The Business of Learning: Critical Race Theory, Neoliberalism, and the American Charter School Movement

The United States is currently in the process of replacing many of its traditional public schools with semi-private institutions called charter schools. Though this process only became widespread within the last few decades, its origins are rooted in the political turmoil that occurred during the American Civil Rights movement more than 50 years ago. By implementing critical race theory, this study investigates the relationship between long standing racism and the push to privatize U.S. public schools by using the New Orleans public school system as a focal point. Court documents, historical accounts, interviews, era specific newspaper articles and prior research into the field are all used to accomplish this aim. Analyzing these materials illustrates how current arguments in favor of privatization were born out of white resistance to racially integrated public schools in the mid-20th century, and still echo the talking points used during the Civil Rights era to challenge forced...Show moreThe United States is currently in the process of replacing many of its traditional public schools with semi-private institutions called charter schools. Though this process only became widespread within the last few decades, its origins are rooted in the political turmoil that occurred during the American Civil Rights movement more than 50 years ago. By implementing critical race theory, this study investigates the relationship between long standing racism and the push to privatize U.S. public schools by using the New Orleans public school system as a focal point. Court documents, historical accounts, interviews, era specific newspaper articles and prior research into the field are all used to accomplish this aim. Analyzing these materials illustrates how current arguments in favor of privatization were born out of white resistance to racially integrated public schools in the mid-20th century, and still echo the talking points used during the Civil Rights era to challenge forced integration. Based on these analyses, this study concludes that the American charter school movement is poorly regulated, racially biased, and creates classroom inequality in New Orleans, and throughout the United States.Show less

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The Business of Learning: Critical Race Theory, Neoliberalism, and the American Charter School Movement