Reviews for The American School 1642 - 2004

The average rating for The American School 1642 - 2004 based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2008-12-08 00:00:00 Francisco Duran A thorough investigation of the history of schools in the U.S., The American School puts forth a bold interpretation of the purpose and function of schools in the past with profound implications for American education and society today. Education isn't simply an innocuous and positive buzz word, it's the primary vehicle for a particular kind of prejudiced and elitist Anglo-Protestant hegemonic agenda, often at the expense of academic rigour. If you think that this kind of brainwashing is part of America's "primitive" past, think again. It's ironic that Americans often criticize the perspectives of other countries as having too much bias. As someone who endured American public education, this book is a refreshing look in the mirror.

Review # 2 was written on 2016-08-18 00:00:00 Jody Bennett Joel Spring offers a well referenced survey of American education history from the 18th century to the early 20th century including perspectives from multiple historians. After the 1930s, he focuses on cultural forces; the influencers he depicts do not come from within the field of education. The passivity Spring shows from the field of education is either a poor depiction or a major change which needs to be explained.