Corporate Primitivism as Education Reform
Th corporate education futurologists (Gates, Broad, etc.) who appear hellbent to define tomorrow's education systems represent, to borrow a phrase from Marquard, antiquarians turned to face in the opposite direction. Let me briefly explain.
In Choosing Equality: The Case for Democratic Schooling, the authors offer this synopsis of the “neo-conservative position” on education reform:
Reform efforts should concentrate on a return to academic basics and more rigorous demands on student and teacher performance. The program calls for standardizing pedagogy and curriculum, mandating more time on more core curriculum . . . increasing the use of standardized and competitive testing . . . lengthening the school day and year, legislating more stringent promotion and graduation requirements. Proposals from improving teaching quality center on merit pay