Originally published: 1995.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [298]-326) and index.

Dumbing down America's kids. Scenes from the front: "Mere facts" -- Andrea's complaint -- Dumbing down our kids -- Losing the race -- Scenes from the front: An endangered species I -- The American way of denial -- Dumbing down our schools. Scenes from the front: How did Einstein feel? -- Feelings -- The religion of self-esteem -- Scenes from the front: The mission statement -- The attack on excellence -- Scenes from the front: Leaders and followers -- The making of an educationist -- Scenes from the front: "I wanted to be a teacher" -- The new illiteracy -- Why Johnny can't add, subtract, multiply, or divide (but still feels good about himself) -- Dumbing down the texts -- Scenes from the front: The political classroom I -- Dumbing down the tests -- Scenes from the front: The political classroom II -- Moral dumbing down. The "values" wasteland -- Telling on mommy and daddy -- Doctor, doctor -- The attack on learning. The attack on learning -- Scenes from the front: 1928 -- 1958 -- Educational wastelands -- Scenes from the front: Mold -- Reform and counterreform. The blob -- Outcome based education -- Goals 2000 and the counterreformation -- Scenes from the front: An endangered species II -- Schools that work -- Scenes from the front: Barclay -- The coming educational revolution.