It is no secret that public education is losing the battle for the hearts and minds of the American public. When one of the nation's top syndicated talk-radio hosts repeatedly equates public schooling with child abuse and no outcry ensues, denial is no longer a viable option. Facts don't matter when the goal is to entertain rather than to inform. They also do not matter when scooping the competition means more than getting it right. Conflict and sensationalism may rule today's airwaves, but schools don't have to keep taking the beating like aging boxers with their backs on the ropes. It's time to fight back and recognize that the old rules of media engagement no longer apply. This article discusses how districts can win the PR game by getting more aggressive and proactive in managing the media.