EdSpeak and Doubletalk

Book excerpt: People who had long treasured their local public schools are now being told that our nation’s schools are “failing,” that we are not preparing children for “the global economy.” Many of these purveyors of doom and gloom are working to disrupt public schools and have created their own purposely deceptive vocabulary to assist their efforts. In this important book, Ravitch and Bailey decipher and demystify the new language of education. They describe the key terms and groups currently embroiled in the corporate fight besieging schools. EdSpeak and Doubletalk is an essential resource for anyone seeking to gain deeper awareness and understanding about the fight for public education. It is also an excellent text for any university class that deals with teaching, educational administration, and policymaking. “This is a glossary with an attitude, and because of that, I endorse it even more strongly.” —David C. Berliner, Arizona State University “A lively review of terminology, with surprisingly deep definitions that help us understand the fast-changing landscape of our schools and those working for and against them.” —Anthony Cody, cofounder, Network for Public Education “EdSpeak and Doubletalk is so much more than a glossary of education terms. The authors masterfully unveil the deception, duplicity, schemes, and profit motives behind the moneyed interests that strive to control education policies.” —Laura Bowman, Parents Across America