Public Philosophy and the Crisis in Education

Henry Giroux is concerned that the current debate over the quality of education in the United States is characterized by a "new" public philosophy which is as problematic as the crisis it attempts to resolve. Criticizing the movement to link the outcomes of education solely to the needs of the business community, he argues that this philosophy towards education undermines efforts to equip students with the skills necessary to analyze the sociopolitical processes at work. Giroux advocates an educational policy for federal and state governments that ensures the teaching of critical literacy and civic courage. Such an approach requires a commitment of political and financial resources to creating schools that function as sites of learning of social interaction, and of human emancipation.