Questions of Time in Crises, Acceleration, and Recurring School Reforms

The recurrence of school reforms throughout the about 250 years of public schooling in German-speaking countries has been much researched. Usually, analyses are provided claiming that shortcomings in addressing school problems or resistance besides a lack of understanding among educators made new reforms necessary. Little attention was yet paid to educationalized social crises perceptions turning schools into an accountable institution for social betterment and a brighter future. It is argued that this school’s mission recurrently seems to make new school reforms inevitable and accelerates school’s pace. The questions of time in public schooling of ‘constantly being too late’ and ‘be ready for new reforms’ are hence situated in social crises perceptions, acceleration and recurring school reforms.