Promotions - Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles 2019 - Social & Behavioral Sciences — History, Geography & Area Studies

This beautifully written and richly theorized ethnography examines the experiences of a researcher and her subjects within the classrooms of a juvenile detention center. Vaught situates us in the quotidian--revealing and unpacking the complex, racialized, and gendered interactions among security staff, teachers, administrators, and state-level bureaucrats. We meet and connect with these people as human beings even as, in the case of many of the adults, they participate in a dehumanizing process. But while books abound on the detailed horrors of the American justice system, Compulsory is also a tour-de-force of theoretical analysis, schooling the reader on the layered meanings of the system for those who participate in it. Compulsory can serve as a sequel to Vaught's previous book on racism in public education; but it is, foremost, a highly original, masterful look at the inner workings and logic of the American juvenile justice system. This book should have wide appeal among scholars of education, justice, youth, race, and ethnographic methods; it should also appeal to a general audience. This is the single best book to date on juvenile justice in the age of mass incarceration. Compulsory is an instant classic.Summing Up: Essential. All readers.

Homeschooling, or "parent-directed learning in the home that substitutes ... for attendance at a regular school," is enjoying a resurgence in the US, though it remains controversial. While homeschooling might offer a superior substitute where quality public or private education is unavailable, it can also be used to hide abuse, neglect, or a complete lack of education. In this compelling book, Dwyer (College of William & Mary) and Peters (Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison) analyze arguments for and against homeschooling. Discarding their preconceived ideas about education, they pose an overlooked but essential question: homeschooling is fundamentally about parents' rights to educate as they see fit, but who is looking after the rights of children? Analyses reveal that no state provides meaningful oversight of homeschooled children's education or welfare. The authors conclude that homeschooling today, in most cases, inadequately meets children's best interests, failing to prepare them to thrive in modern economic, social, or civic life. The book nevertheless ends on a hopeful note, as the authors suggest ways in which states might improve oversight and look after the interests of children. This is an essential read for anyone working in or conducting research on education policy.Summing Up: Essential. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty; professionals.

Using her own research and supported by the research of others, Johnson (Harvard Univ.) explores the elements that lead to more effective schools, particularly those serving low income children. She contests the idea that the key to success is to only hire more qualified teachers. These teachers, as well as others, need a supportive environment. Studying different schools in Massachusetts, Johnson found that there were a variety of elements that worked to improve the schools. The school principal was a key factor, as was the degree to which teachers worked together cooperatively and had sufficient supplies and equipment. One solution does not necessarily fit all. Measuring success only by student results on standardized tests provides limited and misleading information in terms of educating children at each grade level. Johnson's recognition of the complexity of the educational process and the examples she provides of schools that worked and schools that didn't offer valuable guidance for those serious about rethinking education in the 21st century. Stereotypical thinking about teachers and underfunded schools contribute to current educational problems. This clearly written and absorbing analysis should be required reading for all those involved in educational decision-making.Summing Up: Essential. All readers.