Kalman R. Hettleman
Rowman & Littlefield Publishers
2010
The author (a former Baltimore school-board member and veteran reformer) views his new book as an attempt “to turn on its head conventional wisdom about how to reform the education of America’s poorest students.” As his title implies, he wants reformers to focus on what happens in the classroom as much as they obsess about what goes on in legislative chambers. Furthermore, he wants a no-holds-barred bigger role for the federal government, based on the premise that state and local governments have failed in the education realm. Perhaps most controversially, Hettleman declares that we need to prioritize “equity” over “excellence.” We don’t always agree with Hettleman--and you may not either--but his contrarian thinking is apt to stimulate your own. You can order the book here.
