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The Death of Public School: How Conservatives Won the War Over Education in America
A Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist shows how conservatives have pushed for a revolution in public education—one that threatens the existence of the traditional public school
America has relied on public schools for 150 years, but the system is increasingly under attack. With declining enrollment and diminished trust in public education, policies that steer tax dollars into private schools have grown rapidly. To understand how we got here, The Death of Public School argues, we must look back at the turbulent history of school choice.
Cara Fitzpatrick uncovers the long journey of school choice, a story full of fascinating people and strange political alliances. She shows how school choice evolved from a segregationist tool in the South in the 1950s, to a policy embraced by advocates for educational equity in the North, to a conservative strategy for securing government funds for private schools in the twenty-first century. As a result, education is poised to become a private commodity rather than a universal good.
The Death of Public School presents the compelling history of the fiercest battle in the history of American education—one that already has changed the future of public schooling.
America has relied on public schools for 150 years, but the system is increasingly under attack. With declining enrollment and diminished trust in public education, policies that steer tax dollars into private schools have grown rapidly. To understand how we got here, The Death of Public School argues, we must look back at the turbulent history of school choice.
Cara Fitzpatrick uncovers the long journey of school choice, a story full of fascinating people and strange political alliances. She shows how school choice evolved from a segregationist tool in the South in the 1950s, to a policy embraced by advocates for educational equity in the North, to a conservative strategy for securing government funds for private schools in the twenty-first century. As a result, education is poised to become a private commodity rather than a universal good.
The Death of Public School presents the compelling history of the fiercest battle in the history of American education—one that already has changed the future of public schooling.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 22, 2023
96 people are currently reading
1323 people want to read
About the author
Cara Fitzpatrick
1 book6 followersCara Fitzpatrick is an editor at Chalkbeat. She won the Pulitzer Prize for Local Reporting in 2016 for a series about school segregation. She was a New Arizona fellow in 2019 at New America and a Spencer fellow at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism in 2018. Fitzpatrick lives in New York City with her husband and children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 5, 2023
This book is very specifically about vouchers and school choice and not so much (as the subtitle suggests) the war on education as a whole. I was looking for more on homeschooling and how schools fell apart. This is very detailed on choice and vouchers which gets a little tedious.
November 25, 2023
This book was not very good. It’s a very detailed history of school choice, going back to the role vouchers played in early efforts to resist desegregation in the South. But it’s 100% description and 0% analysis.
There is absolutely no evidence - or even really any attempt - to substantiate the claim in the title that school choice has led or is leading to the death of public school. In fact, the impact on public schools is only rarely and cursorily discussed. There are only feeble attempts to ascertain the impact vouchers and charters have on outcomes, mostly by throwing out a couple of conflicting studies and then [insert shrug].
And then it just sort of ends super abruptly. The last chapter seems to go through 2019, and I understand that you need to have an information cut off. But this book was published in late 2023, and so that leaves pretty substantial gap.
Deeply unsatisfying.
There is absolutely no evidence - or even really any attempt - to substantiate the claim in the title that school choice has led or is leading to the death of public school. In fact, the impact on public schools is only rarely and cursorily discussed. There are only feeble attempts to ascertain the impact vouchers and charters have on outcomes, mostly by throwing out a couple of conflicting studies and then [insert shrug].
And then it just sort of ends super abruptly. The last chapter seems to go through 2019, and I understand that you need to have an information cut off. But this book was published in late 2023, and so that leaves pretty substantial gap.
Deeply unsatisfying.
November 19, 2023
A very detailed account of the history of vouchers and charter schools. While I found many aspects of the book interesting, I would have liked a clear chapter discussion on the pros and cons of each side. I felt also that the book was all over the place. The authors provided so many state examples that it often felt repetitive and hard to keep track of.
July 24, 2023
In The Death of Public School, Pulitzer Prize winner Cara Fitzpatrick presents a chronological examination of the United States' struggle to define and redefine "public education." From the South's "massive resistance" to desegregation in the 1950s, through Milwaukee's voucher battles in the 1990s, to today's variety of "school choice" options, Fitzpatrick outlines how the US has answered the questions, "What types of education can public money pay for, and for whom?" At the same time, she shows the loopholes and alliances that individual states have used to challenge and defy federal limitations.
In an accessible and well-ordered volume that is not nearly as partisan as the title makes it seem, Fitzpatrick offers a comprehensive accounting from across the nation. And while she never stoops to tell the reader what to think or how to feel, she clearly shows that the ongoing efforts to politicize, privatize, and commodify K-12 schools are definitely part of the "tradition" of public education in America.
[I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.]
In an accessible and well-ordered volume that is not nearly as partisan as the title makes it seem, Fitzpatrick offers a comprehensive accounting from across the nation. And while she never stoops to tell the reader what to think or how to feel, she clearly shows that the ongoing efforts to politicize, privatize, and commodify K-12 schools are definitely part of the "tradition" of public education in America.
[I received an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.]
August 9, 2023
We all absolutely need to read this. I work in schools and over the last decade enrollment in the public schools dropped so dramatically that the school board closed five (or more) schools and tore them down. Now the children in those neighborhoods travel farther to attend school. The city has become unwalkable so now parents have to find time to drive the children across town to school.
Instead of having small class sizes, which we have needed since I was a little one, they just pack the kids into the remaining schools.
Frustrated parents then move their kids into the charter schools, which actually are not impressive and lack in special education services.
So yeah. I have a lot of feelings about this. A lot. Cities used to be proud of their schools and now we just move the kids to schools on the other side of town. This book validated my rage.
Thanks for that. Loved it.
Instead of having small class sizes, which we have needed since I was a little one, they just pack the kids into the remaining schools.
Frustrated parents then move their kids into the charter schools, which actually are not impressive and lack in special education services.
So yeah. I have a lot of feelings about this. A lot. Cities used to be proud of their schools and now we just move the kids to schools on the other side of town. This book validated my rage.
Thanks for that. Loved it.
September 19, 2023
This book should be a wake up call to all of us. To that end let me tell you what is going on in Cleveland, Ohio. The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, which receives significant voucher funding from the state of Ohio, has introduced a policy in its 84 private schools that requires individuals to “conduct themselves in a manner consistent with their God-given biological sex.” This has been criticized for its overt discrimination against the LGBTQ+ community. Despite Pope Francis advocating for inclusivity, the Cleveland Diocese's regulations restrict gender-affirming actions, including using preferred pronouns and displaying LGBTQ+ symbols. Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and advocacy group Equality Ohio have strongly opposed these measures, urging the diocese to reconsider its stance and prompting discussions about the appropriateness of using taxpayer money to support such discriminatory institutions.
Now, go out, pick up and read the book and pass it along to your friends. Cara Fitzpatrick nailed it in the title. It is a war and it’s being fought today!
Now, go out, pick up and read the book and pass it along to your friends. Cara Fitzpatrick nailed it in the title. It is a war and it’s being fought today!
December 18, 2023
Mixed feelings about this one, but I'm glad I read it. This book simultaneously:
--gives a very thorough history of the school-choice movement, particularly around vouchers and the political economy of early voucher programs in Milwaukee and Cleveland
--views charters and vouchers through a very old-guard, doctrinaire Democratic lens. In particular, the description of New Orleans' experience defies credulity...the author acknowledges that the pre-Katrina New Orleans public schools were terrible relative to other urban districts, not least because the district was rife with corruption and graft. But then in describing the superior results (from a combination of a reconstituted state-run district and charter schools) post-Katrina, she bends over backward to say that maybe it's that the demographics changed and the old school district would've done just as well. For me, it's very much not clear whether charters help or hurt on net in places like Houston or Dallas or Boston with generally good public schools...but to deny their positive impact in places like New Orleans or Newark lays bare your bias.
--doesn't really deliver on the subtitle of "how conservatives won the war," other than with a particular focus on a couple of black urban Democrats who allied with conservatives in a couple cities. No discussion of how urban school governance created a void for conservatives to step into, no acknowledgment that legislators' receptiveness to charters or vouchers is in fact related to the extent of this dysfunction.
Anyway, that sounds harsh, but as a historical treatment it's mostly compelling. But these questions around urban public schools are big and hard and deserve a more nuanced treatment than they got in this book.
--gives a very thorough history of the school-choice movement, particularly around vouchers and the political economy of early voucher programs in Milwaukee and Cleveland
--views charters and vouchers through a very old-guard, doctrinaire Democratic lens. In particular, the description of New Orleans' experience defies credulity...the author acknowledges that the pre-Katrina New Orleans public schools were terrible relative to other urban districts, not least because the district was rife with corruption and graft. But then in describing the superior results (from a combination of a reconstituted state-run district and charter schools) post-Katrina, she bends over backward to say that maybe it's that the demographics changed and the old school district would've done just as well. For me, it's very much not clear whether charters help or hurt on net in places like Houston or Dallas or Boston with generally good public schools...but to deny their positive impact in places like New Orleans or Newark lays bare your bias.
--doesn't really deliver on the subtitle of "how conservatives won the war," other than with a particular focus on a couple of black urban Democrats who allied with conservatives in a couple cities. No discussion of how urban school governance created a void for conservatives to step into, no acknowledgment that legislators' receptiveness to charters or vouchers is in fact related to the extent of this dysfunction.
Anyway, that sounds harsh, but as a historical treatment it's mostly compelling. But these questions around urban public schools are big and hard and deserve a more nuanced treatment than they got in this book.
February 19, 2024
This is a topic I was really interested in, but the book focused so much on tiny minutiae of specific incidents over and over without really moving forward or having much analysis. I love history, and sometimes I’m game for a deep dive into the names, places and specific details of an incident. but this just felt repetitive. It was a description of the timeline of events without addressing why both parties wanted a different approach to education, and not really addressing the consequences for public education. The beginning got my interest in the segregationist background of the change in public schools, but the middle and end were tedious and then fell short.
June 14, 2024
Not the most accurate account of the movement behind wanting to privately educate your kids. Was unimpressed with the authors biased language and overall tone of the piece. Wouldn’t recommend.
November 28, 2024
“The Death of Public School” is a book about the battle over Education in the United States of America.
On one side of this Education battle, are those who believe that the role of government is to provide universal education for America’ children. On the other side of the battle are those who believe that there should be more options for parents and students, in school selections.
As the title implies, this book presents a case that those who want more options in schools, are leading this battle, and are winning the war.
In the case of US Education, it’s the Democratic Party who are the traditionalists, and who want to conserve the system of Public Schools. Democrats have traditionally been supportive of, and are supported by, unions. As such, it’s natural that they would take this conservative position when it comes to education - because teachers’ unions are a big source of power within the Education field.
On the other side of the battle, is the Republican Party of the United States who want to change or liberate Education. They are much more likely to believe that there should be open competition in school options.
These options include voucher systems that allow parents and students to determine the schools – public, private, and other – to attend. The options also include charter schools, which are special schools that are publicly- funded and tuition-free, but with special charters from the State, offer a different curriculum than public schools. This could be to focus on STEM or perhaps athletics.
The book gave me a much better understanding of the issues of the American approach to education. I live in Canada, grew up and raised my kids here under a different system than what was offered in the book. Canada has private schools as America has private schools, but we have no charter-school options, and no ability to use vouchers to move our children to different schools if we think the schools are underperforming.
In fact, there is almost no movement permitted in the schools within my native Toronto mpw because the school system is both overloaded with newcomers, and the Toronto School Board is entrenched in its monopoly position of providing public Education.
It defends this monopoly fiercely and will not change even when children are suffering in a particular school.
I have read high level reports about education in America – although curiously, most of my adult friends are Americans, and I often talk about Education options for their children vs. the lack of Public-School options for my kids.
I was drawn to this book because I see the Canadian education system failing my son. What options could I give him? And when I argue with Educators, what knowledge can I bring to the argument? I don’t expect that my understanding of alternate systems will make a ton of difference to this very entrenched system; but perhaps it will make some different to my son’s education.
I also learned more about the nuances related to the First Amendment and the phrase “separation of church and state”. At the beginning of the First Amendment there is a clause “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”. (Page 173.)
While there is no mention of this in the First Amendment, Thomas Jefferson, America’s third president, stated in 1802 that there should be a “wall of separation between church and state”. This clause has been important because it has been used by lawmakers to govern and debate the support of public funding for religious schools – like the Catholic or Jewish or Muslim or (I could but shouldn’t go on) schools.
The separation of Church and State has been a big argument used by the defenders of Public Schools to protect their monopoly on education. At the least it has slowed down the transfer of public funds to schools with any religious affiliation.
While I understand that this reference to the Framers and Architects for the US Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution, I see this as being a weak defence. For me it’s similar to the Second Amendment which talks about a well-regulated militia at a time of single shot muskets, being justification for the right to bear an AR15. These are odd adherence to laws that were made 250 years ago. Clearly Americans view their Constitution as immutable documents, whereas I think laws should change more with the times.
I learned a little from the book but found it hard going. It was one of those books that I struggled to get through. Consequently, I can’t say that I enjoyed it.
I also don’t think I recommend it unless you are really into this issue. In this case it probably would be a very fine book.
On one side of this Education battle, are those who believe that the role of government is to provide universal education for America’ children. On the other side of the battle are those who believe that there should be more options for parents and students, in school selections.
As the title implies, this book presents a case that those who want more options in schools, are leading this battle, and are winning the war.
In the case of US Education, it’s the Democratic Party who are the traditionalists, and who want to conserve the system of Public Schools. Democrats have traditionally been supportive of, and are supported by, unions. As such, it’s natural that they would take this conservative position when it comes to education - because teachers’ unions are a big source of power within the Education field.
On the other side of the battle, is the Republican Party of the United States who want to change or liberate Education. They are much more likely to believe that there should be open competition in school options.
These options include voucher systems that allow parents and students to determine the schools – public, private, and other – to attend. The options also include charter schools, which are special schools that are publicly- funded and tuition-free, but with special charters from the State, offer a different curriculum than public schools. This could be to focus on STEM or perhaps athletics.
The book gave me a much better understanding of the issues of the American approach to education. I live in Canada, grew up and raised my kids here under a different system than what was offered in the book. Canada has private schools as America has private schools, but we have no charter-school options, and no ability to use vouchers to move our children to different schools if we think the schools are underperforming.
In fact, there is almost no movement permitted in the schools within my native Toronto mpw because the school system is both overloaded with newcomers, and the Toronto School Board is entrenched in its monopoly position of providing public Education.
It defends this monopoly fiercely and will not change even when children are suffering in a particular school.
I have read high level reports about education in America – although curiously, most of my adult friends are Americans, and I often talk about Education options for their children vs. the lack of Public-School options for my kids.
I was drawn to this book because I see the Canadian education system failing my son. What options could I give him? And when I argue with Educators, what knowledge can I bring to the argument? I don’t expect that my understanding of alternate systems will make a ton of difference to this very entrenched system; but perhaps it will make some different to my son’s education.
I also learned more about the nuances related to the First Amendment and the phrase “separation of church and state”. At the beginning of the First Amendment there is a clause “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion”. (Page 173.)
While there is no mention of this in the First Amendment, Thomas Jefferson, America’s third president, stated in 1802 that there should be a “wall of separation between church and state”. This clause has been important because it has been used by lawmakers to govern and debate the support of public funding for religious schools – like the Catholic or Jewish or Muslim or (I could but shouldn’t go on) schools.
The separation of Church and State has been a big argument used by the defenders of Public Schools to protect their monopoly on education. At the least it has slowed down the transfer of public funds to schools with any religious affiliation.
While I understand that this reference to the Framers and Architects for the US Bill of Rights and Amendments to the Constitution, I see this as being a weak defence. For me it’s similar to the Second Amendment which talks about a well-regulated militia at a time of single shot muskets, being justification for the right to bear an AR15. These are odd adherence to laws that were made 250 years ago. Clearly Americans view their Constitution as immutable documents, whereas I think laws should change more with the times.
I learned a little from the book but found it hard going. It was one of those books that I struggled to get through. Consequently, I can’t say that I enjoyed it.
I also don’t think I recommend it unless you are really into this issue. In this case it probably would be a very fine book.
August 3, 2024
What it does well: This is a thorough and well-researched legislative and policy history of school vouchers/charter schools in the U.S. from around 1955 (with the publication of Milton Friedman’s “The Role of Government in Education”) through the Civil Rights Movement (and the weaponization of vouchers/school choice by racists and segregationists), Reagan-era deregulation and free market mania, the educational reform discourses of the 1990s and early 2000s, and all the way to the beginning of Trump’s presidency in 2016. In doing so, Fitzpatrick provides vital context for understanding today’s political climate in which schools have become battlegrounds of the Culture Wars and prime targets of conservative policymakers.
Honestly, while this book didn’t make me a convert to the charter school movement, Fitzpatrick’s careful and nuanced reporting did help me truly appreciate WHY people have believed (or still believe) that charter schools, or even voucher programs, could meaningfully address the problems of low-income, minority, and otherwise marginalized children who have been failed by their local public schools. Fitzpatrick’s book provides much food for thought on this particular element of the “school choice” movement which I am still chewing on.
Where the book fell short: My major complaint with this book is that I think it fails to provide the reader with a meaningful structure of significance. While titled “The Death of the Public School,” I was often unsure of what the book’s argument was regarding that death. Is the death of the public school merely an objective fact that should be observed dispassionately as the ultimate outcome of the events described? Should the death of the public school be mourned? The arguments for vouchers/charter schools and the hopes of their supporters are clearly articulated (even if they are also depicted as unrealized or only partially realized) throughout the text. But what, if anything, is uniquely valuable about the U.S.’s public school system? Why specifically should we care about it or fight for it? Is it even worth fighting for?
If you already have a strong sense of the value of public schools and their history in American life, I think Cara Fitzpatrick’s “The Death of the Public School” is an invaluable read for understanding the particular challenge posed by school voucher/charter school advocates, the practical political life of these ideas, and frankly how we got the educational landscape Americans deal with today. If not, I think it’s important that readers understand they will need to read more widely in order to develop a cogent position on the issues addressed in this book.
Personally, off the bat, I would recommend the following supplementary reading:
First, I highly suggest reading Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine” (https://tsd.naomiklein.org/shock-doct...) in order to contextualize school reform in post-Katrina New Orleans and understand why the disaster response included a push for market-oriented educational reform.
Secondly, I recommend visiting the Coalition for Responsible Home Education’s website (https://responsiblehomeschooling.org) in order to explore how “parental choice” movements can and have resulted in educational neglect and other forms of abuse in homeschooling. Since voucher programs or educational tax-credit plans can be (and have been) used to provide tax dollars to support homeschooling or unschooling parents, it is vital to understand what is at stake when homeschooling is unregulated and unsupervised. While homeschooling generally falls outside the scope of Fitzpatrick’s research, homeschooling is a crucial facet of the U.S.’s educational landscape.
Thirdly, I recommend journalist Katherine Stewart’s 2020 book “The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pow...). Stewart’s incisive analysis of Christian Nationalism in the U.S. includes discussion of how and why its adherents co-opt educational reform movements (like the charter school and voucher movements discussed by Fitzpatrick). Stewart provides vital evidence about why the separation of church and state is fundamental to a pluralistic democracy, how the blurring of those lines has been perpetuated and exploited by extremist actors, and why religious fundamentalists and nationalists perceive the public school system as such a threat.
Honestly, while this book didn’t make me a convert to the charter school movement, Fitzpatrick’s careful and nuanced reporting did help me truly appreciate WHY people have believed (or still believe) that charter schools, or even voucher programs, could meaningfully address the problems of low-income, minority, and otherwise marginalized children who have been failed by their local public schools. Fitzpatrick’s book provides much food for thought on this particular element of the “school choice” movement which I am still chewing on.
Where the book fell short: My major complaint with this book is that I think it fails to provide the reader with a meaningful structure of significance. While titled “The Death of the Public School,” I was often unsure of what the book’s argument was regarding that death. Is the death of the public school merely an objective fact that should be observed dispassionately as the ultimate outcome of the events described? Should the death of the public school be mourned? The arguments for vouchers/charter schools and the hopes of their supporters are clearly articulated (even if they are also depicted as unrealized or only partially realized) throughout the text. But what, if anything, is uniquely valuable about the U.S.’s public school system? Why specifically should we care about it or fight for it? Is it even worth fighting for?
If you already have a strong sense of the value of public schools and their history in American life, I think Cara Fitzpatrick’s “The Death of the Public School” is an invaluable read for understanding the particular challenge posed by school voucher/charter school advocates, the practical political life of these ideas, and frankly how we got the educational landscape Americans deal with today. If not, I think it’s important that readers understand they will need to read more widely in order to develop a cogent position on the issues addressed in this book.
Personally, off the bat, I would recommend the following supplementary reading:
First, I highly suggest reading Naomi Klein’s “The Shock Doctrine” (https://tsd.naomiklein.org/shock-doct...) in order to contextualize school reform in post-Katrina New Orleans and understand why the disaster response included a push for market-oriented educational reform.
Secondly, I recommend visiting the Coalition for Responsible Home Education’s website (https://responsiblehomeschooling.org) in order to explore how “parental choice” movements can and have resulted in educational neglect and other forms of abuse in homeschooling. Since voucher programs or educational tax-credit plans can be (and have been) used to provide tax dollars to support homeschooling or unschooling parents, it is vital to understand what is at stake when homeschooling is unregulated and unsupervised. While homeschooling generally falls outside the scope of Fitzpatrick’s research, homeschooling is a crucial facet of the U.S.’s educational landscape.
Thirdly, I recommend journalist Katherine Stewart’s 2020 book “The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pow...). Stewart’s incisive analysis of Christian Nationalism in the U.S. includes discussion of how and why its adherents co-opt educational reform movements (like the charter school and voucher movements discussed by Fitzpatrick). Stewart provides vital evidence about why the separation of church and state is fundamental to a pluralistic democracy, how the blurring of those lines has been perpetuated and exploited by extremist actors, and why religious fundamentalists and nationalists perceive the public school system as such a threat.
November 15, 2023
There’s a lot of finger pointing and whining, but the causes of the stampede away from public schools isn’t addressed.
Money wasted: the fiscal year 2023 Budget requests $88.3 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, a 20% increase from 2021. How much funding is available to this agency?
$271.01 Billion in budgetary resources
That’s federal spending only, each state budgets millions of dollars for public schools, California being one of the biggest spenders their general Fund support is $38 billion. And how well do our children fare compared to other countries? The US ranks 36th in literacy. We lag behind most of the world in every subject
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-rea...
Kids and teachers aren’t safe at school: During the 2019–20 school year, 77 percent of public schools recorded that one or more incidents of crime had taken place, amounting to 1.4 million incidents. This translates to a rate of 29 incidents per 1,000 students enrolled in 2019–20. Not all recorded incidents of crime were reported to sworn law enforcement. In 2019–20, some 47 percent of schools reported one or more incidents of crime to sworn law enforcement, amounting to 482,400 incidents, or 10 incidents per 1,000 students enrolled.
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display...
Parents were able to see and hear teachers during the lockdown when kids were learning remotely. Most parents were appalled at the teachers behaviors and attitudes.
Why would a caring parent want to keep their children and money in ineffective and violent schools when there are much better choices? America is a country grounded in choice, and public schools are not a good choice.
Money wasted: the fiscal year 2023 Budget requests $88.3 billion in discretionary funding for the Department of Education, a 20% increase from 2021. How much funding is available to this agency?
$271.01 Billion in budgetary resources
That’s federal spending only, each state budgets millions of dollars for public schools, California being one of the biggest spenders their general Fund support is $38 billion. And how well do our children fare compared to other countries? The US ranks 36th in literacy. We lag behind most of the world in every subject
https://www.pewresearch.org/short-rea...
Kids and teachers aren’t safe at school: During the 2019–20 school year, 77 percent of public schools recorded that one or more incidents of crime had taken place, amounting to 1.4 million incidents. This translates to a rate of 29 incidents per 1,000 students enrolled in 2019–20. Not all recorded incidents of crime were reported to sworn law enforcement. In 2019–20, some 47 percent of schools reported one or more incidents of crime to sworn law enforcement, amounting to 482,400 incidents, or 10 incidents per 1,000 students enrolled.
https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display...
Parents were able to see and hear teachers during the lockdown when kids were learning remotely. Most parents were appalled at the teachers behaviors and attitudes.
Why would a caring parent want to keep their children and money in ineffective and violent schools when there are much better choices? America is a country grounded in choice, and public schools are not a good choice.
February 12, 2024
Title might imply that it would delve into book banning debates of (especially) past year or two, but that's not the case. Instead, it's a very detailed account of some of the main skirmishes in the political and legislative wars surrounding school vouchers and charter schools.
Some good stuff on how the rhetorical framing figures into outcomes in these contests (more likely to work if you can pitch your side as showing the most caring about "parents" or "children" or "minority communities" or "choice/freedom" than if you try to execute a detailed analysis of often contradictory education research probably addressed at overgeneral questions like whether charters are better than traditional public schools).
Per the acknowledgements she researched this for five years, and it shows. I think it will be very useful as a resource for future historians of this slice of the education discussion.
What it's not is super-interesting to read. She's admirably detached and neutral in tone, but the result is that it reads a little dry at times --- sort of one chapter after another of "In city B state legislator X or activist parent Y said that school choice is needed to liberate poor kids from failing schools, while teachers union Z and liberal politician Q argued this would devastate the public school system, so it became court case R or funding bill P, and the vote went.........".
Some good stuff on how the rhetorical framing figures into outcomes in these contests (more likely to work if you can pitch your side as showing the most caring about "parents" or "children" or "minority communities" or "choice/freedom" than if you try to execute a detailed analysis of often contradictory education research probably addressed at overgeneral questions like whether charters are better than traditional public schools).
Per the acknowledgements she researched this for five years, and it shows. I think it will be very useful as a resource for future historians of this slice of the education discussion.
What it's not is super-interesting to read. She's admirably detached and neutral in tone, but the result is that it reads a little dry at times --- sort of one chapter after another of "In city B state legislator X or activist parent Y said that school choice is needed to liberate poor kids from failing schools, while teachers union Z and liberal politician Q argued this would devastate the public school system, so it became court case R or funding bill P, and the vote went.........".
November 7, 2023
Though this book had very readable with easy prose, I was a bit put off by the writer's style for the following reasons.
1. A large cast of characters - while some are recurring and memorable (Polly Williams), names were often thrown around abruptly without as much a re-contextualization of who they are. Tough to keep track of who all these people were or what their motivations were.
2. Far too chronological - feels like one giant rote recounting of a timeline
3. There was far too much "newspaper X" said "Y" or had this or that headline on this date. IMO this is not a good way to write a book. Tell us the overarching themes and summarize the general mood from the aggregation of the primary and secondary sources you used. Don't just recount what this or that newspaper wrote in verbatim.
Gave 4 stars because I think this is an important topic that deserves attention and coverage. I learned some interesting things around the unlikely political alliance between inner city parents and Tea Party types, and the nuanced interplay with religious institutions looking to gain a piece of pie themselves. But this book would have been served with more contextualization with larger political trends within the country, and better thematic and complex analysis.
1. A large cast of characters - while some are recurring and memorable (Polly Williams), names were often thrown around abruptly without as much a re-contextualization of who they are. Tough to keep track of who all these people were or what their motivations were.
2. Far too chronological - feels like one giant rote recounting of a timeline
3. There was far too much "newspaper X" said "Y" or had this or that headline on this date. IMO this is not a good way to write a book. Tell us the overarching themes and summarize the general mood from the aggregation of the primary and secondary sources you used. Don't just recount what this or that newspaper wrote in verbatim.
Gave 4 stars because I think this is an important topic that deserves attention and coverage. I learned some interesting things around the unlikely political alliance between inner city parents and Tea Party types, and the nuanced interplay with religious institutions looking to gain a piece of pie themselves. But this book would have been served with more contextualization with larger political trends within the country, and better thematic and complex analysis.
April 21, 2025
In this review of the school system and how it's changed over the year, Cara Fitzpatrick analyzes how the power of school choice changed the education system as we know it. Fitzpatrick dives deep into various ways the Republican party has dipped its influence into education and what is taught, uncovering years of changes done both in plain view and behind closed curtains. The book highlights an issue that is ever growing and becoming more noticeable to those who haven't seen it before, and makes as a good topic of discussion when talking about the involvement of political associations with public and private schools.
Overall, the book is a decent read. Fitzpatrick presents a large amount of research and information to bring more credibility to her claims, but it is a slower read at times. I would recommend such a read to anyone who's interested in the changes of the education system as we know it.
Overall, the book is a decent read. Fitzpatrick presents a large amount of research and information to bring more credibility to her claims, but it is a slower read at times. I would recommend such a read to anyone who's interested in the changes of the education system as we know it.
July 22, 2024
Thoroughly researched, an excellent resource for anyone wanting to understand the policy history of the school choice movement in the U.S., starting during the desegregation era and coming up through the late 2010s. The particular focus here is on school vouchers and, to a lesser degree, charter schools. Not much mention of magnet schools or other systems of choice, and it also cuts off rather abruptly on several quotes from Betsy DeVos during her tenure as Secretary of Education, which both dates the book to the late 2010s and doesn’t provide much of a wrap-up of what can be learned from the decades of history that the book covers.
Despite those misgivings, it is an excellent and important contribution to the literature.
Despite those misgivings, it is an excellent and important contribution to the literature.
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October 19, 2024DNF. A tedious, almost day-by-day, court-case-by-court-case account of the battle to desegregate American schools (mainly in the South) and where school vouchers came in. Even though the voucher idea began in the 1860s in specific states to educate rural students without access to any public school, the idea really took off in the 1950s, with racism at its core but cloaked in the cassock of religious freedom. The battle is still raging today—in two and a half weeks, my state will be voting on (and I hope against) an amendment that would allow this practice, which has literally bankrupted other states. But if ‘The Death of Public School’ ever moves on from the voucher talk, it won’t be soon enough. I already know how I’m voting.
May 17, 2024
Research heavy trip through the recent history of dismantling traditional public schools. I was interested in the role Wisconsin governor's played in advocating for choice and voucher schools, especially as I have been a high school teacher working in Wisconsin public schools since 1994, right about the time all of this was beginning.
I would agree with all of the other reviews that say this book is poorly titled. I was expected a much more expansive discussion, but there really is a limited focus on just school choice and charters. I also wonder why the author chose to ignore the impact of COVID and the requisite school shut-downs on the perception of public education.
I would agree with all of the other reviews that say this book is poorly titled. I was expected a much more expansive discussion, but there really is a limited focus on just school choice and charters. I also wonder why the author chose to ignore the impact of COVID and the requisite school shut-downs on the perception of public education.
November 19, 2023
Despite what the title implies, this book is not about the entirety of the US political fight over education--it's about charter schools and school of choice vouchers (covering from when they were used for segregation to supporting low income students to religious schools today). It's a dense read, full of newspaper quoted and legal battles. However, it is informative and is chronological if this is of interest.
January 18, 2024
The title of this book is misleading. I was expecting an exploration of what has happened legislatively to public schooling and the effects it has had inside the classrooms at public schools. This is simply a comprehensive history on school vouchers. If you’re looking for that, it’s a great book with great information. For me, I found it to be a little repetitive and dry. It’s the kind of book with a date on every page, and I’m personally not into that!
April 29, 2025
Did not finish. As other reviews have stated, this book revolves around school vouchers and school choice - not quite what the title leads you to believe, as I expected a more broad and overall focus. It's all description of court battles and who's on what side for vouchers, little if any analysis of the actual effect on the public school systems. While I appreciate it opens with the fight for integrating schools, it's a slog to read.
December 19, 2023
Detailed history of how US developed alternate education system primarily from the conservative side our political parties.
I wish we had more explicit definition of vouchers, tax credits, and charter schools and how they economically impact education system and funding.
That analysis would help the reader understand why it’s the “death of public education.”
I wish we had more explicit definition of vouchers, tax credits, and charter schools and how they economically impact education system and funding.
That analysis would help the reader understand why it’s the “death of public education.”
March 4, 2024
I'm just a layperson with a general interest in the state of education in the United States. This is VERY dry and seems more academic in nature, rather than for a general audience. If you're researching this specific topic (vouchers for charter schools) in academia I'd recommend it, as this is for a very, *very* niche audience.
August 23, 2024
This is an important read. “School choice” or “School Vouchers” are simplistic answers to many people’s concern about public education. This book is a comprehensive study of vouchers/choice revealing some very disturbing undercurrents. I fear in Texas it is subterfuge for segregation.
Sadly too few people will honestly invest the time to become informed.
Sadly too few people will honestly invest the time to become informed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 28, 2024
This book did not meet its potential. I wanted to see real evidence (anecdotal or statistical) on how charter schools and vouchers are affecting quality of public schools and outcomes for students. Instead it was a dry series of court cases and political figures with very little focus on communities affected. Frustrating to get through.
December 2, 2024
A slow read, many details that do not offer solutions only reminders of what was and still is a problem for many today. A continuing ride to the dumbing down of america via its childrens education. Not a bad demonsration of research however, but why not also talk about the 'Varsity Blue Scandal' of 2019 as well.
January 24, 2025
This was a good overview of the history and origins of school choice and school vouchers. What was lacking was an explanation of the impacts of school vouchers and how conservatives won the war over Education. I wanted to read more about the culture wars in the world of education and how conservatives are winning that war.
December 1, 2023
This book is improperly subtitled. It leads you to believe the book is on public school as a whole, and I was expecting more recent events. The book was rather a very detailed history of school choice and vouchers.
May 11, 2025
Well done, but was disappointed that the majority of the book was about the 1950s-1980s. I expected it to be more current given it was published in 2023. Interesting reading about the unlikely political alliances within school choice, but wish more than 30 pages were dedicated to 2000s to now.
May 18, 2025
As a retired University professor I give thanks nearly daily that I was able to complete 100% of my education at Public Institutions in Florida and teach and retire from two state universities, and never had to learn how to "SHELTER IN PLACE" due to an active shooter.
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