Veteran journalist Laura Pappano explores how public schools across the country have become ground zero in a cultural and political war in the first book of its kind to address the rise of parent activism and the politicized battle for control over public schools. Weaving the stories of geographically, racially, and politically diverse groups, Pappano combines on-the-ground reporting with research and expert interviews to take a hard look at where these battles are happening, what is at stake, and why it matters for the future of our schools.