The institution of public education was born from the belief that in order to sustain a true democratic society it was essential to have an educated and informed public with the capacity to rule through self-governance. Unfortunately, self-governance is no longer taking place in Mount Vernon, New York, at least when it comes to the governance of the people's public schools. Who Stole Public Schools from the Public? examines the Mount Vernon public and its relationship with its public school district. It explores behind-the-scenes politics in an urban community and possible reasons residents are not involved in local school politics.

"Edwards (College of New Rochelle) offers a useful examination of the current lack of faith in public schools. Her study of Mt. Vernon, NY, public schools should broaden readers' understanding of the history of US public schooling, the reasons for its decline, and the efforts needed to reestablish its value. Tracing black America's struggle to achieve educational equality and recounting current achievements, she suggests it is now necessary to replace the emphasis on access and equality with an emphasis on realizing ownership of and responsibility for public schooling. This requires increased civic interest and skilled capacity. In addition to white flight, generations of middle-class blacks moved away from public schools. Those who stayed had limited skills to address their schools' needs in spite of the black community's increasing political control. Edwards uses interviews and focus groups to gather her data. She found that most respondents believed in the institution of public schooling, but only 18 percent understood that schools were publicly owned, and because the board lacked an understanding of the role of educational administrators, the board's micro-management caused administrators to become marginalized. Summing Up: Recommended." - CHOICE