Hoaxes in Educational Policy

Abstract

This article address the falsehoods regarding No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top legislation, the educational reformers' stance that schools are failing, the privatization movement in education, and the issues of technology in the schools. The importance of poverty is emphasized, although policymakers ignore it and advocate school choice as a civil rights issue. The article examines the distortions of the teaching profession, including the lack of respect of teaching as a profession, evaluations of teacher preparation programs, the Teach for America program, and complications that result from teacher evaluation. There is hope for real change, but advocates must be vocal and take action.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Kristine A. David, Ball State University, for her work on this article. A version of this article was presented March 1, 2014 at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana.