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Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve--Even If It Means Picking a Fight [Hardcover]

Dr. Steve Perry
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)

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Book Description

September 13, 2011
“Have you been to a school lately?  Have you sat through the six hours and forty-five minutes of excruciating tedium we send our kids to every day?  When we ask our kids, “What’d you do in school today?” and they mumble, “Nothin’,” they’re telling the truth.”
 
Steve Perry is like no other educator you’ve ever met.  He “gets it.”  He understands why some parents are downright panicked about what’s going on in their kids’ classrooms, and how other parents, whose kids supposedly attend the “good” schools, still fear that their children are falling behindAs Principal of one of the best performing schools in America -- one that sends 100% of its mostly minority students to four-year colleges -- Perry delights in poking the system.  Present him with a “truth” about how education is supposed to work and – count on it – he’ll show it to be false.
 
Dictatorial teacher’s unions despise Steve Perry.  So do lazy teachers.  So do entrenched, unimaginative school boards.  So do reactionary “curriculum guardians” who – as a lure to get kids reading – cling to the same old stodgy texts.
 
“That’s okay,” say Perry.  That means he’s making a difference.  In this book, his priority is to help kids who don’t have the advantage of going to his school, Capital Prep.  He wants to save your kid, and the kid next door, and the kid down the street from getting a typical third-rate American education.
 
If you’re a parent who has worried recently about how depressed your child seems when he dresses for school in the morning…or how little of what happens during the school day seems to sink into her brain… or how much of your child’s homework is busywork, you need this book. 
 
If you’re a teacher who is putting your heart and soul into the job but are surrounded by colleagues who are “phoning it in,” you need this book.
 
If you’re a committed, forward-thinking principal who wants to get rid of the faculty bad apples, but are continually stymied by Mafia-style teachers-unions, you need this book.
 
*If you’re a citizen who worries about the $1 trillion-plus GDP loss that America suffers every year because our system of education doesn’t measure up, you need this book.
 
In this solution-oriented manifesto, Steve Perry covers the full range of issues holding back today’s students.  He shows parents how to find great teachers (and get rid of the bad ones)…how to make readers out of kids who hate to read…how to make the school curriculum thrilling rather than sleep-inducing…how to conduct an all-important education “home audit”… how to “e-organize” if school boards and administrators aren’t getting the message…how to build a “school of the future,” and much more.
 
The era of third-rate education is over.  Steve Perry isn’t going to let the fools and scoundrels get away with it any longer.  Push has come to shove!

Frequently Bought Together

Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve--Even If It Means Picking a Fight + Reaching Up for Manhood: Transforming the Lives of Boys in America + Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Guest Reviewer: Steve Harvey on Push Has Come to Shove
Steve Harvey began doing stand-up comedy in the mid-1980s, and has become one of today’s most multi-faceted entertainers as a radio personality, actor, author, entrepreneur, philanthropist and TV host. His bestselling books include Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man and Straight Talk, No Chaser. Harvey hosts the annual Hoodie Awards honoring community business and leaders, and he also mentors youth through the Steve Harvey Foundation.

Take it from a guy who knows what it’s like to work a lot of gigs: Dr. Steve Perry, who divides his time between being the planet’s most effective school principal and a shake-up-people’s-thinking contributor to CNN, is the hardest-working man in the education biz. And that’s damn lucky for the thousands of kids who, because of Perry’s “serious as a heart attack” approach to education, are now heading off to four-year colleges rather than talking trash on street corners. It’s lucky, too, for parents who get to read this amazing book. The title, Push Has Come to Shove, is pure Perry-- and so are the big fat water balloons Perry aims at the education system’s many culprits. But Perry isn’t just a funny-as-hell, fed-up-and-tired-of-excuses dude giving “don’t know jack” teacher’s-union goons, lazy teachers, and political hacks well deserved kicks in the pants, the man has real solutions. He lays it all out here: how to get your kid better teachers, a better curriculum, and a better future. I love Steve’s impatience: he doesn’t want any of us to be putting up one more day with what we’ve been putting up with. He wants your kid turned on right now to the idea of being smarter. It’s about time someone inside the education system pulled back the curtain on what’s lacking, so the common man can help his children get an exceptional education.

--Steve Harvey

Review

“Brutally honest in its indictment of the status quo, PUSH HAS COME TO SHOVE amounts to an urgent clarion call for change by a relentlessly uncompromising iconoclast…Luckily, Dr. Perry only needs to point to the triumphs of his own program as proof that his innovative ideas deserve some serious consideration.”
—KamWilliams, syndicated reviewer
 
“PUSH HAS COME TO SHOVE is a must-read for parents concerned about their kids and feeling powerless against the system.  Dr. Perry empowers parents through his suggestions.”
Springfield Examiner (MA)

“Dr. Perry brings his rich background as a leading American educator to the forefront in his Push Has Come to Shove.  He makes his book sizzle with the provocative.  If you are a teacher, a parent, or a taxpayer, Push Has Come to Shove is a must read!”
New York Journal of Books

“This book is a timely addition to the debate on what's needed to fix the public education system. Readers will appreciate Perry's blunt, no-holds-barred, conversational tone as he aims to demystify school-based issues such as testing, accountability, what constitutes a good teacher, and teacher tenure…. Highly recommended for parents, preservice and working teachers, college students, and others who have a vested interest in the system.”
—Library Journal


"A leading agitator for reform of the American school system outlines what needs to be done now, and why. Throughout the book, the author displays an admirably action-oriented approach, with plenty of advice for parents and others on how to get involved effectively."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Dr. Steve Perry's refreshing honesty and fierce work ethic have made him successful in turning very bad schools into very good schools.  This book he's written about how to help others do the same is pure gold."

Bill Cosby
 
“A stellar book…very powerful… Steve Perry, an extraordinary educator, is sick and tired of being sick and tired.  America’s public schools are broken, and the kids who are bearing the brunt are mostly poor, black or Latino.  Perry pulls no punches in showing that, while the kids fail, no one is accountable because the system protects the adults.  This book will upset some people, but that’s okay.  Change doesn’t come quietly, and our kids desperately need change.”
Joel Klein, former New York City School Chancellor
 
"I've long been a fan of Steve Perry's blunt, no-nonsense approach to improving American education.  It's why Black In America2 focused on his school and his leadership.  This book boils down all his trade secrets and brilliant advice:  it's a must-have, a must-read and a must-apply!”
Soledad O’Brien

"Steve Perry is an anomaly in the world of education reform. Not only is he a smart, savvy educator with a proven track record of success with urban kids, he is unafraid.  He knows that fixing our broken education system means kicking up some dirt, and he does so unapologetically.  There is no stronger defender of the rights of children to attain an excellent education than Perry.  His book provides common-sense solutions to the seemingly intractable problems of public education and should be read by everyone who wonders what's wrong with our schools."
Michelle Rhee, former Chancellor of the DC Public Schools and CEO of StudentsFirst
 
"Steve Perry is an extraordinary leader and a much needed voice in the education reform debate.  He is a successful African American educator who has upheld the highest of expectations for his students and ensured that they meet them.  By following his example, we can ensure that Black children in our country are no longer subjugated to lesser standards and poor quality schools.  His commitment to improving the lives of children by refusing to accept mediocrity is second to none.  In this book, Dr. Perry shows he is willing to do anything to fight for what is most important--our kids."
Kevin Johnson, Mayor of Sacramento, California

"AmazingPerry lays it all out here: how to get your kids a better teacher, a better curriculum, and a better future…It’s about time someone inside the education system pulled back the curtain on what’s lacking, so the common man can help his children get an exceptional education."
Steve Harvey, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man


Product Details

  • Hardcover: 272 pages
  • Publisher: Crown (September 13, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307720314
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307720313
  • Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.1 x 9.5 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,453 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
(23)
4.8 out of 5 stars
I would recommend that all educators read this book. jay stewart  |  5 reviewers made a similar statement
Dr. Perry shows his love for students in every chapter. Mz Priz  |  3 reviewers made a similar statement
Didn't see WAITING FOR SUPERMAN but did read the book. Cinsational Reader  |  6 reviewers made a similar statement
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Eye opening October 7, 2011
Format:Hardcover
I first heard of Dr. Perry and Capital Prep while viewing the documentary Waiting for Superman. While browsing one of my favorite blogs, Imagination Soup I read and excerpt from Push has Come to Shove. This book is definitely an eye opener. It's a must read for any teacher, parent or tax paying citizen. As he states it's not time for education reform it's time for a transformation. His tactics may seem a little harsh but it's time to get harsh...our children are suffering.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Urgently Needed: Educational Excellence for ALL kids! November 22, 2011
By Temida
Format:Hardcover
This is a compelling, deeply personal book, one in which Dr. Perry's intent to change the educational experience for ALL children in this country is expressed with urgency. Steve Perry has never forgotten what his college president had once said to him when he ran out of funds just before the graduation exams: "I can give you the money under one condition... that you use it to help kids like you have a chance." Indeed, Dr. Perry went on to create a school where all students, regardless of their challenges, get a chance to succeed: Capital Prep Magnet school in Hartford, CT.

Dr. Perry's prescription for good schools may not be revolutionary: make sure your school provides a safe and inviting environment for all students. Hire teachers who love and want to teach, and support them with proper and timely professional development. Don't overwhelm your staff with administrative requests. Give the teachers space to teach with passion and purpose. Set your goals and measure results based on curriculum objectives and not on minimum-standards' test results. Continuously expect excellence from teachers and students alike and keep your standards high for all. Ensure healthy morale around your building and expect great things to happen... and they will. At Dr. Perry's high school, all children are expected to go to college... and they do.

What is revolutionary in Dr. Perry's vision for great American education is his insistence that each and every one of the above qualities is present in HIS school. He points out how our public schools have grown dysfunctional and laden with budgeting inefficiencies as well as badly structured and outdated teacher's-union negotiated contracts. It's unacceptable that our schools' management is often focusing more attention on satisfying the demands of adults who run the schools rather than on ensuring a true teaching and learning experience for students. Shouldn't every child be noticed and valued in school? Shouldn't every child be inspired to perform to her or his individual potential? Or is our schools' focus on "proficient" performance a worthy goal? As Dr. Perry says, "...To be categorized as "proficient" is to be performing below grade level... Lauding proficiency is nothing short of accepting mediocrity. It essentially means that a tenth-grader who is proficient in writing is almost writing on the tenth-grade level..." Dr. Perry continues, "Bob Wise... head of the Alliance for Excellent Education, said that he's seen students at the top of their class-even valedictorians-go on to take remedial courses in college..." And let's not delude ourselves that "if we could factor out... all those miserable `inner-city' scores, the U.S. would be on par" with the countries winning the educational race today. "In fact, Finland's bottom 10 percent is better than our top 10 percent..."

Yes, push has come to shove, Dr. Perry concludes: we need to pay attention to our youth, right now. We are losing too many kids, especially those from the culturally-disadvantaged and historically under-represented backgrounds, to inattention, unimaginative teaching and low expectations. Whether your child goes to school in a low-income housing area or in a posh suburb, we all have to insist on excellence in public education for our kids-- nothing less should do when our children and our future are concerned. This book review appeared in the Fall 2011 Newsletter of the CT. Association for the Gifted [...]
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars Let's call em out... November 22, 2011
Format:Hardcover
I read it and would love to see this book serve as a rally point for change. Teachers Unions beware, parents are NOT going to take it anymore. You fail us when you do not police your own ranks and weed out the slackers who do severe harm to our children, our economy and ultimately our country. I love his view from the inside, laying bare the ugly truth.

I read this book in one night and next day hand delivered it to my children's school guidance counselor, with the warning that he may not make any friends once he reads the book. I will paraphrase his review: Dr. Perry makes some good points, but he is a bit harsh. I would call it unvarnished and absolutely dead on. I'd nominate Dr. Perry our Education Czar, let's declare a national crisis, set the goal to be number one in the world and enpower Dr. Perry to make the necessary changes! We need to take Dr.Perry's message seriously. Well done Dr. Perry: Year round education, vouchers,longer school days; lets take education back from the self serving teacher's unions.

Parents need toread this book and take heed. I am currently considering moving my children to private school next year, where after interviewing schools I have found, absent the corrupt unions, adminstrators are not afraid to cull the deadwood.

I heard a quote that struck me: per student spending in the Buffalo,NY Public Schools if repurposed, would enable every student in that public school district to get the finest (and most expensive) education; every student, with spare money to return to the tax payer. This supports Dr. Perry's thesis that it is leadership, not money that's missing. Push has come to shove, it's broke, let's fix it.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars Great read
I would recommend that all educators read this book. It makes you want to do more and understand how you can.
Published 24 minutes ago by jay stewart
4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book
After hearing Dr. Perry speak in New Haven, CT I purchased the book. What a fantastic read that was engaging, honest and very poignant . Well worth the time!
Published 15 days ago by Dee Scott
5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Have
This book is a must have for anyone in the field of education but I specifically recommend this book for any parent with a child in school - especially public school!!!
Published 1 month ago by Monie
5.0 out of 5 stars Very good read!
This book was a very good read due to it was informative. The information this book provided was priceless. Will recommend to other friends.
Published 2 months ago by Alphonso Stukes
5.0 out of 5 stars Should Be Required Reading!
If you are a teacher or in education of any sort this book is a must read. Dr. Perry shows his love for students in every chapter. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Mz Priz
5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful Book
Every Parent needs to Read and re- Read this book, sooo much Power! so much knowledge and I 'am soooo much Smarter now Thanks to Dr. Perry!
Published 2 months ago by L. Marilla
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
As an educator, I found the information in this book relevant to where our public schools stand and the reforms that are needed. Dr. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Curtis E. Alston
5.0 out of 5 stars personal and challenging
I was trolling streaming talk radio stations to see what ideas were being discussed on the "other" side of the political/social fence. Read more
Published 8 months ago by Evan
5.0 out of 5 stars An Inside Look
Dr. Perry always manages to give an honest and thought provoking outlook on what is happening in our communities and schools. Read more
Published 10 months ago by James E. Flemming
5.0 out of 5 stars Wow. Powerful
Dr. Perry has unique insights in this ever increasing problem (the problem with public education). We need to get behind people like Dr. Read more
Published 11 months ago by tholzer
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