The Death of Public School

"Opens with a superb survey of the political, cultural, legal and natural forces undermining public trust in our nation’s schools... The book is a timely history of a movement that could reshape American education and set off explosive policy debates for many years."

Best Summer Book of 2023

"An extraordinary achievement...thoroughly researched."

"The Death of Public School manages to provide grounding context to the labyrinthine journey of the school-choice movement, profiling both the well-known figures and the less familiar activists, lawyers, educators, and parents on both sides who have shaped this war. In Fitzpatrick’s capable hands, a sequel would certainly be much appreciated."
 

"Meticulously drawn from years of archival research, this is a lucid and thorough study of a hot-button issue."

"A cohesive study of America’s path to increasingly politicized—and privatized—education."

"A great addition to education and behavioral sciences collections." 

"Cara Fitzpatrick has written a remarkable book on the decades long battle over school choice. Deeply researched and beautifully written, this is a story of the calculating lawmakers and surprising political alliances who have redefined public education with profound implications for families, communities, and the nation.  This is a must-read book for anyone who cares about the future of education in America."

"The Death of Public School is history at its best, unfurling a remarkable, troubling tale. In chilling detail, Cara Fitzpatrick lays out how in plain sight the conservatives have worked to dismantle public education. In this recounting, Fitzpatrick has issued a clarion call, to renew our public commitment to providing an equitable and rigorous schooling for all."

"Cara Fitzpatrick has produced a crucial political history of the movement that, often quietly, has threatened the public nature of America's education system. The Death of Public School is timely, carefully researched, and critically important."