Henry Giroux on Neoliberalism, Democracy, and Education

Giroux's talk, "Shattered Bonds: Youth in a Suspect Society and the Politics of Disposability," railed unambiguously against neoliberalism, against the "mindless, stupid" practice of teaching to the test, against the contempt with which society often treats youth (and more so those cut across class and color lines), against casino capitalism and against a culture of cruelty that insists "any form of dependency whatsoever is somehow a weakness."

In recent years, "democracy has taken a major hit." And for great study on how precarious matters are, Giroux urged attendants to look to the plights of youth. With zero-tolerance policies taking greater precedence - and financial resources - over the welfare of students, "punishing young people seems to be far more important than educating them."