Shame of the Nation Cover

          This cover illustrates an African-American boy who is receiving his paper back from a disappointed teacher. Just like any other kid he has big dreams; dreams to become a doctor, lawyer or even a businessman. However, he doubts any of these goals are achievable, since his school lacks the resources to offer a real education. Just by the gesture of his arms over his head, is a clear indication of the frustration he is feeling. He feels that there is no hope and that he doesn’t have the capability of learning. He feels helpless and weak because no matter how hard he tries, he just doesn’t get it.  He figures there is no point in pursuing a further education because he doesn’t believe he is smart enough. He sees the unequal gap between his school and that of one in an affluent community. Yet he doesn’t see the false promises told by government officials that he won’t be “left behind” (No Child Left Behind Act). He also doesn’t see that he is one of many minority children that are locked in a failing school. Though more importantly, he doesn’t see his own ability to learn.

          In this book, Jonathan Kozol describes the harsh reality of our nation’s education system and how these poor, innocent children are being sabotaged, isolated and deprived by an unethical education system. He iterates if we as citizens were to join in and fight, we could make children like this boy feel like they have the ability to obtain a good education and see their dreams turn into reality. This boy is a representation of one in many minority children that are locked in these failing schools and unable to break free.  

Blurb

Jonathan Kozol, a renowned educator, author, and activist who began his teaching career in 1964, will open your eyes to the realities of an education crisis that few people know about and even fewer like to acknowledge. Kozol invites his readers into the segregated classrooms, testing focused curriculums, and “morbid looking buildings” of today’s Apartheid schools. Through his meticulous incorporation of research and personal experience in working with students and faculty from approximately 60 schools in 30 different districts, Kozol is able to shed light on the dark secrets and disturbing truths of our nation's inner city schools that the government and school officials do not want us to know. The Shame of the Nation raises a question that most shudder at the thought of: is another civil right's movement necessary to, once again, desegregate United States schools?

Vocabulary Builder- The book as a whole

Since we've already gone over the chapters in search of vocab words, I decided to use an article instead. The article I found is titled "School Desegregation Battle: A Thing of the Past . . . and the Present." Click here to read it.

Curtis, Mary C. “School Desegregation Battle: A Thing of the Past . . . and the Present.” AOL.com: Politics Daily Feb. 2011. Web. 15 May 2011.

I really like how this article discusses the Brown v. Board of Education decision and links it to American school systems today. Curtis writes that segregation in today's inner city schools has as much to do with economics as it does with race and that conflicts of segregation that existed over fifty years ago can still be witnessed today.

Article: “Diversity, integration, segregation in Minneapolis Public Schools

This article discusses measures that are being taken in order to desegregate public schools in Minneapolis. Click here to see it.

Peterson-de la Cueva, Lisa. “Diversity, integration, segregation in Minneapolis Public Schools.” TC Daily Planet 29 May 2009. Web. 15 May 2011.

Article: “Reviving the Goal of an Integrated Society: A 21st Century Challenge”

This article discusses the negative consequences of segregation in today's public school systems. Click here to view it.

Orfield, Gary. “Reviving the Goal of an Integrated Society: A 21st Century Challenge.” The Civil Rights Project. January 2009. Web. 15 May 2011.

Journal # 4

Although I (Amanda Houle) thought this book became somewhat redundant by the end, I really enjoyed reading it. I thought he did a really good job of combining facts and statistics with real life situations and people that he has encountered. It was nice when he said names (such as Pineapple) and I was able to recognize the character from previous chapters. Though I knew what to expect coming into the book because I have read Kozol before, I still found myself shocked at almost every turn of the page. He moved from one topic to another at a steady pace, which was nice. I don’t think he spent too much time discussing one specific issue, and he thoroughly touched on all of the points that he brought up. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about going into a field with anything to do with education.

             While reading this book, I (Brittany Greenawald) felt like I needed to do many things. I felt Kozol was calling on his audience to take action, and help the children to gain equal education. One thing that I feel all individuals who read this book are capable of is to write letters to government officials. Within the letters to the government officials (like senators, congressmen and governors) there should be specific statistics and horrible conditions cited directly out of the book. This way the government will know that the secret is getting out, and they will feel pressured to fix the broken system. I also think that Kozol wants all of the readers to talk about the book to their friends and family, so they as well will uncover the major dilemmas. Finally as a future teacher, I (Brittany) feel outraged by all that is happening in the schools. I feel as if my eyes have been opened wide and I have been informed about what to expect in the coming years. In some way this book has made me want to teach at a lower income school. I want to help these children, and be someone who assures the students that they are more than their test scores and that I believe in them. I feel that everyone that is a teacher and that will be a future teacher needs to read this book!

          I (Caitlin Hennes) really enjoyed the book; it was an eye-opener for me. I knew that inner-city schools needed help, but I did not know that the schools were this bad. I found it shocking and a little ironic that most of the schools named after Martin Luther King Jr. are the most segregated schools with almost 99 percent African-American and Hispanic students. After reading the book it makes me want to do something to help these children. I think Kozol wrote The Shame of the Nation to make people see the reality that so many of us try to push under the rug and pretend that it is not there. Something that I feel I can do, that is very simple, is spread the word. Let other people know what is going on in inner-city schools and hopefully they will want to jump in and help. My hopes is that soon there will be enough people who are aware of what is going on in these schools, that the government will have to do something to fix it. If we do not fix the education gap between inner-city schools and the middle class and upper class white schools we will no longer be able to mend the gap since it will be too far apart.

           I (Matt Braun) thought this book was a huge eye-opener and helped me to see what a segregated school is like from a teacher’s (Jonathon Kozol’s) perspective. In The Shame of the Nation, Kozol is angry about these educational inequalities and encourages us as a society to overcome these barriers. As I was reading the book I felt like he was trying to call his audience to take action, and help these poor children. I personally believe what is needed, are leaders who recognize that we have a common goal in an America: to provide educational tools that prepares our children for a successful future. Every child deserves the right to a good education and as of right now the quality of an education an individual receives is based on: what the color of your skin is, where you live, and how much money you have. As a society it is our responsibility to break down these walls and strive to make our world a better place. In order to achieve this we need to set high standards and establish measurable goals that will improve individual outcomes in education.

Discussion leader for the book in review

1. On Pages 155-156 Kozol talked about visiting a school and how he saw the students making pillows. How do you think the schools could get around this rule or incorporate other educational values while the students are making their pillows?

I think that the schools need to rewrite their curriculum, if the majority of their children are struggling in school. They can leave the sewing and wood working classes as optional for the students to take if they wish, but not make it mandatory. If the classes continue to be mandatory the teacher could incorporate math into the pillow making. For instance she could make story like math problems that the students need to solve in order to figure out how much fabric or thread they need to make their pillows. If the school district incorporatates reading and math into these classes, the students will still be receiving instructional time in another class.

2. On pages 90-92 Kozol mentions how a school viewed their students as employees and their school as a business. What are the benefits and disadvantages of doing this?

One advantage that I think the students got out of this was learning how to fill out an application and go through an interview process. Some of these students because of their lower income level might not have adults at home that can teach the children about how to do this. In the school children can learn in a non-high stakes environment and be better prepared for the future. However, there are many disadvantages I see with this process. Students are not at school to be seen as machines or business people. They are students! Children need to feel that they can be valued for who they are, and with the business process they are being formed into one size fits all. Finally students need to be creative and this process is taking away their creativity.

3. On page 172 Kozol mentions the dangerous conditions many students are exposed to in low income situations. There is a mention of rates and asbestos and lead paint. How do you think this can be changed?

I think that first of all this situation needs to be broadly publicized on national news. All of the lower income schools that suffer these conditions should be listed when the report is done. The news crew should interview clips of students and clips of the unsafe environment inside the schools. Next, people should write to their government officials and the white house representative for education. By gaining publicity and writing to officials, hopefully the government would feel pressure to fix these dangerous situations.

4. On pages 202-203 Kozol mentions the many different education goals that Presidents have proposed. Why do you think none of them have been successful?

I think that none of these proposals have been successful because the Presidents are not well informed on everything that is occurring in the schools. Second of all, the Presidents goals are too high and often take away from schools if goals are not met. Schools that have a lower income level cannot afford to lose more money from the government. I think the best way for a President to be able to set accurate goals is to read this book, look at reports from low income schools and visit a lot of the lower income schools. This way he is fully exposed to the situation and has a better expectation of what is good to expect.

Summarizer for the Novel as a Whole

The novel, The Shame of the Nation, by Jonathan Kozol talks about the struggles that are present in inner-city schools. Kozol first starts the novel off pretty specific by talking about how schools are still segregated today; he also mentions the conditions of the schools, standardized testing, and the government’s involvement. Then throughout each chapter Kozol goes into much more detail about each top. He points out the flaws in these areas and why they do not work. If there is something that works he will talk about it. Kozol also talks about ways that we might be able to improve the inner-city schools.

Since much of this novel is about facts, Kozol makes sure that he has statistics to back up his reasoning or hard evidence like government documents to prove what he is saying. Even before you start reading the novel, there is a short introductory about Kozol and how he became so passionate about trying to help improve inner-city schools. Kozol does not just use facts to support what he is saying; he reaches the reader on an emotional level by talking about first-hand experiences he saw when visiting many schools. He uses interviews from children who are enrolled at these schools and teachers who work at these schools so the reader is able to connect to the children and teachers.

Graphic Organizer for Novel as a Whole

This picture shows how the poor, minority children are sabotaged and isolated by an unethical educational system. These children are locked into these failing high schools, where huge percentages do not graduate and few are prepared for college. Additionally, these minority kids are faced with overcrowding, inexperienced teachers, and lack of supplies. Being exposed to such an environment, makes it much more difficult for any kid to succeed, let alone learn under these conditions. The problem is the government that won’t take the necessary action to implement an effective program and follow through with the promise of a better education these students.

Article- Race, Social Class, and Educational Reform in an Inner City School

I found an article that discusses inner city school reforms and the reasons that many of them have failed. Click here to view it.

Anyon, Jean. "Race, Social Class, and Educational."n.d. Web. 11 May 2011.

Article- Standardized Testing and Its Victims

I found this article to be extremely interesting. It discusses standardized testing in our nation's schools and how it effects the students. Click here to view it.

Kohn, Alfie. "Standardized Testing and Its Victims." Alfie Kohn Homepage. 27 Sept. 2000. Web. 11 May 2011.

Obama's No Child Left Behind revision plan

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/State_of_the_Union/obama-overhaul-no-child-left-behind/story?id=9725517&page=2
This is an article about Obama's revision plan for No Child Left Behind. This relates to our book because most of the standardized testing and receiving less money because of bad test scores is due to No Child Left Behind. This explains the ways that will benefit and still continue to hurt the schools under Obama's revisions.
Dwyer, Devin. "Obama to Overhaul 'No Child Left Behind' - ABC News." ABCNews.com: Breaking News, Politics, World News, Good Morning America, Exclusive Interviews - ABC News. ABC News, 2 Feb. 2010. Web. 10 May 2011. .

Chapter 12 and Epilogue Discussion Leader

1. In this chapter, Kozol discusses the importance of teachers connecting with their students. He writes, “One thing [this purely economic explanation of the motives that bring thousands of unselfish men and women into public schools each year] lacks is any recognition of the role of altruistic and protective feelings, empathetic fascination, love of children, love of learning itself, with all the mysteries and miracles and all the moments of transcendence” (296). How important do you think it is for a teacher to embody these traits?

My first grade teacher’s name was Mrs. Kuebelbeck. I can still remember the song we learned that included all 50 states in alphabetical order, and I remember when we sang it to our parents at our first grade “graduation.” I also remember crying hysterically when I had to leave the first grade; I loved Mrs. Kuebelbeck… not because she taught me how to write my letters correctly or how to do subtraction, but because I knew she loved what she did and I knew that she loved me. I had to wear curlers in my hair to school for my dance recital that year (what was my mother thinking!?). I got made fun of for it, and I might have even cried in secret (or so I thought). Mrs. K called my mom who came to my school for lunch and brought along McDonald’s, which all three of us ate together out in our school’s garden. This is a teacher that I will remember forever because of how she taught me to love learning. So to finally answer my own question, I think these traits are essential to the success of a teacher.

2. Kozol quotes Congressman John Lewis: “Now segregation seems almost to be the order of the day. We don’t have many people who believe that integration’s even possible or worth attempting anymore, not in the government at least” (311). What are your thoughts on this statement?

Although it’s sad, I agree. I think that if something could was going to be done by the government, it would have been implemented by now. As for integration being “worth attempting,” I believe that it definitely is, and that more needs to be done on the political end to change these obvious tendencies.

3. Fern Cruz, the principal of P.S. 65 stresses the importance of child’s play. She states, “If they can’t play safely in the streets in their neighborhood, I want them to have a chance to play here at their school—and play in their school playground” (306)! How important do you think it is for a child to be able to “play?”

I don’t know how I would have survived elementary school without recess. I think it is necessary for kids to have the opportunity to get rid of all the energy they build up just sitting in their desks all day. It also allows them to focus more while in the classroom. I think it should be mandatory for elementary schools to give kids at least 30 minutes every day of recess time.

4. Kozol concludes the book with this quote from Roger Wilkins: “You cannot give up. We cannot give up. As a nation, as a people, I don’t think that we have any choice but to reject this acquiescence, to reject defeat” (317). Do you think this is an effective ending to Kozol’s book?

I think the overall goal of this book is to inspire people to take action against these appalling facts and statistics and to help the children in our country receive quality and equal education. It’s telling the reader to get up and do something about what you have just read, whether that be to inform your friends about what’s actually going on or to write a letter to your state representatives. I think this ending to Kozol’s book fits perfectly.

Beyond the Blackboard

This is a trailer of the Movie Beyond the Blackboard. This movie is a hallmark movie that shares a teacher named Stacey Bess and her struggle teaching children in a school for homeless children. This relates to our story because the room does not have enough books, desks or other school supplies for all of the children. The children are also behind in their education because of the high turn over rate of teachers just like Kozol highlighted in the book.

Chapter 12 and epilogue summary

Kozol filled this last section with more of an optimist look at what the field of education should look like. Kozol talked about how teachers have the biggest impact on whether the schools are beneficial towards the children or not. Kozol hi lighted several teachers that made a huge impact on their students even if they taught in a lower income school. The tone of the piece was surprisingly optimistic and hopeful compared to the other chapters of the book. During this section the author is describes situations in much broader terms and does not get as pin point specific as he did in other sections. Kozol emphasizes that they are still many schools where students succeed in and can thrive in. Kozol points out hero teachers that put their all into their students and explains to the audience that several teachers do this behind the scenes as well. Throughout this section Kozol's mission seems to assure the public that the failing schools are not because of their children's teachers but because of the government. Finally near the end of this section through Kozol's tone and message he conveys that there is hope for our schools and the future of our children.

Widening segregation in our schools

http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/2-us-schools-are-more-segregated-today-than-in-the-1950s-source/
This article talks about the widening of segregation in our nation. This article relates to the many times that Kozol brought up the deeply segregated schools he visited. A quote that sends this point across is when the article states, " Of 8.3 million rural white students, 73 percent attend schools that are 80 to 100 percent white."
Hawkins, Rena, Melissa Robinson, and Sangeeta Sinha. "US Schools Are More Segregated Today than in the 1950s." Project Censored. Project Censored. n.d.Web. 9 May 2011. .

Chapter 12 and Epilogue Vocab Builder

http://www.rdasia.com/teachers-bet

I figured this article was a good parallel to the last Chapter in the sense that Jonathon Kozol shows how even in the midst of doubt in some of America’s most segregated schools, he can still see excellence. He shows how teachers have a huge impact on students in various ways and essentially demonstrates that even in the worst of situations there is still hope.  Providing examples, Kozol describes dedicated teachers that commit their lives to children and persist against the odds of providing them with a good education.

In this article it describes how all teachers make a difference in the lives of children. Ella Avery is a direct representation of a girl who has gone through many hardships and struggles through life and it wasn’t until a teacher named Mr. Miller came along and changed everything. This article is an excellent illustration of how teachers have a huge impact on students and their futures. As a matter of fact Ella turns out to be one! It truly is an inspirational article and makes you realize teachers really don’t get the recognition that they deserve.

Chapter 12 and Epilogue Graphic Organizer

This illustration shows characteristics of a good teacher. This is significant for today's reading because Kozol, in chapter 12, talks about how some of the inner-city schools are starting to improve. One of the reasons is because there are good teachers in the classroom. The government should be seeing this and trying to make this happen in all the inner-city schools. If there are well-qualified teachers who fit these characteristics in all the inner-city classrooms the average of the children will hopefully rise.

Journal 3

While reading chapters 10 and 11 we came across a couple of passages that had a huge impact on us. One passage is on the middle of page 277. Kozol is talking about the difference between students’ accomplishments in school according to race. Kozol also brings up how students of a different race are plagued by schools with high turnover rights, which hinder the students’ potentials of learning. The passage that emphasizes this states, “The 97 percent black and Hispanic school continues to be plagued with a colossal dropout rate. Out of a freshman class of about 250 students in 1999, only 45 survived to enter twelfth grade three years later.” This passage shows the success rate for these ethnicities is becoming lower at an impressive rate. If this epidemic would be happening with students in a middle or higher class, the government, teachers and parents would be doing something to change it. The media and the public are less informed about this because of the stereotype that different ethnicities would never accomplish what they are capable of. This thought continues on page 283 where the education trust is quoted saying, “But, certainly, the widening gulf in math and reading levels between minority high school students and their white contemporaries-a devastating five-year gap between the races.” This emphasizes how minorities are falling further and further behind the average for white students that are at their grade level. Once again, this is not widely known to the public due to the low standards given to students of other ethnicities. We were shocked by these statistics because the government does know about these issues but does nothing to better the students’ education. The government sends off a vibe that states they could care less about the problems that are occurring in education that contribute to racism and helps the stereotypes continue.

Another passage that we thought was significant appears on page 124 where Kozol writes, “Numbers become everything. Live by the rubrics; die by any accidental dip in yearly scores. And to the winners go the extra $15,000.” Kozol is presenting several disturbing realities and is doing so effectively through the use of his specific language. These occurrences clearly upset this author; this can be easily recognized by Kozol’s short and choppy sentences and also his use of satire. He’s making the education seem like a game to be played by school officials and politicians, rather than something that is highly important and valued. This passage emphasizes the importance that has been put on standardized testing scores and how they have the potential to either make or break a school. This is a major issue discussed throughout Kozol’s book and this passage illustrates the author’s apparent frustrations about such testing very well.

There are many options to improve public education and provide America’s teachers and students with the help they need; we as a nation just aren’t utilizing these resources. As a consequnce, children every day are stripped of this opportunity due to our own inability to enact change. Kozol provides a good illustration of this which is found on page 263 when describing a letter he got from a little girl saying, " 'We do not have the things you have,' the third grade child named Alliyah told me when she wrote to ask if I would come and visit at her school in the South Bronx. “Can you help us?” America owes that little girl and millions like her a more honorable answer than they have received.” If we were to take the next necessary steps to help our collapsing education system, we may be able to help out children like this little girl and give her the right to a good education. As a result this will allow them to accomplish their dreams, succeed, and prosper in the world. 

Chapter 10 and 11 Discussion Leader

My first question comes from page 239.

1. Do you agree with what Wilkins is saying when he talks about how going to a predominantly white school he learned some of the greatest lessons in his life?

I agree with Wilkins, I think it is important for school to be integrated because we can learn from other races. It may be awkward at first, but I think that is because people tend to judge someone by their looks before they even know a person. If the schools are integrated children can learn about other races from first hand experiences from the children who are of a different race. Also, the children who are not white are able to see that white people are just like other races; they should not be thought of has the better race or put up on a pedicel.

My second question comes from page 263.

2. Do you think we will have a big movement for better education and facilities for children in inner-cities like we did for Civil Rights?

I think that if nothing in the near future is done to help these children and if more and more people are aware of what is going on that there may be a big movement. Today some congress men and women are trying to have bills passed to help these children; but I think more people need to know about the issue. Before reading this book I knew that inner-city schools were not the best; however, I had no idea they were this bad! I think what people need to do now is inform other people who are unaware of these circumstances and hopefully we can all take a stand to this unequal educating that is going on.

My third question comes from page 267.

3. Do you agree with this quote, “School segregation exists, but it does not determine whether students receive greater opportunity than others.”

I do not agree with this quote. Almost everything that we have read in this book seems to contradict this quote. I am sure that segregation is not the only reason why some students receive better opportunities than other, but I believe that it is one of the reasons. When you look at the schools where the majority of students do not pass the standardized tests it is usually in the inner-city schools where most of the school are somewhere between 90 and 99 percent African-American and Hispanic. If we were to integrate the schools, then money would be divided up more equally, class sizes would hopefully be smaller, and there would be more experienced teachers to help the children; especially the ones who are struggling. If these things were to happen then I believe that students would have more equal opportunities.

My fourth question comes from page 281.

4. I want to know what you guys think about how “the math and reading skills of black and Hispanic twelfth grade students, as measured by state examinations, are below the level or proficiency achieved, on average, by white children who are in the seventh grade,” and why do you think the government keeps letting this gap become larger and larger?

I think this is shocking that black and Hispanic twelfth graders are below with seventh graders when it comes to math and reading. It really bothers me that the government seems to not try and fix this problem. I know that in the past the government has passed bills to try and fix this problem, but they always seem to fail. Whenever there are budget cuts I feel like the government cuts money from the education system right away. Something needs to change quickly because if it does not change pretty soon the gap is going to be too large to fix. I think the government tries to fix the gap, but they do not know which way is the best and with the economic crisis we are in; money is in short supply.

The newest kind of segregation: affluent only and poor only

This is commenting on how there may no longer be signs at bubblers for "whites" and "colored but there are invisible signs. These invisible signs that exist are shown through newly updated technology for the affluent and run down barely functioning equipment for the poor.

Chapter 10 & 11 Vocabulary

1. Triumphalism (238) - triumphant spirit or character

2. Ganglia (240) - a center of intellectual or industrial force, activity, etc.

3. Recapitulate (241) – to summarize

4. Perennial (252) - lasting for an indefinitely long time

5. Vindication (256)- defense; excuse; justification

6. Litigation (257)- the act or process of bringing about or contesting a lawsuit

7. Indignation (258)- anger because something seems unfair or unreasonable

8. Apotheosis (271)- the highest point of glory, power, or importance

9. Exhortation (273)- something said or written in order to urge somebody strongly to do something

10. Pedagogic (274)- the science or profession of teaching

If segregation happens today it impacts

http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news_events/ed/2006/summer/features/resegregation.html

This article echos what Kozol states in his book. Segregation of children has an impact that goes farther than the individuals childhoods. This segregation leads to unequal schools which lead to lower opportunities and test scores for minorities. This article relates directly to chapter 10 and 11.

Bordas, Hanna. "Desegregation Now: Segregation Tomorrow?" Harvard Graduate School of Education. President and Fellows of Harvard College, 19 May 2010. Web. 5 May 2011.

Article about the increasing segregation of schools

http://www.reuters.com/article/2009/01/14/us-usa-segregation-idUSTRE50D7CY20090114
This article talks about the rising rates of segregation in public schools. This relates directly to the statistics that are given to us by Jonathan Kozol.
Bigg, Matthew. "U.S. School Segregation on the Rise: Report | Reuters." Business & Financial News, Breaking US & International News | Reuters.com. Reuters, 14 Jan. 2009. Web. 5 May 2011. .

Chapter 10 and 11 graphic organizer

This cycle describes chapter 10. I picked specific quotes and statistics that the book listed that showed the drastic monetary difference between races and poverty and the middle to upper class whites students. I put these in a cycle because nothing seems to help the students and hinders them of breaking free from this corrupted system. Essentially these students are locked into these failing high schools and sets them up for dropping out. 
This cycle also represents quotes and statistics that were stated in chapter 11. Again I picked the stats and quotes that were the main points. I chose a cycle once again because all of these points affect each other and the beginning never changes even after seeing the end result. Chapter 11 was about educational inequalities and how there are distinct differences between schools mainly because of poverty and racial segregation.

Chapter 10 and 11 Summary

In these Chapters Jonathon Kozol describes the effort of some federal court cases attempting to bring desegregation and equality to public schools. He provides examples of several key cases (one including: San Antonio Independent School District vs. Rodriguez) that have been unable to correct the issue. Essentially no matter the efforts to fix the problem, it’s inevitable that the result will be the same. The basic argument presented is that no matter how hard teachers work and students try to learn; schools that don’t have adequate funding can’t provide an adequate education for their students to succeed.


Kozol provides statistics showing the drastic monetary difference between races and poverty from that of a failing school and of a flourishing one. The information presented shows the educational inequalities and why dropouts usually occur in minority schools rather than of a school with white students. He does an excellent job of clearly illustrating the differences of education depending on the social class a student falls under and how the amount of funding affects the overall success of a school. 

How 12th graders do according to their income

This chart is comparing the amount of students that graduated and are attending college to the percentage of the students that needed free or reduced lunch. This chart makes is obvious to see that the higher the percentage the students had of needing free or reduced lunch the lower graduation rate and college rate became.

Chapter 8 and 9 Graphic Organizer

This is a representation of an endless circle/cycle to why a failing school continues to stay in the state that it’s in. Chapter 8 describes the Higher Horizons program and how it was designed in a segregated school. The intention was to increase teacher’s expectations as well as the spending per child. As a result, children’s reading and math skills improved as well as attendance. Though just as it began to work, money was reduced and eventually caused the program to diminish. Now we’re back to where we started, square one.

Equal and actual distribution of African American and Latino students in schools

This chart shows the distribution of African American and Latino students in the school . THe blue area represents what equal distribution of the minority students would look like. The red area, unfortunatly shows what the actual distribution is. This directly relates to the many times Kozol brought up the segregated schools he witnessed and researched.

Chapter 8 and 9 Discussion Questions

1. Do you think No Child Left Behind has helped or hurt our country’s children? (page 202 in my book)
No Child Left Behind does nothing to help education. The premise that teachers and students should be rewarded on the basis of lone and solitary test scores is absurd. Why take away money from the schools and those who clearly need it the most? It has only hindered the progress and purpose of education.
2. Kozol writes, “Playing games of musical chairs with children’s lives, when half of the chairs are broken and the best chairs are reserved primarily for people of his class and race, is cynical behavior in a president” (204). How does this quote affect the reader?
I found this quote to be highly effective in its attempts to show the president’s carelessness and recklessness when it comes to the lives of our country’s children. “Playing games” makes it seem as if the president isn’t taking the education of these kids seriously. I really like the metaphor Kozol uses with the chairs; it gives the reader a good visual picture and takes the complicated lives of these children and presents them in a straightforward way. Kozol is also making the president out to be a contributor to hegemonic whiteness by bringing up the issue of race, which is a prominent topic throughout the book.
3. Columnist Jack White published an article in in Time Magazine titled “Why We Need to Raise Hell.” In it, he writes that our country needs to “revive the civil rights movement…and if it takes a new round of sit-ins to put the issue back on the national agenda, so be it” (216). Do you agree with White’s statements?
It’s difficult to picture sit-ins occurring in our country today, and it’s actually particularly disturbing to think that they may once again be necessary. I think White has a great argument going; the facts are there, plain as day. Segregation, beliefs in our schools, contrary to what most Americans believe, did not disappear with the decision in Brown v. Board of Education in 1953. Though I agree with White’s motive, I don’t think this movement would be effective in the form of “sit-ins” or even have to come to that. I definitely think that more people need to be educated about the truth behind segregation in these inner-city schools. The sad fact of the matter is that not everyone is aware or particularly concerned about these statistics, which is the first thing that needs to change before our country can go any further in, once again, desegregating our children’s schools.
4. Do you think Milwaukee’s money would be better spent on upgrading the schools, or should integrated education still be a high focus? (page 231)
I think it’s sad that it comes down to an either-or situation. I know this isn’t really answering my question, but I would say that—in a perfect world—using half of this money for each cause would be the most effective option and reap the most benefits for these children. I find it extremely disheartening that it is in fact necessary to invest so much money in these programs to ensure that our schools do not become segregated or that they become desegregated. I think that for the time being, money should continue to go towards such transfer programs to ensure that every child has a chance at a quality education.

Journal #2

Kozol has raised several points that have surprised us. One thing that surprised us as we were reading this book is when Kozol talks about the health hazards in the schools. All of these health hazards have been reported yet nothing is being done to fix them. It was almost horrifying to hear that in some schools there are rats and rat droppings in the class room. Since many of the building are old there is lead-based paint in the schools that is chipping off. Almost all of the schools are run down with holes in the ceiling or walls, windows are boarded up because otherwise the class would fall out and many of the bathrooms are unsanitary and do not have enough supplies like toilet paper. We were talking about the health hazards in one of our group discussions and we all came to the realization that if these types of conditions were happening in a middle class or upper class schools the parents would be throwing a fit until something is done. We do not think that it is fair or right that the inner-city child have to suffer in these conditions just because they do not come from financially stable homes. They have a right just like any other child to be able to go to school and not be in danger because the building is falling apart.
Another aspect of Kozol’s book that has surprised us so far is prevalence of segregation within schools named after historically renowned activist such as Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. Despite everything these people stood for and what most of them died for, the schools that bare their names are “often tense, disorderly, and socially unhappy places” (26). Kozol notes that black children make up 99% of the population in a school in Milwaukee that is named after Dr. King and another named after Rosa Parks that is located in San Diego and is comprised of 86% black and Hispanic students and only 2% white students. Kozol makes a powerful statement in regards to these tendencies, which “[stand] today as one of the most visible and problematic symbols in the nation of an expectation rapidly receding and a legacy substantially betrayed” (25). So many people gave their entire lives to ending segregation in this country, and although most would argue that racism in our country has declined immensely since the days of MLK, segregation seems to be just as prevalent as it was fifty years ago.
The final thing that surprised us in this section is how much pressure was put on the kids to do well on standardized testing. The students and teacher felt a lot of pressure to have good testing scores from the government and the school district. The big push for good standardized scores comes from President Bush’s No Child Left Behind act. Under this act if schools do not perform well on the test for several years they lose funding and eventually lose their school. In this section several first hand examples were given on how schools attempted to solve this dilemma. Chicago mandated students who failed a standardized test had to return to school in the summer for extra preparation. The summer preparation for the “retest” in the fall came with a brutal daily schedule that was outlined for every teacher and the teachers were punished for deviating from the schedule. In this section, Kozol brought up many educational opportunities and privileges that were cut due to test preparation. Kozol stated many schools different strategies in getting the test preparation in during the school day. Often times the test preparation ended up taking away anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours a day from other instructional time. Students also lost their music and art programs because those subjects would not be on the test. Finally many students lost their recesses which allows for kids to run off their extra energy and help them to concentrate inside the classroom.

Vocabulary Chapters 8 and 9

I had a hard time finding ten vocabulary words, so instead I found an article, you can click here to read the article.
In chapter 8 Kozol talked about the education bills in the past that have failed to help improve the education system. This got me thinking about what Obama has done to try and fix the education system. This article talks about what Obama thinks needs to be done. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out with the economic crisis we are in. I think it is important to look at this because it affects us today since we are in school and many of us have to pay for college. Also in the next ten years or so our children will be starting school and don't we want the best education possible for them?

Results of No child left behind

Chapter 8 and 9 summary

These two chapters were about how students scores improved and the students achieved more when more money was spent on the schools. The chapters also talked about No Child Left Behind and the ways that the law hurts instead of helps students. Chapter nine writes that people need to stand up for desegregated schools and publicize their beliefs about it. A study showed that many families supported racially diverse schools but did not receive that for their children because they did not let the government know. According to No child left behind children should be able to transfer from a school that is deemed as failing to a school that is successful. In the book a statistic shows that " Nationwide only one percent of eligible children transferred from a failing school to a higher preforming school under the provisions of the federal law." The tone of the author when speaking about No child left behind is very condemning and non supportive. The author uses many statistics and quotes that show how No child left behind is a goal that is impossible to meet. In chapter nine the author talked about how families were supportive of desegregating schools. The author compelled its readers to stand up for what they believed was right. There were two statistics given that really helped get the author's message across. One was that "less than two percent ( of adults) believed that education for their children would be better in re segregated schools." The other statistic is that " 60 percent of Caucasian young adults believe that the government ought to make SURE that public schools are integrated, while the same percentage of black respondents do not merely favor integrated education but believe that it is an "absolute essential." The author's tone in chapter nine is trying to seek justice and disgusted by the injustice of the school system.

Segregation hitting home in Wisconsin

Click here to read an article that provides a nice contrast between “inner-city” to “suburban” schools and how there is that huge education gap. Also considering it is a Milwaukee Newspaper, the article provides good insight and statistics in how the city is one of the most segregated the nation!

Borsuk, Alan. "Segregation in U.S. Schools Rising."Journal Sentinel. September 2007. Web. 1 May 2011.

Chapter 6 and 7 Summaries

Chapter 6- A Hardening of Lines

This chapter focuses on how the parents belonging to a more privileged lifestyle are doing everything they can to isolate their children from “token numbers of the children of minorities” (135). There are certain schools within cities like New York that are attended by primarily white and highly privileged children, children who are only able to attend these schools because their “savvy” parents knew exactly how to finagle them in. These parents have been known to get close to members on the school board, prep their kids for IQ tests, fake an address, enroll their kids in expensive pre-test programs, and even pay for counseling services that will advise them on how to get their children into these schools. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that low-income parents—many of whom have a limited education—don’t have the time and/or resources to finagle their children into these schools. This is why the lines become “hardened.”

Chapter 7- Excluding Beauty

This chapter goes into detail about the hardships faced by students in these segregated inner-city schools including physical disrepair, overcrowding, instability of staffing, rodent infestation, portable classrooms, and unsanitary conditions, just to name a few. Kozol does a nice job in this chapter of forcing the reader to see these conditions through the eyes of the children. He includes letters that students wrote to him discussing their feelings regarding their education. He also includes plaintiffs from children whose school was infested with rats. One child writes, "Ashley got sick because of dead rats" (172). Kozol gains credibility through his use of words taken directly from the children who are effected by these conditions.

more to come... :)

Chapter 6 and 7 Discussion Leader

My first question is found on page 138

Why do you think parents lie into getting their kids into a better school?

Whatever means possible to get their child into a good school to provide them with a good education. I mean why would any parent settle for less for their children? Sure their actions may be unethical but their intentions to give their kids a good education are understandable. Jonathon Kozol even states a school that he visited (Walton High) was built to hold only 1,800 students, yet there are 3,400 enrolled. With crowded classrooms, daily fights/violence, and lunch being served as early as 9:42 to 2:19, makes it completely understandable why any parent would attempt to register their child into another school. Sadly if a family doesn’t live in that school district, they are legally not allowed to enroll. This demonstrates how broken our education system is; whether or not you receive a good education solely depends on where you live.

My second question can be found on page 138

Is it really necessary for four year olds to be already exposed to tests?

Kids at that age are suppose to spend their days finger-painting, riding their Big Wheels, and dressing up like princesses. When you’re a kid, your life should be full of laughter, fun and excitement; not preparing or studying for tests. Essentially when parents do this, they are forcing their child to grow up too early. Personally when I envision four year olds taking a test I automatically think of the movie Daddy Daycare, where the parents try to enroll their son into a prestigious school where he will be provided the best education. However, as the movie progresses the parents mindset changes and they realize that a child should learn by simply having fun.

My third question can be found on page 162

Why does Jonathan Kozol provide examples of his student’s writing?

To help iterate the fact that they all pointed out different aspects about the room/school but all came to the same conclusion of how, “everything in my school is dirty.” The physical appearance of these schools negatively impacts the students desire to learn or even attend school. Personally I wouldn’t want to be in a learning environment where the classrooms are uncomfortably hot and dirty, or even let alone being exposed to dirty rodents such as rats! Some schools even lack the basic supplies such as text books, chairs, and desks. It’s no wonder why some of the children’s spelling errors were so prevalent in Kozol’s class. I mean some could barely spell common words like, “thing, almost, also, shelf” correctly. Essentially the reason why Kozol does this is to expose the poor conditions and state of poor condition many of these segregated schools are in.

My fourth question can be found on page 179

Why do kids at these schools have to take courses that involve hand-sewing and machine skills?

These students are indirectly told that they don’t have the potential to pursue a further education. The school board automatically infers that these students don’t even have the potential to obtain a real education and assume they will end up working in a factory someday. Instead of preparing them for college, the school is setting them up for labor. The school district doesn’t see the point considering they lack the resources to offer a child a real education. Basically, the poor are the ones who continually get the short end of the stick when it comes to public education. 

Graphic Organizer Chapters 6 and 7

This Section of the Book Kozol talks about how the structure of the building can keep the children from learning. I think it is important for people to realize how bad the children have it. Kozol writes how when he visited some schools there were rats in the building, and the students told him how the bathrooms are gross and do not have the proper supplies. Kozol also mentioned sense some of the schools are so over crowded that they children can go to school during the summer and the extreme heat can keep the children from learning. In these chapters it mentions how all of this had been documented but still nothing has changed. Something needs to be done so the children are able to go to school in a safe learning environment, one that will not make them sick from rat droppings or not being able to focus because of the summer heat.

Wisconsin School Conditions

The website that I found is a research paper talking about the conditions of the school here in Wisconsin. Click here to view the web page.

"WEAC Research Paper". weac.org. Wisconsin Education Association Council, Sept. 5, 2008. Web. May 13, 2011.

Chapter 6 and 7 Vocabulary

1. Demarcations(135): The separation of distinct boundaries

2. Preponderance(136):superiority in numbers

3. catchment(137):the intake of a school

4. retrograde (140): to recede, to move backwards or in reverse

5. beleaguered(143): to surround with troubles

6. litigation(151):a lawsuit

7. virulent(158): actively poisonous; highly infective

8. apartheid(159): any system or practice that separates people by race, gender or other appearances

9. juggernaut(169):large overpowering destructive force

10. exhortation(174): conveying urgent advice or recommendations

WKCE Testing

After reading about the standardized testing in the book I thought it would be interesting to see what the standardized testing looked like in Wisconsin. You can click here to go to the web site that talks about Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations; which is the name of the standardized testing in Wisconsin.
"Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examinations (WKCE)". dpi.wi.gov. Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, Feb. 14, 2011. Web. may 13,2011.

Chapter 4 and 5 Summaries

Chapter 4 Summary

“I’m in the business of developing minds to meet a market demand,” says a principal in charge of one of the many inner-city, racially segregated schools that now follow an “industry-embedded education” system that focuses primarily on preparing students for entry-level jobs upon graduating. Kozol illustrates how these schools expect children as young as kindergarten to start thinking about what jobs they may want and begin preparing for them. An emphasis is usually put on managerial positions, with some schools assigning the kids classroom roles such as “Coat Room Manager, Door Manager, and Line Manager,” and teaching kindergartners how to “negotiate.” In this chapter, Kozol is able to create a micro view of this issue. A memorable section includes the discussion of a bright young high school student who becomes trapped in the Culinary Arts curriculum despite academic promise and capabilities of going to college. This story pulls at the reader’s heart strings and further connects them to the children who are burdened with this type of education, or lack there of.

Chapter 5 Summary

This chapter discusses standardized testing and how it has affected inner-city school systems. The curriculums in such schools that rely on these scores for their funding, and in some cases the ability to keep their doors open, have morphed into institutions where the only subject matter allowed to be taught is what has the potential for showing up on these standardized tests. One thing that is attention grabbing in this chapter is Kozol’s cynicism. He writes, “Numbers become everything. Live by rubrics, die by an accidental dip in yearly scores. And to the winners go the extra $15,000.” This tone allows leaves no room for the reader to question Kozol’s stance on the issues he is discussing. He is clearly upset with how important these tests have become and how much they are taking away from quality education.

Chapter 4 and 5 graphic orghanizer

,
This section was mainly about how schools are molding children into a "one shape fits all." The children at an elementary school age are called managers, and are given points in the form of currency for the work they do. The children in these schools often never hear about college and are encouraged towards jobs that require little or no education. Also government issued standardized tests are putting a lot of pressure on schools to create good scores. However students are learning very little and given little extra time besides learning what is on the standardized tests. The government views these children as creating "products" or as "robots" instead of human beings.

Chapter 4 and 5 discussion leader

My first question is found on page 101

Why do you think Kozol provided the example of a girl like Timeka, whose goal was to become a doctor?

I think the reason why is because he wanted us to relate to how girls like Timeka have goals just like us, but the only difference is that their goals aren’t attainable under their circumstances. For example the program at her school doesn’t even provide the education necessary to lead her to that goal. Robeson High only sends a few students that are successfully prepared for college and among those few, the likelihood of them going to medical school is almost non-existent. What it comes down to is the reality of her high school, in which only one out of five ninth graders reach twelfth grade and from which Timeka dropped out in eleventh. However, if she had gone to a school in almost any middle-class suburban district, she would have been exposed to an assortment of options that would have potentially permitted her to accomplish her goal.

My second question can be found on pages 102-103

Why do you think a college education isn’t marketed to many students as forcefully as job-related programs are at an inner city school?

The first thing that I thought was people automatically assume that students at a corrupt school aren’t capable of going to college. Instead students are required to decide on a career path at the end of freshmen year, and once a student chooses, his or her entire program is determined by that choice. Say for example if someone were to decide to try the culinary arts program, in which students are prepared to work in restaurant kitchens. He or she would be offered jobs or internships upon completion of their high school diploma, which lures them into a lower economic role in later years than if they were to pursue a college education. Essentially, these students are indirectly told that they don’t have the potential to pursue a further education and that this is the only option they have.

My third question can be found on page 120

What do you feel about this quote, “In Atlanta, recess has been systematically abandoned to secure more time for test-related programs since the last years of the 1990s.”

I personally feel as though elementary schools are turning more into penitentiaries. When you’re a kid a crucial part of learning is to have fun as well. If you lock up kids in a building all day, it will most likely cause them to have a short attention span and lose focus. The most important aspect of recess is that it establishes a break from the day's routine. Breaks are considered essential for satisfaction and alertness. It even has been proven that recall is improved when learning is spaced rather than presented all at once. Besides your brain needs some downtime to relax from learning new concepts that can be hard to understand.

My fourth question can be found on page 121

Why would districts go further to distort the timing of summer break in an effort to accommodate school calendars to testing schedules?

Districts believe that starting school earlier will prepare the students for the state exams that they take in late winter. The higher the test score, the more funding the school gets from the government. For example if students’ scores improve at certain rates, principals and teachers can receive a bonus up to $15,000 a year! Another reason why raising test scores is such a priority is the fact that these state wide tests are widely publicized in press accounts and on TV. There would be nothing more humiliating than for a principal to hear his or her school’s name announced on television as being, “the worst of the worst.” The fear is that if they don’t get these test scores up then their school will continue to decline. However, little do they know that this doesn’t necessarily mean that their children are provided with more of an education; it just counts towards the staff’s paychecks and reputation of the school.

Chapter 4 and 5 Vocabulary

1. Inculcating (95): instill (an attitude, idea, or habit) by persistent instruction.
2. Egalitarian (98): of, relating to, or believing in the principle that all people are equal and deserve equal rights and opportunities.
3. Espouse (98) : adopt or support ( a cause, belief, or way of life).
4. Acquiesce (103) : accept something reluctantly but without protest.
5. Redolent (104) : strongly reminiscent or suggestive of something.
6. Odium (110) : disgrace over something hated or shameful.
7. Ebullience (112) : exuberance: overflowing with eager enjoyment or approval.
8. Pedagogic (114) : of or relating to teaching.
9. Ingenuity (116) : the quality of being clever, original, and inventive.
10. Penurious (120) : extremely poor, poverty-stricken.

Waiting for Superman

Personally I watched this video and it really opened my eyes to our education system and how there really is that unequal gap between public schools. Providing shocking statistics and interviewing reputable individuals, makes the film more credible. In general, Waiting for Superman really put things into perspective and motivates the viewer to take action and not allow for this corrupt education system affect another generation. 

Journal #1

The Shame of the Nation -Journal 1 April 20, 2011
          We all had some different assumptions coming into this book. I (Amanda) have read Kozol’s book Ordinary Resurrection, which he published about five years before The Shame of The Nation. Because I’ve read him before, I knew that I was in for another shock and that I would once again be ashamed to learn about how little value our country places on children from these apartheid communities and schools. I (Matt) came into this book knowing that schools in the inner city weren’t as reputable as the schools in the suburbs of Milwaukee, but reading the shocking statistics from the first few chapters of The Shame of the Nation really put things into perspective. For instance, in Milwaukee there is a school where black children make up 99 percent of the enrollment despite that it bears the name of Dr. Luther King Jr. Which leads me to the question: Why did the man who wanted to end segregation in the first place, have one of the most segregated schools in Wisconsin named after him?  I (Caitlin) knew that inner-city schools were not the best. After reading just the introduction and the first three chapters I am extremely surprised to see that it is much worse than I expected. I find it shocking that some schools are 98% segregated or how the teachers will fix the art work to hang up. I also did not realize that these schools are so underfunded. I (Brittany) came into the book knowing some about segregated and lower income schools; I went to a school in Green Bay where the majority of the population was not white. Going to this school, I knew about the unfair treatment and assumptions of the public. However I was shocked to learn how segregated some schools were and how dangerous of conditions the kids were put in. I also was extremely shocked to learn that the adults that work as teachers are not certified in lower income schools. Finally I was very surprised by how drastic the amount of income to the schools differed from low income schools to middle and upper class schools.
          Jonathan Kozol is a graduate of English Literature from Harvard. He first began working with children in 1964, when he became a fourth grade teacher in Boston, Massachusetts. He explains in his letter “To the Reader” that he has visited approximately 60 schools in 30 districts, in 11 different states where he was able to observe and talk with countless different students, teachers, and school administrators, and it is from his interviews and discussions with these individuals that he is able to make his most effective arguments and conclusions. He isn’t drawing his conclusions from research done by others; he is doing the research on his own and really getting a feel for what these kids go through. He has seen what they have seen and walked where they have walked, so he is, in a sense, telling their story for them, and nobody can argue with what these kids reveal about their realities. An excerpt on the book’s back cover declares, “Jonathan Kozol is a National Book Award-winning author of Death at an Early Age, Rachel and Her Children, Savage Inequalities, and Amazing Grace. He has been working with children in inner-city schools for more than 40 years.” He is a previously published and successful author who has gained a lot of respect in the world of education.
          Before beginning to read this book, most of us didn’t know that the education we have received thus far isn’t something that every American kid gets to experience. In our Midwestern high schools, administrators didn’t have to worry about the percentages of graduates they would have every spring. Recess was something that that all of us looked forward to after lunch; we had experienced teachers who didn’t have to follow a strict curriculum in fear of losing their jobs; there was a chair for every student in our classrooms… classrooms that didn’t have bolted up windows or collapsing ceilings. The most important thing we have learned from this book so far is that our education isn’t something we should take for granted.

Obama Administration Revision Plan for "No Child Left Behind"

Published by The Washington Post, this article expresses the advantages as well as risks of revising the “No Child Left Behind” Act and how the Obama administration will modify it to help close the achievement gaps. Requiring a lot of funding Obama is asking Congress and taxpayers to fund the biggest increase ever requested for elementary and secondary education programs (up to $4 billion). Critics and politicians may feel a little skeptical on how this might work but the proposals do appear to target key defects in the act. In a sense this helps provide insight on how the government is trying to find a solution to a very broken education system.

Anderson, Nick. "Administration pushes to rework No Child Left Behind law." Washington Post. January 2010. Web. 21 April 2011.

Chapter 3 Graphic Organizer

Chapter 3- The Ordering Regime These quotes effectively summarize this chapter. The number one goal for these schools is for the students to do well on the placement exams so that the school will be given more money. They end up structuring the children’s learning so much that it metaphorically strangles not only the kids, but also the teachers who aren’t permitted to teach any information that won’t benefit the students when they take the exams.

Chapter 2 Graphic Organizer

Chapter 2- Hitting Them Hardest When They're Small

This chapter discusses how underprivileged children in Apartheid school districts are. A small percentage receives the pre-schooling that most middle-class children have easy access to. When they are finally able to attend school, most have to deal with overcrowding, inexperienced teachers, and a lack of resources (some don’t even have libraries). Even after all of this, these kids must take and pass the same placement tests administered to the children who have had access to quality education since the age of three. Kozol notes how difficult it is for kids to succeed under these conditions and that those who do are considered to have "heroic" qualities.

Summary of Chapter 2 and 3

Chapter 2 illustrates how corrupt our education system is in our nation and how all children are not offered the same equal opportunity to a good education. Jonathan Kozol further emphasizes on the inequalities of education funding in the nation and describes how the wealthy are unwilling to throw in money into failing school because they figure, “what’s the point?” He also compares inner city schools possessing characteristics of a totalitarian government or an atmosphere similar to that of a prison. He also iterates the fact that even when the economy and financial markets soar, none of the proceeds go to serve the schools of the poor, where school building’s window frames are rotting and glass panels are falling into the street.

Chapter 3 further emphasizes how different inner city schools are compared to suburban schools. Kozol describes inner city schools as “embracing pedagogy of direct command and absolute control….the teacher who is the stimulus and the students who respond” (64). He provides an example of when he visited a P.S. 65 school in the South Bronx, describing the silent lunches being instituted in the cafeteria and sometimes even at recess! Even in the classroom if a child were to interrupt or make any sort of distraction, the teacher would make a swift gesture with his or her hand to silent the children. Kozol described it as a “strange salute the teachers gave to the class.” Furthermore, all of the students are divided into 4 levels that separate each other based on their grades and how well they abide by the rules. The students are even assessed on “the way they march along the corridors.” From this notion, he wants to illustrate that schools like P.S. 65 discourage and humiliate their students.  

Chapter 2 and 3 vocabulary builder

In this section I had a hard time finding ten vocabulary words, so instead I did the job of article finder. The link for the article, that I felt related to this section is posted below:
http://www.edtrust.org/dc/press-room/press-release/funding-gap-2005-most-states-shortchange-poor-and-minority-students
One of the main themes of these chapters was how unequal school funding was for schools in areas of rich and impoverished areas. The article states that when you compare the funding gap between high and low income districts the difference is over$1,400 per student. The article also states that around 38 of the states experience this difference in funding. One of the main reasons we need to pay attention to this is that our children are supposed to receive, equal education. How can a child receive an equal education when $1,400 less is being spent on them ? Children are not receiving the same quality of education, or experiences that other children are that come from higher income families. Sadly, the majority of impoverished districts are populated heavily with Hispanics and African Americans. This in fact proves that segregated schools are definitely not "separate but equal." Another fact that is disheartening, is that children that come from impoverished families need the most help from the school but are receiving the littlest help. The public needs to become aware of this, and our nation needs to fix this discrimination against impoverished families.