Several theories of criminology, the learning theories, state that delinquency is the result of close proximity to other delinquent peers in combination with a lack of norms and definitions that favor conventional behavior. Taking the learning theory of delinquency into account, separating “good” students from struggling students may increase the rate of delinquency instead of helping it. If the Broads, Waltons and Gates really want to fix America’s schools, a good place to start would be by purchasing a copy of Dr Ravitch’s book for every Washington bureaucrat, senator, representative, state legislator, mayor, school superintendent, school board member, and principal. That could set the whole system moving in the right direction.

I would pick it up right away. I am reading it a second time.

Only someone with Diane Ravitch’s historical perspective could so clearly and compellingly explain the reasons we are at this juncture in public education now in this country. Her knowledge of educational history and her inside participation in the decisions that have shaped public policy on education reads like a mystery.

Conservative interests backed vouchers, school choice, testing and accountability, and later, charter schools. Cutting through the ideology, Ms Ravitch dispassionately reviews the data and research, and finds the results to be a mixed bag. This is a book that is easy to read quickly cover-to-cover because its topic is compelling. Public school teachers will cheer when they read Dr Ravitch’s detailed attack on the current misguided faith in testing and privatization, but this book should be read by ANYONE concerned about not just improving but SAVING American public schools.

As a classroom teacher I know that teacher evaluations based on performance of standardized tests are notoriously biased. When I had all AP classes I was a genius and the “Jaime Escalante” of Bakersfield. Hopefully, it isn’t too late and we can spend money on things that work. Read this book – it is eye opening and amazing. Unless your child attends a school with brave, savvy teachers and a like-minded principal, your child is not getting a real education. Although there is always room for improvement, the majority of schools in America function well. We hope that they will be kind and compassionate in their dealings with others. We want them to understand our nation and our world and the challenges we face. She also highlights the folly of big-money foundations, such as those founded by Bill Gates and Michael Dell, in continuing to pour money into reforms that have no track record of success. Her overarching theme is that these reforms – embraced by Democrats and the GOP alike – rely on the kinds of market incentives that simply are not applicable to the provision of a public good, like public education. This is not to say there is not a way to make accountability and choice work, but the current approach with nearly exclusive dependence on math and Reading testing creates a narrow and shallow curriculum for the neediest students. And the flourishing of thousands of charter schools has not significantly increased the quality of education- many charters are no better than the public schools they replaced and many are worse. And by the way, does anyone think a nation can be defended by a citizen militia with private gunboats to protect the coast? No modern nation could defend itself on that basis.

I am also a fairly prominent blogger, and someone who regular reviews books on education for a variety of sources. I wrote my review of this book for Daily Kos, which you can read here: I was asked by Gene Glass to repost it to Education Review, even though he normally requires first rights for any review. May those days return soon! It is always refreshing to hear when someone admits she was wrong – especially when she is considered one of the most knowledgeable in her field.

This is a fantastic and eye opening book, even for a teacher working within the current NCLB system. Welding Gas.