Dr. Wayne E. WrightRoyal University of Phnom Penh

What values shape education policy? How do these values relate to major

political ideologies How can educational leaders identify the

values and ideological positions behind policies and policy proposals?

How can education leaders act both effectively and democratically in this environment?

School leaders must understand the political ideas around them in order to think intelligently about education policy

Ideas, beliefs, and values are important◦ They shape the way people define policy

problems◦ They constrain people’s ability to perceive

possible solutions to policy problems

What values led people to propose this policy?

Are any value conflicts inherent in it? What assumptions about society,

government, and economics lie behind it? With what broader ideological position is

the policy consistent?

Self-Interest Values◦ Economic◦ Power

General Social Values◦ Order◦ Individualism

Democratic Values◦ Liberty◦ Equality◦ Fraternity

Economic Values◦ Efficiency◦ Economic Growth◦ Quality

Human behavior is shaped by◦ Self-Interest◦ Other values

Commitments to ideological, philosophical or religious principles

One must always consider issues of self-interest when analyzing values underlying education policy

Many people are motivated by their own economic interests◦ Or for the group with which they are affiliated

First steps to analyze an education policy is to ask◦ Who benefits economically from this policy?◦ Who is penalized economically by it?

Beneficiaries◦ Individuals◦ A broad class of

individuals E.g. Business people

◦ An organized group E.g., Teachers Union

Types of Economic benefits◦ Salary increases◦ Increase in fringe

benefits◦ Tax

reductions/waivers◦ Increased demand

for one’s services◦ Increase in available

materials

Individuals or groups also often act to increase their power

Questions to ask when analyzing education policy◦ Who gains power as a result of this policy?◦ Who loses power?

Power Plays are frequently well-hidden

Types of Power Benefits◦ A new legal right◦ Representation in decision-making group◦ Veto power over decisions◦ Access to information◦ Access to channels of communication◦ Right to serve long terms◦ Authority to advise decision makers◦ Increase in job security

People need and want to live in an environment where they are relatively safe and their property is relatively secure

Governments go to great length to maintain social order.

The need for order in schools is a high value for for most Americans.

“individualism lies at the very core of American culture”

Valuing individualism means◦ Tending to consider the single-person and his or

her needs before those of the group◦ Emphasizing self-reliance

The structure of the U.S. Education System is an expression of individualism◦ Thousands of small local school districts◦ Resistance to national standards, curriculum, and

exams

Also called freedom, independence, or choice

Fundamental principle of democracy No freedom is unrestricted Each freedom has limits

◦ “Your freedom to swing your arm ends where my nose begins”

Ex: Teachers have freedom of religion, but do not have the freedom to proselytize students.

How does this policy affect political freedoms (speech, press, association, assembly) of teachers and/or students?

How does this policy affect the range of choices open to parents and/or students

How does this policy affect the religious freedom of students and/or faculty?

“All men are created equal”◦ Does not mean all have equal intelligence,

physical strength, power, wealth, etc.◦ Means all are equally human, and thus

Entitled to an equal standing before the law Equal opportunity to live their lives in a way not too

remote from the norms of their society

Also called equity or social justice Different meanings of equality:

◦ Political equality Equal right to participate in the political system

◦ Economic equality Equal wealth

◦ Equality of results Most Americans dislike because inconsistent with

idea of individual achievement

Questions to ask – Figure 5.4

◦ Equality of opportunity All have the same chance to get a good education

and decent job

Most Americans believe in it

U.S. has made good progress 19th Century – every child access to elementary school

Early 20th Century – Expanded to secondary schools

Late 20th Century – Improve access for minorities, girls, and students with disabilities

But still many issues to resolve …

Brotherhood, solidarity, social capital Means the ability to

◦ perceive other members of one’s society as brothers and sisters

◦ To have a sense of responsibility for them◦ To feel that in difficult times one can turn to them for help

Developed through social interactions in small groups◦ Family, classroom, church, temple, community

organizations, athletic clubs, local chapters of political party Racial integration, inclusion of disabled students in

classrooms Questions to ask – Figure 5.5

Making a profit is a central purpose of capitalism Efficiency means obtaining the best possible return on

expenditure or investment◦ Cost-effectiveness

An efficient education system◦ High levels of achievement◦ Relatively low expenditures

Policy makers always concerned about the cost of education◦ “do more with less!”

Leads to issues like state proficiency tests, monetary rewards for high scores, and merit pay for teachers

Questions to ask – Figure 5.6

Capitalistic economies want economic growth◦ Increasing production◦ Stimulating domestic consumption◦ Expanding foreign trade

Education contributes to economic growth◦ Highly skilled workforce◦ Schools buy lots of stuff◦ Students are current and future consumers

Questions to ask – Fig. 5.7

Excellence, high standards, world-class Frequently touted by policymakers Policies related to

◦ improving quality of instruction◦ helping students develop critical thinking skills,◦ more advanced study of math, science, and

technology Questions to ask – Fig. 5.8

Cyclical Shifts in Dominant Values◦ Most Americans support all of these values◦ The difference is how they prioritize them

Real world of limited choices and resources Cannot pursue all of the values at the same time.

◦ The set of dominant values behind educational policy changes cyclically over time.

1970s – present Pendulum began to swing from Equality to the three Economic

Values – Efficiency, Economic Growth, and Quality Education Reform Movement

A Nation at Risk School choice Proficiency testing Merit pay for teachers Push for national curriculum and tests Push for up-to-date technology

Words and phrases common in Educational Discourse of Policymakers Choice for parents, educational freedom, accountability, world-

class schools, more bang for the buck, greater productivity The pendulum will eventually swing back to Equality again

The art of developing good policy involves finding a good balance among competing values

Conflicts involving Freedom◦ Any unrestricted freedom conflicts with other freedoms◦ Unrestricted freedom compromises all the other values◦ Ex: Order

Need to prevent chaos in schools means limiting freedom of students and teachers

◦ Ex: Efficiency One-Size-Fits-All is much cheaper than Freedom

Expensive for schools to offer wide variety of electives◦ Ex: Quality

If all teachers and students free to teach and learn or do whatever they want, it does not mean these will conform to high standards

Conflicts involving Freedom◦ Ex: Equality

Differences in individual students leads to different (unequal) outcomes

Unrestricted freedom can lead to a society with few very wealthy people while the rest live in poverty Not compatible with political democracy

Equality imposed by law can result in complete lack of freedom E.g. The Soviet Union

Goal of sound public policy is to NOT pursue either freedom or equality to the extreme, but to seek a judicious balance between the two

Ideology◦ “A fairly coherent set of values and beliefs about the

way the social, economic, and political systems should be organized and operated and recommendations about how these values and beliefs should be put into effect” (Issak, 1987)

People take their ideologies for granted◦ “It’s common sense!”

People typically react emotionally rather than rationally when someone challenges them

U.S. Educational Policy is very ideologically driven◦ School leaders must have an understanding of the

different ideological positions they will encounter

Conservatism◦ Business Conservatism◦ Religious Conservatism

These constitute the core of the Republican Party◦ But major conflicts can exists between the two

(contributed to the defeat of McCain in 2008)

Business Conservatism◦ Believe

people are motivated purely by self-interest the achievement of material well-being is the central goal of society

◦ Allowing individuals to compete freely in the marketplace will lead to strong economic growth

◦ Want Minimal government regulation of business and economy

deregulation Tax reductions Privatization Reducing or eliminating welfare programs

◦ Educational Policy Demands High standards and accountability, testing, merit pay Privatization of public schools – Charter schools, private schools,

school vouchers Many want to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education

Religious Conservatism◦ Increasing influence of the “Religious Right”

Protestant (Christian) expression of fundamentalist mentality

◦ Believe All humans created in the image of a good God All humans are sinners, and fall short of God’s will Christians should make moral decisions based on religious

teachings The U.S. was once a Christian nation, but has now rebelled

against God and Christian values Solution is to wage a “cultural war” against forces of moral

corruption to win the country back for God Must work through the political system to restore

traditional values, like traditional family values Impose by law if necessary

Religious Conservatism◦ Educational Policy Demands

Support school choice Many want to abolish the Department of Education Empower parents to right to raise their children

without interference School prayer Oppose sex-education Oppose teaching of evolution, or demand the inclusion

of “intelligent design” in the science curriculum Oppose any curriculum deemed as “secular

humanism” and/or anti-traditional Christian values

Dominant ideology of the Democratic Party Two variants at conflict with each other

◦ New Politics Liberalism Emphasis on overcoming past discriminations against

oppressed groups (minorities, women, disabled, gays, etc.) “Race and gender identity politics”

Believe that most problems in the U.S. result from the history of discrimination and oppression based on factors beyond individual control

Make it easier for members of oppressed groups to get a good education and good jobs.

Fight for equal access to quality education for all children regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, or disability

Major Values – Equality and Fraternity (solidarity with oppressed groups)

Two variants at conflict with each other◦ Neoliberalism

Believe race-and-gender identity politics alienates working-class citizens and largely ignores growing economic inequality in the U.S.

Believe in equality but want to approach it in different ways

Mostly value Economic Growth and Fraternity Educational Policy Demands

National and community service National curriculum standards and assessments Vocational and technical education Improve education and spur the economy Policies which build a sense of national unity

Extreme Ideologies in the United States◦ Left-wing Extremism

Blame social problems on large corporations, the military, modern technology, or on the institution of private property

Want to withdraw from society and set up their own ideal or utopian communities (communes)

Opposed to war, but can be violent E.g., use violence against the “military-industrial complex”

to protest war or other policies◦ Right-wing Extremism

Blame social problems on racial, religious, or ethnic groups Restrict immigration Restore the (mythical) “White Christian Nation”

White Supremacy Hate groups (e.g., Klu-Klux-Klan)

School leaders are caught in the ideological crossfire

Schools are major sites of ideological conflicts◦ Policy debates are often ideological debates◦ Different groups want schools to do, and not do,

many things consistent with their own ideological views

School leaders must be able to recognize and understand the underlying values and ideologies of these demands

School leaders must recognize their own Ideological position

Activity◦ Rank order the 8 values

Most important ones first Least important ones last

Activity◦ Look at your top four values

If equality is in the group, you probably lean towards liberalism Especially if both equality and fraternity appear

If two or more of the economic values are listed, you lean more towards business conservatism Especially if both liberty and individualism appear

together Religious conservatives – likely have Order, and also

fraternity and liberty

Recognize Ideological conflicts Obtain information about an Ideological Issue Opening the Democratic process

◦ Don’t cave into the demands of any angry group◦ Best response is to open the democratic process

Let all groups have a voice in the process Study issue, seek out different groups, hold meetings with

them Sometimes angry groups are strong and loud, but small

Represent a minority view Allowing all to weigh in and give opinions can lead to

better policy changes Can allow others to hear and understand the perspectives

of others Can lead to compromises

1. Which of the values discussed in this chapter are also values present here in Cambodia?

2. Which values appear to be the values prioritized by the current government and educational leaders?

3. In your opinion, what is the major cause of current social, economic, and political problems in Cambodia and how do these effect the Education system?