Description: In Educational Pluralism and American Democracy, education policy expert Ashley Rogers Berner envisions a K-12 education system that serves both the individual and the common good. Calling for education reform that will enable US public schools to fulfill the longstanding promise of American education, Berner proposes a radical reimagining of both the structure and content of US public school systems. She urges policymakers to embrace educational pluralism, an internationally common model in which the government funds diverse types of schools that deliver more universal content.
Providing an incisive assessment of democratic education throughout the world, Berner argues that educational pluralism can build students' exposure to diverse viewpoints and shared knowledge within distinctive school communities. She shows how pluralism steers a middle path that enables equitable access, promotes academic excellence, and avoids the zero-sum games that characterize US education policy. In this thought-provoking proposal, Berner lays out a roadmap for big-picture reform, expertly delineating the mechanisms through which educational norms can change. A practical conclusion describes concrete moves that advocates can pursue to garner support and advance new legislation.Brief description: An experienced actor and audiobook narrator, Madeleine Maby has won AudioFile Earphones and Voice Arts Awards and has been nominated for several Audies. She, and her pseudonym, have recorded over 400 titles in various genres. Madeleine's background is as a stage actress, with a BFA from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. She has performed regionally at theaters including Trinity Rep, Cleveland Play House, Asolo Repertory Theatre, and The Barnstormers Theatre. She loves telling stories on stage and in the booth.