Education is the primary formal means by which a society brings its newest members into maturity. As such, education helps create a society's future and perpetuate its organizations, values and population. It is clear from these ideas alone that notions of social justice come immediately into play. Should a society educate its 'youth' to perpetuate the current societal forms and norms of power, structure and values? Or should it work to help the next generation improve the society in some perceived ways? should education work to create a content or informed citizen? Or should it work to change society for justice or for stabilty? Who actually decides the role of education in our society? Who actually decides the role of education in our society? Who should decide this role? And, finally, what are the consequences of education? Can education actually be used to bring a more just society?

A very interesting component to this course ( and what is missing from the current Education couses of study) could be a comparative education prespective in which the educational systems of several cultures and societies could be compared with our own: Rabbibical Judasism, Indigenous Societies in Africa and South America, Russia, China, India Ect. The ultimate goal of this course would be to inroduce the students to the various not-always-obvvious issues of Education and how it works within our (or any) society.