Customer Reviews

School Choice and Social Justice

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Brighouse's book is a work of political philosophy aimed at considerations for education policy. He conceives of education for social justice as three-fold: it must (1.) be an autonomy-facilitating education that equips and empowers children with "a realistic opportunity to become autonomous adults" (65), (2.) provide for "equality of opportunity among all citizens for the packages of burdens and benefits distributed by the labor market" (122), and (3.) mean that the "resources devoted to a child's education should not depend on the ability of their parents to pay for, or choose among educational experiences" (122-3).

Brighouse presents four non-autonomous beliefs and preferences as counter-illustrative of what he means by autonomy. Preferences and beliefs can be considered as non-autonomous: (1.) "when coercive practices have illegitimately restricted the options available", (2.) "where someone deliberately manipulates an agent by providing false information about the options available or costs and benefits attached to the options", (3.) when "people adapt their preferences or beliefs subconsciously to apparently unchangeable circumstances", and (4.) when "people consciously and unconsciously accommodate their preferences to unjust background conditions" (66)

The chapters of the book alternately present considerations for and against autonomy-facilitating education and educational equality as justifications for and guiding principles for state-sanctioned school choice. The tone is theoretical and philosophical, which I found refreshing and exhilarating relative to many works that are more historical and experiential in perspective.

In my work I have often wondered how to help my students break the cycles of failure and bleak prospects they have experienced and seem so likely to repeat. I have often tried to impress upon them the value and personal power inherent in knowledge gained through education. Brighouse's conception of autonomy-facilitating education speaks to the heart of these concerns from a perspective that leaves open many possibilities within a theoretical framework of education for social justice.

Brighouse's book is really refreshing. If you are familiar with Rawls' Theory of Justice and ever wondered what would have happened if he had written a treatise on education policy then this is the book for you. If you buy it to read solely about school choice then you may be disappointed as this barely features until the final 50 pages of the book. However, his thoughts on the importance of autonomy of thought are facinating. In particular his prescription for school curricula is truly food for thought and calls into question the utility of our own for independent and critical judgement.