Schooling, Racial Inequality and Public Policy in America
3.0
creditsAverage Course Rating
After examining alternative explanations for why individuals obtain different amounts and types of educational training, the course focuses on how an individual’s family background and race affect his or her trajectory through the educational system. The course covers the specific challenges that have confronted urban schooling in America since the 1960s, including the classic literature on the effects of school and community resources on student achievement as well as the development and later evaluation of school desegregation policies. The course also considers case studies of current policy debates in the US, such as housing segregation and school resegregation, voucher programs for school choice, and the motivation for and consequences of the establishment of state-mandated testing requirements. Throughout the course, emphasis is placed upon the alternative modes of inquiry and writing which opposing scholars, policymakers, and journalists use to address these contentious topics.
Fall 2014
Professor: Stephen Morgan
Students appreciated the interdisciplinary nature of this course that they felt was led by an effective and knowledgeable instructor. Students thought the greatest weakness of the class was that discussion sometimes meandered. Some students felt that the course could be improved by reducing the amount of reading material. Students felt it was valuable for prospective participants to know that participation was an important required element of the class. They also noted that experience with sociology, public policy or history was not required to successfully participate in the class. 298