Customer Reviews

A Cry for Character

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This was a super read about a bunch of high school kids who were fed up with the problems at their Illinois school and decided to do something about it. The book chronicles, in dramatic fashion, the steps they took to take their controversial concept of a student-taught character education class and push it up through the maze of the public school system. Nothing, not skeptical teachers, wary administrators, a frowning teachers union or a politically minded school board could stop them. In less than a year, they accomplished their innovative goal of being given a part of the school day to have no-holds-barred discussions covering everything from alcohol, drugs, to premartial sex. From the moment the classes started, things began changing at the school for the better. This was mostly because the students now had a place to vent their anger and frustrations regarding all the typical,and not so typical, teenage problems. Author Dary Matera does a great job of taking a backseat and allowing the students who created and pushed the program to tell their stories in their own words. Because of this, the book will strike a cord with teenagers everywhere.

if you possess the prejudice that administrators and teachers are "roadblocks" (p. 39) and "stodgy" (p. 40) and want to have that prejudice reenforced in the most simplistic of terms.

As a reform-minded secondary school teacher myself, I could not read more than three pages of this book at a time without putting it down and counting slowly to 100. I picked this book up hoping to find some interesting ideas for student-initated and faciliated change and a blue-print for reform. This is hardly it. Instead, this is trash-journalism at its worst.

Matera, rather than being even-handed or objective, is often schizophrenic in his portrayal of the teachers and administrators. The two descriptions above come from a chapter titled "Teachers to the Rescue." He doesn't bother to look at reasons why teachers might not want to jump on the latest bandwagon; he merely talks to those teachers, and students, who were in favor of the reform and allows them to trash, in print, those who were "lukewarm" in their support. He puts white and black hats on his subjects.

He writes as though the school exists in a vacuum, and all that was wrong with its values was the fault of the teachers and administrators, rather than being a reflection of the community. He doesn't turn a critical eye toward the parents, despite that the crux of one mother's complaint was that the pivitol cherry incident made the town look bad in the paper (p. 21). Where were they when the kids where throwing beer-blasts? Matera never bothers to ask--he already has his scapegoat.

The worst part is that, despite his experience as an "investigative reporter" (inside back flap), he contradicts himself on the most simple issues. For example, he calls one teacher's French class a "difficult *elective*" (emphasis added) then in the next sentence claims that it "is usually an unpleasant high school language *requirement*" (p. 33, emphasis added). Furthermore, these same "roadblocks" to change and reform had during the year prior to the events in the book implemented a new block schedule and eliminated valedictorian and salutatorian titles (p. 31).

If you are interested in school reform there are many, many much better books that will give you a substantive view of how change occurs and why, sometimes, it doesn't.

Most high school stories today are all bad. This was a big difference. The book was just as interesting as the wild and crazy stories, but the difference is that the good kids who wanted to make things better are the heros instead of the typical jerks you see in movies like American Pie. I loved the book and feel good that it's making a difference.

Michelle Pfeiffer should grab this book and bring it to her producers because it contains the best story about an American school teacher since "Dangerous Minds." Although the students who pushed for this unique character education program are getting most of the credit, one can't overlook the courageous high school French teacher, Karen Royer, who heard their "Cry for Character" and joined them in battling the public school system until they got what they wanted -- a chance to turn around their troubled school. Great vehicle for Pfeiffer, Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Sally Field or any of the A-list Hollywood stars. I can't wait to see the movie!

Just want say I loved this book and I'm so proud of the teenagers who helped turned their school around. You guys showed the right spirit and determination, and for that you'll always be remembered. Thank you Dary Matera for bringing this wonderful story of youthful pride and ability to the nation's attention!

This is a great book! Finally, a story about teenagers doing something worthwhile, even historic. The author builds suspense as he follows the student leaders who had a wild idea -- bring good behavior and morals back to their school -- and takes them on the long, difficult journey of pushing their grandios plan up through the staid and overly protective school system. Not to be denied, this motivated group wouldn't take no for an answer until they'd accomplished their dream. An extraordinaly uplifting tale that makes you feel good about today's youth.

I don't know why these other people are so bent out of shape because I thought this book was great. It was a fascinating read that kept my interest all the way through. I think what made it come alive to me was that it was an average high school with average problems, not perfect, but not real bad either. Being an outsider, I didn't come away with the feeling that Mundelein High was any worse than any other high school. The author does a good job of putting the discipline problems into proper focus, mostly by viewing the same events from the different perspectives of those involved -- other students, teachers and administrators. Through this, we get a detailed picture of how a single event, like the Homecoming Queen crowning that got out of hand, can effect so many people so differently. I also thought it was clever that Matera mostly let the students tell the story themselves. After all, the strength of the character education program they created was the fact that they themselves take on the role of instructer and teach their fellow students. This was an enjoyable read and important story as well. I can understand that some members of the rowdy classes portrayed in the book might be upset, but I think they need to take a deep breath and realized that the book was written for the rest of the country, not just them.

This is a very inspirational and uplifting book, especially to those of us in the secondary education field. I can't remember being this inspired by anything school-related since I began my career. I'd like to thank author Dary Matera for telling this remarkable story, and thank the students, teachers and administrators of Mundelein High for creating such a positive example for the rest of the nation to follow.

I went to Mundelein High school and I'm not sure where I was when all this happend. What did happen wasn't a big deal, or even thought about a week after it happened. All I know is that I never feared for my life, I never thought that what we did was all that different from other high schools. I think this book is very over dramatic. What about how Mundlein did away with valavictorian, so as not to make students feel bad and avoid competition but every year still had homecoming queen and prom queen? The competiton at prep rallys, it had gone on for years. Nobody cared about 'freshmen suck'. As for the 'goth kids' in black with their 'long coats' it's that kind of classification that causes school shootings. Because some kids don't play football or dress in A&F does not mean they're going to shoot up the school. How about letting kids be original instead of pointing out that they may be different and accusing them of potentially shooting up the school in the near future. All I know is that once everyone tried to 'improve' things, it didn't make the school better, it made it a prison. How about getting some more opinions before telling the world what a 'bad place' MHS was. If that behavior is the worst thing that Matera can come up with, then I would gladly call myself a graduate of MHS.

What a delightful book to find in this day and age of so much school violence. These are the kind of stories that should be getting the media's attention. It was thrilling to read, step by step, how this school was set back on straight and narrow by nothing more than a small group of inspired students who would not be denied, along with a single, courageous teacher who championed their cause. I applaud them, and applaud author Dary Matera for bringing this positive story to light.