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.