Description
In 1983, the National Commission on Excellence in Education warned, “The educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and a people.”
Forty years later, are things better or worse? Mediocrity shares forty examples of how poorly today’s government schools are doing to show that the “rising tide of mediocrity” has created a tsunami of low expectations and poor performance, suggesting the need for alternative solutions.
Reviews
“Taxpayers invest in schools to educate the rising generation―not subject them to ideological agendas and the political views of activist teachers. And yet, across the country, our institutions have been captured by those who want to shape the minds of our children. Don’t dismiss this as a passing fad or a set of isolated incidents. Mediocrity explains how the dumbing down of schools has been methodical and intentional. Read this book to realize how bad things have become, then take action to allow your children to find a better way.” –Glenn Beck, radio host and author
“Almost daily, videos emerge of activist teachers promoting their personal views and ideological agendas onto kids in K-12 classes across America. Many people are shocked and surprised by the videos I post, yet others remain dismissive, arguing that these are isolated incidents taken out of context. Not so, as Connor and Corey explain in this compelling and insightful book! Mediocrity serves up one example after another of the sad state of today’s schools―not to depress you or make you feel defeated. To the contrary: information is power, and the sooner you can realize the scope of the problems we face, the sooner you’ll be able to seek solutions. Read Mediocrity now!” –Chaya Raichik, creator, Libs of TikTok
“Every parent needs to read this book, which raises a warning voice about what’s going on in today’s schools. Connor and Corey have done excellent work highlighting the problems facing public education and provide parents with the analysis they need to make better decisions for their children. If you have kids, you need to read this book.” –Christopher Rufo, senior fellow, Manhattan Institute
About the Authors
Connor Boyack is the founder and president of Libertas Institute, a free-market think tank in Utah. In that capacity, he has spearheaded dozens of successful policy reforms in areas such as education reform, medical freedom, civil liberties, government transparency, entrepreneurship, business deregulation, personal freedom, and more. Several of these legal changes were the first of their kind in the country, and Libertas Institute has received numerous awards for their innovative work.
A public speaker and author of over 40 books, Connor is best known for The Tuttle Twins books, a children’s series introducing young readers to economic, political, and civic principles; over five million copies of the books have been sold. He is also executive producer of The Tuttle Twins, an animated cartoon series based on the books.
Connor lives near Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife and two children. Learn more at ConnorBoyack.com.
Corey DeAngelis is a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children. He is also the executive director at Educational Freedom Institute, an adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute, a senior fellow at Reason Foundation, and a board member at Liberty Justice Center. He was named on the Forbes 30 under 30 list for his work on education policy and received the Buckley Award from America’s Future in 2020.
DeAngelis has authored or coauthored over 40 journal articles, book chapters, and reports on education policy, and he is the coeditor of School Choice Myths: Setting the Record Straight on Education Freedom. His research has been published in peer-reviewed academic journals, including Social Science Quarterly, School Effectiveness and School Improvement, Educational Review, and Peabody Journal of Education.
DeAngelis received his PhD in education policy from the University of Arkansas. He holds a BBA and an MA in economics from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
