Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools | Jonathan Kozol

Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools | Jonathan Kozol | People running this country are Evil

books:

Savage Inequalitie...

	Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools Jonathan Kozol Harper Perennial, 1992 - 262 pages average customer review:based on 148 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

A Depessing Reality

Having taught for more than 5 years and worked in impoverished schools, I can say that the schools depicted in "Savage Inequalities" are all too real. Those who dismiss this book as "liberal propaganda" are either completely ignorant or blind.

The lack of equalities in our schools in America is a tragedy. Jonathan Kozol documents specific incidents of this tradegy in Illinois, New York, New Jersey, and San Anontio, Texas. While many of these cases in the book are worst case scenarios, the reader must ask why this happens. The richest country in the world should not send children to schools that are grossly ineligible to meet the children's needs. Particularly in the age of that illogical document "No Child Left Behind", some schools can not meet the standards if they can not even provide enough books or a warm safe place. There can be no equality in this country unless a basic education is available to those most willing to learn.

What disturbs me most about this book is the blatant racism that excludes impoversished students from better schools. Even though a student may have the skills to succeed in the "rich school", they are denied because of an imaginary line established by a politician. Without the ability to attain the best education, a young mind is being starved. The social mobility promised by this country is non-existent until this is changed.

"Savage Inequalities" stimulated so many thoughts in me that the space allotted for this review is inadequate. Even though the book is dated, I hope it makes as many of my fellow Americans angry as it made me.

for more information click here

People running this country are Evil

This is more of in respond to "Sorcia"'s review of the book and it is because of people like that that racism and inequality exist. Although Mr. Kozol does visit the worst and best school the problem is the racial action, sure there will always be the half and half not but when the half-not are mostly minorities because the government traps them there- that is unfair. And yes they are force to live in that lifestyle, obviously someone did not read the book closely, they have no choice! If society (the rich) and the government will only help to better their education then they will have an opportunity to escape their lifestyle. How dare they be greedy and selfish and try to keep others from succeeding, just so that their kids move ahead. This book is a reality. I am part of the average American and although we have supplies and equipment, teachers let me and many other students get away with many things and let us move ahead to other classes, although we aren't prepared for it. Although this book was repetitive and at times boring, it still made me angry that such thing is going on in this country, above all because supposedly this is a country of opportunities but apparently the American dream is only for white people and that is a reality that if you can't see then you are ignorant. It is harder for a minority to succeed in this country than it is for white and not because white people are smarter, it's because the government and society makes it difficult for non-whites. And even today this is going on, Kozol was right, this problem is not going to change unless people start admitted that they are racist and start really making everyone in this country equal, with equal opportunities to succeed or fail. Although slavery was abolish over 100 years ago, a lot of people still have that mentality that minorities are inferior and that is not true, but as I said unfortunately this mentality still exist and the government and society is still treating us as inferiors and trying to mask it as though they are not. I am not saying that all whites are evil, but some running and living in this country are. This is my opinion.

for more information click here

A Book for All Educators

This is an excellent book, and anyone in education should read it. From 1988 to 1990 Kozol author of Savage Inequalities Children in America's Schools traveled to and visited many different areas and schools. He did this because of his interest in racial segregation, which still went on in places. He wrote about segregated vs. wealthy school districts, including interviews he had with students and administrators.
He states, "Early in my journey, to attempt to listen very carefully to children and, whenever possible, to let their voices and their judgments and their longings find a place within this book. The following are some examples of what is in the book. "The toilet stalls, which are eaten away by red and brown corrosion, have no doors. The toilets have no seats..." This is the look from one of the better schools. Classrooms have old equipment and sometimes no equipment at all. An Introductory Home Ec class helps to train students in fast food places like McDonald's and Burger King.
The children Kozol talked to are smart. They have dreams, that can't be achieved, due to circumstances that were never in their control. Most of these students won't go to college, but instead join the military and fight for things they can't have and enjoy. Many poor districts received less money, do to taxes and state funding. Administrators agreed money would make a difference. New equipment and repairs can be made and the children will be in a better environment and can have a better education. Others believe that money won't make a difference.

for more information click here

A student review

Jonathan Kozol's book Savage Inequalities is based on the segregation and inequality in public education of which is unfair for children who are all born innocently into this world. Kozol has many interesting and factual ideas but once you get into the third chapter they all seem to be repeating themselves and creates a boring momentum. I fell asleep at least several times reading this book. Kozol however he thought that he might have implied it in his reading, failed to include in his writing that the segregation and inequality in public schools take place everywhere in the U.S. Kozol wrote this book in 1991 and heavily focuses on schools in N.Y. and in N.J. whcih both have their own chapter of focus. Today both New York and New Jersey have the highest state average expenditures per pupil in the country at $10,000 when the average per pupil for the country is $7,000. Kozol neglects to show any interest in many states where student expenditures fall very short of the country's average such as Utah which has the lowest expenditures of about $4,000 per student, Mississippi $5,014, Arkansas $5,033,Idaho, Florida,Tennessee, Oklahoma...Even then it is only until you reach the end of the book that Kozol moves to investigate schools in states other than on or near the East coast. Seemingly, he just throws in Austin,Texas and Oakland, California at the end as only a small part of an inclusion in his argument. Unfortunately and very sadly segregation and inequality still to this day takes place everywhere and throughout this country, education is something that should not be tampered or bothered with such ignorance and selfishness. The issues addressed and the argument that Kozol brings up is such a confrontational one that the book should have been written better in order to really give a good and justly argument, which is difficult to do when the book can't even keep your attention.

for more information click here