Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve--Even If It Means Picking a Fight

by Steve Perry

“Have you been to a school lately?  Have you sat through the six hours and forty-five minutes of excruciating tedium we send our kids to every day?  When we ask our kids, “What’d you do in school today?” and they mumble, “Nothin’,” they’re telling the truth.”
 
Steve Perry is like no other educator you’ve ever met.  He “gets it.”  He understands why some parents are downright panicked about what’s going on in their kids’ classrooms, and how other parents, whose kids supposedly attend the “good” schools, still fear that their children are falling behind .  As Principal of one of the best performing schools in America -- one that sends 100% of its mostly minority students to four-year colleges -- Perry delights in poking the system.  Present him with a “truth” about how education is supposed to work and – count on it – he’ll show it to be false.
 
Dictatorial teacher’s unions despise Steve Perry.  So do lazy teachers.  So do entrenched, unimaginative school boards.  So do reactionary “curriculum guardians” who – as a lure to get kids reading – cling to the same old stodgy texts.
 
“That’s okay,” say Perry.  That means he’s making a difference.  In this book, his priority is to help kids who don’t have the advantage of going to his school, Capital Prep.  He wants to save your kid, and the kid next door, and the kid down the street from getting a typical third-rate American education.
 
If you’re a parent who has worried recently about how depressed your child seems when he dresses for school in the morning…or how little of what happens during the school day seems to sink into her brain… or how much of your child’s homework is busywork, you need this book. 
 
If you’re a teacher who is putting your heart and soul into the job but are surrounded by colleagues who are “phoning it in,” you need this book.
 
If you’re a committed, forward-thinking principal who wants to get rid of the faculty bad apples, but are continually stymied by Mafia-style teachers-unions, you need this book.
 
*If you’re a citizen who worries about the $1 trillion-plus GDP loss that America suffers every year because our system of education doesn’t measure up, you need this book.
 
In this solution-oriented manifesto, Steve Perry covers the full range of issues holding back today’s students.  He shows parents how to find great teachers (and get rid of the bad ones)…how to make readers out of kids who hate to read…how to make the school curriculum thrilling rather than sleep-inducing…how to conduct an all-important education “home audit”… how to “e-organize” if school boards and administrators aren’t getting the message…how to build a “school of the future,” and much more.
 
The era of third-rate education is over.  Steve Perry isn’t going to let the fools and scoundrels get away with it any longer.  Push has come to shove!

Genres: Education, Nonfiction, Professional Development, Parenting

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Clickety · Rating 1 out of 5]

Can I give a book NO stars? Please? This author apparently suffers from idiostalgia ... the idea that public education has gotten worse (it's improved) and that schools willfully hire the bad apples instead of the brilliant martyrs who go into high finance because they didn't get the teaching position they wanted sooooo much. This book is horrific. Crown, I'm disappointed. If you're a self-righteous, arrogant moron, please buy this book. You'll love it.

[Chris Garth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book in its entirety. As the Principal of a correctional school I can not be any more angry at this author. While he is correct the schools are not working, nothing in this book speaks of the change that the entire system needs. Blaming the idea of a teacher union is the very reason for their unwillingness to accept the solutions we need to have in place. The use vs them thesis is at the very heart of what is wrong. Steve Perry is a show-man but not a school leader. As prove, his claim that good teachers can not be made, unless by him is evidence that the interest is not fully in the students he directs with his force. The fact that this book was written to encourage parents to challenge teachers, principals and superintendents at every turn is wrong. Perry is so fond of pointing out that more doctors are fired than teachers, but would he encourage parents to take on their pediatrician or health insurer with the same vigor?

[Melissa Phung · Rating 3 out of 5]

Push Has Come to Shove: Getting Our Kids the Education They Deserve – Even If It Means Picking a Fight, another novel recommended by Pharrell on Twitter, by Dr. Steve Perry details the many issues that suppresses today’s students. The author, principal of Capital Prep Magnet School in Hartford, Connecticut, is determined to change educational experiences. When he could not afford to continue his education during his younger years, his college president allowed him to remain under one condition: “That you use it (his education) to help kids like you have a chance.”

Dr. Perry’s steps to accomplishing his goal are not revolutionary; in fact, they’re quite conventional. However, he is the quintessential administrator of education. Why? Generally, we all want schools to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all students. We all want teachers who actually love their job, and want to teach. We don’t want to overwhelm anyone with too many requests and responsibilities. We want teachers to teach with passion and purpose. Goals should be set on curriculum objectives, and not on standard test results. Dr. Steve Perry actually takes actions, and makes sure that every student in his high school goes to college.

To him, the public school system has become dysfunctional and overloaded with budgeting inefficiencies. They’re badly structured, and the teachers’ contracts are outdate. Today, teachers aim to satisfy the demands of adults who run the schools, rather than ensuring a real education and learning experience for students. They aim for “proficient” in standardized testing. Dr. Perry explained, “… To be categorized as ‘proficient’ is to be performing below grade level… Lauding proficiency is nothing short of accepting mediocrity. “

This novel was informative, and I did enjoy it. I would recommend this novel to anyone, specifically those who pay taxes, and those who are going to pay taxes in the future; they should be aware of where their money is, or will be, going. However, I did not quite find it to be innovative. These issues should not be present, and these resolutions should already be expected. Though, Dr. Perry is not to blame; everyone is apart of the education system. Therefore, we must all take action to fix it. As Dr. Perry concluded, push has come to shove. Our attention should be focused on the youth. We lose too many kids, especially those from culturally disadvantaged and historically under-represented backgrounds, to inattention, uninspiring teaching, and low expectations.

Teachers aren’t to blame. As President Barack Obama stated in his 2012 State of the Union Address, “Teachers matter. So instead of bashing them, or defending the status quo, let’s offer schools a deal. Give them the resources to keep good teachers on the job, and reward the best ones. And in return, grant schools flexibility: to teach with creativity and passion’ to stop teaching to the test; and to replace teachers who just aren’t helping kids learns. That’s a bargain worth making.” We, the people, all play a role.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like how Perry really holds schools and kids accountable for student learning. As an educator, I felt the book was geared more towards parents and people interested in education reform. I take issue with the "slant" of some the information he presents, such as saying that Capital Prep doesn't "cream" or take the best students from failing public schools. While they may not formally "cream," if a parent/guardian must apply a child to go to Capital Prep, then you are starting with kids who at least have somebody in their lives who cares about them and is supporting them. Public schools have all the kids, those with special needs (he never mentions these kids in the book, which leads me to believe Capital Prep doesn't take them) and those with parents/guardians who don't care about them included, so comparing Capital Prep with a failing public school isn't entirely fair. However, I think it's wonderful that these kids are getting a better opportunity to learn, whether by charter, magnet, private or public school.

[Carrie Rose · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow, this book is bad. Steve Perry would probably be an interesting speaker, since he seems to be able to rant very passionately for a long time without noticing that he's not saying anything useful, he's making false claims, and he's contradicting himself. Most of the things he states as facts don't have references.

Perry's major claim to fame is that he's the principal of a magnet school, Charter Prep. He spends the whole book talking about how wonderful the school is and how he has figured out how to run a successful school. I googled the school, and it seems to be performing below average. So... I guess we need to take his suggestions with a major grain of salt.

This book is written to parents, but most of the advice to parents is strange and contradictory. He tells parents to sue their school districts for damages with ridiculous justifications. He has a "What kind of car are you?" quiz that determined that I'm a work truck, a workaholic who doesn't spend much time with my children, based on my answers to questions about things like whether my child and I like the same music. (My family found this result to be quite inaccurate and silly.) He suggested a "home audit" that advised parents to buy lots of books instead of video games, which I actually thought was reasonable advice. But that just made him sound silly later when he described how he didn't want to buy books for his school library because technology was making books obsolete!

There were a number of chapters that basically just said that people should do a good job - teachers should be good, principals should be good, parents should be good - without a lot of solid suggestions about how to accomplish this. Yes, we all agree that we want good teachers, principals, and parents.

He did have a few controversial ideas about education reform (opposition to teachers' unions, longer school years). If these had been a more significant part of the book, maybe I would have thought it delivered more on what it promised to be.

Perry's writing style was unnecessarily full of slang and mild profanity. I didn't appreciate that choice from someone who's holding himself up as an example of a superior educator for our children. This isn't how I would like my child to write or speak.

Maybe the most disturbing chapter was written to children. The message was that their parents don't love them unconditionally. Their parents invested in them, so they have an obligation to be a profitable investment. Yikes.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Steve Perry fires up a battle to win equal education for everyone in a book about changing unfair schools. After he decided he did not agree with his schools way of teaching, he became a principle of his own school. The whole school is designed based on his beliefs of education. Although he has changed the lines of many students now, he started off as a simple teacher trying to make his way in the education world. But from the start he realizes the flaws of the way education is set up and executed at the school he worked in. His main attack on the education system has been the inequality the minority students have had to face. He had a group discussion with a few students that met regularly while working at his first job. An interesting part of his story is how Dr. Perry was motivated to fight this battle against unfair education. This revelation happened when a student asked him “how could these teachers teach us when they don't even like us?” (p.43). For his first job he worked at a school where the teachers did not like the students and thought they were stupid. They talked about the students in the teachers lounge about how horrible they were. In the classroom, they made fun of the students. They made fun of their clothes, their poor academic record, and their uneducated parents. Dr. Perry was disgusted and stopped eating in the teachers lounge. Unlike those teachers, he understands the importance of a high school education and wants to make parents and students understand as well. While it seems like a simple statement Dr. Perry points out that “school was designed to educate kids” (p.211) some teachers simply take advantage of their position. When students are more concerned with how they are being treated in the classroom than learning the material they are not being educated. Then, on top of that, they are being paid for not doing their job. The problem is the teachers were well educated and could have been excellent teachers. But, the teachers in his school did not believe in the students and decided to give up on them. But the students were not stupid like the teachers thought they were. They caught on and knew the teachers could not care less about them. Since their teachers did not care for them, the students also gave up and dropped out. Dr. Perry does not want any of his students to drop out of high school especially not because teachers inspire them to quit. Not everyone understands the affect not having a high school diploma actually has on students but Dr. Steve Perry does and it fuels his passion to keep students in school. He shares that “on average students without a high school diploma earn less than the average amount for all workers” (p.32). A goal he has is “to stop kids from becoming statistics.” (p.181) And wants them all to graduate. An interesting statistic is his school, Capital Prep, has a hundred percent graduation rate; a statistic to be proud of.
Dr. Steve Perry’s book is about how to take down these teachers and fighting for good and well-qualified teachers. But being a teacher is more than just knowing your academic field or creating exciting lesson plans. Schools need active and engaged teachers. On the downside the truth is “not every teacher, no matter how inspired or talented, is good for every school” (p.48) because the teachers have to love teaching and care for their students. All of their students: no matter who they are or where they come from. Dr. Perry wants to give every student a chance to succeed and he uses this book to fuel a revolution in order to win back equality in education because parents and students can. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Dr. Perry describes the use of email almost as a weapon against the education system. How the schools are afraid when they receive emails because the administrators know the parents mean business. He also explains the effectiveness of the power in numbers. He inspires everyone to stand up and say what he or she feels should be changed.
After fighting his way to finding a school he felt comfortable in, Dr. Perry now encourages parents and students not to settle. Most of the book is devoted to inspiring his readers and parents to go after and fight for the best education that can be given and then some. But that is not all Dr. Perry fights for; he believes that “learning must be fun” (p.63). It only takes a few pages into the book to understand he has high expectations for schools. School is about learning, having caring teachers, and enjoying being in the building. Dr. Perry believes “education is like religion: it’s a complete lifestyle” (p.127). Later in the story the reader finds out that Dr. Perry’s school and education saved his life and gave him a bright future. This book was created to make people want to save every student who walks into a school, just like he does.
At first I felt this book was hard to relate to because of growing up in a well-off school district. But after reading I started to notice if there were any inequalities in the classroom and I ended up noticing a few things. As much as teachers know they should not pick favorite students, they do. And even the slight advantage those students get in the classroom is enough to make the other students feel inferior. Dr. Steve Perry points out that there are schools where every student is treated like an outsider and has been given up on. He writes about solutions to these problems but I feel the book is worth the read because of the passion he has and the knowledge he shares. He motivates all his readers to understand what school is like for some students and how easy it is fix it. I would recommend reading a book on education, any book on education, because there are more problems with each school district than just inequality with the students or inadequate teachers. Dr. Steve Perry has just given us a place to start.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about fighting for better education for our kids. Reading it was a real trip. Dr. Perry is an unusual person. I admit, I did not expect him to be a take no prisoners, do whatever works type of reformer. Given his personal story and then knowing where he works and the theme of his school, I expected him to be, well, against vouchers, school choice and for unions. I was totally wrong. The book is raw and unapologetic, even considering the fact that it was an unedited version. He may be exactly the voice that school reformers need to get their message across. From him it is totally authentic. One really interesting thing he said, one that I'm still tossing around, is that the kids need to read less of the old classics and more good, current literature that they can relate to. I see his point, but I'm still thinking about it. Love to hear what you all think.

Quotes:

Don't let your kids get caught in the self-victimizing trap, thinking that everybody else has it better than them. Every family has precisely what it has and yours is no different. Who gives a damn about the Joneses unless you are a Jones? The parents of your kids' friends have issues just like your family does. Don't let your kids trick you into thinking that they don't...Tell your kids to mind their own damn business, go do their homework, and hope they don't wake up tomorrow with a zit the size of a cherry tomato under their eye.

...don't leave your kids alone on the computer. If you're not literally over their shoulder, simply audit their computer use by checking the history of their internet searches and the cache of chats and emails. And don't fall for that specious argument about "invasion of privacy." If your children want privacy, tell them to grow up and buy a house. The Web is a powerful educational tool, but it's also a minefield of distractions and potential interpersonal conflict.

And I am going to have to leave the quotes at that because my friend came over and borrowed the book. :)

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an absolute triumph of rationality, practicality and common sense applied to the public school system that is sadly void of all. This book will likely get some teachers, most liberals and all union loyalists up in arms because it directly challenges some core beliefs that have been taken as gospel by these groups. I think that this book is an absolute must read for any parent with children in the public school system because it maps out the complexities of a system that is set up not for the best interest of children or to help parents engage with their kids but to appease union officials and members.

Steve Perry is obviously knowledgeable about this subject matter and surely is extremely passionate. He does seem like what should be the prototypical successful educator. He addresses such things as how parents can engage with the staff of a school to be effective, the insanity of teachers unions and the value of vouchers among many other aspects of education. The most important contribution he has given us is shattering the concept believed by many that failing schools are not the fault of the schools and all that they need is more money.

So much of what he has written rings true to me as someone who dropped out of high school- now holds a Bachelors degree and is preparing to enter a Masters program. A great read and I am left with the wish that we had many, many, many more Steve Perry's in our schools.

ETA: I received a free copy through the Goodreads giveaways.

[Maggs Longo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree that teachers and principals have to go above and beyond, and parents do too. I'm not sure I agree with the lengthy interview process of Dr Perry of hiring his teachers. I do agree that teachers can impress in one day but it doesn't mean they can do that all year.
I do agree that teachers have to be interactive and know that not all kids learn differently. I think that teaching can be done without the use of technology but think that some technology needs to be incorporated since it is all around us. I believe that there are some basic facts that need to be learned through rote memorization but we have to just remember that kids are different, and learn differently and we may not be able to reach them all as educators, but that doesn't mean we should give up on them either. As a tutor at the moment, I am frustrated by no child left behind because students are pushed into the next grade when they really don't know a subject and the principals tell teachers to pass them because they don't want them causing trouble in their school anymore, when in actuality, they're causing trouble because they dont know the subject and aren't getting the help they need.

[Trasa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book on what is going on in today's American education circles. As an entering teacher, I'm fascinated by the fact that teacher's unions are more concerned with teacher's protections than in the students' learning. What a focus issue!

Dr. Perry advocates school vouchers, which is usually a plea heard from the right. He's definitely left-wing, but as he himself states, he is a realist, a "do-what-works" pragmatist. He thinks vouchers will save American education.

As a public school teacher, I'm not so sure, but I admit it's a good argument. Maybe we do have to tear down some schools to save the whole system. School choice might be the path.

Excellent book to prompt thinking on what works and what doesn't in education. However, it's telling that his personal life suffers so much with his emphasis on other people's children. Part of the reason I got into teaching was to spend as much time as possible with my kids, not ignore them for the sake of other children. Isn't there a balance somewhere?

This would be an excellent book club book, to spark thought and debate. I'd love to be a fly on the wall of a good conversation about what Perry presents.

[Aisha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Written for parents, Dr. Perry takes an assertive approach to helping them understand (what he feels) are good and bad influences in their children's educational lives. Perry is a fan of: teacher accountability, vouchers, informed parenting, and effective leadership. He is not a fan of: teacher unions, Jonathan Kozol or Diane Ravitch, or excuses. I can appreciate his no-nonsense style towards motivating parents to be advocates for their children. The book is written very simply, anyone can get it and understand it. It is also clearly written from his own experience as it does not seem to cite hardly any sources from other journals/sources. It comes across to me as a playbook designed for giving parents play-by-play instructions on how to get their children to graduate from high school, very practically, and go to college. Although a very narrow focus, it has a place with certain audiences.

[A. Somers · Rating 2 out of 5]

Dr. Perry certainly doesn't pull any punches in this look at our modern education system. While I don't agree with all of his ideas, he certainly makes you stop and think about the issues in a new way.Those of us in the field of education need to stop and self-reflect about the road we're traveling. We're being demonized in the media and many of Dr. Perry's ideas give fuel to this fire.
As for the style of the book, I read an ARC and I don't know if the final version was changed significantly but it seemed more like a disjointed collection of essays. Some were repetitive, others were contradictory.Many of the essays brought up very valid points, but it never really flowed. He has an in-your-face style of writing that sounds more like he is sermonizing than reporting. I'm glad that I read it , but I don't know that I'd recommend it.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as a first reads giveaway. I enjoyed the author's perspective and his blunt assessment of the education system. I agree that there needs to be a major overhaul of the education system, and I agree that there needs to be a child first system in place instead of an adult first system. What I had problems with is the overhaul of the brick and mortar education style in favor of online tools. If children go to college, they are going to have classes where the professor just stands in front of them and lectures, and they have to have had some exposure to this style of teaching. Overall I found this book interesting and a real eye opener on how bad some parts of the US education system are.

[Jennifer]

I am really interested in reading this book! I have four kids, two already in school, and I worry about them. I'm happy with their school, but I still worry because I went to a "good" school. The school system I went to worked hard to rank well in the state, yet the education it provided wasn't all that great. It was all about teaching for the state tests and weeding out the students that weren't good students. My sons' school has been wonderful but the teachers and principal complain about the changes in education that have lead to teaching for the required testing instead of just teaching so the kids learn.

[Ginny · Rating 1 out of 5]

I received uncorrected proof copy of this book from a goodreads giveaway, and have been trying to read it for the past 9 months... it started off well, getting me, the reader, all pumped up to DO SOMETHING to make a difference and "get our kids the education they deserve"... and then in dwindled into a lot of blah blah blah generalized rantings about what is wrong and what is needed without getting to the point and telling me, the reader, the average concerned citizen/parent WHAT the writer thinks we should ACTUALLY DO!!??!

I read through page 83, then skimmed the rest of the book. I just can't put anymore energy into this book.

[Steven · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would argue that this is a must read for anyone involved in the education of children-- parents, educators, legislators, aunties, grandmothers that refuse to be called grandma but opt instead to be called nana or big mama, et al. Dr Perry makes clear many of the problems plaguing typical approaches toward educating children in America. He offers guidance on how to get the most out of the education system and even ideas on how we can make it better. It is afterall the responsibility of the community-- not just schools, not just parents, not just government-- to ensure that we are preparing our children for the world of tomorrow. All in all a good read.

[Vera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many thanks for First Reads Goodreads program for sending me this book!

I really liked the way this book is organized into easy-to-digest chapters. The writing is excellent, with a sure voice and just the right punch here and there to tug at the strings, to keep us readers interested and vested in each subject, and personal examples throughout.

Honest, direct, and sincere book that I felt could be enjoyed by parents, grandparents, teachers, and students.

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Perry's book is a wake up call to parents about what's been wrong with education in this country for many years. Rewarding poorly performing or plainly bad teachers being rewarded with "tenure" because they are good union members borders on the criminal. If America is to ever regain its' position in the world it starts with "real" education. Dr. Steven Perry understands this like very few others in this country. Pay attention!

[CJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I could not agree more that unions have made progressive approaches to reworking our education system difficult, if not impossible. I would like to have read more about how his school is motivating students. How does he keep it interesting and engaging? An honest, tell-it-like-it-is approach to education reform. Indeed, Dr. Perry is still paying it forward for the loan that enabled him to graduate college and escape poverty once and for all.

[Robin Mayther · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little disappointed in this book.Pretty basic.
I agreed with most of his ramblings. Talking about how difficult it is to get rid of bad teachers and the union that spends so much time and money defending them.Yes! I wish that money would be invested in helping retrain teachers who aren't suited to this career and have them find life work that is meaningful.

[Liz Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book didn't convince me of anything (Dr. Perry is a little too dismissive of academia and statistics for my taste), but it definitely opened my eyes to a different perspective on educational reform. There are probably some very good ideas in this book that need to be implemented, but I'm going to need a bit more than Dr. Perry's anecdotal evidence to be sure.

[Yinnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great intro book for parents who are trying to understand why there are such disagreements about public education. Steve Perry very straightforwardly gives his perspective and why. My rating is less about the book itself so much as I didn't learn anything new about the field (which is no fault of the book!).

[Samuel Lubell · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is written from a principal's point of view. I found it interesting on the school level, but wrong about unions. If teachers' unions were what was holding schools back, one would expect schools in states with weak unions (right to work states and most of the South) would do better than states with strong unions. This is not the case.

[Catie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though he provides good thoughts and insights on how to improve the education process, I did not appreciate his writing style. His tone was more complaining than constructive, and he was quite vulgar. Not very professional. Again, some good insights ... His delivery just took away from the overall message.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Perry made some good points about advocating for our kids as a parent but I thought that overall he didn't really give me any new tools to work with. I don't mean to sound critical, but he writes like someone who enjoys listening to his own voice.

[Erin Denman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for parents and people working in education. Occasionally outlandish, but puts forth a method of advocacy for your children that doesn't drift into the realm of helicopter parenting while holding schools accountable.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://imaginationsoup.net/2011/09/pu...

[Steph Dean · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very cynical, quite interesting, and somewhat unbalanced.

[Deon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely and eye-opener.

[Stacy Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally. A book about no excuses in education--just solid teaching and transformational leadership.