The School I Deserve

School I Deserve book jacket.

Jo Napolitano (BSJ98) “The School I Deserve,” (Beacon Press, April 20, 2021), follows six young refugees as they fight for the right to attend public school in the swing state of Pennsylvania just weeks before Trump’s election. The ACLU and Education Law Center brought the case before a conservative Republican judge whose ruling would leave them breathless. The students are unforgettable, including 18-year-old Khadidja Issa, who lived in a refugee camp for 12 years before coming to America in 2015. Khadidja arrived to the States penniless with just a sixth grade education. The school district bet against her — having no idea what this child would do for a chance at a better life. No longer on the run, she was finally prepared to fight.