Don T. Gala, Ph.D.

"In this book, Drennon-Gala emphasizes the role of the family in reducing delinquency and educational disengagement. He goes beyond the emotional overtone to address what research actually reveals--in fact, he develops a new instrument during the process. For many psychologists who ponder about academic disengagement of students and special educators who wonder about labels, this book provides a serious dimension to the discourse.

The "blame game" has continued to intrude in the education of children and youth. Shamelessly, the parents blame the schools, and the schools blame the parents. By doing so, more "victims" are created in schools and communities. Drennon-Gala believes "the home may no longer, because of the two parent working household, be the place for the early adolescent to receive the social support." He argues that "intervention programs to address a newly defined 'at-risk' group would be as important to the school as are the teachers that fill the schools." He concludes that an "interaction between early adolescents and the significant adults at school and in the home" is needed to reduce or eliminate socially inappropriate behaviors at all levels.

I recommend this book for the "neophyte" and "experienced" research-scholars and teacher-scholars. This book is a great resource material for both pre service and in-service preparations of teachers. Dedicated parents, teachers, and community leaders can no longer feel helpless--it is time they started believing their efforts can amount to something, i.e., reducing dropout rates and increasing academic engagement. To a larger extent, this book affirms the old African proverb that is now popular in America's political discourse, i.e., IT TAKES A WHOLE VILLAGE TO RAISE A CHILD."