Badges and Incidents: A Transdisciplinary History of the Right to Education in America. Cambridge Studies on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

In "Badges and Incidents," Michael J. Kaufman undertakes an interdisciplinary investigation of American education law and pedagogy. By weaving together the invaluable insights of law, education, history, political science, economics, psychology, and neuroscience, this book illuminates the ways in which the design of the American educational system does not reflect how human beings live and learn. It examines the principles of the nation's Founders and demonstrates how a distorted presentation of the Founders' views curtailed the development of a truly democratic educational system. The influence of this distortion on several critical Supreme Court decisions is exposed, and these decisions have largely failed to facilitate the educational system the Founders envisioned. By placing contemporary challenges in context and endorsing social constructivist pedagogy as the best path forward, Kaufman's study will prove invaluable to advocates of equity in education, helping them navigate a contentious political climate with an eye toward future reform efforts. "Badges and Incidents": (1) Combines a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives to demonstrate key principles in constructing an authentically democratic education system; (2) Includes in-depth analyses of key Supreme Court decisions affecting education in America; and (3) Links historical events and movements to present-day phenomena.