Passing Notes™/© is a searing collection of essays chronicling my lived experiences inside some of the most elite public high schools in the country, each distinct, yet equally hostile in its own way. One claimed to be the best public high school in America; one, I falsely believed, actually was.

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Beneath their glossy reputations, these institutions revealed a darker truth: racism, sexism, retaliation, and institutional silence can thrive even in a school. This book is not just a memoir; it’s a survival guide, a note passed in class, to educators, staff, and anyone navigating toxic workplace environments, especially those who dare to speak up.

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Using pop culture as both a mirror and a magnifying glass, Passing Notes connects the politics of the teacher’s lounge to the power plays of Game of Thrones, the false nostalgia of John Hughes films, and the everyday humor and exhaustion captured in Abbott Elementary. These cultural touchstones illuminate the quiet hierarchies that exist in every “beloved institution.” Through these parallels, I explore how myths about belonging, loyalty, and heroism echo inside our schools, and how teachers and students alike can reclaim their narratives.

 

With honesty and urgency, Passing Notes examines how schools fail the very people who hold them up: students and the teachers who serve them, and offers critical insights into knowing your rights, protecting your peace, and reclaiming your power.