Maran, Meredith. Class dismissed; a year in the life of an American high school, a glimpse into the heart of a nation - Book Review

Kliatt, Jan, 2002 by Rita M. Fontinha

St. Martin's, Griffin. 313p. illus. c2000. 0-312-28309-1. $14.95. SA

This is a must-read for anyone interested in high schools. In fact, Class Dismissed should be required reading for any education major aiming for high school. Berkeley (CA) High School is the country's most diverse--racially, economically, socially. Moran follows three students and gives faces to the statistics. They are a reflection of society--the tensions, needs, hopes, fears, successes, failures, and pressures, Autumn is a super-achieving bi-racial girl; Jordan is a well-to-do Jewish boy; and Keith is an African American athlete. We see their private lives, as well as their school personas. Senioritis is only one of the many issues explored here. Much more than a look at the students, this documentary examines the school, teachers, administration, and community. Moran ends with a one-year follow-up and a five-point plan for improvement. She says, "Everything we need to know we can learn from our high schools." You won't be disappointed in her careful, thoughtful analysis. Rita M. Fontinha, Lib. Media Spec., Norwood H.S., Norwood, MA