Privatization and Commercialization of Public Education: Consequences for Citizenship and Citizenship Education

Urban Rev (2012) 44:281301

DOI 10.1007/s11256-011-0191-0

Orit Ichilov

Published online: 4 November 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011

Abstract My purpose is to examine and evaluate the implementation of market ideology and practices in education through the prism of both modern democratic theory and the discourse of rights. I examine the essence and dening characteristics of public schooling in modern democratic theory, explore the democratic purposes of education, and the unique mission of public schools. I also analyze the vision of public schooling that surfaces from the discourse of human rights and childrens rights, examining relevant UN declarations and conventions. I then proceed to discuss some major manifestations of markets in education, question their congruence with the democratic vision of public schooling, and examine their consequences for both citizenship and citizenship education. My conclusion is that markets in education, and the formulation of education policies and practices through decision-making processes dominated by business and parents, are not necessarily fashioned in the best interest of a democratic society.

Keywords Privatization Public education Citizenship education

The article is based on my recent book: Ichilov (2009) The Retreat from Public Education: Global and Israeli Perspectives. Springer.

It should be noted that the term public schools in the present article does not refer to British public schools. In England and Wales public schools is a term used to refer to what would be called private education in other countries. It should also be noted that this article focuses exclusively on the primary and secondary tiers of the education system, i.e., on school levels that are expected to be, and in most instances are, both compulsory and tuition free. Public higher education, in contrast, is selective, but should be made accessible and affordable for all qualied individuals.

O. Ichilov (&)

School of Education, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv, 69978 Tel-Aviv, Israel e-mail: [email protected]

Privatization and Commercialization of Public Education: Consequences for Citizenshipand Citizenship Education

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Introduction

Public schooling was introduced in Austria in 1874 and rapidly spread to other western countries was considered among the most progressive movements of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Public schools were established to make education universally available to all children, free of charge, and thus have been recognized as gateways to...