Amy Prime teaches second grade in Prime, Iowa. She also writes frequently for newspapers in Iowa. This review of Reign of Error appeared in the Des Moines Register.

Prime says that if she had designed the jacket, “it would include an illustration of Diane Ravitch, sledgehammer in hand, smashing a brick wall with the words “Education Reform.” We would see bricks falling down with words on them such as Race to the Top, Arne Duncan, NCLB, vouchers, Gates Foundation and standardized assessments.”

She writes:

“Teachers who read this book will identify with many of the discussion items and will come away feeling vindicated as evidence is presented that no, our schools are not actually “failing” or slipping but are as strong as ever. Gains are being made by all students and they have been for decades. Ravitch notes, “Students of all racial and ethnic groups are reading better now than they were in 1992.” She also shows how mathematics scores have improved significantly from 1992-2011.

Some other ideas that are successfully taken to task in Ravitch’s book are: the thought that testing students improves their education (in fact it doesn’t), the belief that charter schools educate children better than public schools (they don’t), the suggestion that merit pay is a fair and motivating way to improve teacher quality (it isn’t), the idea that class size doesn’t matter (it does) and that poverty isn’t an issue once a child reaches the schoolhouse doors (it is).

The most terrifying and pressing subject matter in Ravitch’s book is the clear and present danger facing our schools due to the greed of corporate entities and persons intent on the privatization of our public schools for their own personal gain. Any politician who has not already been bought by one of these groups must read this book to be made aware of the tricks, lies, and propaganda that will besiege them during sessions of lawmaking so that they can avoid making the job of destroying our schools any easier. Anyone who reports on education should read this book to have more facts about what is really happening and have less reliance on talking points from those with the loudest voices…..

Ms. Ravitch’s book equips teachers, students, parents, school board members and other conscientious members of our American community with the statistical, historical, and otherwise evidence-based data to fight the persistent and seemingly convincing rhetoric repeated by those with the attention of the media. Her voice as an advocate, along with strong pieces of writing such as this, will lead the charge for the take back of our public community and neighborhood schools until they are stronger than ever before.