The Crucial Voice of the People, Past and Present: Education's Missing Ingredient

by Victoria M. Young

Overview

Here is a fresh, common-sense take on education reform, not by an educator or administrator or politico, but by a concerned mother and citizen who dares to proclaim that America is NOT offering a quality education to ALL its children. Young sees an effective public education system as a fundamental function of a strong republic. Yet opposing political agendas are directing federal, state, and local lawmakers toward failed programs, wasted dollars, and poor results for American public education. In The Crucial Voice of the People, Past and Present, Young presents important insights into what can be done to “fix” America’s public education system. Her research and observations are eye opening and provide all readers with a galvanizing focus on what needs to be done and how to get there. But most importantly, the book energizes parents with new ideas and tools to improve the schools in their own communities. The Crucial Voice of the People, Past and Present is a call to the public education system to openly listen and to communities to make themselves heard.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475800227
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Publishing
Publication date:	10/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	216
File size:	483 KB

About the Author

Victoria M. Young is a mother of two, a doctor of veterinary medicine, and a long-time advocate for public schools. She has served in classrooms and on advisory committees, and has organized fundraisers and efforts to save our schools through policies and practices.

Table of Contents

Foreword By Gary Ratner
Preface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Safe and Disciplined Schools; Civility Lost on Our Own Turf
Chapter 2: The Three R’s, plus the “R Rule”
Chapter 3: Where’s the Science? Using What We Know
Chapter 4: Along Came “No Child Left Behind”; With Unintended or Foreseeable Consequences?
Chapter 5: What is the Problem? Why Children Get Left Behind
Chapter 6: We Have the Answers
Chapter 7: Formula for Success; Simple, Not Easy
Chapter 8: What’s Next? Starting In the Trenches
Chapter 9: The Road to Educational Quality and Equality: A Story with No Ending
Chapter 10: Democracy and Education: The Powerful Will Drive Progress
Reflections: Finish the Fight
Bibliography
Addendum1: A National Approach to Effective Schools
Addendum 2: Establishing Balanced Curriculum in our Classrooms
Addendum 3: Noteworthy People
Index
About the Author

Editorial Reviews

Young's analysis of educational policies and reform practices proved to be informative and useful while studying the effects of school reform on teachers. In the era of accountability, it is important to remember that we are all accountable for the education of our children. Young brings the concept of shared accountability to the forefront of educational reform practices and ideas. We are all responsible for the education of our children, and The Crucial Voice of the People, Past and Present provides common sense answers to the problems in our educational system​.

Joshua Bryan

Young asks insightful questions that force us to dig deeply into our values as parents and educators. She reminds us what's important about public education and why we should stop fighting and start solving the crisis before us.

Marilyn Price-Mitchell Ph.D

As a mom of two non-graduates, I wish Victoria M. Young had written this book earlier. My children's outcome may have been different; their lives would have surely been changed.

Kathie Grafe

A poignant and pragmatic analysis of the challenges confronting America's public schools. Young provides her readers with invaluable insights on what might be done to address an array of issues plaguing American education. At a time of polarizing debates and policy paralysis, Young provides parents, educators and policymakers with a perspective that is refreshing, original and most importantly, optimistic.

Pedro A. Noguera Ph.D

Young has effectively pointed out the fact that parents and ordinary citizens can be superb sources of dynamic input into public schools. Her research and observations are excellent and remind us that public schools should be open to both the needs and ideas of those for whom they were created to serve.

Jack D. Minzey

Young is a parent that makes all of us think and grow in our profession. This second edition provides parents with tools and ideas on how to contribute to and improve education in their communities. Without those parents who question and point out those unique community needs and history, schools will never truly meet the needs of children. This is a call to parents sitting on the sidelines.

Mary Ollie

I have read with great interest Victoria Young's anecdotal expose of the failures of public education and must agree with her conclusion — substantive improvement in public education will require involvement of the entire community.

Donald C. Weaver