The Seduction of Common Sense: How the Right Has Framed the Debate on America's Schools (Teaching for Social Justice)

''This is one of the most thoughtful books on education I have ever read. Kevin Kumashiro condemns fear as a hallmark in our conversations about schools, and promotes instead a spirit of freedom and democracy.''--Studs Terkel''A brilliant and concise guide to Right-wing trends and their impact in the classroom, as well as a much-needed map for a broad Left to reframe its approach to teaching and social change. Everyone who cares about teaching and our common future must read this book!''--Helen Zia, author of Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American PeopleCritical of both the Right and the Left, Kevin Kumashiro examines how these two political perspectives have ''framed'' the debate on education in the United States. Showing us a new way to look at this hotly contested terrain, Kumashiro offers concrete implications for policy and practice that can draw together a broader coalition on the Left to achieve social justice in education. Timely, accessible, and thoroughly researched, The Seduction of Common Sense exposes the insidious nature of current educational reforms and offers promising directions for anti-oppressive change.Book features:\* In-depth analysis of specific ''frames'' the Right is using, successfully, to influence the general public on education's hot topics. \* An examination of how the Christian Right is institutionalizing anti-LGBTQ bias by appropriating frames from the Left. \* A look at how the rhetoric of the Left has failed to achieve its goals, especially regarding racial disparities in schools.\* Suggestions for how the Left can ''reframe'' important education initiatives in time for the 2008 presidential election. Just in time for the 2008 elections, The Seduction of Common Sense offers a powerful examination of current education policy initiatives as framed by the rhetoric of the political Right and the political Left. Critical of both sides, Kumashiro first provides a searching look at the Right and shows why it has succeeded so well in winning the debate about the purposes and possibilities of education. Here he brilliantly illuminates how the Right uses particular "frames"--appeals to conservative notions of the traditional family, free enterprise, goodness, and fear--to shape the public's common sense ideas about schooling and build support for its attacks on public education and social justice reforms. Turning then to the Left he shows how it has failed to win support for its initiatives and goals, especially regarding racial disparities in schools. More importantly, he argues that the Left must "reframe" common sense about education to embrace a commitment to human rights, a belief in equality, and a quality education for all of our children. This is must-reading for anyone concerned about the future of public education, especially right now. Book features: In-depth analysis of specific "frames" the Right is using, successfully, to influence the general public on education's hot topics. An examination of how the Christian Right is institutionalizing anti-LGBTQ bias by appropriating frames from the Left. A look at how the rhetoric of the Left has failed to achieve its goals, especially regarding racial disparities in schools. Suggestions for how the Left can "reframe" important education initiatives in time for the 2008 presidential election. Series Foreword......Page 10 Foreword......Page 14 Acknowledgments......Page 16 Introduction......Page 18 “COMMON SENSE” AND SCHOOLING......Page 20 “RIGHT,” “LEFT,” AND PUBLIC EDUCATION......Page 22 CHAPTER 1: Attack on Public Education......Page 26 ORGANIZATIONAL LANDSCAPE OF THE RIGHT......Page 29 CURRENT INITIATIVES TO UNDERMINE PUBLIC EDUCATION......Page 33 CONTRADICTIONS AND STRANGE BEDFELLOWS......Page 46 “TRADITIONAL FAMILY” AND CORE VALUES......Page 49 “FREE ENTERPRISE” AND COMMON SENSE......Page 52 “BEACON OF GOODNESS” AND DISTRACTION......Page 55 “BE VERY AFRAID”......Page 59 THE TROUBLE WITH SAFETY......Page 66 THE INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF BIAS......Page 70 THE CHRISTIAN RIGHT AND YOUTH......Page 74 APPROPRIATIONS OF FOUR FRAMES......Page 77 GAPS IN ACHIEVEMENT......Page 87 THE DEMAND TO ASSIMILATE......Page 91 PURPOSES BEHIND THE “MODEL MINORITY”......Page 95 FRAMING AWAY OUR COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITIES......Page 100 CHAPTER 5: Frames for a Broader Left......Page 103 THE RIGHT TO BE DIFFERENT......Page 105 OPPRESSION HURTS EVERYONE......Page 107 MULTIPLE HUMAN RIGHTS......Page 111 References......Page 116 A......Page 122 C......Page 123 H......Page 124 L......Page 125 P......Page 126 S......Page 127 Y......Page 128 About the Author......Page 129 Just in time for the 2008 elections, "The Seduction of Common Sense" offers a powerful examination of current education policy initiatives as framed by the rhetoric of the political Right and the political Left. Critical of both sides, Kumashiro first provides a searching look at the Right and shows why it has succeeded so well in winning the debate about the purposes and possibilities of education. Here he brilliantly illuminates how the Right uses particular "frames"--appeals to conservative notions of the traditional family, free enterprise, goodness, and fear--to shape the public's common sense ideas about schooling and build support for its attacks on public education and social justice reforms. Turning then to the Left he shows how it has failed to win support for its initiatives and goals, especially regarding racial disparities in schools. More importantly, he argues that the Left must "reframe" common sense about education to embrace a commitment to human rights, a belief in equality, and quality education for all of our children. This is must reading for anyone concerned about the future of public education, especially right now. [Foreword by Herbert Kohl.] Examines How The Political Left And Right Have ''framed'' The Debate On Education In The United States. Shows A New Way To Look At This Hotly Contested Terrain. Offers Implications For Policy And Practice That Can Draw Together A Broader Coalition On The Left To Achieve Social Justice In Education. Exposes The Insidious Nature Of Current Educational Reforms And Offers Directions For Anti-oppressive Change. From Publisher Description. Introduction -- Attack On Public Education -- The Power Of Frames -- Appropriation Of Frames About Safety -- Failure To Reframe The Achievement Gap -- Frames For A Broader Left. Kevin K. Kumashiro ; Foreword By Herbert Kohl. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 99-104) And Index. Presents an analysis of how the perspectives of both the Right and the Left have influence education in the United States.