new right views on education

Question 1

parentocracy

Answer 1

• parental choice/control
• there is less of this for w/c individuals because good school = expensive housing area

Question 2

marketisation

Answer 2

• market forces to encourage competition (parents are like the customers/investors of the school)
• they think if schools compete like businesses it will improve their standard
• grades can be found on school website- like an advertisement
• believe LEA are inefficient and there is no incentive for schools to improve

Question 3

Chubb and Moe’s arguments

Answer 3

• more parentocracy
• private schools perform better because they act like a business, with paying investors (parents) who expect profit (student results).
• there should be a voucher system
• schools should ask for a higher budget from the government based on their success

Question 4

key new right views:

Answer 4

• more political than sociological
• state education fails due to centralised state control and policies that push for equality.
• school should be more competitive to work in a meritocratic way, as this helps motivation
• school should instill shared values
• left-leaning councils might not teach history patriotically enough
• there might be radical ideas that don’t reflect the views of parents.
• more parentocracy- they control the values learnt in school, this increases value consensus

Question 5

how are new right and functionalist views on education similar?

Answer 5

• teaching social solidarity through shared heritage
• education should teach specialist skills
• christian values
• right-leaning
• there should be value consensus among individuals in society.

Question 6

criticisms of the new right view on education:

Answer 6

• excessive competition makes children the losers, most will lose and few will win
• fee paying schools do well because they have cultural capital, economic capital and selection.
• they argue against state interference, but a lot of government legislation on education has come from new right politicians.

Question 7

neo-liberal economic thinking

Answer 7

the view that economics can improve life, free market choice wanted

Question 8

open enrolment

Answer 8

ability to enrol your child in any school

Question 9

how do the new right think schools should be improved?

Answer 9

• generate competition between schools as an incentive to improve
• increase parental choice
• increase involvement of private enterprise -> links w/ universities and local bussinesses making them independent from local educational authorities