Class warfare : inside the fight to fix America's schools

 by Steven Brill. Good teaching really does matter. Success doesn't depend on a school's location or budget; it comes down to the person standing in front of the classroom. CourtTV and The American Lawyer magazine founder Brill (After: How America Confronted the September 12 Era) has concluded that teachers willing to extend their efforts beyond the classroom, to spend extra time with their students and their students' families, and to do all they can to connect with their charges are key to turning around the American education system. However, there are obstacles to overcome, including unions' destructive demands, the problems that arise when teachers' longevity trumps talent, the stigma charter schools sometimes face, and political agendas that fail to put children first. Horror stories about good teachers who are disparaged and bad teachers who are coddled might make you cringe, but Brill's multilayered account of the education dilemma also brings hope that change for the better could be on the horizon. Verdict Many parents, even those who are educators, may not be aware of the battles that occur daily in the education world. This is a fascinating look at those struggles and at the people who determine how America's children will be educated. --Library Journal (Check catalog)