Although The New York Times once called Los Angeles public school teacher Rafe Esquith "a genius and a saint" and Oprah bought him a van to transport his kids and Queen Elizabeth II gave him an honorary MBE, when he comes to Milwaukee this week, it will be as an author.

Esquith is the author of three books about educating America's kids. He's currently on tour in support of the latest, "Lighting Their Fires: How Parents and Teachers Can Raise Extraordinary Kids," now out in paperback.

He visits Next Chapter Bookshop, 10976 N. Port Washington Rd., in Mequon, on Thursday, July 29 at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

In "Lighting Their Fires," Esquith uses a trip to a Los Angeles Dodgers game with his students to illustrate his teaching philosophies and methods and from there he offers concrete solutions to parents and teachers about helping to get kids on the track to greatness and keep them there.

A lot of the advice would have been called common sense 20 years ago -- like teaching kids the importance of being on time -- things have changed in America's schools and this advice is worth repeating.

Most importantly, Esquith teaches parents that opportunities to instill important life lessons and fuel kids' natural curiosity and drive to learn are around us all the time. We simply need to grab those opportunities and turn our kids toward them.

We got a chance to ask Esquith about his book and the state of public education in the U.S. in advance of his Milwaukee visit ...

OnMilwaukee.com: What do you think the overall state of public education is in America these days? Are the 90 percent of American kids that attend public schools getting a good education?

Rafe Esquith: These children are not getting a good education. Our schools simply reflect our society, and it is a society that frightens me. It is all fast food, in which simplistic solutions are offered to solve complex problems. In addition, the level of discourse has deteriorated. Honest disagreement and discussion has been replaced by boorish name calling. Our schools simply are part of it.

A child today in public school often is in a classroom taught by a defeated teacher in a system that crushes the spirit of that teacher. There are no consequences for bad behavior, and as a result, good kids suffer because of bad ones. Only 32 percent of the elementary kids at my school will even finish high school! This tragedy is because the system is failing them.

OMC: I'm not sure if L.A. has been affected by teacher layoffs this year but in Milwaukee 482 teachers were laid off recently (although since then about 90 have been called back). And teachers -- and their unions -- are being blamed for most of the ills in the public schools. What kind of effect does all this have on those who have dedicated themselves to educating children?

RE: Layoffs are hurting us here. We lost 14 teachers this last year at my school alone, including some of our better ones. Sadly, unions -- and I am a proud member -- are partly to blame for this. I think it is wrong when the better teachers are dismissed because they are younger or haven't taken a particular course in college.

Next year, my school may also lose its orchestra, chorus, and even library! The effect has been catastrophic. Many outstanding spirits have begun to give up, and of course, the children lose.

OMC: How can teachers regain their reputation as pillars of society? Or is that out of their control now? Are the perceptions too hard to overcome?

RE: I think it is out of control. Our society cares more about basketball players and reality television. I keep going because I do not care what society thinks. As I teach my own students, there is a difference between reputation and character. Reputation is what people think you are, and character is what you really are.

Of course, this perception makes the job far more difficult, but I will not sugarcoat my story and tell teachers we have an easy job or that with a couple of tricks we can teach children. This is a hard job. I try to keep things real, and because I still teach in a leaky classroom in a public school, I have some credibility.

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