Chapter 12 Treasured Places

The following quotes are taken from The Shame of the Nation, written by Jonathan Kozol.

"In these settings, teachers do not tend to let concerns about our nation’s competition on the gobal marketplace intrude upon the more important needs of childhood, such as the right to find some happiness in being children.” Chapter 12, Page 286.

I think it is important for teachers to let children be children. But as teachers we also need to educate students in issues that affect society. I think that middle school and high school students should be aware of current events that are happening worldwide. I remember in high school, my history teacher made each student find an article from a newspaper that talked about a current issue. This created a great class discussion and was very informative. The global marketplace is a current issue in education and I think it is important for students to know what is happening because one day it will affect them.

“Students in these schools still have to take the standardized exams that are required of all children in our public schools, and some of the anxieties associated with these tests and with the annual publication of the scores are present in these schools as well; but nobody tells the children that their test results define their worthiness or that these numbers measure their identities.” Chapter 12, Pages 286-287.

It is sad to think of how much pressure we put on students because of standardized testing. Children do not realize the consequences of low test scores, and nor should they. Students and schools are put under so much stress to achieving high scores and better results that people do not always look at how it is affecting children and teachers. In my college education classes we learn about different ways to assess children, why can’t we work to find a new way to measure a child’s learning.

“In class, she says, if children see her in a conversation with a man, they usually ask if he’s her boyfriend. They notice everything! Teacher, I like the way you did your hair today! Teacher, you have pretty earrings! Teacher, you have nice new shoes! They notice every little thing I change in my appearance.” Chapter 12, Page 288.

This statement is so true! Children notice everything. This does not only relate to appearance, but also how teachers interact socially and physically. Teachers need to be very careful of how they portray themselves in/out of their classroom.  Children can sense when a person is overwhelmed, nervous, excited or sad. It is important for teachers to leave their personal life outside the classroom and not let it interfere when teaching.

“I don’t know how I am going to survive this,” Mr. Bedrock says she told him in the week after her mother died. “You know, I’m just eleven.” Like the other children who are sitting at her table next to Mr. Bedrock’s desk, she keeps getting up and hovering about him in this next-to-final day of school, as if she doesn’t want the camaraderie to end.” Chapter 12, Page 291.

Going into the teaching profession it is important to realize that this is a career that is twenty-four hour and seven days a week job. Teachers need to be there for students in and out of school. It is important of students to trust their teachers because sometimes they have no one at home to rely on or talk to. For instance, if a child has a really bad morning because he spilt milk all over the table and his mom yelled at him. In this situation the child’s academic work might suffer because the earlier morning event is still effecting him. Teachers need to be encouraging, patient, and understanding because it helps students to feel more at ease in the classroom.

“He vents his feelings on these matters frequently in talking with Miss Rose. She gets impatient with him sometimes; but she likes him and she knows he’s a good teacher, and says she always tries to hear him out.” Chapter 12, Page 295.

I love this quote. It shows that teachers are supporting each other when they need to the most. Administrators and teachers might have different opinion on curriculum, grading, and such, but they still need to listen and be respectful of each other’s ideas. I like that this quote shows teachers become impatient and frustrated because it tends to happens a lot in the teaching profession.

“Schools can probably survive quite well without their rubric charts and numbered standards-listing plastering the walls. They can’t survive without good teachers and, no matter what curriculum may be in place, whether it’s approved by state officials or by Washington or not, they are no good at all if teachers are unable to enjoy the work they do and be invigorated by its unpredictable.” Chapter 12, Pages 299-300.
 Again, another quote from Kozol’s book that I loved. Good teachers are everything to a school system. I truly believe the best teachers can teach in the worse conditions. There are so many unpredictable daily and sometimes hourly events that occur within the school day, teachers need to be able to handle what comes at them with a positive go-getter attitude. But in the end good teachers love the good and turn the bad into something great.  

The Following Quotes Are Taken From Blackboard Vista: Folder 13

Quote 1-“The Seattle School District allowed students to apply to any high school in the District. Since certain schools often became oversubscribed when too many students chose them as their first choice, the District used a system of tiebreakers to decide which students would be admitted to the popular schools. The second most important tiebreaker was a racial factor intended to maintain racial diversity. If the racial demographics of any school's student body deviated by more than a predetermined number of percentage points from those of Seattle's total student population (approximately 41% white and 59% non-white), the racial tiebreaker went into effect.” Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1 (2007) 

I think it is important for students to choose which high school they want to apply to. It gives students hope about having a successful high school career. However, even though students are applying to specific schools it doesn’t mean they will be accepted. The tiebreaker helps to make the schools more diverse and equal for students. To be honest I am not sure I how feel about this tiebreaker rule that is being applied. Yes, I strongly believe that schools need to be diverse, but I am not sure if this is the right way to go about it.

Quote 2-“MARTIN: Why was it so important for your daughter to go to Ballard High School?

Ms. BROSE: My daughter was, you know, denied access to three different schools. And we would have been satisfied with not her first choice, but her second or her third choice. But she was actually assigned to her fourth choice. And that didn't work out, so she actually went to her fifth choice. But the reason that we wanted Ballard as our first choice because it is the school that is closest to our home.”  NPR: Supreme Court Revisits School Segregation

I think that many families want their children to be enrolled in good schools that are located near their homes like Ms. Brose describes. I think that if Seattle wants to use this tiebreaking system to make their schools diverse, then they should at least students their top three choices. This is a very hard process for the schools to figure out how to divide students, create diversity, and to keep everyone happy at the same time. I give them credit for trying, but again I am not sure the tiebreaking strategy is the right system to determine each child’s high school education fate. Perhaps, the reason being the tiebreaking strategy reminds me of the lotto system that is used to determine if children are accepted or denied to charter schools.

Quote 3-“MARTIN: What do you make of the district's position that diversity is an important educational goal, and that these are among the steps that are necessary to ensure that diversity is achieved?

Ms. BROSE: Well, first of all, I want to say that we're not against diversity. We like diversity. We're in the public schools. Our argument is that there is lots of diversity in our schools without using the racial tiebreaker and that, you know, diversity means more than skin color and that, you know, the school district was really looking at having a ratio of white versus nonwhite kids. And the way they used the tiebreaker was clearly a form of discrimination.” NPR: Supreme Court Revisits School Segregation

I agree with Ms. Brose statement that diversity is more than just skin color; it is about economics, religion, beliefs, traditions, everything about one’s culture and ethnicity. I that Seattle’ district is really trying to create diversity and equality for all children, but if they are only focusing on skin color than that is not right. Because then the district is discriminating against certain skin colors. For instance in this case Ms. Brose believes they are discriminating against white, because her daughter could not get into her top three choices.

Quote 4-“LARRY ABRAMSON: The student in this case remains anonymous, known only as T.A. in court documents. But his story is a familiar and painful one to parents and educators. As a high school student he began having attention problems. The Forest Grove School District near Portland, Oregon evaluated him but decided he did not qualify for special education help. The family's attorney, Mary Broadhurst, says this is exactly when the school district should've jumped in.” NPR: Supreme Court Rules on Special Education Case

In my special education class here at CCSU, I learned that parents really have to fight school systems if they believe that their child is not receiving the assistance they need. It is sad to say that some school systems don’t always want to put the extra money into a child if they feel like that child does not need help, when in reality they do. If I were the parents of this child, I too would have pulled my child out from the school because clearly the administration was not doing their part. It is the teacher’s job to notice patterns in students and to do everything in their power to help children and parents. I wonder in this case if the teacher was supportive of the child’s needs.

Quote 5-“Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954),[1] was a landmark decision of the United States Supreme Court that declared state laws establishing separate public schools for black and white students unconstitutional. The decision overturned the Plessy v. Ferguson decision of 1896 which allowed state-sponsored segregation. Handed down on May 17, 1954, the Warren Court's unanimous (9–0) decision stated that "separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” Brown v. Board of Education

When discussing the picture of Ruby, in class with Dr. Clark  we talked about all the hardship she went to when schools became integrated. It was all happy and dandy right away it required a ton of effort, trial and error on everyone’s part. As a country we have come a long way in creating equality for all. However we still need to create more equality in our school systems. Over the years our schools have become more and more segregated due to demographics, economic status, and race; we see think in Kozol’s book and also in Joel Spring’s book. I think we can change this through reform in the education system. 

Quote 6-“In 1971, the San Francisco Unified School District attempted to desegregate the school system by reassigning pupils attending segregated schools to other public schools. The School District submitted a comprehensive plan for desegregation which the District Court approved. Some Chinese parents protested the move, because in the Asian schools the students could learn about their cultural heritage, and they would lose this if they went to public schools.”  Guey Heung Lee v. Johnson

I understand both sides of this court case. It is important for our nation to have integrated schools because it provides equality in the education system. However, I also understand why the parents want their children to learn about their heritage. Both sides of this case are important, but I think it is more important for schools to become desegregated. With this issue it is more important for all students to have an equal education.

Readings from Blackboard Vista

“Place-based education (PBE) immerses students in local heritage, cultures, landscapes, opportunities and experiences, using these as a foundation for the study of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science and other subjects across the curriculum. PBE emphasizes learning through participation in service projects for the local school and/or community.” Promise of Place

This little description that gives information on PBE is very interesting to me. I think that students learn best when they are hands on and engaged in experiences that connect to their lives. By having students become a part of the community they will learn in various ways. I never considered teaching all my lessons this way, but it seems like children would gain a lot from this experience. I like the idea that children will be studying all different subjects because many schools these days are only focusing on mathematics and reading.

“Education is in a crisis as America finds itself faced with unprecedented challenges in a global community of nations desperately struggling with massive social, economic, and cultural change. Education must find new ways of helping Americans learn and adapt in a multicultural, twenty-first century world.”  Cajete1994.

As we have been currently learning and discussing in our EDF class that American education need a reform. This is because of segregation and inequality in our nation’s school systems. We need to find new and better ways to help students achieve success in school, but yet we face so many challenges. How do we begin solving this problem?

“In tribal education, knowledge gained from first-hand experiences in the world is transmitted through ritual, ceremony, art, and appropriate technology. Knowledge gained through these vehicles is then used in everyday living. Education, in this context, becomes education for life’s sake.” Cajete1994.

I think it is so important for students to have hand-on experiences in the classroom. This strategy of teaching can be applied in all subject areas, mathematics, science, arts, music, language arts, and more. I think that most children learn best by actually doing and participating in the task. It helps them to remember better because they were a played a part in the specific experience.

“The ideals of this process were naturally founded on the continuous development of self-knowledge, on finding life through understanding and participating in creative process of living, on direct awareness of the natural environment, on knowledge of one’s role and responsibility to community, and on cultivating sensitivity to the spiritual essence of the world.” Cajete1994.

I think that it is important for students to know that they are part of a community, a classroom, school, and town community. It helps the students to understand what specific roles and jobs are in society. This can be mocked in a classroom by giving students jobs such as, line leader, paper collector, paper passer ect. Students can also learn by from the environment. But we are seeing this less because science lessons have been taken out of curriculums in many schools in order for more focus to be on reading and mathematics.

“The cultivation of all one’s senses through learning how to listen, observe, and experience holistically by creative exploration was highly valued.” Cajete1994.

I love this statement. It is important for children to learn things on their own instead of always having a teacher to guide them. By having students explore, observe, and listen it can create memorable experiences for the child. In a classroom it is good to encourage students to take risks because it helps them to develop and succeed in more complex ways. Creative exploration should be allowed in all classrooms, it is how students show their individuality among others. Students can learn from each other as well.

“The ideal purpose for American Indian education is to attain knowledge, seek truth, wisdom, completeness and life.” Cajete1994.

I really liked this quote. I think that over the years in America education has ran off the tracks.  This is all due to standardized testing, businessmen being a part of school boards, and much more that society forgets what is important in education. Children need to learn by having experiences and fun in the classroom. Results from testing shows that students do better when they learn in different ways. There needs to be meaning to what is being taught.

Deadly Lies

The following quotes are taken from The Shame of the Nation, written by Jonathan Kozol.

“President Bush accuses those who disagree with him about the wisdom of these practices of being the unconscious bearers of soft bigotry, while one of the president’s advisers overseeing federal education research has said that it is racist nonsense to reject claims that schools accountability alone will lead to equal outcomes for our children.” Chapter 11, Page 265.

This quote is talking about the federal law, No Child Left Behind. I disagree with everything that is being stated in this quote. The federal law is not helping students succeed in schools especially students with special needs. Instead teachers have to push them beyond their limit because of the rules of the law. I also think that it’s wrong to accuse people of being racists just because they don’t believe in the law working for all students. Urban schools will have a difficult time, because schools are not funded properly to get the resources they need to teach students. Students will only fall further behind leaving the opportunity for equality behind them.

“The longer this goes on, the further these two roads divide, the more severe and routinized these race-specific pedagogies many become, the harder it will be to find a place of common ground on which children of the many ethnic groups and social classes in our nation’s public schools will ever actually meet.” Chapter 11, Page 273.

If our nation does not step up to the plate soon, the American education system will too far gone to help. There is so much we need to do to desegregate schools and create equality among all. We should not let the children to come suffer. Looking into the future I am scared to think what they education systems will be like in the next 20 years. Will things have improved or gotten worse? Parents, children, teachers, administrators, and more need to get out in the community and start “building bridges” to bring these two roads back together.

“The small school initiative, says Advocates for Children, offers the best hope for providing high school students in New York with an adequate education. But without careful planning small schools may merely replicate the problems of the past.” Chapter 11, Page 277.

I think that having smaller schools will help children get a better education in urban cities. By having smaller schools would also mean smaller classrooms. Teachers would be able to focus more on the students because of the lower numbers. I really like the idea of having smaller schools, but as a society we need to make sure that these schools systems are organized, have proper funding, and are focused to helping students.

“Yet hundreds of thousands of children who have made what urban districts claim to be dramatic gains in elementary schools where principals have readjusted their entire schooldays and school calendars, forfeiting recess, in order to comply with state demands-those students now in secondary schools are sitting in subject-matter classes where they cannot comprehend the texts and cannot set down their ideas in sentences expected of most fourth and fifth grade students in the suburbs.” Chapter 11, Page 281.

Why can’t politicians and administrators see that standardized testing has negative impacts in schools? Teachers are forced to teach to the test to help students do well, yet we clearly see this is not working. Students are becoming more and more behind because they are not being taught the basics in school. If politicians want a well working society in the future then they need to make changes in schools systems. It is sad to see that children have to suffer from the poor decisions that our American government makes.

“In 2004, The Washington Post has noted only 350 African American freshmen enrolled at the University of Michigan, out of an entering class of almost 6,000 students-the lowest number of African-Americans in 15 years and a decline from nearly 500 three years earlier.” Chapter 11, Page 282.

Why are there low numbers of African Americans attending college? I believe it has to do with the urban school systems and the low leveling learning that is occurring. In the quote above it says that principals are rearranging the schools schedules to let students have more time to practice for testing, but it leaves out all the other things children need in school. If students cannot write their ideas on a piece of paper because we did not teach them how, how are they supposed to succeed or even get in to a college? This is why the numbers are going down.

“The Post’s other explanation are increases in tuition costs and a restricted applicant pool of African-Americans because of very low test scores on their SATs. But, certainly the widening gulf in math and reading levels between minority high schools students and their white contemporaries-a devastating five year gap between the races, as the Education Trust observed does not pose an optimistic prospect for admissions of black students to our four-year colleges and universities during the years ahead.” Chapter 11, Page 283.

Tuition of colleges is also a huge impact to families these days. With the economy being down maybe families have to make sacrifices and put college off for a few years. If tuition keeps increasing little by little then soon nobody will be able to afford to go to college.  Low SAT scores are another reason why African Americans and minorities in urban areas are not going to college. Schools are not teaching the important things that students need to know. Schools are focusing more on reading and mathematics but still are behind.

The following quotes are taken from Anthology, chapters 21, 22, and 23.

“Many of the recommendations that have emerged in the current debate either ignore the role teachers play in preparing learners to be active and critical citizens, or they suggest reforms that ignore the intelligences, judgment, and experience that teachers might offer in such a debate.” Chapter 21, Page 197.

In recent debates with government officials there have been disagreements about the way teachers teach students. I think that teachers who are certified and have experience for the most part know what they are doing in the classroom. It is the state officials who are causing trouble, stating that teachers need to teach a certain way or blaming them for low test scores. Teachers are doing the best they can with the limited resources and time that are given to them.

Deborah Meier: “First of all, any kind of teaching requires toughness. You have to have firm convictions about a whole lot of stuff that you are not, in fact, always so sure about.” Chapter 22, Page 205.

This quote is so true. As a teacher you need to be tough and stand your ground. It also relates to the quote number three you need to stand up for what you believe in.  Toughness does not mean strict but dealing with tough choices many times a day. For example, deciding what lesson is more important to teach students when you have limited time. Even if you are not sure, you still have to make quick and tough decisions on a daily basis and teachers need to be able to support the reasoning.

Bruce Marlowe: “Suppose your way of doing your work, exercising judgment-is very different than your colleagues’ ways? Or very different from what the principal, school district or state is invested in?” Chapter 22, Page 205.

This is one of my fears when becoming a teacher. I think the best thing to do in this situation is to have an open mind. Teachers need to be willing to look at both sides of what is being presented. I think it’s important to stand up for what you believe in, but it’s also important to know when to stand down. Choose your battles carefully. Even if teachers disagree with the school system or colleagues they need to understand where they are coming from and hear others thoughts because they might make an important point that the teacher did not consider.

“When asked how teachers in his school were responding to the new learning standards and to the state-mandated testing, he explained that his state was preparing lessons, and directions for delivering all lessons, for all teachers in the state and that teachers would do exactly what they were told to because they didn’t have a union and therefore wouldn’t do anything they weren’t supposed to do for fear of losing their jobs.” Chapter 23, Page 209.

I find this quote quite upsetting. I really feel for these teachers because they can’t teacher how they want because they are not part of a union. Why are these teachers not part of a union? Is it due to expensive fees? Personal choice? These teachers have no say in how they teach their students, I find this unfair.

“To be able to think critically or analytically does not mean to criticize. It means to look at messages and materials through a different lenses and from many perspectives; it means to be able to recognize propaganda regardless of its origin; it means to be able to detect crap; it means to pull apart materials, sort them, question them, reorganize them mentally, and then synthesize the pieces into a coherent understanding and whole” Chapter 23, Page 211.

For teachers it is important for them to be able to think critically. Teachers need to have this skill because it is something they will use every day. For example, teachers that have to teach to the test. With a critical mind a teacher can eventually figure out a lesson to make teaching to the test more engaging for their students. Thinking critically about problems that come up in the classroom is important. As a teacher you do not want to use the first solution you come up with, a good teacher will come up with a few answers and compare and contrast what would work best for their students.

“Without thinking teachers, we do not have thinking schools. Without thinking schools, we do not have thinking students or future citizens who can think. Thinking and questioning teachers will not only tweak and improve our school systems but will work to improve our democracy and model the responsibilities of all citizens.” Chapter 23, Pages 211-212.

I love this quote because it really emphasizes how important it is for people to use their own minds and really think about the world. Teachers teach children how to think and use their brain power in school. Thinking occurs ALL the time it helps us to make improvements in society. By teaching children to use their thinking skills/brainstorming helps them to develop new ideas which will help them become responsible citizens in our society. Without thinking, we would be zombies in our own world.

A National Horror Hidden in Plain View: Why Not a National Response?

The following quotes are taken from The Shame of the Nation, by Jonathan Kozol.

“Racist beliefs are so profound and the supportive structures have now been in place so long that an upheaval like the one we lived through 40 years ago, it leaves the nation exhausted with a huge desire not to be obligated to think of it again. And yet, the nation must be asked to think of it again.” Chapter 10, Page 240.

It is true, the American Society needs to take a step back and look at the inequality in school systems. People want to ignore this issue because they do not want to have to deal with the stress and time it is going to take to fix our segregated schools. In, today’s world everyone is wrapped up in media, technology, and themselves that they do not realize how much some people are suffering. Do Americans not care about the inequality of schools systems or do they just have no knowledge of it? Do we have to have an upheaval to fix this problem or is there a way to come up with a peaceful solution?

“The inequitable distribution of resources between districts is often equally pervasive within the district. This is because most districts simply give their schools the money that they need to pay the teachers they are able to employ. Since high-poverty schools tend to employ a disproportionate number of inexperience, low-paid teachers, these schools end up getting much less money per student than do schools in wealthier communities of the same district.” Chapter 10, Page 247.

I am not sure how I feel about this quote. Yes, I think that certified teachers should get paid more because they have proper training, but is it fair to lower the funding of the high-poverty school when they need the money for resources more? Why can’t both schools receive the same amount of money but use it in different ways. The wealthier districts can pay the teachers more, while the poverty schools pay teachers less can use the left over money to buy resources for the school or be used towards the “per child” fund. I do not know if this would work in a real world setting, however it is fair and both schools are getting the same amount of money.

“Attorneys have been asked to renounce the goal of fully equal education and to ask the courts to give poor children not the same high level of resources offered by the wealthiest white districts but merely sufficient funding to achieve the standards now demanded of them by the state.” Chapter 10, Page 247.

This quote is clear evidence that children are not getting an equal education. Why should any student or school system have to suffer with a “sufficient amount of funding” when a few miles away a wealthier school district is able to have a high level of resources? I don’t think anyone should have to settle. We are supposed to be the nation with opportunity, but instead we are teaching students to settle. 

“It has taken over 30 years of litigation to achieve a genuinely substantial victory for children in poor districts in New Jersey. In Ohio more than a decade since a suit was filed to achieve a similar objective, courts have now determined four times that the system of schools finance is in violation of the constitution of that state and still the governor and legislature have defined these rulings with impunity.” Chapter 10, Page 254.

Why is does it taking for so long for courts to determine the inequality of funding in school systems? How is it possible that the school in Ohio be dismissed four times, but yet the state and governor still think it is fair? I do not understand why the state is not moving faster to help these schools in poverty, any amount money or funding would help students but it needs to be done at a quicker pace. Each school should not have to go through a 30 year process.

“Even when attorneys do try to reach out beyond the courts to build political support, it has been very hard to build a movement of dynamics national importance out of adequacy claims in a variety of separate states. Adequacy itself, as a political objective is hardly a heart-stopping and exalted cry to battle.” Chapter 10, Page 258.

I think that it is hard for people to talk about the segregated and inequality in schools because it bring up a lot of emotions from past events in our history. Another reason why people might not agree with this issue is because people have different opinions on what adequacy is. This quote connects to the first because some people to do not want to have an “upheaval” because they are comfortable with their status and lives, meaning the white privileged. Building a movement takes a lot of time and effort, and with the evidence from Kozol’s book one is needed to eliminate inequality in schools. I believe that if small movements started then joined together it could create a big impact on our nation.

“Whatever damage segregation might or might not do, the premise of our case is that the state and city can provide sufficient resources so that students in a school even if that school is segregated can achieve a respectable level of success.” Chapter 10, Page 259.

I think that everything in the state and federal government’s power should be in helping the equality of education for all. There is no reason why we should have segregated schools, inequality, and racism. All students should have the same amount of resources available and if this is not possible then schools should be able to share with each other. Wouldn’t this be a perfect school system if it were to actually happen? I believe that one day our school systems will be equal and segregation will be gone, but it going to take time and a lot of pressure on the government.

Invitations to Resistance

The following quotes are from The Shame of the Nation, by Jonathan Kozol.

“We need our teachers marching in the streets. She had been listening with me to the statements of her students for the previous two hours. She had heard Mireya’s disappointment about having been obligated to take a sewing class when she had hoped to take an AP class instead. She had heard Fortino’s swift reply: You are ghetto-so you sew! She had been listening to students like Mireya and Fortino now for many years.” Chapter 9, Page 215.

It is about time that we have read about teachers becoming angry and frustrated with problems in the school systems. This teacher wants to protest the district and the government for more equality in education. Why should students have to think they do not deserve equal opportunities just because they live in the “ghetto” It is not right for anyone to think that. I can see why this teacher is becoming angry, because it her job to inspire students to try hard and become anything they want. However segregated schools do not allow for this opportunity happen so I can see why she gets angry. 

“America has never made progress on racial issues unless there was enough agitation to force society to take action. Honor among privileged blacks and whites alike, he said, depends on rediscovering our commitment to treating all children fairly. If it takes new turmoil to bring about, that is a price we should be willing to pay.” Chapter 9, Pages 216-217.

I agree, people really need to start protesting or finding some way to stand up against the government. American society should not put up with inequality any longer in school systems. I think it is only a matter of time before we start having another movement. Perhaps an equality for all in education movement? Teachers, students, parents, administrators need to start taking action for movement to occur.

“He said he recognized that his decision would not counteract the ruling of the court but that he wanted to inspire students to take action on their own convictions and to understand the moral, political, and symbolic landscape of our city.” Chapter 9, Page 219.

I admire this teacher for making a difference. He wants his students to understand that they deserve better. Students should not just sit back and deal with what they have been given, but to stand up for what they believe in. Because the principal took action he is hoping that others will follow in his footsteps. Why should they have to suffer academically when schools around them have more funding? This principal is really teaching his students to look at the inequality in education and wants them to do something about it like he did.

“He went on to speak of an approach, known as the Gautreaux Remedy, which has been implemented in Chicago now for many years and has enabled inner-city families to find housing in more than 100 smaller cities, towns, and villages in the Chicago area. As limited as the program is in context of the population size and demographics of Chicago, Orfield nonetheless insisted it had been successful and is still successful.” Chapter 9, Pages 223-224.

This housing program seemed to work in Chicago and I think that it should be implemented in other urban cities. Families that find housing in smaller districts might be able to send their children to better schools. Academics might be higher in smaller districts because the school is outside the in inner city providing for more opportunity and diversity between whites and blacks. I wonder if other cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Detroit have taken on any programs like this. What makes this program so successful and continue to grow over the years?

“Linehan also notes that starting integration in the elementary grades made it much easier for children, simply to be children with each other. Stereotypes fall away, he adds-it’s more difficult to conjure up “the other”-when you’re building sand castles together.” Chapter 9, Page 227.

I agree starting integration early is best for all students and parents. Students will grow and experience things together in classrooms, leaving any racial tension aside. I think it is important to start integration early because it lets children have a better education experience as well. Children do not look at color as an issue at young ages, they do not see privilege and non-privilege, however they may realize people are different and come from different families. If we expand this to earlier ages I really think it could benefit all children. More privilege children will hopefully learn from the less and vice versa.

“The interdistrict program in St. Louis is facing the risk of termination on the next three years. A court-supervised phase-out of state funding for the program, while it does not prohibit integration, significantly discourages suburban districts from accepting students from St. Louis after the 2008-2009 academic year. The suburbs for the most part have wanted to continue; and, indeed students in the affluent community of Clayton walked out of classes in 2004 to protest a possible withdrawal from the programs.” Chapter 9, Page 232.

I am glad to see that people do care about these interdistrict programs. After reading about students walking out of their classes to protest what something they strongly believe in is a big sign to the government that students want these programs around. Why do students have to suffer and go back to a school that is not high in academics just because the district does not encourage integration? It is not fair, especially because there is a clear want for these students to be at this school. I really admire these students and parents who protested against their district, it is very inspiring after reading all discouraging stories in the beginning of Kozol’s book.