EDU 5420 – Politics in Education                                                                                                                    Spring 2005

Professor Frank Smith, Ph.D.

Text:

Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision Making (1997), Deborah Stone

Course Description per Graduate Bulletin, St. John’s University, 2004 – 2006

Analysis of political powers and authority that influence the structure and function of schools.  The first course in politics focuses on the micro-politics of the school and its immediate social and political environment.

Assignments:

Stone Assignment – Contract Negotiations

Class Notes:  

         Hoyle, Haas, Poynor            

         Deborah Stone’s “Efficiency”

         Efficiency Glossary

Class Reflections:

This reputation of this course precedes the actual experience of taking it.  As represented above, Deborah Stone’s Policy Paradox text was used and was the focal point of this course.  Using this text, it became apparent through Dr. Frank Smith’s guidance and lectures that political issues are comprised of individual interests.  We (Brigid Collins and I) completed a group assignment called “Southampton’s Contract Negotiations”.  The project assignment required the end product to be the same format as our eventual dissertations will follow.  This was a very practical exercise.   Throughout my day as a lead teacher, where I am involved in the decision making process and this course has and continues to reveal the “micro-politics of the school and its immediate social and political environment.”