ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the Charles E. Lindblom's distinction between politics and markets to contradictory proposals to transform radically the American system of primary and secondary education. It focuses on several critical issues raised by a market model of American education. Educational choice advocates often cite numerous loose assumptions concerning market behavior and the theoretical effects of market-like organizational structure on educational outcomes. Voucher plans are complex enough without trying to compute payments based on attained education. The simplest is that more educational services are provided in high SES homes by parents. The absence of the ingredient in low SES homes provides the rationale for means-tested programs such as Headstart. The issues raised by diversity go beyond ideological debates over a common school tradition, or an educational system that purports to teach students how the American melting pot produces a common tradition that is strengthened by the incorporation of various groups.
