Does the Common Core Further Democracy? A Response to "The Common Core and Democratic Education: Examining Potential Costs and Benefits to Public and Private Autonomy"

Authors

Johann N. Neem, Western Washington UniversityFollow

Abstract

The Common Core does not advance democratic education. Far from it, the opening section of the language standards argues that the goal of public K–12 education is “college and career readiness.” Only at the end of their introductory section do the Common Core’s authors suggest that K–12 education has any goals beyond the economic: learning to read and write well has “wide applicability outside the classroom and work place,” including preparing people for “private deliberation and responsible citizenship in a republic.” The democratic purposes of K–12 education are not goals but, in the Common Core’s words, a “natural outgrowth” of work force preparation.

Response to Article

Benjamin J. Bindewald, Rory P. Tannebaum, and Patrick Womac, The Common Core and Democratic Education: Examining Potential Costs and Benefits to Public and Private Autonomy

Recommended Citation

Neem, J. N. (2018). Does the Common Core Further Democracy? A Response to "The Common Core and Democratic Education: Examining Potential Costs and Benefits to Public and Private Autonomy". Democracy and Education, 26 (1), Article 11.
Available at: https://democracyeducationjournal.org/home/vol26/iss1/11