Surrendered
Why Progressives Are Losing the Biggest Battles in Education

Kevin K. Kumashiro (Author), William Ayers (Series edited by), Therese Quinn (Series edited by)

9780807764602

Paperback / softback, published 30 October 2020

112 pages
22 x 14.7 x 1 cm, 0.165 kg

In this dynamic book, Kevin Kumashiro offers a necessary intervention to help progressive educators and advocates take back public education. This book highlights how the broader Left (progressives, liberals, Democrats, teacher unions, civil rights organizations) are often talking about the “problem” in ways that were framed by forces quite counter to the goals of democracy and justice, and in so doing, advancing “solutions” that cannot help but be counterproductive. Kumashiro explains when, why, and how this has happened, particularly regarding the insidious nature of popular “reforms.” He also dives into some of the biggest battles in education today, such as affirmative action, free speech and hate speech, bullying and violence, teacher shortages, and student debt. Surrendered offers a different path forward for K–12 and higher education by showing readers how to establish a progressive agenda, employ language, and harness evidence more effectively.

Book Features:

• Illuminates the power of framing and the role that language and commonsense play in shaping public opinion and educational policy.
• Provides an historical overview of the conservative forces that have shaped public education in the United States.
• Examines many of the biggest battles in education today, particularly the enduring conservative framings of these issues.
• Offers progressive re-framings and concrete suggestions for movement building.
• Uses accessible language, framed with personal stories, to connect history with current debates.

• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Naming the Moment
• Questioning Common Sense
• This Book
• Part One: Historicizing Common Sense
• Constructing Americanness Through Othering
• Roots and Forces Shaping Early U.S. Schooling
• Part Two: Systemic Oppression, Collective Action
• The Case of Affirmative Action
• The Case of Free Speech and Hate Speech
• The Case of Bullying and Violence
• The Case of Teacher Shortages
• The Case of Student Debt
• From Surrender to Movement Building
• About the Author