公教育離脱の選択に見る二つの私事化─インターナショナル・スクール選択家庭の事例から─  [in Japanese] Two Cases of Privatizations in the Choice of Non-Public Education: Families That Chose International Schools  [in Japanese]

The purpose of this paper is to analyze potential problems in promoting the privatization of education. I inquire into these problems in the situation in which privatization in people's consciousness is said to be in progress. The cases examined here are the families that sent their children to international schools. It can be said that they have exercised their freedom of choice of schooling in an extreme sense, as these schools are not approved by the Ministry of Education. In the process of privatization in people's minds, choosing international schools appears to help children and families free themselves from demands in public space including the public education. Indeed, in their words, their private space appears to be enriched and balanced by their decision. The children expand their circles of friendship and develop their 'uniqueness' in school. The families as well can protect their own culture. However, the private space is not the only basis of their choosing these schools. Looking ahead of children's future, the parents are also aware of the importance of the 'public yardstick' in public spaces. This very choice is one strategy to take up multiple yardsticks. Yet still choosing international schools can go against their expectations and generate the risk of taking up no yardsticks at all and of being expelled from any school, public or private. This risk can be hedged only by economic, social and academic resources of the family. Here, choosing schools outside the public education means the big shift of responsibility from the state to the hands of parents. What is attempted by the privatization of education such as free choice of schooling is the shift of state's role as controlling body to the market. But its role as the ensuring body of education also would have to be taken into account, as who is going to assume this role will construct the meaning of publicness in education.