Teaching About Schooling: Integrating Education Politics into Political Science Curricula

Education is a vital tenet of a democratic society, equipping citizens with the skills necessary to self-govern. Individuals also experience K12 education policy consistently throughout their lives, as a student, a parent, a taxpayer, and/or a community member. For these reasons, we argue for the inclusion of education politics in political science education. We highlight the importance of this integration for students, the discipline, and democratic ideals. We emphasize that education, a crucial public good, has always been a political institution, yet political science curricula often overlook this aspect. By incorporating education politics into political science courses, we believe we can enhance students' understanding of democratic processes, prepare them for various professional opportunities, and foster civic engagement. Our paper provides a framework for political science educators to integrate education politics into their curricula, illustrating the connections between education politics and key political science concepts.