Review of The Kid Across the Hall: The Fight for Opportunity in Our Schools, by Reid Saaris

Candace Carrier is a PhD student at Virginia Tech, where she is pursuing a degree in career and technical education (CTE). Before returning to graduate school, she dedicated 21 years to serving as an agricultural education teacher in Virginia’s public schools, building a dual enrollment welding program. In 2025, her commitment to teaching excellence was recognized when she was named the Virginia Region 6 Teacher of the Year. Alongside her doctoral work, Candace applies her expertise in CTE as an adjunct welding instructor at both New River Community College and Virginia Tech. In all her teaching roles, she emphasizes making agricultural mechanics accessible and inclusive, ensuring that students of all backgrounds feel confident engaging with technical skills. Candace’s research focuses on promoting gender equity in agricultural mechanics and understanding the unique challenges faced by rural career and technical education teachers.