J. Martin Rochester
November 2002
University of Missouri (at St. Louis) political scientist J. Martin Rochester authored this fine new book on America's education woes. It's semi-autobiographical, recounting his own efforts - as a "battle-scarred parent" - to get his children a good education in the public schools of University City and Clayton, Missouri. He also chronicles his growing disillusionment with educational progressivism. A political liberal, he nonetheless found that "The more I have seen of progressive pedagogy at work, the more disenchanted I have become. The utter failure of our schools under progressive rule has provoked a backlash, as the public has called for increased standards and accountability. This in turn has produced a backlash against the backlash, mounted by educators on the defensive." In 315 well-wrought pages, he closely examines the ideas undergirding progressive education and finds them flawed and unproven. This, then, is a book about ideas as much as about Rochester's adventures in education-land. It winds up with some imaginative suggestions, including the use of education options as a way to let several different philosophies coexist and to enable people to pick the one they favor. Highly recommended. The ISBN is 1893554538 and the publisher is Encounter Books. You can get more information at http://www.encounterbooks.com/clwa/clwa.html.
