Out of the hills of Kentucky and Southern Indiana comes a teacher’s voice crying for a completely new approach to public education. A 30-year veteran of public education in 4 states, the author marshals some convincing arguments that the worst enemy of public education is itself and that the school administrations in most school systems are very definitely guilty of self-perpetuating and extending that failure. While hiding behind the façade of competent, caring administrators, all too many superintendents and principals are guilty of placing the almighty dollar first, their own reputations second and students a poor third.
The writer places the blame for all of this failure on the heads of school administrations while not excusing the culpability of teachers and parents for believing those who try to convince them that education is available for everyone if the correct “magic” curricula, programs, methods, etc. are followed carefully and proper testing is done correctly. Nothing could be further from the truth, says this author. The reality of the situation is that testing, exacting standards, scientific methods, programs and curricula are not the answer and are actually only leading American public schools further and further down the path towards ultimate self-destruction as the public loses faith in the system. Public education is still only educating those students who come to school properly motivated or who are fortunate enough to find those few teachers who are willing to buck the system and teach the children, not the tests, the curricula or the currently popular (and ever-changing) programs.
In answer to the inevitable questions of whether or not the system is worth preserving and what might be done to make a serious attempt at educating every child, the author proposes some interesting and thought provoking strategies. Obviously believing that every child can learn and become successful both in a school environment and in life, the author proposes that some steps be taken which could indeed ensure that no child would be left behind. Radically different than those proposed by the Bush administration, these strategies are possible on any level from a single classroom to an entire nation. Saving America’s Schools is a must-read for every serious educator, every parent and every concerned citizen in this country.
