Philosophy issuespolicydev, Dr. Kritsonis

Philosophical/Social/Political Issues in Education: Philosophy Issues in
Policy Decisions

William Allan Kritsonis, PhD

Potential Questions

1. You have just accepted the position of superintendent in a district and

the board has challenged you to change several of the district’s

policies. You feel that unless the philosophy of the district staff

changes, you will not be able to develop and implement new policies.

How will you address this issue?

2. The site-based decisionmaking committee for your district is having

difficulty coming to consensus about several issues because the

members of the committee do not have compatible personal

educational philosophies. How will you lead this committee into a

productive environment for decision-making?

3. You have just been promoted from a campus administrative

principal’s position to a central office position. You are charged with

improving instruction on the elementary campuses. The five campus

principals are very different philosophically. How will you work with

the principals to develop compatible policies and procedures for

curriculum so that all campuses are academically productive and

curricular programming is comparable?

Key Terms

The terms below are defined in terms of their use and meaning for the

purposes of this section of the study guide.

curriculum – what is taught in the public school setting.

idealist – a scholarly philosophical thought where reality is defined in

spiritual or non-material terms.

instruction – how curriculum is taught in the public school setting.

philosophy - a person's attempt to think speculatively, reflectively,

and systematically about the universe and the relationships of humans to the

universe.

personal philosophy – a person’s beliefs and general principals related

to a certain discipline (education) and based on past experiences, education,

and reflection.

policy – set of rules and regulations developed by a local board of

trustees. Policies reflect current law and local practice.

policy development – the process by which local policies are

presented, discussed, reviewed, and adopted.

pragmatist – in scholarly terms a pragmatist believes that the human

conception of reality is based on experience.

realist – according to scholarly thought a realist sees reality as an

order of objects that exist independently of human beings.

Discussion of Topic

The operation of a public school system is dependent on policies –

policies that govern all aspects of management related to personnel,

students, and curriculum decisions. Each policy is developed through a

process of discussion, collaboration and consensus and reflects the beliefs

and personal philosophies of the developers. Gutek (1997) states that

education is in a constant state of debate, not only now, but, throughout

history. However, in some ways, the presence of divergent thought is

actually a of sign vitality, with school as a social institution being a focal

point of conflict.

The impact of policy development cannot be over emphasized. Public

school policy has the potential to shape society because the vast majority of

all elementary and secondary students in the United States, almost 90

percent, are enrolled in public schools, even at the lower grades. According

to Guthrie and Reed (1991), by 1990, 3.2 million 5- and 6-year-olds, 94% of

the age cohort, were enrolled in public kindergartens. In addition,

approximately 29 million students were enrolled in elementary schools with

either a K – 6th or a K – 8th grade configuration. With the vast majority of all

school-aged students enrolled in public schools, the development of policy

that meets the needs of a large and diverse public school population is

difficult at best and dependent on the ability to reach consensus on

philosophical issues. Throughout history, educators have continuously been

concerned with encouraging the development of certain values in the young

and with the encouragement of certain kinds of preferred behavior (Gutek,

1997).

For effective policy development, educators would benefit from

examining their basic philosophy with regard to life and society. Gutek

(1997) defines philosophy in general terms as a person's attempt to think

speculatively, reflectively, and systematically about the universe and the

relationships of humans to the universe. When an educator reflects on the

concept of reality, or of human nature, or of society, he or she is actually

philosophizing about education. When relating philosophy to the educational

setting, the concept of reality held by the society supporting the particular

school is evident in the subjects, experiences, and skills of the curriculum, in

an attempt by curriculum writers, teachers, and textbook writers, to describe

societal reality to students. Because of the impact philosophy has on policy

decisions related to curriculum as well as other areas, it is valuable for

educators to recognize some of the various identified philosophies of

education to better examine analyze curricula and methods in light of their

relationships to a particular philosophical position. For example, “an Idealist

defines reality in spiritual or non material terms, a Realist sees reality as an

order of objects that exist independently of human beings…a Pragmatist

hold that the human conception of reality is based on experience” (Gutek,

1997, p. 2).

Gutek (1997) indicates that what is taught, or the curriculum, and how

it is taught, or instruction, are operational components of the educational

system that should garner attention from educational leaders and policy

makers. The values of the public and community are most strongly reflected

in curricular policies and to a lesser degree in instructional activities. The

philosophy of a district is most evident in the curricular decisions. If there

were complete agreement within a society regarding desired educational

outcomes, decisions would be far more technical and not at all political.

Gutek (1997) explains:

As the vital center of the school’s educational efforts, the curriculum

is the locus of the sharpest controversies. Decision making in

curricular matters involves considering, examining, and formulating

the ends of education. Those concerned with curriculum planning and

organization ask such questions as: What knowledge is of most

worth? What knowledge should be introduced to the learner? What

are the criteria for selecting knowledge? What is valuable for the

learner as a person and as a member of society? The answers to these

questions determine what is included and what is excluded in the

schools instructional program, but also rest ultimately on assumptions

about the nature of the universe, of human beings, of society, and of

the good life ( p. 5).

Again according to Gutek (1997), "When educators are unable to

recognize the philosophical and ideological perspective from which

proposals emanate, they are unable to either criticize or to implement these

proposals from a professional perspective” (p. 9). The use of philosophy

inquiry may be a beneficial aid to educators as they examine problems and

make effective decisions to solve identified problems. Even though

knowledge of identified educational philosophies may affect the

development of personal philosophies, the development of a philosophy of

education for a district or society may draw heavily on experiences,

practices, and observations of the educators involved in the decision-making.

Although examining educational philosophy provides insight into the

policies and practices of a district, Theobald, (2000) states that over the

years, educational philosophy has received little attention from educators

and policy makers. Scholars also have generally not evaluated the behavior

of people in schools to determine the philosophy behind the action. A

common view of those associated with public schools is that the real work of

educating children is accomplished by the teachers and administrators in the

nation’s public schools and real work has no relationship to philosophy in its

truest sense.

Rather than adopt the teachings of an educational philosophy such as

Idealism, Realism, or Pragmatism, districts adopt a philosophy of education

that is based on the needs and beliefs related to what is right for those served

by the district. Reed and Guthrie (1991) indicate that policies and practices

adopted by American public schools are the result of constant interplay of

three deeply held values - equality, efficiency, and liberty which

significantly influence public policy generally and education specifically. In

fact:

Government actions regarding national defense, housing, taxation,

antitrust regulation, racial desegregation, and literally hundreds of

other policy dimensions, including education, are motivated and

molded by one or more of these three values… Equality, liberty, and

efficiency are viewed by an overwhelming public majority as

conditions that government should maximize. These three values are

considered "good," “just," and "right." (Guthrie & Reed, 1991, p.

26)."

Guthrie and Reed (1991) further contend that these values are a

common thread in the historical roots of American heritage and affect the

philosophical beliefs by permeating the ideology of political parties,

churches, courts, schools and other social institutions. Being a strategic

leader in the educational setting is not just about evaluation and planning.

Philosophically, it is “as important to know ‘what is right to do’ as it is ‘to

know how to do it right” (Guthrie & Reed, 1991, p. 21). Policy makers must

determine what is the right thing to do for a particular district and then

develop the appropriate policies an them motivate educators, students,

parents, community members – in fact all stakeholders – to follow the

policies.

Policy makers have a personal philosophy based on their life

experiences and teachings; yet, Miller and Safer (July, 1993) suggest that

policy makers are seldom required on a personal or professional level, to

defend their decisions in terms of philosophical beliefs. They do not

articulate their position regarding a policy in terms of an in-depth ethical or

epistemological position deliberation. Such deliberations, if they ever

transpire, occur after the policy maker has left office and has time to reflect.

So, unfortunately, what should affect policy making - ethical and evidential

reasoning, is often peripheral to policy decision-making.

Policy decisions are strongly affected by local board members and

there influence in the community. According the Guthrie and Reed, 1991,

such decisions involve complicated interactions of the constituency and the

multiple layers of the organization. Education decision makers

(administrators) have an understanding of local political interactions and

realize the affect of local politics on school policy. It is a fact that some

individuals in a community have more influence than others. This influence

is caused by several factors, including personal wealth, intellect, physical

force, charisma, and family and friendship connections.

The personal beliefs of the influential people in the community affect

school policy, which could be detrimental. Guthrie and Reed (1991) site a

study that suggests small towns may have a structure that is different than

larger cities, with local politics more strongly affecting education policy.

Administrators new to a district would do well to become familiar with the

local philosophy of education and to become acquainted with influential

people within the community.

The American system of education, though governed to some extent,

by federal and state laws and guidelines, continues to be governed at the

local level. Every public school system has a local board of education that is

elected by the residents of the school district. Because boards of education

are charged with adopting policies that govern the district, local philosophies

will be apparent, especially in the curriculum. For example, some public

school districts have a strong technical program and others do not – which is

a reflection of the beliefs and values of the members of the board of trustees.

In turn, the carrying out of those policies reflects the personal philosophies,

beliefs, and values of the district’s administrators, teachers, and support

staff. Therefore, personal philosophies, whether developed through scholarly

study or through personal experiences or a combination of both, affect

education policy at both the development and implementation stages.

Related Websites:

Education Policy - The Education Policy Analysis Archives has full

text articles related to education policy. The website is available at

http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa

ERIC Digests - This site allows access to various ERIC documents at

http://www.edgov/databases/ERIC_Digests

Policy Perspectives - Articles are available at

http://www.edpolicy.org/perspectives/archives/ that examine public policy

issues in teacher education.

Policy Publications - Articles related to policy are available at

http://www.edpolicy.org/publications

References

Gutek, G. L. (1997). Philosophical and ideological perspectives on

education. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Guthrie, J. W. & Reed, R. J. (1991). Educational administration and

policy. Needham Heights, Massachusetts; Allyn and Bacon.

Miller, S. I. & Safer, L. A. (July, 1993). Evidence, ethics and social

policy dilemmas. Education Policy Analysis Archives. [Online] Available:

http://epaa.asu.edu/e/v1n9.html

Theobold, P. (January, 1992). Rural philosophy for education:

Wendell berry's tradition. Eric Digest ED 345930. Eric Clearinghouse on

RuralEducation and Small Schools. Charleston, WV. [Online] Available:

http://www.ed.gov/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed345930.html

Philosophy issuespolicydev, Dr. Kritsonis

More Related Content

What's hot

Viewers also liked

Similar to Philosophy issuespolicydev, Dr. Kritsonis

Recently uploaded

Philosophy issuespolicydev, Dr. Kritsonis