First published 2013
Former U.S. assistant secretary of education Diane Ravitch challenges the widespread belief that American public schools are failing. She argues that the real crisis lies not in academic performance but in deliberate efforts to dismantle public education. Ravitch presents evidence that test scores and graduation rates have reached record highs while dropout rates hit historic lows. She examines how federal initiatives like No Child Left Behind and Race to the Top established impossible goals that punish schools and teachers unfairly. The author exposes how major foundations, billionaires, and Wall Street investors promote privatization, viewing public education as a profitable market opportunity. Ravitch warns that this movement drains resources from public schools while undermining their democratic mission. She offers a detailed plan for protecting and strengthening public education, emphasizing its role in developing critical thinking citizens rather than merely training workers. The book presents public education as fundamental to democracy itself.
Genres: political-science, education, non-fiction, activism, academic, american-history
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism
396 pages · Hardcover · Knopf