New Right perspective on education Flashcards
What is neoliberalism?
An economic doctrine that argues the state should not provide services such as education, health and welfare. Arguing that governments should encourage competition
Whats the main view of the new right perspective?
The state cannot meet people’s needs and people must meet their own needs through the free market
What are new right sociologists in favour of?
The marketisation of education
What are some similarities between functionalists and the new right?
-Both believe some people are naturally more talented
-Both favour meritocracy and preparing children for work
-Both believe education should socialise pupils into shared values within society
Whats the difference between new right and functionalists?
The new rights do not believe education is achieving the goals it needs to. They say this is because it is run by the state
How does the new right view state schooling?
Unresponsive and inefficient due to its ‘one size fits all’ approach, ignoring its local consumers
What is the new right solution to solve the problems with the state education system?
The marketisation of education- encouraging competition between schools will empower consumers bringing greater diversity and increasing its ability to meet the needs of pupils+parents+employers
Why do Chubb and Moe say that state-run education in the US has failed?
-Not created equal opportunity; failed the needs of disadvantaged groups
-Fails to produce pupils with the skills needed by the economy
-Private schools deliver higher quality education as they are accountable to the parents (due to being paid)
What did Chubb and Moe base their argument on?
A comparison of the achievements of 60,000 pupils from low income families in 1015 state and private high schools
-used parent surveys and case studies
When low-income pupils are in a private school, what percentage do they perform better by?
5%
What system do Chubb and Moe propose to improve the quality and efficiency of a school?
A system where each family is given a voucher to spend on an education, this voucher being the schools main source of income, forcing them to take responsibility and listen to parents wishes. This would mean schools are competing to attract ‘customers’ by improving their ‘product’.
What two roles does the new right say remain important for the state even with the marketisation of education?
1) the state should impose a framework on schools within which they have to compete eg league tables
2) a single national curriculum to guarantee schools socialise pupils into a single cultural heritage
What does the new right perspective believe the main aim of education?
To affirm the national identity, integrating pupils into a single set of traditions and cultural values
What are some evaluations of the new right perspective?
-Gewirtz and Ball both argue competition between the schools benefits the middle class who can use their cultural and economic capital to gain access to more desirable schools
-Low educational standards is due to social inequality and inadequate funding, not the state
-Contradictory: parental choice and national curriculum may not work cohesively
-Marxists: Imposes the culture of the dominant minority (ruling class) devaluing the WC and ethnic minorities
