No sense in looking back

I’m reading the sociologist Bruce Fuller’s book “Inside Charter Schools”; subtitle: “The Paradox of Radical Decentralization.” This passage struck me:

Ironically, education reformers often hold little sense of history, on the assumption that when you’re on the cutting edge there’s no sense in looking back. Nor do local reformers always consider the wider political context in which they are both players and pawns. However, if we fail to confront these issues, the perils of radical decentralization may outweigh its promises.

More about the book here. That passage is on page 60.