Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department or Program
Sociology
Advisor
Reed, Jean-Pierre
Abstract
A narrative of optimism abounds in dominant U.S. culture regarding education as the “great equalizer” of society. As a result, the experience of the disenfranchised such as those with learning differences, English language learners, and racial minorities often go unnoticed or misrepresented. Other factors such as the role of big business and standardized testing in funding school districts avoid critical analysis, including in the mainstream media. In a content analysis of 120 articles from the New York Times and the Chicago Tribune covering Common Core State Standards from 2014-2015, this study discovers both newspapers fail to make significant mention of the aforementioned elements in their framing of this education policy. The framing of any significant topic in the mass media is important because many individuals tend to form their opinions about it through this outlet. This study adds nuance to what contributes or comprises inequitable education in the public eye.