CHAPTER 8: Reclaiming Camelot: Capturing the Reflections of Exemplary, Veteran Middle School Teachers in an Age of High Stakes Testing and Accountability Through Narrative Inquiry

With the changing of the guard in the U.S. Executive Office, many political and media analysts draw parallels between Barack Obama and John F. Kennedy, spinning the new presidency as an opportunity to reclaim the “Camelot years.” The Kennedy era is often remembered for its domestic focus on collectivity, civil rights, a call for innovation and new ways of thinking, and the reenvisioning of responsible leadership. President Kennedy, like many in the early 1960s, was a great fan of the Broadway musical, “Camelot,” which told the hopeful story of King Arthur’s transformation into leadership marked by service and a commitment to building a unifying identity. Kennedy’s favorite song from the musical included these lyrics: