Customer Reviews

Educating the "Right" Way : Markets, Standards, God, and Inequality

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I found this book most helpful in the way that Apple outlines and discusses some of the inherent contradictions of the current Right-wing coalition. That said, one of the critiques I see here from other reviewers is the same one that came up in a class where we all read this book: Apple does not offer solutions. I think there could certainly be a discussion about the extent to which his solutions are viable or are clearly articulated, but nevertheless, he DOES offer solutions.

As I read the final chapters I made note of implicit and explicit solutions that Apple does suggest to fight NCLB and other education policies that favor the Right-wing agenda. I think some are better than others. Here they are as I see them:

1) "Repostioning" -a solution that suggests policy makers should see reforms from the eyes of those most oppressed(p. 197)

2) A strong recognition that schools and schooling are a political battlefield (p. 198, 199)

3) Placing race at the fore of all educational reform discussions. He seems to divide it into two approaches. On p. 204 he says we, as a nation, need to confront the white supremecist sins of our past (e.g.Genocide against Native Americans and enslavement of Africans) and then on p. 207 we need to confront white privlege and to make "whiteness strange".

4)Do a better job publicizing good research that supports progressive notions, theories, and experiences about what good teaching is(p. 202).

5) In keeping with #4 above, he says that progressive leaders in ed reform need to do a better job with publicity. For instance, progressive academics like Apple can go on radio talk shows, write op-ed pieces, letters to editors of newspapers, Blog more, etc)

6) Find ways to connect educational efforts to local communities

(p.219). Apple does not elaborate or give us any examples regarding this idea.

7) Give marginalized voices a real voice in deliberations about ed. policy(p. 219). This might be what he meansby "repositioning"

but since he does not elaborate or give examples its hard to tell for sure.

8) Provide some space in schools for religion. I thought this one was interesting and showed some courage and willingness to compromise with the Christian Right. Of course, he stressed much caution in getting into bed with evangelicals (p. 221)

9) Exploit the inherent tensions and contradictions between the

four groups that make up the Right Coalition. One way to do this, according to Apple, is for progressive groups to form their own tactical alliances with groups they might not otherwise share interests with (p. 223)

10)Don't allow the Right to dominate discourse or planning

of charter schools. Apple recongnizes that charter schools aren't going anywhere so progressives must be active in building charter schools or they will be left out/behind. (p.226)

I knew prior to reading "Educating the 'Right' Way" that Prof. Apple was a critic of homeschooling. He stereotypes homeschoolers as religious zealots who are racist, classist, patriarchal, overprotective, and as draining resources from government-run schools in a deliberate attempt to destroy them. He claims that public virtual charter schools allow their students to purchase sectarian materials with government money but provides no evidence to back up his assertion except for a "private correspondence". When I looked into enrolling my daughter in a charter program I was told in no uncertain terms that I would *NOT* be allowed to use *ANY* religious materials *EVEN* if I paid for them with my own money. So personally, I'm extremely skeptical about Prof. Apple's claim.

"Educating the 'Right' Way" is interesting in parts, particularly when Prof. Apple talks about the history of conservativism in America. However, I found his endless discussion of race, class, and gender to be very tedious. He seems to believe that the primary purpose of education is not to actually teach kids the academic skills they will need to succeed in life but rather to restructure society to end inequalities. Educrats like Prof. Apple are the reason why so many people like me have decided to flee the government-run school system!

In the last two decades we have been witnessing a wave of "reform" in education. The discourse behind these reforms is one that says that there is only one correct way of educating: the "Right" way. Michael Apple's book is extremely important because it maps out the efforts of the conservative modernization movement in converting their ideology in common sense and thus making their ideology the legitimate one, the one that makes sense. With a sophisticated theoretical framework and a plethora of concrete examples, Apple shows how the conservative reforms are in fact a struggle to constitute a particular view into official knowledge and to make other views of society not plausible. This is a book that will interest everyone who is involved in the field of education or social sciences.

Michael Apple continues his neo-marxist propaganda in this book going to great lengths complaining but offering almost or no alternatives to the so-called conservative agenda he is set to destroy.

The book is utterly imbalanced in his treatment of standards, educational reform and even the "Christian agenda". Ultimately the reader who does not buy into Apple's manifesto will feel cheated and might ask for a refund on a book full on prescriptive finger pointing but short on alternatives. It seems that Apple is trying to make a call for action among education policymakers. However, an essay in any liberal publication could have sufficed.

I found this book to be a short-lived firecracker. It left me wishing for more in order to decide how much Apple knows what he is talking about when he seems to persuade readers to destroy the conservative agenda. Perhaps Dr. Apple might use some of the royalties from this book to hire a research asssistant who can supply him with more data on which to base his groundless attacks.

well, i thought that the book was coming. when i did not arrive at the last possible date i emailed and was told it was on backorder. they did let me get a refund which was nice. i would use them again for that reason alone.