Choosing Excellence.John Merrow John Merrow is a broadcast journalist who has reported on education issues for more than three decades. He is the executive producer, host and president of Learning Matters, Inc. . Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Scarecrow goes to Wizard of Oz to get brains. [Am. Lit.: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz] See : Ignorance Scarecrow can’t live up to his name. [Am. Lit.: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz; Am. Press, 2001. 207 pp. $15.95. "`Good enough' schools are not good enough" says John Merrow in his book Choosing Excellence. His critique of public education in the United States Education in the United States is provided mainly by government, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. School attendance is mandatory and nearly universal at the elementary and high school levels (often known outside the United States as the , unlike many, does not see a system that is completely broken. Merrow says the problem is more subtle, and therefore more serious: it is one of widespread complacency. He argues that Americans settle for what is "good enough" rather than demanding excellence. "Excellence is not easy to find in public education," he writes. "Most schools fall into the `good enough' category, but that should not be cause for celebration" (p. 4). Merrow is a veteran observer of American public schools. A former teacher, he has been an education reporter for more than 25 years. He wrote the book primarily for parents who may find themselves in the position of being able to select a public school for their child. He also intended the book as a way to help educators who wish to "choose excellence" for their own schools. As a guide for parents, Choosing Excellence is timely. Thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court's recent support of school vouchers school vouchers, government grants aimed at improving education for the children of low-income families by providing school tuition that can be used at public or private schools. , and the passage of the No Child Left Behind Act The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110), commonly known as NCLB (IPA: /ˈnɪkəlbiː/), is a United States federal law that was passed in the House of Representatives on May 23, 2001 , more parents will have a greater choice in deciding where their children will go to school. Merrow believes that parents consequently need to become savvy education consumers. They will appreciate the "Questions to Ask" sections that conclude all but the last of the book's 12 chapters. Among other topics, Merrow deals with school safety, charter schools, educational technology, and homework. A chapter titled "Look, Listen, and Ask" advises parents on what to look for when comparing schools. The book is easy reading, yet doesn't use a condescending tone. Education policymakers, school administrators, and classroom teachers who want to shake up the status quo [Latin, The existing state of things at any given date.] Status quo ante bellum means the state of things before the war. The status quo to be preserved by a preliminary injunction is the last actual, peaceable, uncontested status which preceded the pending controversy. will find an ally in Merrow. High-stakes testing, mediocre teacher preparation, schools that are too large--these are among the problems that Merrow persuasively argues are at the crux of America's education crisis. Nineteen pages of notes support Merrow's arguments and give sources for those who wish to explore the issues he raises in more detail. Reviewed by Jim Tanksley, elementary teacher, adjunct faculty, California State University, Bakersfield As of fall 2002, some 7,700 undergraduate and graduate students attended CSUB, at either the main campus in Bakersfield or the satellite campus, Antelope Valley Center in Lancaster, California of Los Angeles County. |
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