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Paul Ryan’s Anti-Poverty Plan is Paternalistic
7/24/14 | Slate

Behind the Headline
An Appeal to Authority
Fall 2008 | Education Next

On Thursday, Paul Ryan announced a new anti-poverty plan in a speech at AEI. Slate’s Reihan Salam writes of the plan “it includes some of the most thought-provoking ideas to have ever come from the halls of Congress, where ideas traditionally go to die.” As part of the plan, caseworkers will work with poor people individually to develop a plan for achieving economic independence. Salam calls the plan paternalistic, compassionate, and smart.

In an article for Education Next (and also a book), David Whitman looked at high-achieving inner city schools that were also embracing a kind of paternalism. The schools include KIPP, SEED, and Cristo Rey schools, among others. Whitman wrote “The new breed of paternalistic schools appears to be the single most effective way of closing the achievement gap.” He goes on to identify the features that make these schools so effective.

-Education Next