use, underwrite, ignore, or misconstrue the knowledge born from studies in the field. Often, political concerns dilute the impact of…

Urban public schools are often contexts in which students are beset with silencing, surveillance, and low expectations. These conditions present distinct and critical challenges to young women. This article explores the language and literacy practices that emerged in an in-school elective writing and photography course designed with and for young…

"Learning as a subversive activity" is about working with public school students to debunk the shallow conception that achievement equals learning. That means exposing the power relations that keep in place such a narrow definition of what counts and exploring the implications of those powerful forces for students' lives and for society at large.…

While both the author and Norman Finkelstein were reviled by American Zionists for their opinions regarding Israel's policies in the occupied Palestinian territories when they came up for tenure, the author ultimately gained tenure at an Israeli university, while Finkelstein was denied tenure at an American one. Drawing on this experience, the…

During their history, Jews have faced the challenge of retaining their identity while adapting to their living conditions. Many people of many cultures now must win this bet. In this essay, the author shares his thoughts on the challenges cultural diversity places on the society and on the systems. The author calls for a political order. For him,…

Building on McMillan's two-way model of interactivity, this study presents a three-way model of interactive communication, which is used to assess political Web sites' progress toward the ideals of cyberdemocracy and the fostering of public deliberation. Results of a 3-year study of state legislature Web sites, an analysis of the community…

This paper explores the conflicting philosophies within the widening participation debate. Two categories of inclusive educators are identified, "meritocrats" and "democrats". Among the democratic educators, a subgroup, "transformative" educators, exists, which seeks to invoke changes in society and the education…

This article will examine Canadian politicians' and administrators' leadership in the realm of education-related international activities. In the era between the 1960s and the 1980s, it became increasingly difficult for educational leaders to walk the line dividing federal and provincial responsibility in this field. Educational authorities at the…

This essay draws upon the work of Northrop Frye to show that stories enacting the American Dream contain elements associated with romance, and briefly traces how Ronald Reagan and conservatives utilized the romance of the American Dream to the point that many Americans associated it exclusively with conservatism. The essay then details how Barack…

International law--specifically the United Nations "Convention on the Rights of the Child"--makes it clear that all children have a right to attend school. Ontario's "Education Act," like that of other provinces, requires children between age six and sixteen to be in school, with penalties for parents who don't play their part.…

In a post-9/11 world, where the politics of "us" versus "them" has reemerged under the umbrella of terrorism, especially in the United States, can we still envision an "education sans frontires": a globalized and critical praxis of citizenship education in which there are no borders? If it is possible to conceive it,…

Analyzes the strategies that Canadian community colleges must adopt to survive in the 1980s, noting conflicting sociocultural value systems in Canada, the social and political forces which gave rise to community colleges, and the current status of community colleges. (SB)

No Child Left Behind (NCLB), with its emphasis on standards-based accountability, has put educators under considerable pressure to improve student academic outcomes. Much of the funding for after-school programs comes from education budgets and is administered by state and local education agencies. Consequently, after-school programs are often…

"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Yes He Will?: Campaign Details Suggest That Obama Presidency Will Make Education Reform a High Priority; (2) A New Way Forward…

California's budget crisis jeopardizes the progress made in strengthening the teaching workforce. The threat of impending teacher layoffs will weaken the teacher preparation pipeline and affect the state's ability to attract and retain thousands of teachers it can't afford to lose. If California is to remain committed to strengthening student…