Book Review: A Practical Guide to Digital Research by Mercedes Schneider

Book Review: A Practical Guide to Digital Research by Mercedes Schneider

By Russ Walsh | From Russ on Reading | Russ Walsh is the author of A Parent's Guide to Public Education in the 21st Century: Navigating Education Reform to Get the Best Education for My Child | Buy on Amazon, Barnes & Noble

By Russ Walsh

When I started this blog in earnest in 2013, one of the first names I learned was Mercedes Schneider and one of the blogs I read regularly was her duetsch29. Mercedes blog posts were so wonderful because she always, it seemed, delivered the goods. Whenever you thought some education reformster was up to no good, Mercedes found a way to dig up the information that proved what they were up to. She is intrepid, relentless, brilliant, and ruthless. Her work has been absolutely invaluable to anyone trying to shine a light on the backdoor dealings, profit-driven schemings, and devious proceedings of the proponents of educational reform. Now, Mercedes has written a book that shows us all how she does it.

In A Practical Guide to Digital Research (Garn Press) Schneider provides a clear road map for the digital researcher to follow. Need to find out what your local Broad trained superintendent is up to? Scheneider guides you in how to investigate the individual and get the goods, even when that individual has worked hard to conceal that they only have two years of actual teaching in Possawatamy Charter School in their educational background. Want to find out who is funding the reformster school board member who is running in your local election? Schneider shows you how. Want to investigate the wealthy donors behind some reformster organization? Step right up and follow Schneider's step-by-step plan.

The book is enriched by the stories of real life research successes that Schneider has had over the years and that have kept those of us who have had the fortune to read her regularly informed and entertained. Those stories include her great work in exposing the failures of reform in New Orleans, to finding out who is funding Eva Moskowitz in New York, to how Teach for America gained an outsized foothold in Chicago. These stories lend credence to her recommended method and give the reader confidence the methods will work.

This book is clearly written and easy to follow. Novice bloggers and veteran researchers alike will find it invaluable as they continue to search for information which can illuminate our understanding of how the inner workings of reform are often working against the best interests of children, teachers, public education, and our country. Mercedes Schneider has, once again, performed an invaluable service for all of those interested in developing a vibrant and vital system of public education.

A Practical Guide to Digital Research

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | Books-A-Million | Waterstones

Praise

"While Mercedes Schneider is a full time teacher, she manages to ferret out news those in power would often prefer was not reported. Her new book is a valuable guide for those who want to join her in this quest." – Anthony Cody, The Educator And The Oligarch: A Teacher Challenges The Gates Foundation, winner of the NCTE George Orwell Award.

“A practical guide that lends itself to being used like a handbook or manual; to that end it is short, clear, and well-organized. It is a series of lessons from a top-notch teacher in book form, as well as a chance to peek over her shoulder and watch her work… You should get a copy and a copy for the other activist in your life. The information is practical and useful and, in this day and age, indispensable.” – Peter Greene, Curmudgucation

“The book is enriched by the stories of real life research successes that Schneider has had over the years and that have kept those of us who have had the fortune to read her regularly informed and entertained.” - Russ Walsh, Russ on Reading

“Mercedes is a jewel and a blessing whose research is an education in itself.” – Ira Shor, Professor of Rhetoric/Composition, Department of English at the College of Staten Island, City University of New York

Book News, Mercedes Schneider, Featured Garn Press NewsGarn PressMay 11, 2020