Smart Kids, Bad Schools: 38 Ways to Save America's Future [Hardcover]

Brian Crosby (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 22, 2008

In Smart Kids, Bad Schools, award-winning author and educator Brian Crosby draws on his twenty years as a high school English teacher to offer a candid appraisal of why our schools are failing and what we must do to save them. Crosby's no-holds-barred critique of the broken education system leaves no stone unturned: he is unapologetic and uncompromising in his exposé of how teachers, administrators, unions, and parents all play a part in this national tragedy.

Crosby offers 38 ideas to save America's future and his proposed remedies are revolutionary. He recommends bold measures, such as lengthening the school day and school year, forcing parents to volunteer at schools, abolishing homework, outlawing teachers unions, and cutting special education funding. The result is a book that is likely to inflame passions on all sides of the political spectrum, and, in the process, introduce new ideas to a debate that is in dire need of them.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

One in every five Americans either attends or works in a public or private elementary or high school. For that reason alone, Americans should be concerned about the current sorry state of education and interested in making improvements. With 20 years of experience teaching English and journalism, Crosby offers 38 suggestions that include no homework and the abolition of teachers’ unions. He begins with an appeal for physical structures that are roomy and engaging, and moves on to advocating smaller class sizes, no summer break, later start times, no school bells, and all-day kindergarten. He also argues for more-nutritional meals and principals with MBAs. In separate sections, Crosby tackles changes in curricula (bringing back vocational education and reducing reliance on standardized tests), teacher training, school funding, and parental involvement. Crosby offers a comprehensive and radical overhaul of failing American schools that threaten to weaken every aspect of American life, from the economy to homeland security. This is a passionate and radical look at what ails America’s schools and how to make improvements. --Vanessa Bush

Review

"In this fast moving shake 'em up book, public school teacher, Brian Crosby, manages to enlighten, infuriate, stimulate, irritate and maybe energize readers who want to do the right things for our children but have never given themselves the time to think about how it can be done down at the old school house. He gives committed readers plenty of chores, chances and choices to make a comprehensive difference. If Crosby makes you angry or horrified, he'll at least make you think and that trait is always a good precedent for action."
--Ralph Nader

"Brian Crosby knows how vital it is that our kids get well-educated. Lots of people know that. But Crosby tells us what to do about it in a book that is at once cogent, readable, and provocative."
--Ben Wattenberg, host of the weekly PBS program Think Tank with Ben Wattenberg and author of Fighting Words

"Crosby, a California high school English teacher with 17 years experience, wants America to fix its ailing educational system. His earlier book, The $100,000 Teacher, focused on paying teachers better to encourage better performance; this latest proposes a broader range of changes, from student behavior to a basic rethinking of how quality education should be assessed. After explaining that he's arguing for a complete overhaul of the system, not some marginal tweaking of the rules, Crosby sets out his 38-point plan, in 38 brief chapters. He begins simply: building more inviting-looking schools, ending social promotion, enticing experienced teachers to troubled schools and reviving vocational education as an option for the non-college bound. These widely acceptable ideas buffer the shock from some of his more heterodox ideas -- banning teacher unions, recognizing excellence in teaching with merit bonuses, ending teacher tenure, cutting special education spending, ending compulsory education after the ninth grade and giving up on smaller class sizes, because there simply aren't enough great teachers to staff twice as many classrooms. Crosby speaks from a world of experience; his "political incorrectness" may bother some readers, but many will appreciate his honesty and his willingness to think outside the box."
--Publishers Weekly

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books; First Edition edition (July 22, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312372582
• ISBN-13: 978-0312372583
• Product Dimensions: 7.7 x 5.1 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,678,603 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Brian Crosby, a National Board Certified Teacher, is a 20-year veteran high school English teacher, author of Smart Kids Bad Schools: 38 Ways to Save America's Future and The $100,000 Teacher: A Teacher's Solution to America's Declining Public School System. He hosts the daily syndicated radio feature, "A Teachable Moment" and founded the American Education Association.

Ever since the publication of his first book, Mr. Crosby has made numerous national media appearances on both TV and radio, discussing not only his books but his views on a variety of issues concerning children and education.

Mr. Crosby writes a blog at brian-crosby.com and welcomes comments.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots of Sensible Ideas But a Handful of Bad Ones, September 24, 2008

By 

CrimsonGirl "homeschooling mom" (S.F. Bay Area, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Smart Kids, Bad Schools: 38 Ways to Save America's Future (Hardcover)

Mr. Crosby's book is a fairly quick read and many of his ideas for improving government-run schools are eminently sensible. These include: making schools' physical appearances and policies less like prisons; larger class sizes with higher quality teachers in high school classes; K-8 schools rather than separate middle schools; a ban on junk food/beverage sales; daily PE and a strong arts program; high-quality vocational education for non-college bound students; merit pay for teachers; eliminating tenure; ending social promotion; bringing back the teaching of basic civility, personal responsibility, respect for and consideration of others, and other virtues; more rigorous classes for gifted students; more field trips; incorporating community service; empowering teachers to actually do their jobs instead of being micromanaged by administrators and bureaucrats; less standardized testing; improving teacher preparation programs at the nation's colleges of education; having a career ladder for teachers; better fiscal management so that schools get more bang for their educational buck; requiring parental involvement; expelling chronically disruptive students; ending frivolous lawsuits by parents; and placing caps on out-of-control special education spending.

A few of his arguments I found unconvincing. I do not share his enthusiasm for a year-round calendar, a longer school day, and full-day kindergarten for all students. These may be appropriate for some children, but for others so much time spent in an institutionalized setting may actually be detrimental. I also disagree with his ideas for moving teachers rather than students from classroom to classroom; having a M-Th schedule for teachers with every single Friday devoted to professional development; and his bashing of private schools & homeschooling and his paternalistic attitude that parents should automatically defer to the teacher's "authority" and "expertise" without question.

Overall, however, I highly recommend "Smart Kids, Bad Schools" to anyone interested in improving the U.S. K-12 education system.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars teacher perspective, September 4, 2010

By 

babsmuri - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Smart Kids, Bad Schools: 38 Ways to Save America's Future (Paperback)

I felt Mr. Crosby had visited our school. Such insight into a major problem that is often blamed on everything but the real culprit. Easy read and informative.

5.0 out of 5 stars a MUST READ for anyone who cares about truly changing America's public schools, September 19, 2009

By 

Parent who wants change (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Smart Kids, Bad Schools: 38 Ways to Save America's Future (Paperback)

How refreshing to have a book written by a teacher with over 20 years experience (not some so-called education expert who's never taught a day in his life) who has a vision on how best to educate kids. Brian Crosby's ideas should be used to start off serious discussions across this country. I hope politicians get a hold of this book; perhaps they will learn something.

People need to listen to what he has to say. Sure, not everyone will agree with everything in this book, but the passion behind his blueprint for America's schools should be seriously considered. I don't see anyone else in this country creating an ambitious plan. America's kids deserve better. Here's hoping those in power recognize this.