Proceduralism and the orthodox backlash against students' rights

Liberal proceduralism and religious orthodoxy have long battled across a ra nge of controversies in U.S. education policy. An important setting for the se controversies has been the promulgation by courts in recent decades of a robust notion of students' rights. A victory for liberal proceduralism, st udents' rights has in turn contributed greatly to a religious orthodox back lash against public schooling manifest along a number of fronts, such as su pport for vouchers, home schooling, and other withdrawal initiatives. This article examines the ideological sources of this dynamic and whether libera lism in general is able to meet the resulting challenge to its core ideals.