We’ve Been Had: Neoliberal Initiatives in Urban Education

Abstract

In this manuscript, we rely on practices of thinking with and through theory to situate and analyze the discourses of three neoliberal educational reform initiatives. We researched public-facing material from these initiatives to surface how commonsense language and colorblindness is often used to disguise agendas that reaffirm the racial status quo in urban schools and society. We offer strategies for educators, teacher-educators, and administrators to critically respond when they encounter such neoliberal reforms.