Education Under Siege: Frauds, Fads, Fantasies and Fictions in Educational Reform

(Paperback)

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We Americans seem prone to bandwagon onto fads, particularly now that reforming education has become a national priority. Unfortunately, many of those fads now caroming across our continent are outright frauds; some are fantasies, even fictions. Even more unfortunately, many are undermining our public schools, teachers, kids and communities, and pillaging our tax dollars in the process.
This book analyzes each major reform--No Child Left Behind, Common Core State Standards, grading schools, evaluating teachers, failing students, vouchers, charters, online virtual charters-- and finds them seriously wanting. We conclude with reforms that work actually helping teachers, kids, parents and communities.

Reviews

Few can find the contradictions and holes in the current educational scene like Arthur Shaprio who brings his razor sharp wit and lie detector insights to our age. One does not have to agree with him on every point to be exposed to more sides of an issue than one had before. Readers up to the challenge will find this book a good read and very useful. -- Fenwick W. English, Teachers College, Ball State University
Once upon a time in a land not so far far away, the common good of public education was under siege by the fire breathing greedy profitability dragon. The knight in this story is Arthur Shapiro with a pen mightier than the sword. After reading this enlightening book, all those in public education, all those who attend public schools, will want to join this brave knight in the fight against frauds, fads, fantasies and fiction in the discourse on public education reform. -- Dr. Rosemary Papa, Del and Jewell Lewis Endowed Chair and professor, Educational Leadership, Northern Arizona University

Author Bio

Arthur Shapiro is a theoretically-based practitioner, has been a teacher, principal, secondary education director, assistant superintendent and superintendent in inner city, suburban and rural school districts. An educational leadership professor, he writes and consults internationally and nationally on school reform, such as decentralizing into small learning communities, organizational health, leadership, educational policy, supervision and curriculum.