CHANGE SOCIETY? a Vcacc MWA SoSCAN EDUCATION CHANGE SOCIETY? Despite the vast differences between che Right and the Left over the role of education in the production of inequality, one common element bath sides share is a sense that education can and should do something about society, to either restore what is being lost or radically alter what is there now. The question was aps put most succinctly by the radical educator George Counts in 1932 when he asked “Dare the School Build a New Social Order?”, challenging. enti generations of educators to participate in, actually to lead, the reconstruction of society. Over 70 years later, celebrated educator, author, and activist Michael “Apple revisits Counts’ now iconic works, compares them to the equally powerfil voices of minoritized people, and again asks the seemingly simple question of whether education truly has the power to change society. In this groundbreaking work, Apple pushes educators toward a move substan understanding of what schools do and what we can do to challenge of dominance and subordination in the larger society. This touchstone volume is both provocative and honest about the ideological and economic conditions that groups in society are facing and is certain to become another classic in the canon, lof Apple's work and the lizerature on education more generally relations Michael W. Apple is John Bascom Professor of Curriculum and Instruction and Educational Policy Studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA.CAN EDUCATION CHANGE SOCIETY? Michael W. Apple BY Routledge iQ Routecge,ist published 2013, by Roctedge 7H Thicd Avene, New York, NY 10017 Simultancouly published inthe UIC by Routledge 2 Pak Squae, Mion Patk, Abingdon, Oxon OXI44RN Role an pin of the Taylor & rans Group informs bases © 2018 Taplr & Francs “The ight of Michael W. Apple tobe idee a author ofthis work hs teen aceted by biter in secordance with sections 77 and 78 of the ‘Copyigh, Designs and Patent et 1988, {All ight ceerved, No par af this Book muy be reprinted or reproduced oF ‘sled in ny form or by any eeerome, mechanical of other mean, now Known or heer invented including photocopying and recording, oF sy infematon storage or reser stom, without pension in witing fom the publisher, “Thademsk ste Produc or corporate names maybe wademarh o segtered teidesurs and ae wed only fr dentfestion and expansion without fate ining, iby of Congres: Caseging-n Paton De ‘Apple, Michae! W, author (Can education change soiey?/ By Michael W. Apple pages em Includes bibograpia ferences ad inde 1 Bdvestion Sociologia aspect 2. Easton socnlgy. 1. Tike Lent ases 2013 306430975025 212017331 ISBN; 978-0.415-87532-50b4) ISBN: 978-0-415-8753320964) ISBN, 978.0-203.08335.0(¢08) Typeetin Bebo by Keysroke, Sion Road, Coda, WolverhamptonCONTENTS Acknowledgments Can Education Change Society? 2 Paulo Freire and the Tasks of the Critical Scholar/ Activist in Education 3. George Counts and the Politics of Radical Change 4 Du Bois, Woodson, and the Politics of Transformation Keeping Transformations Alive: Learning From the “South” Luis Armando Gandin and Michael W-Apple 6 Wal-Marting America: Social Change and Educational Action 7 Critical Education, Speaking the Truth, and Acting Back 8 Answering the Question: Education and Social Transformation Notes References Index 46 7B 96 167 171 183,ACKNOWLEDGMENTS No mutter whose name appears on the cover, all books are collective accom plishments, Many people have contributed to my thinking more productively about the content ofthis book. Among them ate: Petter Aasen, Jean Anyon, Alex Apple, Angie Apple, Peter Apple, James Avis, Wayne Au, Stephen Ball, Len Barton, James Beane, Kalwant Bhopal, Barbara Brodhagen, Kristen Buras, Patricia Burch, Cathy Compton-Lilly, Miriam David, Roger Dale, Michael Fielding, Ramon Flecha, Michael Fultz, Luis Armando Gandin, David Gillborn, Fatma Gok, Sara Goldtick-Rab, Carl Grant, Beth Graue, Oscar Grazier, Helen Gunter, Salomao Hage, Ove Haugalaken, Diana Hess, Zhongjing Hwang, Nancy Kendall, Krishna Kumar, Gloria Ladson-Billings, Marie Lall, Andres Larisgoitia, Stacey Le: Zeus Leonardo, Alan Lockwood, Kathleen Lynch, Felicitas Macgilehrist, Cathryn, Magno, cron McCarthy, Julie McLeod, Shyam Menon, Pavlino Motter, Adam Nelson, Michael Olneck, Mariana Pacheco, Susan Robertson, Simone Schweber, Steven Selden, Roger Slee, Marta Soler, Amy Stambach, Hugh Starkey, Constance Steinkuebler, Youl-Kwan Sung, Michael Thomas, Carlos Alberto Torees, Silvia Vazque2, Lois Weis, Geoff Whitty, Tin Hong Wong, Jobanna Wyn, Guangeai Yan, Deborah Youdell, and Kenneth Zeichné It may seem repetitive, but in every one of my books I state that much of my work is indebted to the Friday Seminar at the University of Wisconsin, Madison lenabah Martine2, For over four decades now, I have met each Friday afternoon with my graduate seudents, visiting scholars, and others to discuss and debate crucial political and educational issues, to critically support each other, to engage with and assist in rk, and to provide a space where powerful things can be said and done re impulses that all too easly dominate without the “point scoring” and compet the university. This truly ternational group has people from all over the world,ili Acknowledgments swith multiple experiences and political/educational commitments, Yet, it consi tently demonstrates that itis possible to maintain an intergenerattonal community that teaches current and past participants hew to understand and actin a world in ‘which inequalities are ever present ‘Rima Apple has played a crucial role in this book. She has repeatedly helped. me work through my arguments, raised questions about my assumptions, con- nected me to important work in her own field, and kept me sane during the times when the ways in which this society and its institutions operate can lead me and others to cynicism and despair Lis Anmando Gandin alzo had a major role in this book. He is appropriately first author on one of the chapters and has been a fine friend, colleague, and commentator on my work for many years. He continues to be my texcher about swhat we can learn from the experiences of Brazil Pars of this book were waitten whea I was 2 World Scholar at the Institute of Education, University of London, an affiliation that continues in what has become “my second home.” Few places in the world are like the University of Wiseonsin, ‘Madison in terms of its support of critical work. But the Institute of Education is a place where some of the most progressive and committed researchers in the ‘world reside. They continue to exeate an environment for me there that enables me to engage in serious work and to have the kinds of substantive academi political, and personal discussions that are more than a litle significant in my understanding of education and its relationship to the larger society. My continuing discussions with Stephen Ball, David Gillbom, Geoff Whitty, and Deborah Youdell at the Institute—and now for some of them at the University of Birmingham—have been particularly important. ‘Annumber of the arguments here were alzo first tried out at East China Nosmal University in Shanghai. My appointment as World Scholar and Distinguished Profesor there giver me an important opportunity to test out my arguments on colleagues and graduate students whose experiences ate offen very different than those in the West. Their suggestions and criticisms, expecially those of Guangeai ‘Yan and Zhongjing Huang, ate very much appreciated I would also like to thank Zhankui Wang and Zhongying Shi of Beijing ‘Normal University. In the process of writing his dissertation on me and helping to establish the archives for the Michael W. Apple Research Center at BNU under the direction of Professor Shi, Zhankui constantly raised questions about the meaning of what [ wrote and led me to clarify my position in important ways. Catherine Berard at Routledge has again done what she has done so many times over the years I have worked with her both on the series I edit with Routledge and on my own books. She is wise, always thoughtful, and patient when this is necessary, Catherine isthe very embodiment of what it means to he an outstanding publisher, editor, and friend, Finally, and parly ironically, I want to recognize the role played by the current rightist governor and legislative leaders of the State of Wisconsin. ‘Their assault onAcknowledgments bx the rights of public workers, their massive funding cuts in education, health, and welZire, their dismissal of women's clans to conteol their own bodies, their racist ” and anti-immigrant legislation, their attempts to limit the voting rights of people of color, students, the poor, and the elderly, and their overall arogance—all ofthis has reminded me and so many other people what is at stake if we are not very vigilant in recognizing what the Right is capable of doing. To all of the people of Wisconsin and other states and nations who actively refuse to allow this to continue, I offer my profound thanks ‘This book is dedicated to Alexander Seth Apple and Alyssa Lee Cotton, my grandchildren. Alex has already demonstrated the courage it takes to stand up in schools and elsewhere for what he believes, even when doing so can make hie harder for him, Asa young woman of color, Alyssa has overcome many obstacles 1m schools and in her daily ie as she consistently tries to build a better hens, actions over “truth in sentencing1 CAN EDUCATION CHANGE SOCIETY? First Thoughts Crisis talk i often over-used in books that seek to deal with issues of crucial public importance. But this ica time when such talk seeme almost understated, All around us the effects of such things 2s unemployment, growing economic inequalities, housing foreclosures, the defunding of programs for the poor, hunger, homeless ness, loss of pensions and health care, resurgent racism, anti-immigrant sentiment and violence, and so much more are becoming ever more visible. In schools, the achievement gap, the school to prison pipeline, the attacks on serious exitica nulticultural content, the cuts in school funding, the utter disrespect shown in policy and the media toward teachers, and again the list could be extended as asthe eye can see—all ofthis is painfully evident. For those of us deeply committ to an education worthy ofits name, the exisi is palpable, It forces us to ask whether gucation has a substantive role to play in challenging this situation and in asisting 4m building a society that reflects our les selfish and more socially and personally emancipatory values. The book you are about to read wants to take this isue seriously Catt Educition Change Society? isa somewhat different kind of book than others Thave written, I did not want to write a largely theoretical book. Afer all, '@ alzeady spent a good deal of time in various books ancl asticles analyzing whether education had some independent power or was totally determined by dominant smic and cultural relations (see, e-g., Apple 1982: Apple 1986; Apple 1996; Apple 2002; Apple 2004; Apple 2010; Apple 2012). I had also partly answered this question by showing in greater detail the ways in which rightist movements had employed education as part of a larger radical reconstruction of the priorities of this society (Apple 2006). There is still some serious theoretical work with.2. Can Education Change Society? which this book engages, expecially later on in this introductory chapter and in Chapter 2. (Be patient. This work is important grounding for my chapters on critical people and programs in the rest of the volume.) But the aim is not to advance and justify a new over-arching argument, Nor is it to give us the one ultimate answer to the question of whether education can change society. Indeed, it became clear to me while writing the chapters in this book, that there is no one ‘ulimate answer—anless we can be satisied with something such as this: “It depends. And it depends on a ot of hard and continued efforts by many people.” "This may be frustrating for you and certainly for me. But itis honest. Instead, thie is a book of eritcal reflections and examples. The first chapters include reflections on the work of some of the most significant people who Iistorically sought to answer the question. I focus on a number of public intel- Iectuals from both dominant and minoritized communities and endeavor to show how their work bears on the question and on the responsibilities of the critical ‘educator, The second set of chapters gives two examples of successful attempts to use education in movernents involved in larger social transformations. One of these ‘examples ie deeply progressive both in its goals and in ite process. The second is decidedly not progressive ia either its goals or its process. Bue it wat and it a powerfal reminder that those who answer the question of whether education can ‘change society—or at least play a key role in pushing society in particular directions—may not be committed to a society based on principles and practices that many readers of this book would find to their liking, ‘The firt example detaile what has happened in a place from which anyone who wants to further democratize society and its key institutions has much to learn about lasting reform—the Brazilian city of Porto Alegre. The second example brings us back to the United States. Here, a massive multinational corporation— in this case Wal-Mart—hat worked in coordination with ales among powerful conservative economic, cultural, religious, and political movements. thas shown, lover time how effective an educational seeategy can be in pushing forward and legitimating a very different and very limited conception of democracy. This is at the very opposite end of the ideological