First published 2023
Alexandra Robbins follows three educators through a turbulent academic year. Penny teaches middle school math in a southern town where staff politics create toxic workplace dynamics. Miguel works in special education out west, advocating fiercely for his students while fighting institutional barriers. Rebecca manages an elementary classroom on the East Coast but struggles to maintain boundaries between her professional and personal life. Robbins weaves their individual stories with investigative reporting on the crises plaguing American education. She examines school violence, demanding parents, insufficient resources, overwhelming workloads, and pandemic fallout. The book exposes how teachers face impossible expectations with inadequate support. Through classroom scandals, student mysteries, and educator confessions, Robbins reveals the daily realities behind school doors and explores concrete ways communities can support the professionals shaping young minds.
Genres: sociology, education, non-fiction, teaching
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: real-life-stories, social-issues
Setting: Southern Town, West, East Coast
Period: Turbulent Academic Year
372 pages · Hardcover · Dutton