The institution of public education was born from the belief that in order to sustain a true democratic society it was essential to have an educated and informed public with the capacity to rule through self-governance. Unfortunately, self-governance is no longer taking place in Mount Vernon, New York, at least when it comes to the governance of the people's public schools. Who Stole Public Schools from the Public? examines the Mount Vernon public and its relationship with its public school district. It explores behind-the-scenes politics in an urban community and possible reasons residents are not involved in local school politics.