Week 6

Week 6 - Kozol 9&10, Spring 3 &10, Folder 6

Quote #1
"There is no question integrated education has been a benefit to our community," said Pritchett. "...I remember the initial fears that people of both races felt, because they had no understanding of each other." Overtime, he said, "the fear dissolved. The kids did it. They worked it out much faster than the grown-ups...." (Kozol 220)
There are many examples of the success of integration in Chapter 9.  Where are these reports?  Can't someone do a documentary on this topic, go into the schools and show it on T.V.  Put it on YouTube.  Get it out there, because I feel that fear is what holds us all back more than anything.  Whites having misconceptions that schools in poor neighborhoods are trashed and failing because "those people"don't care about their schools.   I have heard that comment made.  This should have been on Oprah.... they would have listened then, you know because she is acceptable and non-threatening to the majority.

Quote #2
"Often, the family income of students parallels the levels of ability grouping and tracking.  That is, the higher the family income of the students, the more likely it is that they will be in the higher-ability groups or a college-preparatory curriculum. Conversely, the lower the family income of the students, the more likely it is that they will be in the lower-ability groups or the vocational curriculum." (Spring 75)
That sounds like a clear case for discrimination or inequity in educational opportunity.  If the economic status of the family or their race has a direct correlation to the track that the student is on, then it would seem to be an unfair advantage or disadvantage to pursue that system of education.  When these tracks determine the future of the student, college bound for the upper track and school to work for the lower track, it just continues to perpetuate a multi-generational system of oppression.  The students on the lower track move on, have kids who are poor and still minority, who are in-turn on a lower track.... you can see where this is going.

Quote #3
"The unfortunate thing is that there is nothing in standard talk about schooling - and this has been true for decades - that leads us to consider how school is perceived by those who attend it." (Rose 32, Folder 6)
First, let me say that I really liked this article.  I, like the author, feel that a few good teachers saved me as well. I feel that those teachers really changed the way I could have looked at education and life in general.  That being said, I think there is not enough importance placed on the experience of the student.  If, like the writer talks about in his personal experience, he had not been engaged by those teachers, the trajectory of his life would have been completely different and quite possibly less successful. Kozol talks a bit about his conversations with the children he encounters and the fact that they can, in many cases, vocalize what would make their education better.  If we really believed that the experience of the child is not important, then why are "saavy" parents doing whatever they can to position their children in schools known for their free thinking and creative curriculum's?