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33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most important books that I have read in a while, October 18, 2006
This review is from: Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie to Parents and Betray Our Children (Paperback)
In this wonderfully fascinating book, author Joel Turtel examines the modern American school system, and finds out just why it is the failure that it is - annually producing graduates that perform below world standards. Moving through the many flaws in the system, the author shows that the system isn't just flawed, it is broken. The system works against the children it is meant to serve, and against the parents who wish to be involved in their children's education. And, all the while it seeks to cover its own dismal failings.
But, this is not just another book throwing bricks at the obviously flunking educational system. Instead, the author ends the book with a section on how parents can work to give their children a quality education, in ways that are both education-effective and cost-effective.
Overall, I think that this is one of the most important books that I have read in a while. It is a damning expose of the American educational establishment, and an excellent clarion call to parents to take their children's education into their own hands. I think that this is a very important book, one that should be read by every parent.
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38 of 45 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book is hard-hitting and packs a punch, April 22, 2005
This review is from: Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie to Parents and Betray Our Children (Paperback)
Author Joel Turtel thoroughly educates readers about the condition of public schools in this country. This book is hard-hitting and packs a punch. Yet, the author has been careful to research his facts, and includes extensive footnotes and a bibliography.
Educating our nation's children is everyone's concern. Future leaders are sitting in classrooms today, and it's imperative that they receive a quality education. However, a close inspection of our schools reveals a disturbing and sometimes diabolical condition. From curriculum to corrective measures, the author clearly shows that the nation's education system is not deserving of a passing grade.
This book is divided into two parts, with the first section dealing with the abuses found in today's classrooms. Each chapter slowly and systematically sorts through the facts and fallacies, until readers get a true sense of the education system. The author backs up his opinions with solid statistics, as well as by personal accounts of parents, teachers, and students.
Although all of this information may alternately discourage or enrage readers, the author uses the last section of the book to give clear and practical options for educating children. Home schooling and Internet schools are explored with the same meticulous research that went into the first half of the book. Web sites and teaching materials are listed and critiqued. If anyone is seriously considering either of these educational options, the material presented here will provide a solid introduction.
The author unequivocally equips readers to understand and evaluate the education system, so they can make wise decisions about their children's futures. This reviewer applauds the time and effort it took to bring this book to publication. Most interesting was the idea of education entering a free market system. In fact, the author, who is an education policy analyst, makes several comprehensive suggestions. These pages will certainly open up readers' minds to daring new ideas.
This book gets top grades from this reviewer! -- Joyce Handzo, Christian Book Previews.com
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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Misconceptions, September 25, 2007
This review is from: Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie to Parents and Betray Our Children (Paperback)
It's ridiculous to think that this book or any others that criticize public schooling are saying that all people working and teaching in the system are bad. Everyone knows there are terrific, dedicated people working in the schools, indeed most of us know some people like that, but they are often hindered by the system and the rules. It's a perfectly legitimate question for discussion whether the 'system' is good, bad, broken, fixable, or should be abolished. John Taylor Gatto is one of those dedicated teachers who greatly deserved the teacher of the year awards he was given, and HE says public schools should be abolished. Indeed, he had success because he didn't conform and do what the 'system' said to.
I am a homeschooling mom of 8 who names all her kids after Bible names, but my main goal is a good education for my kids. With many American parents not sufficiently involved in their kids' lives, homeschooling is an awesome social trend that can only benefit the average family. I'm sure at least one of my kids didn't know much about the civil war at 12, but it's loving to learn, and having the tools of learning that counts. The 3 oldest have gone to college at 16 and done fine, and have been astounded at how much less history is known by the publicly- educated kids in their college classes. I was valedictorian from a private Christian school after attending public school as well, and now have been homeschooling and studying education for 20 years and am quite familiar with the issues and the lack of truly quality education in most public and private schools due to today's weak standards and time- wasting methods. If it's true that standardized tests with all their inherent faults are being dumbed down, how can it be exciting if test scores are up slightly? It just means the tests are easier and /or more kids are doing test prep. Yes some kids are learning much more math, but many are made to feel like failures and have no time to pursue their strengths, and all that math will help them little if they do not go into a math field and don't know enough history to be good citizens.
I have worked with people who are completely brainwashed with the liberal philosophy of government. They just look at you dazed and have no earthly idea why they believe what they do about political issues. They are not thinking liberals who came to their conclusions by thoughtful reasoning, they are statist parrots who have no idea why they think policy X is good and can't conceive of someone having an argument against it. If they had made up their own mind about things, you could have a real conversation with them about it, but they can't defend their ideas, they just assume the whole world agrees with them. Their public schools did not teach them logic, philosophy, how to debate, the constitution, or even the reasoning for their liberal views. That is what scares me. My kids know to test what they believe, how to defend their beliefs, and that truth is knowable and discoverable, and not different for every person.
Thank goodness we promote education for everyone now, including women and blacks, etc, but it is still legitimate to look at colonial education in terms of how well they managed to teach the ones they did choose to educate, compared to how well we do. If the public system does not usually have success with inner city kids and John Taylor Gatto does by ignoring the 'rules and proper methods of education' then maybe we should ignore them too. And regardless of how many wonderful Christians are in the public schools, there is much hostility toward Christianity in the school system. Court cases, NEA, ACLU, the absolute fits thrown if evolutionary assumptions are criticized, students forbidden to exercize their religion, etc. Christians suffer under a multitude of restrictions about what they can say and do while free sex is normalized and eastern meditation is actively taught and promoted. I personally was made fun of by the teachers in elementary public school 30+ years ago for bringing my Bible to school. It was something I wanted to do because of my own faith, not something I was told to do by parents or anyone else. Why did they think it was ok to ridicule a 5th grader about her Bible, when they were not nasty in general?
Many thinking people are totally for learning for everyone, but believe the public schools are more of a problem than a solution. It's a legitimate position that should be argued out. It's not good enough that a monolithic, mind-bogglingly expensive, government- controlled institution that is raising our kids for us does have some success sometimes. The question to ask is, Is it actually good for people? (I don't think any giant institutions ever are, whether religious, business, charitable, medical, educational, or governmental. They are all dehumanizing.) Are the successes truly because of the system or in spite of it? Are there any better and less expensive alternatives? Yes, private schools, charter schools,one room schools, internet classes, formal and informal tutoring-- whether by a trained teacher or anyone with knowledge to share. All run by the teachers and overseen by parents or guardians, and the learners themselves, not the government or the 'experts.' It would be great if all those truly wonderful teachers would quit and start small schools or tutoring businesses of their own instead of supporting the public school system. Local governments could give out vouchers for people below a certain income that were useable for any school or class including college, if we want to support education with tax money. It would be up to each parent and student to vote with their money for the good schools or teacher.
We should look at the big picture here and argue that, not just some of the details. And remember that questioning methods and institutions is not the same as indicting the motives of all the people involved. Even a failing teacher may be there because she cares about kids. But her love cannot change a damaging system that she has no contol over.
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