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Equal Opportunities In Education: a coherent, rational and moral concern
Author(s) -
LEICESTER MAL
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
journal of philosophy of education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.501
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-9752
pISSN - 0309-8249
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-9752.1996.tb00396.x
Subject(s) - ideal (ethics) , context (archaeology) , sociology , white (mutation) , extension (predicate logic) , contrast (vision) , epistemology , philosophy of education , equal opportunity , positive economics , social psychology , environmental ethics , psychology , higher education , law and economics , political science , law , economics , philosophy , paleontology , biochemistry , chemistry , artificial intelligence , gene , computer science , biology , programming language
This paper is a response to papers by Wilson, Burwood and White concerning equal opportunities as an educational ideal. I seek to legitimate this ideal, in contrast to these earlier attempts to persuade us that it is incoherent, unreasonable or misguided. I argue that, given the social context in which the term is used, it is meaningful and represents rational and praiseworthy goals. I identify four aspects of ‘equal opportunities’ and conclude that the concern to promote such opportunities arises from desire for a more just educational provision and out of concern for the well‐being of children in oppressed groups.