Nominated by: Michael Riendeau
Dr. Thomas M. Skrtic is professor of education in the Department of Special Education at the University of Kansas. His academic interests are classical pragmatism, institutional theory, and democratic social reform. He was recognized in the Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership as one of the two most influential figures in reconceptualizing the philosophy and practice of special education. Professor Skrtic’s pioneering work in disabilities education has formed the basis for a fundamental critique of contemporary special education theory and practice. According to Skrtic’s critique, we must recognize disability as the outcome of our institutional practices rather than as a simple fact of neurobiology.