Neoliberalism and its Impact on Public Education
Neoliberalism, which has dominated public education in the United States and other nations, openly promotes competition among schools, students, and educators. Neoliberalism has resulted in stratification, marketization, and the introduction of business interests and managerialism into public education.
The Consequences of a Competitive Education System
This type of competitive structure has resulted in affluent schools becoming richer and poor schools becoming poorer. Teachers have also been subjected to increased scrutiny. Teachers and the public sector are frequently blamed for problems in public education, despite the fact that the competitive character of the school system, high stakes testing, and systemic discrimination are the root causes of all problems.
The Role of Teachers in Social and Economic Justice
Teachers should be actively involved in the agitation of social and economic justice. They should be organic, public, critical, and socialist intellectuals. As a teacher, I plan to be reconstructive and establish systems that are environmentally and socially responsible. Furthermore, I will also agitate for systems that are anti-homophobic, anti-sexist, and anti-racist.
Evaluating Education Policies from a Class Perspective
I will examine and be critical of policies at all levels. When it comes to designing education policies, action plans, employment, and economic policies, they should be looked at from a class perspective. In examining different policies, I should look at which class strata stands to win or lose, and whether an all-rounded education is achieved. Furthermore, as a citizen and a teacher, I would interrogate my own policies and avoid leaders, both political and intellectual, who hold aloft predesigned policies and packages.
Teachers as Agents of Change Beyond the Classroom
As a teacher, I need to realize that there is much I can do beyond the gate of the school, within groups, demonstrations, campaigns, and movements at the local, national, and international level.