Can school politics be fixed?

America’s schools exist to educate students — right? Not exactly, says Vladimir Kogan, a political scientist at the Ohio State University. In his recently published book, “No Adult Left Behind,” Kogan lays out a provocative thesis: public education is not set out to maximize student learning. Instead, it prioritizes the various demands of adults. Employee groups protect their members’ jobs, voters without children reject additional funding for schools, and activists derail a focus on academics by complaining about school mascots or the types of books in the library, he says. “Kids can’t vote,” writes Kogan. “Most people who can (and do) aren’t particularly concerned about their learning.” Click here to continue reading.