I really enjoyed this book. Very much like "Telephone," the story gets misconstrued the further it goes.
As a teacher, I empathize with her the most. But as annoying as Phillip is, I did find him quite realistic. ( )

Phillip Malloy's “D” grade in English prevents him from trying out for the school's track team. He blames Miss Narwin, the freshman English teacher, for his failure so when he is transferred to her homeroom, he starts paying her back. The school rule states that students are to stand in respectful silence while the national anthem is played. One morning, Phillip hums the tune. Miss Narwin asks him to stop, and he does. That night, Phillip tells his parents that his homeroom teacher yelled at him when he tried to sing the anthem. Mr. Malloy expresses outrage, and Phillip feels encouraged to pursue his plan of attack. Phillip's misbehavior escalates until he is suspended from school. At home, Phillip blames the whole thing on Miss Narwin and claims that she is just out to get him. Mr. Malloy contacts a neighbor running for school board. The incident hits the local newspaper, is picked up by the news' wires, and quickly becomes national news. Phillip, lauded as a hero, soon learns that there is little glory in revenge.
©2024 Kathy Maxwell at https://bookskidslike.com ( )

I have loved this book since I was a child. And it remains relevant today. I love that it has a new audiobook that is full cast for more people to discover and enjoy. When this book came out, I remember thinking this stuff never happens, but as an adult in Trump loving America, not only does this happen, but it has also gotten worse. One of the things I love most about this book is you see the event from multiple sides. The sullen teenager who just thinks his teacher hates him, the teacher who knows her student can be/do better, the parents who want to stand up for their kid and their freedom, and the community who only hears part of the story. This plays so much into our current nation and the ongoing teacher story. This should be mandatory reading! ( )

Yes, this book annoyed me. Yes, the characters are the worst. But this is an important, well-written (just like in acting, if you make someone hate you/your character, you know you're doing well) book.

I work in a middle school, and my father is a middle school teacher. We all know that everyday parents are getting more and more involved in their kids educations, school budgets are getting tighter and tighter, and attitudes towards values and discipline are always changing. These are the facts, for better or worse. A situation like Nothing But the Truth could very well happen in the exact same way today, and that's precisely what me me so angry about this book.

I like the "documentary" style, and it was a quick read. The fact that Phillip knew what he was doing was wrong but didn't want to admit it, and his parents believed they were doing the right thing by pushing him is very realistic, as is, unfortunately, the school's preoccupation on getting their budget approved (which they didn't even!) over the integrity of a teacher. ( )

A 9th-grader is expelled for humming the National Anthem.