ABSTRACT
In American education today, one of the paradoxes that exists has to do with the curriculum. Some writers (e.g., Bennett, 1988; Bennett, Finn, & Cribb, 2000; Hirsch, 1987, 1996; Ravitch, 2003; Ravitch & Finn, 1987) have emphasized the necessity to keep the traditional curriculum of U.S. schools in place. By this, they mean holding on to the classical canon and maintaining meanings and knowledge that have stood the test of time. Above all, these authors focus on the need for shared values and a communal culture.
