A few years, when my high school administrators announced a plan to team most of the freshman class, I nervously asked a colleague if I would be forced onto one of the teams. “No,” she laughed, “the vice-principal said that you were philosophically inappropriate for the program.” Reading FAILING MR. FISHER, I have found another teacher who is also wonderfully philosophically inappropriate. James Wintermote’s book could be ridiculed for underplaying the complexities of teaching high school. However, it’s fiction and he’s trying to make a point that needs to be made. Whereas he focuses on parents as the major reason behind student failure, I would be tempted to say that schools and teachers have to work to overcome parent failure. Mr. Fisher might take that as disagreement with his “take no prisoners” style of teaching, but it’s not. I understand the fictional English teacher’s frustration with a system that awards slackers and devalues teachers who know and teach their content while establishing a clear system of expectations, incentives, and rewards. Unlike Mr. Fisher, I left the classroom after 37 years not five years. I left, however, for the very same reasons: I could no longer do my job according my own professional standards. At one point in the story, Fisher exclaims: Damn, no wonder schools have so many problems. Not only do teachers have to their own jobs, they have to do the job of parents as well. I tried to figure out how many hats we have to wear to get the job done, and I’ve come up with quite a few: teacher, cop, social worker, psychologist, disciplinarian, babysitter, couselor, and of course, parent. Christ, imagine what I could accomplish if I only had to do the one job I actually get paid for. I might argue that teachers really do have to do some of those jobs, but Mr. Fisher and I have both discovered that school administrators constantly undermine efforts to do just that. They constantly work to lower standards. In fact, the hair-brained policies enacted by his principals, amazingly enough, are exactly the same policies my administrators were advocating. The story line and conflicts in FAILING MR FISHER may be a bit simplistic, but the issues that Wintermote highlights are real. Everything he describes, from the importance of teachers’ unions to unseemly pressure from coaches, is part of the real world of high school. The final line in the book points out that nearly half of all teachers leave the profession after five or less years in the classroom. That is, of course, in spite of the fact that certain political groups view teachers as over-paid incompetents living high on the public teat. This book won’t make teachers feel better about their jobs, but it might counteract some of the venom directed their way by ignorant and self-serving critics.

Genghis Don – Amazon Review

This is a book that should be read by everyone preparing for the teaching occupation. Presented in an enjoyable and easy-to-read story, this book reveals the essential weakness of the American school system – one that won’t be solved by increased testing or more money or smaller class sizes. At heart it’s a societal problem: everyone unwilling to take responsibility – it’s always someone else’s fault! At the same time, the education systems across the country are crippled by “go along/get along” leaders who only want to look good on paper. Perhaps the greatest insight into the problem is when a 13 year old appears on American Idol and says “The only thing I ever want in my life is to sing.” Celebrity without work – this book shows just how pitiful this country is becoming.

Rich – Amazon Review

After accepting a teaching position in Loco, Nevada, Mr. Fisher is eager to begin the school year. With a military background under his belt, he is confident in his capability; however, overconfidence can backfire. This English literature teacher is in for a surprise. James Wintermote’s Failing Mr. Fisher is a realistic fiction about the collective experiences of the staff of Manicomio High as seen through the eyes of Mr. Fisher. Using contemporary humor, the author intends to shed light on the American public school system. This first-person narration follows Mr. Fisher for four years. The first year starts with high spirit but quickly turns into a disappointment over the students’ behavior. Many of his students are failing his class and losing the opportunity to play sports; however, Mr. Fisher is determined to lay down the law. His stress doesn’t dissipate the second year. Now, Mr. Fisher realizes that the parents are worse than their children—but he remains unflinching. So, who is at fault? Students never turn in their work, the parents don’t care, and the administration turns the other way. Three positive aspects stood out in this book: realism, humor, and Mr. Fisher. The plot is so authentic that it was hard to separate fiction from reality—this isn’t a “Hollywood-teachersaves-all” story. Each typecast of the staff and students are fairly represented and relatable. One of my favorites was the teacher who showed Disney videos to the tenth graders daily. In addition, the conflicts feel original, such as the lack of supplies and the teacher burnout. Wintermote’s humor puts a lighter spin on the seriousness of the topic. Mr. Fisher’s annoyances are often a cause for laughter. For instance, the characterization of the twelfth graders versus the freshmen class. Even the tension of Fisher’s first parent-teacher conference made me laugh. Probably, the most important aspect of the book is the main character—Mr. Fisher. Not only is he well-constructed, but the major conflicts revolve around him. His strict grading and heavyhandedness paint him as the villain. Strangely, Mr. Fisher seems to be the symbolic expectations of society on the education system. It’s the reader’s decision whether he fails or passes as a teacher. Failing Mr. Fisher sparks interest in the education system, and I couldn’t put it down. I cackled all the way through it. It easily deserves the rating of 4 out of 4 stars which I give it. I have no reason to rate it lower. This book does contain profanity and light sexual situations.

OnlineBookClub Review

Dealing with a controversial topic, such as education, in an entertaining and captivating way is difficult for a writer who wants to use facts in the embodiment of fiction. Wintermote did this with excellence in this wonderfully told tale about a teacher who just wanted the best for his students, even at risk to his own safety. However, as each year passed, it became a challenged to get his job done. He found himself at war with not only students and their parents, but administrators and school boards as well. However, Mr. Fisher took it in stride and did it with humor, creative offensive moves, and a desire to teach his students accountability. This was one of the best books I have read that can give one pause about how the school system is run, while still being touched emotionally by the main character, his colleagues, and a couple of the students that he highlighted. I highly recommend this book to my friends, and especially to up and coming teachers!

Bonnita Pleisch – Goodreads Review

Thank you, James Wintermote, for your book “Failing Mr. Fisher”. I didn’t purchase it for me to read. In fact, I can’t remember the last book I read. I purchased it for my daughter who is a high school English teacher. I was going to bring the book to her personally, being that my wife and I were going out for a visit with her and her family. When I was waiting in the airport lobby for my plane, I started to browse through it. By the time I arrived at her front door I was surprisingly already halfway through the book. Then, my wife picked up the book while we were there and also got hooked. So, I purchased another book for our daughter so that my wife and I could finish the book and keep it. Hopefully I will have the honor of getting the book signed. My gratitude is not only to you but to my daughter. Both of you succeeded in getting me to read a whole book. My initial reason for purchasing it was my daughter, the follow up is, to your credit, for a very good book. Thank you!

Rick Jaskulsky – Elko Daily Free Press Review