Deal and Peterson argue, as do critical theorists, that one very distressing affect of modernist reform efforts has the been the deprofessionalization of teachers. As Kincheloe states, teachers have internalized as common sense a professional approach that breaks the complex task of teaching into a series of simple steps that even unskilled laborers can perform-that is, they have been deskilled. A primary element of the authors position is that nurturing school culture creates an environment in which teachers maintain their professional status and are allowed to grow into the best educators they can be. This position directly conflicts with the modernist focus on standards and accountability, in which teachers are increasingly reduced to automatons forced to conform to prebaked teaching strategies. While arguments have been made for academic freedom for teachers, Millikan v. Board of Directors of Everett School District set the precedent that gives the school district direct control over not only content, but instructional methodology as well.
Teachers lose any real sense of autonomy in structuring and managing the classroom.
However, when validity is attributed to school culture, teachers become dynamic craftspeople that are most capable of serving their own students educational, personal, and community needs. Unfortunately, the authors of Shaping School Culture somewhat undermine their own position by equating the nature of schools to that of business. As already stated, Deal and Peterson subscribe to the idea that America s schools are failing and in need of improvement. Furthermore, they also state that schools should, in fact, behave more like businesses but claim a justification for this that is unique. While not as inflammatory as suggesting schools adopt a capitalist mindset, this modeling schools after successful businesses remains suspect.