A powerful examination of the rightist resurgence in education and the challenges it presents to concerned educators, Official Knowledge analyzes the effects of conservative beliefs and strategies on educational policy and practice. Now revised and updated to reflect the very latest developments in the realm of education and policy, Apple looks specifically at the conservative agenda’s incursion into education through curriculum, textbook adoption policies and the … More >>
#1 by Daniel J. Peterson on July 2, 2010 - 5:56 pm
“Offical Knowledge” is an incredible book which serves many purposes in the curriculum debate. Teachers who are feeling frustrated at the burgeoning, trivial official standards being dictated by State and Federal Government mandates will take heart to know that they are not alone. Teachers are trained for years to facilitate learning in their classrooms, but official knowledge is becoming a script. The only way for a new teacher to survive is to march lock-step to the dictates of agencies which are driven by political expediency. The capitalist masses (mob) are not interested in providing a relevant education to all children regardless of race, creed, national origin or socio-economic status. Unfortunately, this capitalist way thinking is so entrenched in U.S. society, and the symbolic solutions which Apple offers will never be adopted by the mob.
Rating: 4 / 5
#2 by Guillermo Mendieta on July 2, 2010 - 7:39 pm
In the same school as dewey, ira shor and others thinkers who have been able to clearly describe the connections between democracy, access to schooling and the curriculum. A must read for anyone who thinks we have the right to question both the policies and the content of schooling!
Rating: 5 / 5
#3 by The Straw Man on July 2, 2010 - 7:49 pm
After reading this book, I would have to say Michael Apple did a wonderful job using examples to describe how modern public schools in the United States are flawed. He also did a good job introducing ideas, which might have been alien to many people, regarding elements of public education in America. However, it seems he spends too much time on the tautology of blaming Republicans for the misfortunes and pratfalls of present pedagogy. One must remember that Democrats and Republicans are both cut from the same cloth. In addition, if Apple wants to scream bloody murder about how many blemishes that Republicans have caused public education, he needs to remember that Democrats really have not made it any better. The “No Child Left Behind” act is something that both the left and the right support, and after working in public education for over a year, I can tell you this act really does not work.
Apple does explain notions of Channel One and product placement in public schools, which then dictates curriculum. He also goes into detail about how the media influences education and contemporary society. Nevertheless, he spends more time pointing fingers and telling you what is wrong. However, he never expresses any lucid or tangible means to ameliorate this quagmire facing our youth and public education.
There is a fine line between making a wonderful argument and whining like a baby. Apple does a great job performing the latter. Mind you, Republicans are not perfect politicians by any stretch of the imagination. Just look at some of the things that have happened over the past few years. Yet, Apple’s diatribe seems more like whimpering, instead of fighting back, or addressing a solution to all the things, he is complaining about. Overall, this is an interesting read, but Apple is nowhere near the philosophical icon of John Dewey.
Rating: 2 / 5