Educational Wastelands: The Retreat From Learning In Our Public Schools - Hardcoverby Arthur Eugene Bestor (Author) Educational Wastelands: The Retreat From Learning In Our Public Schools is a book written by Arthur Eugene Bestor. The book is about the state of public education in the United States and how it has become a ""wasteland"" due to a lack of focus on learning. Bestor argues that schools have become too focused on socialization and extracurricular activities, rather than academic achievement. He also criticizes the use of