Thinking Politically?
Switching from academics to politics and back again is no easy task....Eduwonkette seems to miss the political point I was making about making NCLB seem more fair (and powerful) by calling for -- you guessed it -- better data. She may be right, but politics doesn't wait for better data, and educators of all stripes are going to have to think more politically if they are ever going to get into the political debate where the policy decisions are made.
Over in TWIE's comments, skoolboy cautiously concludes that academics can be right and politically relevant:
What's risky about it is that -- at least based on my personal experience -- many policymakers really don't want to take the time to listen, and to appreciate the ambiguities and limits of social science research. I don't want to let researchers completely off the hook here, because most of us aren't even very good at communicating to one another, let alone to others who don't speak our language.
I'm interested to hear more from Alexander and others about what it would mean for academics to think more politically about education policy - is this about the art of compromise? Translating findings for a broader audience by omitting the bloody details? Accepting that the perfect is the enemy of the good? (Btw Alexander, this is a good discussion topic for your AERA session.)
Comments
Educators should have a working knowledge of the politics of policy and how to influence policy that affects education.
Educators are the implementers of state and federal policies. Once a policy has been adopted, school personnel are expected to develop a plan and carry it out. To this end, administrators have an obligation to be aware of the major changes occurring in their social and economic environment and must also be aware of the policy adoption process. They must also be aware of the policy making process so as to understand when appropriate advocacy or opposition can be applied.
If an educator, or an educational system other than the NEW or UFT, does not have knowledge of how the policy process works, they will forever be the agents of implementation, not change. Policy development, analysis, and adoption require key players; those who will shape, craft, and ultimately oversee the proposed policy.
For an educator to ignore, reject, or cry ignorance of his/her role in the policy process is to relegate him or herself to institutional slavery.
Posted by: Mike Parent | March 20, 2008 10:32 AM
Educators should have a working knowledge of the politics of policy and how to influence policy that affects education.
Educators are the implementers of state and federal policies. Once a policy has been adopted, school personnel are expected to develop a plan and carry it out. To this end, educators have an obligation to be aware of the major changes occurring in their social and economic environment and must also be aware of the policy adoption process. They must also be aware of the policy making process so as to understand when appropriate advocacy or opposition can be applied.
If an educator, or an educational system other than the NEA or UFT, does not have knowledge of how the policy process works, they will forever be the agents of implementation, not change. Policy development, analysis, and adoption require key players; those who will shape, craft, and ultimately oversee the proposed policy.
For an educator to ignore, reject, or cry ignorance of his/her role in the policy process is to relegate him or herself to institutional slavery.
Posted by: Mike Parent | March 20, 2008 10:33 AM