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New Vocabulary Changes Perceptions of Public Education

As charter schools proliferate in struggling urban areas, policymakers are substituting new words for old terms to inject a sense of esteem into the concept of public education.

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Substitute teacher Nemir Naayem watches the hallways at Austin Premiere Academy during TAKS testing.
Credit: Caleb Bryant Miller

As charter schools proliferate in struggling urban areas, policymakers are substituting new words for old terms to inject a sense of esteem into the concept of public education. Researchers say the idea goes back centuries, and that using words like “academy” and “scholar” instead of “school” and “student” goes a long way toward positively changing the way students and teachers think about education. (NPR)

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