The role of education : Neoliberals + New Right Flashcards
What are the similarities between the New Right and Functionalist ?
They both believe : Some people are more naturally talented than others, education should be ran on meritocratic principles and that education should socialise pupils into shared values.
What does the New Right disagree with that the Functionalist do ?
They do not believe that the current education system is achieving these goals since the state is running the education system.
What do they think is wrong with the education system ?
They think it takes a one-size fits all approach, imposing uniformity and disregarding local needs. State school systems are therefore unresponsive and inefficient. Schools that waste money or get poor results are not answerable to their consumers. This means lower standards of achievement for pupils, a less qualified workforce and a less prosperous economy.
What are their resolutions for the failing education system ran by the state ?
They believe the resolution comes from the marketisation of education - creating an education market. They believe competition between schools and empowering consumers will bring greater diversity, choice and efficiency to schools.
What do Chubb and Moe state about the purpose of education ?
They state that state-run education has failed because : not created equal opportunity, fails to produce pupils with skills needed by the economy and private schools deliver higher quality education. Their evidence shows that pupils from low-income families do 5% better in private than in state schools. They therefore believe that education should be like a market placing it in the hands of the consumers allowing them to shape it into their needs.
What are the 2 roles of the state ?
The state should impose a framework on schools within which they have to compete. E.g. by establishing Ofsted inspection reports the states give parents information to which they can make more informed decisions driving schools to try harder to attract consumers. Secondly, state ensures that schools transmit a shared culture. By imposing a national curriculum they ensure pupils all round are shared into a single culture heritage.
What is the evaluation of the New Right ?
Critics argue that the reason for low educational standards is because of social inequality and low funding for state schools. Marxists argue that education does not impose a shared national culture but imposes the culture of a dominant minority ruling class and devalues the culture of the working class and ethnic minorities.
