The Conspiracy of Ignorance - The Failure of American Public Schools (hardcover): $19.95 (list price: $25.00)

By Michael L. Gross

In this persuasive critique of "the Education Establishment," long time institutional critic and best-selling author Michael L. Gross examines the alarming drop in America's quality of education. Gross maintains that a "conspiracy of ignorance" promotes and defends low standards of teaching and learning, allowing the establishment to maintain its monopoly on public elementary and high schools. He concludes with a number of suggestions on how to remedy the problem, ranging from the obvious (raising the standards of teacher licensing and certification) to the more intense (rallying state legislators in support of the rights of students instead of educators).