Cinque Henderson

"Reporting on his experiences as a substitute teacher in more than fifty schools in Los Angeles county, writer Cinque Henderson chronicles the challenges of instructing students whose lives are often marked by chaos at home and lack of discipline in school. Much more than a screed against cursing, vulgarity, and violence against teachers, this volume provides a history of social conditions that lead to troubled schools as well as concrete suggestions for steps to address these issues. Henderson’s deep commitment to public schools and his own students is evident in this readable, compelling, and important account." —Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Alphonse Fletcher University Professor, Harvard University

"Get this book to every principal, school board member and superintendent in your community."—Larry Wilson, Pasadena Star-News


"...Cinque Henderson’s new book, Sit Down and Shut Up: How Discipline Can Set Students Free, provides an intriguing rationale for improving student behavior."—The Washington Post