ASSIGNMENT

In Jonathan Kozol’s The Shame of the Nation he clearly argues that we have, especially in our inner city schools, experienced a retreat to apartheid levels of racial segregation. Respond briefly to his argument, including something of your personal experience with school segregation, integration, and/or the impact of the civil rights movement on schools (the latter as possibility for you might depend on your age!).

Response

Jonathan Kozol’s The Shame of a Nation, the mention of “legalized segregation” was the basis for his journeys through schools across the country. He researched and documented, compared and contrasted schools that were and still are victims of this “legalized segregation.” He referenced his conversations with children, he mentioned the darkness and sadness in their eyes, he discussed the bleak statistics that surround these children in what appears to be a never ending, vicious cycle of poor schools in poor neighborhoods. These children have little or no chance of college or even high school.
I was saddened by his book, although not surprised. I worked in the South Bronx for years. I thought at many times he was referencing my school; they all have the same stories to tell. I did wonder throughout his book, why was there no blame on the parents? He mentioned a parent in Harlem who was unhappy with some issues in her child’s school and her response to this unhappiness was “If it was happening in a white middle class school those parents would complain.” That to me is an excuse and not being proactive.
I found it interesting how he spoke of Martin Luther King HS in NYC. He said it should be, by name sake standards, a place of peace. A place where children of all color and creed can come to learn, and how that, sadly, is not the case. I am looking forward to hearing Mr. Kozol speak this summer; I hope he has inspiring words for us and glimpses of solutions for us to take back and make this place a better learning environment for all children.