The Gift of Education: Public Education and Venture Philanthropy (Education, Politics and Public Life)

This is a cutting edge book that not only maps and criticizes venture philanthropy venture philanthropy but also offers a new and different way of conceptualizing public education in response to the neoliberal climate affecting all aspects of public education Although educational philanthropy accounts for just a fraction of educational spending in the U.S., its institutions have recently acquired disproportionate influence and control over educational policy and practice. The Gift of Education is the first book to dissect the new "venture philanthropy" in education. It evaluates the educational and social implications of private super-rich donors leading reform to K-12, teacher education, and higher education. Challenging common representations of the new philanthropy as primarily about care, generosity, and opportunity, Satlman argues that the new philanthropy is at the forefront of a movement to undermine universal public education at multiple levels. That is, venture philanthropy is contributing to both the privatization of public schooling as well as the transformation of public schooling on the model of corporate culture - from charter schools to voucher schemes, from the remaking of teacher education and educational leadership to making students into consumers, knowledge into commodities, and classrooms into boardrooms. Educational philanthropy that appears almost exclusively in mass media and policy circles as selfless generosity poses significant threats to the democratic possibilities and realities of public education. Though focused on educational philanthropy, Saltman addresses much broader questions about the ideological agendas at the center of philanthropic giving, the educational and political implications of the privatization of public schooling, the assumptions behind educational obligations, and the roles that schools play in democratic societies The Gift Of Education Is The First Book To Dissect The New 'venture Philanthropy In Education. Challenging Common Representations Of The New Philanthropy As Primarily About Care, Generosity, And Opportunity, Saltman Argues That The New Philanthropy Is At The Forefront Of A Movement To Undermine Universal Public Education And Educational Leadership To Making Students Into Consumers, Knowledge Into Commodities, And Classrooms Into Boardrooms, Saltman Goes Beyond Exposing The Financial And Ideological Agendas Behind The New Philanthropy Proposing An Original And Timely Approach To Revaluing Public Schooling, Renewing Educational Obligations And Rethinking What It Means To Really Give An Education-- Back Cover. Foregrounding Venture Philanthropy: The Corporatization Of Public Schools -- The Trojan School: How Venture Philanthropy Is Corporatizing K-12 -- From Traditional To Venture Philanthropy -- The Gift Of Corporatizing Educational Leadership: The Broad Foundation And The Venture Philanthropy View Of Leadership -- The Gift Of Corporatizing Teacher Education And Higher Education -- The Gift Of Education: Education Beyond Economism -- Conclusion -- Coda: Obama's Betrayal Of Public Education? Arne Duncan And The Corporate Model Of Schooling. Kenneth J. Saltman. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [263]-176) And Index. Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction....Pages 1-12 Foregrounding Venture Philanthropy: The Corporatization of Public Schools....Pages 13-32 The Trojan School: How Venture Philanthropy is Corporatizing K-12....Pages 33-61 From Traditional to Venture Philanthropy....Pages 63-78 The Gift of Corporatizing Educational Leadership: The Broad Foundation and the Venture Philanthropy View of Leadership....Pages 79-98 The Gift of Corporatizing Teacher Education and Higher Education....Pages 99-117 The Gift of Education: Education Beyond Economism....Pages 119-139 Conclusion....Pages 141-147 Coda: Obama’s Betrayal of Public Education? Arne Duncan and the Corporate Model of Schooling....Pages 149-155 Back Matter....Pages 163-185