The Fractured Schoolhouse: Reexamining Education for a Free, Equal, and Harmonious Society

American public schooling was established to unify diverse people and prepare citizens for democracy, but evidence suggests that it has not brought them together. The Fractured Schoolhouse: Reexamining Education for a Free, Equal, and Harmonious Society proposes school choice to fulfill the mission of public schooling, enabling diverse people to pursue curricula and policies they think are right without having to impose them on others.

Format: Hardback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 23 September 2022
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield

The establishment of American public schooling was intended to bring together diverse individuals and equip citizens for democracy. It was intuitively believed that this system would impart common values to students, ideally within the same educational facilities, fostering a sense of unity and cooperation among them. However, empirical evidence suggests that public schools have not effectively united diverse populations, whether due to legally mandated racial segregation, the promotion of values that many people found unacceptable, or the natural tendency for individuals to associate with those who share their own beliefs. In fact, the fundamental diversity of values and desires among people has rendered public schooling a source of division rather than unity.

Furthermore, the claim that public schooling is essential for democracy is not supported. The lack of a universally agreed-upon definition of "democracy" and the inherent violation of the American value of liberty in public schooling undermine this assertion. The Fractured Schoolhouse: Reexamining Education for a Free, Equal, and Harmonious Society proposes an alternative approach. It suggests that rather than seeking to unify students through a common curriculum, school choice would enable diverse individuals to pursue education tailored to their specific needs and preferences. This approach, rooted in liberty, would allow students to choose curricula and policies that align with their values, without imposing them on others. By promoting equality among separated groups and facilitating the creation of new identities, education grounded in liberty would foster bridge-building and create a more inclusive and harmonious society.

Weight: 522g
Dimension: 236 x 159 x 24 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781475864243