Education and Justice

Education holds a special place in liberal democracies.  For liberal societies, education is promoted as a means to level the social playing field, allowing anyone to access the basic skills to compete in the economy.  While many of these assumptions are problematic (the ability to do well in school, for instance, depends on a host of social indicators), it is equally true that societies that educate their people are generally more equitable. Yet, in the current era, universities and schools are increasingly being placed under market-led restructuring.  Will these initiatives lead to greater access and more effective education or will it be a radical departure from Canada's traditional university model? What do these changes mean for a just and good society?