The Kids are Alright: A Review of The Death and Life of the Great American School System

The Death and Life of the Great American School System: How Testing and Choice Are Undermining Education by Diane Ravitch
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

For almost three decades now, Americans have been testing a number of different reforms in public education. Some of these reforms include vouchers, charter schools, standardized testing, national standards, and merit pay for teachers. And yet, every single one of these reforms has failed. Why is that? Can public education be reformed? Does it even need to be reformed? Diane Ravitch, an education policy expert who has worked for and advised U.S. Presidents since George H.W. Bush, examines each one of these reforms in detail and shows not only why they have failed, but some of the subversive laissez faire ideologies that have propelled them and will not let them go, no matter how much data is brought forth.

Despite my rating, this book is actually great. Ms. Ravitch is thorough in her research and, admirably, is willing to point out when she was wrong. For example, she was once a supporter of national standards that were a part of Pres. Obama's Race to the Top reforms. However, after examining its effect and reception, Ms. Ravitch is willing to say that national standards are not what's best for our country's public schools. I don't fully agree with her on this point as I think the problem with national standards has been with the process of their writing and implementation, which was top-down and heavy-handed, not with the idea itself. That said, Ms. Ravitch goes about destroying all of the latest education reforms with a fine toothed comb. By the end of this book, I couldn't help but wonder if it was ever possible to reform public education. Not only that, but considering other measures of learning in public education, I think we can legitimately ask if we actually NEED to reform public education. There are problems for sure, especially with the achievement gap between white and minority students, but as Ms. Ravitch points out over and over again, that may be due more to poverty and systemic racism that have perpetuated the wealth gap between whites and minorities.

So, why does this book get only three stars from me? Because this is one of the most policy-wonky books written for a general audience that I have ever read. Ms. Ravitch digs in really deep into her research, making some of the chapters long and tedious. By the end of the book, I was completely exhausted by all the different facts and figures that were presented. This book is a tough slog and should not be approached lightly.

Public education is not a good that we consume like food or movies. A good public education is a right that everyone is entitled to. This book is not only a sharp critique of recent education reforms, but a passionate plea for returning public education to its local and democratic roots. States and localities should lead the way on education with the federal government playing a role in supporting equity between rich and poor school districts, as it originally was when the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 was passed. Teachers should be trained and treated as professionals, like a doctor or a lawyer. And any major reform MUST have buy in from teachers, administrators, and the local community. At least, that is Ms. Ravitch's recommendation. However, after reading this book, I am inclined to believe her. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in public education reform. Just know that this book will be a tough slog and, thus, you should set aside any other books before tackling this one.

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