The Ethics of Problem Representation in Public Education Policy: From Educational Disadvantage to Individual Deficits

This paper explores the ways in which notions of educational disadvantage have been reshaped and redefined in policy discourses during the ascendancy of neo-liberal governance in Australia. Over the past decade there has been a pronounced shift away from social democratic traditions of social justice towards more market-individualistic approaches that have called into question the ethical responsibilities of governments when it comes to challenging inequitable educational policies and practices. Commonwealth policy now leaves little place for socially produced disadvantage, as manifestations of disadvantage are typically described in educational terms and hence to be redressed by schools. What is most disturbing is that the problem is now being constructed around individual deficits, rather than structural inequalities. I conclude with a brief outline of ethical alternatives to current policies.