This book documents the shocking state of public education in the United States, including the high rates of school violence, the decline in student achievement, and the politicization of the educational process. By comparing the performance of public schools with private schools (which spend less than half per capita than public counterparts), the book reveals areas in which public education might reduce administrative overhead, eliminate internal segregation of students, and provide a safe and disciplined learning environment. Also suggested are ways in which public schools might learn from the experience and traditions of the past, including the essential elements of learning in the one-room schoolhouse and the integration of students of different ages. The role of the judiciary is critically reviewed, as well as Supreme Court decisions in the areas of racial discrimination, school discipline, bilingual education, special education, and school financing.

PrefaceAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The State of Public EducationPublic and Private EducationThe Reform MovementsThe Origins of Public EducationThe Legacy of Racial DiscriminationAlternative Methods of Segregation: Bilingual and Special EducationSchool Violence and the Crisis in Due ProcessPublic School Financing and the Issue of InequalityConclusion: Can Our Public Schools Be Saved?NotesSelected BibliographyIndex