One can’t approach the misguided idea of “owning” research through opinion, bias etc. without considering the implications of neo-liberalism economics on public educational policy. Public education at its inception was implemented by the English in a necessary response to the shifting power paradigm taking place in Europe, personified by the destruction of the status quo during French Revolution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_education
History of education in England
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_education_in_England
Put more simply, the rebirth of the republic in France had put the aristocracy/Bourgeoisie in danger and the English devised a public school system to help “educate” the public and convince them that their heads were of more use attached to their bodies.
http://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=M2LXYFWBZFEC&oi=fnd&pg=PA84&dq=the+origin+of+english+public+schools+social+control&ots=BmOUYYXWkY&sig=BTMc_l4JGfR4qq0MGqY7gqkPYJ8#v=onepage&q&f=false
Of course at the beginning the schools were only offered to those of the XY gender distinction but that was in line with the contemporary attitudes of the time. What’s really amazing is the durability of the model that this educational policy helped create. Effectively, a system of social control so effective that now, 200 years later when the ideas are severely outdated, people are only now starting to question or move beyond. However, as with any revolution, the danger of casting off the good parts of the status quo right along with the bad and currently the people defining public educational policy first in the United States, and now Canada. Educational policy in Canada has started the evolution that has decimated the public system in the United States which is strange since our public education system has always been heralded as successful so where is the need for change stemming from?
Canada’s education system rating
http://www.conferenceboard.ca/hcp/details/education.aspx
Canada’s Educational system in comparison with other countries via CBC:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2010/12/07/tech-education-oecd-rank.html
The difference between Victorian times and now is the unfortunate complacency of the public. The expectation of public education still exists, but the power doesn’t belong to the people anymore because they aren’t starving yet and as such have lost their militancy towards equality with the upper classes. Especially in Canada where not counting the various hockey riots, real and visceral revolution hasn’t threatened the status quo since the days of the Metis uprising and Louis Riel. For a comparison, all we need do is look south. The United States of course had it’s civil war, but if we go farther south, Mexico, historically has had eight revolutions although they were usually instigated by the peasant class starving and having enough of the exploitation by the upper class.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Mexico
The change in American schools began with the success of independent schools and later evolved into the more dangerous hybrid, charter schools. Charter schools exist in Canada currently, but have been much more successful in the United States.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charter_school
Naomi Klein speaking with reference to education and her theory and book, “The Shock Doctrine”:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/naomi-klein/the-shock-doctrine-in-act_b_77886.html
A study sponsored by UCLA on the damage caused by the public accepting charter education as a viable alternative to public:
http://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=mycfL5GAt2YC&oi=fnd&pg=PR9&dq=Problems+with+charter+schools&ots=Nzt4dp-qb9&sig=szK1nEQnHW2hIegUfzzrehaKzlM#v=onepage&q=Problems%20with%20charter%20schools&f=false
Returning once more to the need to compare the exploitive nature of colonial and neo-liberal policy, Colonial powers observed, adapted and implemented the original Victorian model of subduing the possibility of public discontent through public education and indoctrination. Neo-Liberal strategists, recognizing the strength had been removed from the public once more, adapted again and have worked to undermine public education with two projected results:
1) When education becomes too expensive, either through the implementation of an unfair public vs. private system, the population as a whole is easier to control, manipulate and subjugate.
2) The first step of undermining public education through removed educational funding, can be used implement the next steps in the neo-liberal agenda, by funding increased social control measures in an effort to solidify their position.
https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CCwQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fciteseerx.ist.psu.edu%2Fviewdoc%2Fdownload%3Fdoi%3D10.1.1.195.1700%26rep%3Drep1%26type%3Dpdf&ei=3y7LUYDsF630igL33oGgBQ&usg=AFQjCNFae1ULoh1sr8GxkqTTFPtr5bxJBg&sig2=6Ezbq1WpikNMKmbc5yt7Sg&bvm=bv.48340889,d.cGE
How bad does it need to be before we the public decide to act?
