Who Stole Public Schools from the Public?: Voices from the Mount Vernon School District

by Claudia L. Edwards

Overview

The institution of public education was born from the belief that in order to sustain a true democratic society it was essential to have an educated and informed public with the capacity to rule through self-governance. Unfortunately, self-governance is no longer taking place in Mount Vernon, New York, at least when it comes to the governance of the people's public schools. Who Stole Public Schools from the Public? examines the Mount Vernon public and its relationship with its public school district. It explores behind-the-scenes politics in an urban community and possible reasons residents are not involved in local school politics.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780761855255
Publisher:	University Press of America
Publication date:	08/12/2011
Pages:	242
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Claudia L. Edwards is assistant professor in the Ed.D. Program in Executive Leadership at St. John Fisher College at the College of New Rochelle. She holds a Ph.D. from the Graduate School of Education at Fordham University.

Table of Contents

Part 1 Part I: Public Engagement with Education in America
Chapter 2 Chapter 1: Themes of Public Engagement in Historical Perspective
Chapter 3 Chapter 2: The Elusiveness of Education Reform
Part 4 Part II: Mount Vernon, New York: Then and Now
Chapter 5 Chapter 3: The Evolution of a Black-led City
Chapter 6 Chapter 4: The Mount Vernon School District in 2007
Part 7 Part III: Voices from the Mount Vernon School District
Chapter 8 Chapter 5: Respondents and Stakeholders
Chapter 9 Chapter 6: The Public's Commitment to Public Education
Chapter 10 Chapter 7: A Shared Vision for Public Schools
Chapter 11 Chapter 8: Public Dissatisfaction with the District's Performance on Student Achievement
Chapter 12 Chapter 9: Major Problems Facing the District
Chapter 13 Chapter 10: No Trust in the Process for Decision Making
Chapter 14 Chapter 11: A Public Disconnected and Disenfranchised
Chapter 15 Chapter 12: Who Owns Public Schools?
Chapter 16 Chapter 13: Building Public Support for Public Schools
Part 17 Part IV: Voices from Focus Groups
Chapter 18 Chapter 14: The Community Focus Groups
Chapter 19 Chapter 15: The Youth Focus Group
Chapter 20 Chapter 16: The Teacher Focus Group
Part 21 Part V: From Disenfranchisement to Ownership
Chapter 22 Chapter 17: Findings from the Mount Vernon School District
Chapter 23 Chapter 18: Causes for Disenfranchisement
Chapter 24 Chapter 19: The Role of Black Churches
Chapter 25 Chapter 20: A New Beginning for Building Public Support for Public Schools
Chapter 26 Epilogue: The Unresolved Issue of Ownership

Editorial Reviews

Edwards (College of New Rochelle) offers a useful examination of the current lack of faith in public schools. Her study of Mt. Vernon, NY, public schools should broaden readers' understanding of the history of US public schooling, the reasons for its decline, and the efforts needed to reestablish its value. Tracing black America's struggle to achieve educational equality and recounting current achievements, she suggests it is now necessary to replace the emphasis on access and equality with an emphasis on realizing ownership of and responsibility for public schooling. This requires increased civic interest and skilled capacity. In addition to white flight, generations of middle-class blacks moved away from public schools. Those who stayed had limited skills to address their schools' needs in spite of the black community's increasing political control. Edwards uses interviews and focus groups to gather her data. She found that most respondents believed in the institution of public schooling, but only 18 percent understood that schools were publicly owned, and because the board lacked an understanding of the role of educational administrators, the board's micro-management caused administrators to become marginalized. Summing Up: Recommended.

Choice Reviews

The book's a must-read to understand the dynamics of race, politics, quality, and meaningful ownership of our ailing but promising public schools!

Bruce S. Cooper

Edwards has managed to combine several remarkable qualities: the objectivity and discipline of an academic professional, the experience and wisdom of a long-time member of the Westchester community, and a confident grasp of all of the dynamics shaping public schools in Mt. Vernon and beyond….

Michael Gecan

Thoughtful and heartfelt.

Jeffrey R. Henig

In this important and fascinating study, Dr. Edwards has taken on the problem no one wants to talk about, and done it with sensitivity and courage....

Anne T. Henderson

Edwards' compelling description of the mistakes that were made by public officials in Mount Vernon can serve as a useful lesson to those who seek to avoid repeating them.

Pedro A. Noguera Ph.D

A frank appraisal of one of America's most serious problems…. But it is also a hopeful report of reform strategies that can tap into the educational resources of the entire community to complement and support the efforts of beleaguered schools.

David Mathews

Edwards (College of New Rochelle) offers a useful examination of the current lack of faith in public schools. Her study of Mt. Vernon, NY, public schools should broaden readers' understanding of the history of US public schooling, the reasons for its decline, and the efforts needed to reestablish its value. Tracing black America's struggle to achieve educational equality and recounting current achievements, she suggests it is now necessary to replace the emphasis on access and equality with an emphasis on realizing ownership of and responsibility for public schooling. This requires increased civic interest and skilled capacity. In addition to white flight, generations of middle-class blacks moved away from public schools. Those who stayed had limited skills to address their schools' needs in spite of the black community's increasing political control. Edwards uses interviews and focus groups to gather her data. She found that most respondents believed in the institution of public schooling, but only 18 percent understood that schools were publicly owned, and because the board lacked an understanding of the role of educational administrators, the board's micro-management caused administrators to become marginalized. Summing Up: Recommended.

CHOICE

The book's a must-read to understand the dynamics of race, politics, quality, and meaningful ownership of our ailing but promising public schools!

Bruce S. Cooper Ph.D

Edwards (College of New Rochelle) offers a useful examination of the current lack of faith in public schools. Her study of Mt. Vernon, NY, public schools should broaden readers' understanding of the history of US public schooling, the reasons for its decline, and the efforts needed to reestablish its value. Tracing black America's struggle to achieve educational equality and recounting current achievements, she suggests it is now necessary to replace the emphasis on access and equality with an emphasis on realizing ownership of and responsibility for public schooling. This requires increased civic interest and skilled capacity. In addition to white flight, generations of middle-class blacks moved away from public schools. Those who stayed had limited skills to address their schools' needs in spite of the black community's increasing political control. Edwards uses interviews and focus groups to gather her data. She found that most respondents believed in the institution of public schooling, but only 18 percent understood that schools were publicly owned, and because the board lacked an understanding of the role of educational administrators, the board's micro-management caused administrators to become marginalized. Summing Up: Recommended.

Choice