Riles explains why a strong public education system is essential to community and democracy. He rejects the notion that the public school system is broken and that the United States is heading to the brink of a collapse. For the public school system to work, he insists, community involvement is necessary. Noting the many California citizens volunteering in early childhood education programs, Riles praises those who participate in the education of students and credits them with improving the quality of their schools and communities.