Closing the Backdoor to Deprofessionalization: A Policy Critique (Re/ap)proach

• In Event: 67.067 - MTCC Roundtable Session 31
  In Roundtable Session: 67.067-2 - Where's the Lie? Policy, Discourse, and Equity

Abstract

Defending teacher education in a post-truth era requires us to protect ourselves and our work from State policy mandates. This paper uses findings of an empirical study of policy discourses to highlight recent external policy mandates that eroded teacher education from both the front door (policies that overtly contradict professional knowledge) and from backdoors (policies that appropriate the knowledge of the field to justify mandates). We do not need more or better evidence to support policy critique and advocacy procedures (as suggested by this year’s AERA theme); we need new lenses to help us recognize, resist, and reject external policies and the tempting invitation to debate amongst ourselves the best ways to participate in our own deprofessionalization.

Author

• Todd A. Bates, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons