Thus, the book describes but does not convincingly explain how we Americans persist in saying one thing while continuing to do another. The Failed Promise posits curriculum differentiation unilaterally, as a practice that overemphasizes American individualism, freedom, and choice. However, union as well as uniqueness runs through American history, and the culture is both competitive and egalitarian. An example of this paradox appears in the black power movement of the late 1960s, which Angus and Mirel describe, albeit with little sympathy. The movement espoused a differentiated, Afrocentric curriculum as a means of honoring pedagogically significant differences in the black experience and, at the same time, as a mean of creating enhanced solidarity among African Americans, which also matters educationally.
Tracking offers a similar complexity.
As these comments indicate, I am not immediately convinced by the case The Failed Promise offers. However, my comments should also suggest that The Failed Promise provokes me to think about its case further. I will have that chance the next time I teach a course in curriculum history. Without question, The Failed Promise will be on the syllabus. Today, illustrate the difficulties of historical translation and generalization.