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the_naptime_reader's review against another edition
3.0
A worthy read if you are interested in learning more about school financing and inequality in education. The book however could benefit from the creation of a revised and expanded edition. It is now 20 years old and while it is interesting to see how little has changed in terms of closing the achievement gap between rich and poor and African-American or Hispanic and White in the US. The interesting thing is that he discusses how schools are beginning to move away from local control. 20 years later this is a much more apparent movement through the creation of No Child Left Behind.
I enjoyed the first two chapters the most and felt he got his point across clearly. The he spends four more chapters beating it into your brain. I didn't need the beating. I have experienced these disparities first hand. My high school was mentioned repeatedly in the book for having money and funds that create an outstanding education. My two years in Philadelphia with Teach for America let me see and experience the other side first hand.
People might read this and think oh this book is 20 years old, it couldn't be this bad anymore.
At my school in Philadelphia (just like this book):
-the track team practiced in the hallways of the building due to lack of athletic space
-students shared textbooks, not every kid had a set to use for the year
-the bathrooms stunk badly
-the heating system had only one swithc on or off creating 90 and 100 degree days in my 4th floor classroom in the middle of the winter, where evry window was open
-no a/c meant the same unbearable conditions in summer
-teachers financed supplies largely out of pocket
-There was one computer lab but spent most of its time locked and off limits to students
-there were no lockerooms for students to change for gym
-the class size could be quite large at times (33 the legal allowance) but I started my first year with 39 on my roster, not enough desks for all in the room. Once the 8th graders began dropping out, gettnig kicked out, etc. I dropped into the mid to upper 20s.
the list goes on and on.
This book just made me said. Another 20 years have gone by and there has not been great systemic change. More generations of children have grown up in inadequate schools.
If you would rather skip the book at least read his most concise explanation of school funding on pages 207-210. It very clearly explains the problems with the current method of funding.
A quote from Kozol (pg 177)-"...the rigging of the game and the acceptance, which is nearly universal, of uneven playing fields reflect a dark unspoken sense that other people's children are of less inherent value than our own. Now and then, in private, affluent suburbanites concede that certain aspects of the game may be a trifle rigged to their advantage. 'Sure, it's a bit unjust,' they may concede, 'but that's reality and that's the way the game is played. In any case,' they sometimes add in a refrain that we have heard now many tmes, 'there's no real evidence that spending money makes much difference in the outcome of a child's education. We have it. So we spend it. But it's probably a secondary matter. Other factors--family and background--seem to be a great deal more important.' In these ways they fend off the dangers of disturbing introspection; and this, in turn, enables them to give their children something far more precious that the simple gift of pedagogic privilege. They give them uncontaminated satisfaction in their victories. Their children learn to shut from mind the possibility that they are winners in an unfair race, and they seldom let themselves lose sleep about the losers."
I enjoyed the first two chapters the most and felt he got his point across clearly. The he spends four more chapters beating it into your brain. I didn't need the beating. I have experienced these disparities first hand. My high school was mentioned repeatedly in the book for having money and funds that create an outstanding education. My two years in Philadelphia with Teach for America let me see and experience the other side first hand.
People might read this and think oh this book is 20 years old, it couldn't be this bad anymore.
At my school in Philadelphia (just like this book):
-the track team practiced in the hallways of the building due to lack of athletic space
-students shared textbooks, not every kid had a set to use for the year
-the bathrooms stunk badly
-the heating system had only one swithc on or off creating 90 and 100 degree days in my 4th floor classroom in the middle of the winter, where evry window was open
-no a/c meant the same unbearable conditions in summer
-teachers financed supplies largely out of pocket
-There was one computer lab but spent most of its time locked and off limits to students
-there were no lockerooms for students to change for gym
-the class size could be quite large at times (33 the legal allowance) but I started my first year with 39 on my roster, not enough desks for all in the room. Once the 8th graders began dropping out, gettnig kicked out, etc. I dropped into the mid to upper 20s.
the list goes on and on.
This book just made me said. Another 20 years have gone by and there has not been great systemic change. More generations of children have grown up in inadequate schools.
If you would rather skip the book at least read his most concise explanation of school funding on pages 207-210. It very clearly explains the problems with the current method of funding.
A quote from Kozol (pg 177)-"...the rigging of the game and the acceptance, which is nearly universal, of uneven playing fields reflect a dark unspoken sense that other people's children are of less inherent value than our own. Now and then, in private, affluent suburbanites concede that certain aspects of the game may be a trifle rigged to their advantage. 'Sure, it's a bit unjust,' they may concede, 'but that's reality and that's the way the game is played. In any case,' they sometimes add in a refrain that we have heard now many tmes, 'there's no real evidence that spending money makes much difference in the outcome of a child's education. We have it. So we spend it. But it's probably a secondary matter. Other factors--family and background--seem to be a great deal more important.' In these ways they fend off the dangers of disturbing introspection; and this, in turn, enables them to give their children something far more precious that the simple gift of pedagogic privilege. They give them uncontaminated satisfaction in their victories. Their children learn to shut from mind the possibility that they are winners in an unfair race, and they seldom let themselves lose sleep about the losers."
mtk_reads's review against another edition
5.0
This was a slow, slow read - not because it's a long book, or because it's particularly dense, but because I could only read about half a chapter at a time before I got so angry that I had to take a walk. It's dated, obviously - 1991, with most of the data coming from the late 80s or before - but so many of the things it talks about are substantially unchanged in the past 24 years that it's still worth the read.
Short version: educational funding in the US is deeply, profoundly fucked up.
This part in particular stuck with me - Kozol is quoting O.Z. White, talking about educational funding in San Antonio and Rodriguez vs. San Antonio ISD:
"To a real degree, what is considered 'adequate' or 'necessary' or 'sufficient' for the poor in Texas is determined by the rich or relatively rich; it is decided in accord with their opinion of what children of the poor are fitted to become, and what their social role should be."
And the rich get richer, and the poor get screwed.
Short version: educational funding in the US is deeply, profoundly fucked up.
This part in particular stuck with me - Kozol is quoting O.Z. White, talking about educational funding in San Antonio and Rodriguez vs. San Antonio ISD:
"To a real degree, what is considered 'adequate' or 'necessary' or 'sufficient' for the poor in Texas is determined by the rich or relatively rich; it is decided in accord with their opinion of what children of the poor are fitted to become, and what their social role should be."
And the rich get richer, and the poor get screwed.
asehulster414's review against another edition
5.0
This was recommended to me in grad school a few years ago. Despite being outdated in some terminology and adjustments for inflation, it's heartbreaking how true this remains and how little has been done to remedy education inequality. I plan on following this up with books on the topic by people of marginalized backgrounds for additional perspectives.
turnip11's review against another edition
challenging
informative
sad
tense
medium-paced
4.25
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Death, Grief, Gun violence, Child death, Drug abuse, Medical trauma, Drug use, Police brutality, Pregnancy, and Racism
jens3's review against another edition
4.0
An eye-opening book that will make you alternately sad, angry, incredulous and hopeful about the American public school system. Kozol graphically details the plight of our urban school districts, and the intricate and seemingly inextricable web of poverty and ignorance into which these children have been thrown.
Kozol presents a convincing argument for overhauling the current public school financing system, and promoting desegregation, all while remaining realistic about the possible obstacles, pitfalls, and public reaction.
This book isn't for the faint of heart; the state of many of these schools will shock and appall you. Too bad - read it anyway.
Kozol presents a convincing argument for overhauling the current public school financing system, and promoting desegregation, all while remaining realistic about the possible obstacles, pitfalls, and public reaction.
This book isn't for the faint of heart; the state of many of these schools will shock and appall you. Too bad - read it anyway.
hopecp's review against another edition
4.0
As unsurprising as the disparities described were, it was still shocking with each city, school, and story. It is interesting how many education books I have read focus on the idea of “other people’s children.” Maybe that is inherently a main part of the problem which is why it is so central. Is there really such thing as “other people’s children” in a global sense? And if there is, should there be?
kateloveswords's review against another edition
4.0
A great book dealing with the class and race divide in education - Shame of the Nation is the followup to this book, and it's a retelling of the same statistics and new stories (meaning that nothing has changed in 15 years) - look at my review of Shame of the Nation for more information. The book provides no solutions, but I think it challenges us as teachers to start thinking creatively about how to solve the problems exposed by this book.
nikkigorman's review against another edition
5.0
It's possible this was a reread -- some of the information seemed familiar, but if I did in fact read this book before, it was long enough ago that I no longer retained any of the specific details. I have a lot of respect for Jonathan Kozol and his work for educational equity in America (and may be just a tad impartial because I got to meet him and assist with his appearance at my college during my graduate studies).
Highly recommend if you are interested in or passionate about equity in public schools, racist policies in public education, and the blight of inner city education. The most shocking thing about this book is that Kozol wrote it in the early 90s, and not much has changed in the past 30 years. This book might make you feel outraged (or at least it SHOULD make you feel outraged). It also seems like the solution to the inequities of public education in America is pretty straight forward, but for the inherent underlying systems of white supremacy that perpetuate and deepen the divide between more affluent white people, and lower income Black Americans and other citizens of color, specifically in urban areas. This read helps remind why I strongly believe in public education and the work that I personally do, and inspires me to start thinking about (and hopefully someday acting on) ways to remedy the American public education crisis.
Highly recommend if you are interested in or passionate about equity in public schools, racist policies in public education, and the blight of inner city education. The most shocking thing about this book is that Kozol wrote it in the early 90s, and not much has changed in the past 30 years. This book might make you feel outraged (or at least it SHOULD make you feel outraged). It also seems like the solution to the inequities of public education in America is pretty straight forward, but for the inherent underlying systems of white supremacy that perpetuate and deepen the divide between more affluent white people, and lower income Black Americans and other citizens of color, specifically in urban areas. This read helps remind why I strongly believe in public education and the work that I personally do, and inspires me to start thinking about (and hopefully someday acting on) ways to remedy the American public education crisis.