Where Education Journalism Goes Wrong

, Malcolm A. Kline, Leave a comment

It’s roughly for the same reason education goes wrong: It ignores parents.

“The fact is, a lot of education journalism is aimed at influencers and practitioners rather than parents, who often take a back seat to experts,” Peter Cunningham writes on The Education Post. “Experts’ voices matter, of course, though it’s often in the service of an agenda.”

“Administrators, union leaders, politicians, advocates, policy analysts and researchers all have agendas. Education reform proponents are mostly interested in justifying it. Opponents are mostly interested in criticizing it. Readers need help to understand the agendas behind the experts.Only sometimes are they reflective and open-minded. Readers need help to understand the agendas behind the experts.”

“For the most part, parents’ only agendas are their children.” Cunningham served in the U. S. Department of Education during the Obama years.