The call for universal preschool is a new front in the culture wars, raising sharp questions about American families, cultural diversity, and the appropriate role of the state in the lives of young children. "Standardized Childhood" shows why the universal preschool movement is attracting such robust support - and strident opposition - nationwide.Sociologist Bruce Fuller traveled the country to understand the ideologies of childhood and the raw political forces at play. He details how progressives earnestly seek to extend the rigors of public schooling down into the lives of very young children. Fuller then illuminates the stiff resistance from those who hold less trust in government solutions and more faith in nonprofits and local groups in contributing to the upbringing of young children.

About the Author

Bruce Fuller is Professor of Education and Public Policy at the University of California, Berkeley.

Reviews

Should all preschool classrooms in the United States be standardized to prepare children better for kindergarten and subsequent schooling? Would such an approach result in higher test scores, a more effective work force, and a stronger citizenry? Would a uniform curricular approach be best for children from all demographic and cultural settings? If so, should the government require children to attend preschools? Sociologist Fuller (education & public policy, Univ. of California, Berkeley; Inside Charter Schools: The Paradox of Radical Decentralization) examines the universal pre-kindergarten (UPK) movement from multiple perspectives. He offers the reader context by outlining the history of childcare from three predominant philosophical views (liberal-humanist, skill-building, and cross-cultural), then describes the current push for UPK. Drawing from both his own team's research and the research of others, as well as from the accounts of teachers, community activists, and political leaders, he offers insights into the complex array of concerns that drive UPK proponents as well as those who oppose the movement. Readers from either camp will find the author's research findings enlightening. Recommended for public and academic libraries of all sizes.-Jean Caspers, Linfield Coll. Lib., McMinnville, OR Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.

"Vivid, clear, and provocative, full of firsthand reporting from states and cities that are experimenting with universal preschool. Everyone who talks about preschool is going to have to quote from Fuller's book." - Jay Mathews, Washington Post"