Schooled Political Education

This chapter introduces and analyses the overall nature and purpose of political education using an educational controversy around climate change as illustration. The chapter first questions what political education is and who should be in charge of its regulation. The chapter then considers the social particularities of schooled political education, particularly in relation to learners and teachers. It is argued that political classrooms are unique relational spaces and that teachers of politics often need to negotiate competing commitments. The chapter also explores the school curricula of political education and its underlying purposes: educate young learners into community values, the pursuit of truth and political agency.