Is "What Ought to Be Taught in Schools?" the Primary Curriculum Question?

Abstract

George Beauchamp in his article, "Basic Components of a Curriculum Theory" made a number of interesting points. I would like to comment briefly on just one of them here. According to Beauchamp "What ought to be taught in schools?" is the primary curriculum question (p. o20). I will argue, first, that if there is one curriculum question that is primary, it is not this one; and second, that the search for the curriculum question or the primary curriculum question may itself be misguided.