Without an alternative source of information and opinion, school board decisions that put consumers first are have little chance of overcoming bureaucratic opposition. Instead of asserting the consuming public's priorities, board members are limited to tinkering with recommendations that are, first and foremost, agreeable with the views and interests of school officials. A New Relationship Between Consumers and Schools ECAs have an enormous potential for impact because in most states and localities there is no organized, independent, and visible expression of consumer thinking about school issues. Education officials selectively tell policymakers, the media, and the public what they want them to hear. Good news is emphasized and bad news is minimized.
Journalists have no recognized sources with which they can balance their stories.
The public is given to believe that schooling problems are most likely to be solved by more funding and better parenting. Issues such as accountability, cost-effectiveness, and customer convenience are often invisible at the local level. Schooling failures and shortcomings are reported only if their disclosure is inevitable or some intrepid reporter digs them out. Individual parents or others who draw attention to issues that officials find distasteful frequently find themselves isolated and characterized as uninformed, misled, or irresponsible. Even when there is widespread sentiment about a schooling issue, consumers may have little influence.