Scapegoat - Rae Richen

When the Price of Freedom is More than You Can Afford...

Fourteen-year-old Gilbert (Gib) Evans is caught in the anti-communist hysteria of 1953 when he writes an essay for his English class calling for loyalty oaths. His teacher is so impressed he sends the essay to the local paper.

The essay by a 'concerned child' is printed and becomes a catalyst in the decision to require all teachers to sign loyalty oaths that are known to be a trap for future perjury accusations.

Gib fears that his favorite teacher and his Quaker parents will refuse to sign the oath and lose their jobs. When local leaders use threatening tactics to force people to take the oath, Gib struggles to understand the powerful manipulation of emotions that creates public fear.

As panic about communism grows into hatred and rage, can Gib and his friends undo the disaster he has helped create?

But Gib learns that turning off, or even deflecting mass hysteria is nearly impossible-and very dangerous.