Papers by Sarah Stitzlein
Revue internationale d'éducation Sèvres, Dec 1, 2018
Le contexte historique des idées de Dewey John Dewey est indubitablement l'un de « ceux qui ont f... more Le contexte historique des idées de Dewey John Dewey est indubitablement l'un de « ceux qui ont façonné l'éducation ». Auteur prolifique tout au long de sa vie (1859-1952), son oeuvre a influencé les théories et pratiques éducatives aux États-Unis, son pays d'origine, mais aussi dans bien d'autres régions du monde. Ses travaux de recherche et ses écrits ont suscité des progrès considérables dans les champs de la philosophie, de la psychologie, de la théorie politique et de l'éducation. Parmi ses publications les plus remarquables, qui ont relié ses idées en matière éducative à des concepts importants au sein de ces disciplines, figurent les ouvrages suivants : L'École et la société (1899), Démocratie et éducation (1916), Human Nature and Conduct 2 (1922) et Le Public et ses problèmes (1927). S'il a rédigé la plupart de ses livres lorsqu'il enseignait à l'Université du Michigan, à l'Université de Chicago et à l'Université Columbia, son oeuvre n'est pas restée confinée aux couloirs des universités. Il a créé en effet l'école-laboratoire de l'Université de Chicago, première structure de ce type, où il a mis ses idées à l'épreuve d'enfants et d'enseignants en situation réelle. Il a été aussi une personnalité publique, un intellectuel engagé auprès de plusieurs organisations : président de l'American Psychological Association, responsable syndical militant auprès de la Fédération américaine des enseignants (American Federation of Teachers) et de l'Association américaine des professeurs d'université (American Association of University Professors), il fut l'une des figures de proue de l'Association nationale pour la promotion des personnes de couleur (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) et administrateur de la Hull-House 3. Il a également travaillé avec la communauté des immigrés de Chicago, soutenu le Syndicat américain pour les libertés civiles (American Civil Liberties Union), été nommé au conseil d'administra
Journal of Philosophy of Education, Nov 1, 2009
This article commends Judith Green for reviving pragmatism as a persuasive basis for deepening de... more This article commends Judith Green for reviving pragmatism as a persuasive basis for deepening democracy in her latest book Pragmatism and Social Hope. It highlights her criticisms of neopragmatist Richard Rorty and describes the useful directives she provides for developing a unifying and mobilizing hopeful vision for the future. Finally, it spells out the educational implications resulting from Green's inspiring call to participatory democracy.
Educational Theory, Jan 16, 2012
Theorists, policymakers, and advocates frequently invoke rights claims to advance arguments about... more Theorists, policymakers, and advocates frequently invoke rights claims to advance arguments about what educational justice entails and to describe the scope of stakeholders' educational authority and responsibility (that is, children's, parents', and the state's rights and duties). This is especially true today in the United States as courts become increasingly involved in determining students' rights and liberties in schools, and as advocates mobilize parents and youth around rights discourse to press for educational reform. The prevalence of educational rights claims in courts and in the everyday settings of democratic politics affirms Ronald Dworkin's notion of rights as ''political trumps.'' 1 Rights convey an unparalleled moral urgency that compels attention, which helps reformers win support for their cause. Philosophers of education similarly express aspects of their arguments about educational distribution and civic education in terms of rights in order to convey the normative importance and moral prominence of the claims they press. 2 1. Ronald Dworkin, Taking Rights Seriously
Theory and Research in Education, Mar 1, 2011
One central aspect of a healthy democracy is the practice of democratic dissent. For the first ti... more One central aspect of a healthy democracy is the practice of democratic dissent. For the first time in many years, dissent is being widely practiced in town hall meetings and on street corners across the United States. Despite this presence, dissent is often suppressed or omitted in the prescribed, tested, hidden, and external curriculum of US schools. This article calls for a realignment of these aspects of curriculum with both a guiding vision of ideal democracy and a realistic interpretation of democracy as it is currently invoked in order to maximize this historic moment and work toward more robust democracy as a whole. This article will define dissent, show why it matters for healthy democracy, describe its role in the conscious social reproduction of citizens, reveal implications of the current more consensus-oriented forms of democracy portrayed in US schools, and call for new work on consensus and dissent in schools given changes in the present environment.
Educational studies, Jan 2, 2015
Theory and Research in Education, Nov 1, 2022
To maintain and improve our democracy, we must better prepare students for understanding, valuing... more To maintain and improve our democracy, we must better prepare students for understanding, valuing, participating in, and responding to political dissent. This is especially the case in light of recent developments in political life that have made displays of public outcry more widespread, though not always well-done. This article reflects on recent growth in populism and youth activism to make a case for improved ways of understanding and teaching for good political dissent.
Oxford University Press eBooks, Jun 22, 2017
I begin by laying out the shifting context of public schools and the citizens and democracy they ... more I begin by laying out the shifting context of public schools and the citizens and democracy they serve. I ground my discussion in a theory of participatory democracy influenced by the ideas of Progressive Era philosopher of education John Dewey and contemporary political theorist Benjamin Barber. I provide that theory as both a foil to analyze contemporary changes in democracy and a guide for how we might respond to and, at times, resist them. I then trace the history of educational accountability to illuminate key aspects of the current accountability crisis. Finally, I define the public and public goods, an important basis for my call to revitalize citizen support for public schools insofar as these concepts show us how schools not only serve as a shared benefit, but also are established and protected as such through our shared efforts.
Published in 2004 by RoutledgeFalmer 29 West 35th Street New York, NY 10001 http://www.routledge-... more Published in 2004 by RoutledgeFalmer 29 West 35th Street New York, NY 10001 http://www.routledge-ny.com/ Published in Great Britain by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane London EC4P 4EE http://www.routledgefalmer.com/ RoutledgeFalmer is an imprint of the Taylor ...
Oxford University Press eBooks, Dec 19, 2019
Philosophical Studies in Education, 2014
A small, but growing, number of states have legislation that protects the conscience of parents b... more A small, but growing, number of states have legislation that protects the conscience of parents by allowing them to opt out of teaching practices and content. 1 Most notably, HB 542 in New Hampshire allows parents to opt their children out of the teaching of any material or through any pedagogical style that they find "objectionable" to their conscience, though parents are not required to provide a reason for objecting and their identities can be shielded from public record if they make such a request. Also, at the expense of the parent, the teacher or school must construct an alternative curriculum that is suitable to the parent while still meeting state requirements in the relevant subject area. Related laws in other states include Kentucky, whose longstanding Bekner amendment and Bill of Rights Section 5 guarantee that no man shall be "compelled to send his child to any school to which he may be conscientiously opposed;" 2 Texas, which allows parents to opt out of any class or activity that "conflicts with a parent's religious or moral beliefs;" 3 and Missouri, which recently decided that no student shall be compelled to take part in any "academic assignments or educational presentations that violate his or her religious beliefs"-beliefs that admittedly typically come from parents. 4 These laws should be understood within their judicial context. For while the courts have consistently upheld the right of parents to control the upbringing of their children, in part through choosing a school for them, "they do not have a fundamental right generally to direct how a public school teaches their child." 5 Despite this, parents have repeatedly relied on the Yoder and Mozert decisions to call for opt-out procedures in their schools, most notably beginning in the 1970s with sex education. More recently, rather than rely on judicial decisions after-the-fact, parents have become active in shaping 1 Thank you to my graduate assistant, Amy Rector-Aranda for her help in preparing this manuscript.
... Thanks to Cris Mayo for making me so (un)comfortable once I arrived inside. Finally, a specia... more ... Thanks to Cris Mayo for making me so (un)comfortable once I arrived inside. Finally, a special appreciation to Richard Momeyer for recognizing many years ago what an incredible journey education is for me and for always knowing how to guide me through it. vii Page 8. Page 9 ...
Educational Theory, Feb 1, 2023
In this paper, Sarah Stitzlein considers the consequences of honesty on our democracy, especially... more In this paper, Sarah Stitzlein considers the consequences of honesty on our democracy, especially for citizens&amp;amp;#39; ability to engage in civic inquiry together as they face shared problems. Honesty is a key component of a well-functioning democracy; it develops trust and fosters the sorts of relationships among citizens that enable civic dialogue and reasoning. Post-truth attitudes and truth decay pose serious obstacles to good civic reasoning as citizens struggle to draw clear distinctions between fact and opinion, weigh personal beliefs and emotions over facts, and increasingly distrust traditionally respected sources of information. Stitzlein employs a Deweyan pragmatist account of truth and a distinctly social account of democracy to build a case for foregrounding honesty in the development of citizens. She describes how schools can employ communities of inquiry to cultivate habits of honesty within citizenship education. She explains how a better democracy-one grounded in a wider understanding of social life and relationships-might head off the temptation to be dishonest for self-serving reasons, focusing on how dishonesty jeopardizes our relationships to each other as citizens and our ability to engage in civic reasoning together to fulfill shared goals.
Philosophical Inquiry in Education, 2022
This article extends initial ideas on what hope is, why it matters to democracy, and how to teach... more This article extends initial ideas on what hope is, why it matters to democracy, and how to teach it in schools, which were first presented by Sarah M. Stitzlein in her book Learning How to Hope: Reviving Democracy through Our Schools and Civil Society (Oxford University Press, 2020). It accounts for recent obstacles to hope, especially the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. It suggests ways that other philosophers of education might further pursue describing and cultivating hope in light of recent social, political, economic, and health obstacles due to the pandemic. It emphasizes the role of inquiry and problem-solving using pragmatist philosophical approaches.
Not only is the future of our public schools in jeopardy, so is our democracy. Public schools are... more Not only is the future of our public schools in jeopardy, so is our democracy. Public schools are central to a flourishing democracy, where children learn how to deliberate and solve problems together, build shared identities, and come to value justice and liberty. As citizen support for public schools wanes, our democratic way of life is at risk. While we often hear about the poor performance of students and teachers, the current educational crisis is at heart not about accountability, but rather about citizen responsibility. Yet citizens increasingly do not feel that public schools are our schools, that we have influence over them or responsibility for their outcomes. Citizens have become watchdogs of public institutions largely from the perspective of consumers, without seeing ourselves as citizens who compose the public of public institutions. Accountability becomes more about finding fault with and placing blame on our schools and teachers, rather than about taking responsibility as citizens for shaping our expectations of schools, determining the criteria we use to measure their success, or supporting schools in achieving those goals. This book sheds light on recent shifts in education and citizenship, helping the public to understand not only how schools now work, but also how citizens can take an active role in shaping them. It provides citizens with tools, habits, practices, and knowledge necessary to support schools. It offers a vision of how we can cultivate citizens who will continue to support public schools and thereby keep democracy strong.
Philosophy of Education, 2013
Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education, Feb 27, 2017
Public schools are intricately connected to the stability and vitality of our democracy in the Un... more Public schools are intricately connected to the stability and vitality of our democracy in the United States. The important relationship between public schooling and democracy began as a foundational idea in our fledgling republic, and it grew slowly over the course of our country’s history. Along the way, the relationship has been tested and challenged, encountering significant problems and limitations over time, including some that continue today. Despite these struggles and the many ways in which we’ve failed to fully fulfill the relationship, it has become a key one for maintaining the strength of our society and our political system. Unlike a monarchy and other forms of government, it is difficult to maintain a democracy. Democracies take work; they rely upon the ongoing effort of elected officials and citizens, because they cannot run themselves or rely on just one person to lead. While democracy may be a highly desirable political system, its benefits are not always self-evident to children, and the pursuant skills and work it requires do not come naturally to most people. This is the rather precarious position of democracy; in order to maintain it, we have to educate children about its benefits and rationale while also equipping them with the skills and dispositions they need in order to for them to perpetuate it well. This is why we must link education and democracy. Democracy requires informed and active voters who seek information to make wise decisions on behalf of themselves and the common good. Such voters must understand their own rights and freedoms, as well as those of others, as they deliberate together to reach mutually agreeable policies and practices. They must be equipped to engage in free and critical inquiry about the world and the problems surrounding them. And, they need the imagination and creativity to construct, revise, add to, and share the story of democracy with others, including the next generation. The relationship between public schooling and democracy is best understood and fulfilled when it is not just a unidirectional one, where public schools support democracy, but rather when it moves in both directions, with the formal and cultural elements of democracy shaping the governance, content, and practices of schools. In this way, democracy is not just the end of public schooling, but also the means by which we achieve it.
Educational Theory, Oct 1, 2015
In this essay, Sarah Stitzlein addresses a key current crisis in public education: accountability... more In this essay, Sarah Stitzlein addresses a key current crisis in public education: accountability. Rather than centrally being about poor performance of teachers or inefficiency of schools, as we most often hear in media outlets and in education reform speeches, Stitzlein argues the crisis is at heart one about citizen responsibility and political legitimacy. She claims that the recent accountability movement has shifted the onus of curing society's problems almost exclusively onto schools, but contends that these burdens should not just be unidirectional. There is, Stitzlein maintains, a corresponding obligation on the part of citizens to public schools. This includes all citizens, not just those closely tied to schools through their children or employment. Moreover, this obligation entails a robust commitment that extends beyond merely supporting public schools through taxes, voting for levies, and choosing to send one's children to them. The responsibility of citizens includes upholding a commitment to schools as a central institution of democracy-something that sustains democracy but also, in its best forms, is democracy in action.
Choice Reviews Online, Apr 17, 2013
Learning How to Hope
This chapter describes the contemporary political landscape in America, where political despair i... more This chapter describes the contemporary political landscape in America, where political despair is growing as citizens increasingly feel cynical about our political system, skeptical that they can impact public policy, and distrustful of their peers and leaders. It offers insight into some of the conditions causing political despair, including structural inequality, disconnect between polarized citizens, pursuit of personal material goods, and apathy. It shows how citizens often get swept up in campaign rhetoric, but quickly find themselves disappointed because the form of hope they endorse is not one that they actually act on in their lives. It traces presidential campaign slogans and speeches related to hope and suggests that we need a more sustainable alternative in order to truly support democracy.
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Papers by Sarah Stitzlein
Building upon this foundation, author, Sarah Stitzlein, defines what honesty is, how it is connected to truth, and why both are important to and at risk in democracies today. Furthermore, the chapters offer guidance on how honesty and truth should be taught in schools. Situated within the philosophical perspective of pragmatism, the book examines the relationships between honesty, truth, trust, and healthy democratic living and provides recommendations for improving citizenship education and our ability to engage in civic reasoning.
Teaching Honesty in a Populist Era offers an improved path forward within our schools by detailing how to cultivate habits of truth-seeking and truth-telling. Such honesty will better enable citizens to navigate our difficult political moment and increase the likelihood that citizens can craft long-term solutions for democratic life together.
Recent polls reveal alarming trends in America and elsewhere: citizens have become increasingly cynical, less certain that they can have an impact in democracy, and more supportive of authoritarianism. This book details shifts in the hope of citizens, including increased reliance on messianic political leaders to fulfill hopes, exhaustion amongst populations plagued by inequality, and reduction of citizenship to personal responsibility and entrepreneurialism. These changes debilitate individual citizens and democracy as a whole.
Hope is seemingly widely experienced, yet its source, development, and relationship to democracy are worthy of investigation, especially in politically contentious times. This book explains what hope is, why it matters to democracy, and how we can teach it to our youngest citizens. This book offers not only particular content of what we ought to hope for, but also an enriched understanding of how we hope together. It explains how those shared hopes and hoping shape our identity and our work together in democracy. The heart of the book describes how new civics education approaches aimed at cultivating hope might better prepare citizens and bolster democracy. Such approaches engage deliberation, shared fate, criticality, problem-solving, imagination, and storytelling to shape a better world.
While we often hear about the poor performance of students and teachers, the current educational crisis is at heart not about accountability, but rather citizen responsibility. Yet, citizens increasingly do not feel that public schools are our schools, that we have influence over them or responsibility for their outcomes. Citizens have become watchdogs of public institutions largely from the perspective of consumers, without seeing ourselves as citizens who compose the public of public institutions. Accountability becomes more about finding failure and placing blame on our schools and teachers, rather than about taking responsibility as citizens for shaping our expectations of schools, determining the criteria we use to measure their success, or supporting schools in achieving those goals.
This book sheds light on recent shifts in education and citizenship, helping the public to understand not only how schools now work, but also how citizens can take an active role in shaping them. It provides citizens with tools, habits, practices, and knowledge necessary to support schools. It offers a vision of how we can cultivate citizens who will continue to support public schools and thereby keep democracy strong.
Published by Oxford University Press, 2017