"What Rough Beast?" by Jefferson Highe is a science fiction novel written in the mid-20th century. The story explores themes of education, societal collapse, and the potential invasion of Earth by a highly intelligent alien race, but with a twist—these invaders are children with incredible abilities. The narrative unfolds in a dystopian future where conventional education has failed, leading to chaotic outbreaks in schools and societal unrest among the youth. The plot centers around John Ward, a teacher grappling with the consequences of a failing educational system as he encounters disturbances caused by his students, including a riot involving teleporting tigers. Ward becomes increasingly convinced that the Outspacers, believed to be out-of-this-world beings, are monitoring Earth by planting children with extraordinary gifts among humans. As he pieces together this theory, the story builds toward humorous revelations about the true nature of the so-called invaders. Through Ward's experiences and interactions with his students, the novel delves into the absurdity of the situation while raising questions about the direction of humanity and education amidst overwhelming challenges. (This is an automatically generated summary.)