“The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual” Book Study (Summer, 2025)

Content
10 modules

Rating

Course length
15 hours

Instructor
Lisa Weier

Released
05 Apr 2025

Price
$0 - 50

Description

**This course is available for one graduate credit. Continuing education contact hours (CECH) are not available. 
 

A perfectly timed book for the educational resistance—those of us who believe in public schools

Culture wars have engulfed our schools. Extremist groups are seeking to ban books, limit what educators can teach, and threaten the very foundations of public education. What’s behind these efforts? Why are our schools suddenly so vulnerable? And how can the millions of Americans who love their public schools fight back? In this concise, hard-hitting guide, journalist Jennifer C. Berkshire and education scholar Jack Schneider answer these questions and chart a way forward.

The Education Wars explains the sudden obsession with race and gender in schools, as well as the ascendancy of book-banning efforts. It offers a clear analysis of school vouchers and the impact they’ll have on school finances. It deciphers the movement for “parents’ rights,” explaining the rights that students and taxpayers also have. And it reveals how the ostensible pursuit of “religious freedom” opens the door to discrimination against vulnerable children.
Berkshire and Schneider outline the core issues driving the education wars, offering essential information about issues, actors, and potential outcomes. In so doing, they lay out what is at stake for parents, teachers, and students and provide a road map for ensuring that public education survives this present assault.

A book that will enrage and enlighten the millions of citizens who believe in their public schools, here is a long-overdue handbook and guide to action.

 

Book: "The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual” by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneider

                    ISBN-10: 1620978547

                    ISBN-13: 978-1620978542

Website: https://www.educationwarsbook.com/


Podcast: https://www.educationwarsbook.com/podcast

Objectives

Participants will: 

  • Understand the historical context by tracing the roots of education conflict through American History.

  • Analyze contemporary conflicts

  • Examine the role of donors and privatization

  • Identify successful community efforts to support and defend public education

 

The Education Wars — Alignment to Professional Teaching Domains

Danielson Domain Connection to the Book
Domain 1: Planning and Preparation

Helps educators understand the historical, political, and economic forces shaping public education. Encourages thoughtful planning by considering the impact of privatization, school funding, and standardized testing on curriculum design and instructional decisions.

 

Domain 2: The Classroom Environment

Guides teachers in fostering a classroom culture that promotes critical thinking and civic engagement. Encourages discussions on equity, democracy, and the role of public education in society, creating an inclusive space for diverse perspectives.

 

Domain 3: Instruction

Supports inquiry-based learning and policy analysis by providing frameworks for evaluating education reform efforts. Encourages educators to integrate debate, media literacy, and real-world case studies to deepen student engagement with education policy issues.

 

Domain 4: Professional Responsibilities

Promotes educator advocacy and professional growth by examining the role of teachers in shaping education policy. Encourages staying informed, engaging in professional learning communities, and reflecting on ethical responsibilities in public education.

 

1.
Read First!
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2.
Additional Resources
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3.
“The Education Wars: A Citizen’s Guide and Defense Manual” by Jennifer C. Berkshire and Jack Schneid
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4.
Introduction - Chapter 3
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5.
Podcast #1 and Reflection
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6.
Chapters 4-6
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7.
Podcast #2 and Reflection
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8.
Chapters 7-Conclusion
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9.
Podcast #3 and Reflection
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10.
Upload Final Reflection Paper Here
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