NBC political reporter Hixenbaugh shares his investigation into how conservative-right candidates won control of the Carroll Independent School District in Southlake, TX. After a series of racist incidents in 2021, the school district attempted to create an inclusiveness policy. A conservative backlash to this ignited & control of the board shifted to a conservative-right majority that prioritizes Christian nationalist beliefs. And, he shows how this did what we’ve seen happen to so many schools across the nation: LGBTQ+ & Black students were harassed & dehumanized, good teachers quit, curricula was rewritten & conservatives remain in power.

Mike's book is well-researched and informative. I appreciated the deep dive into how the usurping of school boards and increase in book challenges by conservatives are well-funded & coordinated efforts that include help from the Texas GOP and GOP legislators across the nation. This entire issue, Mike shares, is a concerted effort by conservatives and Republicans to denigrate and destroy public schools and give public money to private schools where marginalized people can be denied access and the curricula can "teach" whatever Christian nationalist nonsense it wants, truth be damned.

This is a sobering & disheartening BUT important read. I highly recommend it to those who not only want to bring awareness to the machinations behind the surge in book bans, but also shine light on the ultimate goal of this increased effort: to eradicate public schools.