Huge red flags for this book include the insistence that corporations be more involved in public education, the false claim that students are expelled simply for bad grades, and the demand that the "key to student learning" is teachers who "use their own money to buy supplies and prescription glasses for students" and who "DONATED A KIDNEY TO A STUDENT."

Jesus. I just....I can't. The demand that teachers sacrifice their own money and health for students is everything that is wrong with this country today. It does not escape my notice that this is a book written by a man making demands on a profession that is 75% female.

The author also shows his ignorance of American corporations and society when he says that the reason the US imports so much stuff is because we lack a workforce of Americans who know how to make products in factories. I get that the author, an advocate of CTE, is biased in favor of manufacturing jobs. However, his bias is not adequate justification for his ignorance. We import manufactured items because we as consumers demand they be dirt cheap, and that is only possible if the products are made in countries that use slave labor.

This is a very informative book. I plan on reviewing this book during the school year to help me in my teaching. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book.

With college enrollment on the decline and a national shortage of skilled workers, Retooling America’s Educational System by Gordon L. Love arrives as a timely and necessary call to action. A cabinetmaker-turned-educator and CTE leader, Love draws from his rich experience to critique the current K-12 system’s overemphasis on college preparation — a path that doesn’t fit or serve a significant portion of students.

Love proposes a Y-track model that elevates career and technical education (CTE) alongside traditional academic pathways. Through compelling anecdotes and policy insights, he makes a strong case for treating students as “products” and employers as “customers,” with schools and families forming the crucial bridge between them.

Ideal for CTE educators seeking to align their programs with community needs, this book also serves as a thought-provoking read for administrators, school board members, and policymakers. While the book relies heavily on Love’s own experiences, its central message — that our educational priorities need urgent retooling — is both persuasive and practical.