School: Why Would Anyone Do That to Kids?

This book encourages readers to think about and discuss the purpose of education. It provides an opportunity to consider how the way in which purposes are framed has consequences for student-teacher relationships and teacher-administrator relationships. The author introduces a moral/ethical dimension into the consideration of purposes—Why would anyone do that to kids? This book suggests that failure to reflect on the purpose of education underlies the lack of impact of many education reform efforts. The author presents a fictional roundtable discussion of educational issues. The participants include teachers, school administrators, state politicians and bureaucrats, parents, community members, and business people.