Race and Education
Dubois and Garvey Groups,
What is Kozol's main thesis or argument in Savage Inequalities?
Do you see this problem still persisting now? If so, how?
What are the most important factors for successful academic achievement?
Why are these the most important factors for individuals to be
successful academically?
What is Kozol's main thesis or argument in Savage Inequalities?
Do you see this problem still persisting now? If so, how?
What are the most important factors for successful academic achievement?
Why are these the most important factors for individuals to be
successful academically?
Kozol's main thesis in Savage Inequalities is the unequal and unfair distribution of black students in under privelaged, under funded, urban schools; and the vicious cycle that poor education creates in a community by decreasing the oppertunity that its people have to prosper beyond its limiations.
Although this book is based off of research from the late 1980's and early 1990's, the problems that Kozol addressed in his book are still present today. As a primary and current example of such travesties, the New York Times recently published a story about an Alabama school that is rezoning its districts in a seemingly racially baised way. Put out just last Monday (9.17.07) the article discusses the movement of hundreds of children, "all but a handful black" from suburban (high-performing) schools, into urban (low-performing) schools due to "overcrowding." Although the No Child Left Behind law states that this movement is essentially illegal, Alabama doesn't seem to care, none the less find anything wrong with it. However, what is perhaps more disturbing is the fact that such low performing, under funded schools still exist and that the school overhead is trying to populate them with black and minority students, rather than make acceptable for any race.
Such schools lack the fundamentals for academic achievement, which include: proper funding for the maintenance of the building, teacher salaries that are high enough to provide incentive for good teachers, and adequate school supplies. These are just essential pieces to become functional, yet, many schools lack even these basic needs. Still, if such things are supplied, then children will find a way to learn and teachers will find a way to teach, it is just a matter of meeting the essential necessities of people first.
For an individual to be successful acedemically it must start early in development, from ages 4 or 5 and up. Children with pre-school experience are stastically better acedimically than those with just kindergarten because the earlier skills such as reading and logic are instilled the better adapt a student is to learning them. However, even more essential, are adequate institutions to be taught in by teachers that ingauge each individual. Thus, smaller class sizes are necessary. Generally, 15-25 is a good range for one teacher to have. Although I'm sure there are other factors that would help an individual to be better off acedemically, following a structure like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is a good place to start.
Reply to this
Kozol’s main argument is that, at least at that point in time, there were lots of injustices occurring in the public schools. Some schools had a lot of money going to the students in the school, while other schools had very poor buildings and resources. Often times these students were in buildings that were literally falling down around them, and they had very few financial resources to spend on basic supplies. He felt that these injustices were fairly easy to see, and felt that the government needs to do something to make sure that the state finds a way to equalize all of the schools. He felt that school is what divides people into those that are going to succeed and those that are going to fail in life, and that it would only be right to give everyone an equal chance to succeed.
I do believe that this is a problem that still persists in today’s society. In fact, I know this to be the case right here in Indiana. I went to an intercity high school my freshman year in South Bend where whites were actually a minority. However, I moved and went to an all white high school my Junior and Senior year. I can honestly say that these schools were no where near on the same scale. At my intercity schools we had few computers, poor teachers, and very few extracurricular activities. On the other hand at my second high school we had laptops for every class, excellent teachers, AP and ACP classes, and more extracurricular activities than one could ever hope to join. I was able therefore able to firsthand observe how two high schools, that are very close geographically to each other, can have so unequal distribution of wealth and resources.
I believe that one major important factor is the quality of teachers. Teachers that really engage the students and encourage them to do better, are a resource that is incredibly valuable. I also think that the resources that a school has, meaning the textbooks, the computer labs, and science labs really play apart. The students are able to see how much money is put into their education, and they subconsciously are bound to want to do better if they believe that people really care about them. This is the reason why these factors encourage kids to do well in school.
Reply to this
Kozol’s main argument is that lower class urban area schools are highly under privileged. Resources are not equally distributed to these areas and their facilities are out of date. Not only do they lack resources but they also have a poorer teaching staff. The communities that these schools are in are often just as neglected as the school itself. These injustices cause the children to not have an equal opportunity to succeed.
These problems definitely still exist today. This book takes places in the late 80’s through early 90’s; schools systems have not changed that much since then. Segregation, underfunding, understaffing, and out dated building are still present.
First of all the kids need to have textbooks and quality teachers. Without good enthusiastic teachers the kids do not stand a chance. I think the need for textbooks is an obvious one. How can kids be expected to learn how to read if they do not even have books? They also need to have adequate funds to purchase up to date classroom supplies like utensils for labs and to maintain the buildings. Kozol described many laboratory classes that could not even participate in class because they did have the right supplies. Classrooms cannot be too overcrowded. Smaller class sizes allow for more one on one time between teacher and student to properly meet the kids needs.
Reply to this
The argument that Kozol presents in his book is simple. He is saying that the disparities that plague underprivileged schools is unjust. It just so happens that these schools happen to be in the urban areas where only black students can attend. Moreover, his argument goes to say that the government that could directly contribute to the assistance and increased education of these underprivileged students choose not to and they blame the people of the community for not doing more. Definitely, these issues are still present. I went to an all black high school for the first 2 years of my life and then an all white school for the last 2 years of my life. I feel that it is important to state that the all white school that I attended was not necessarily the most privileged school but had significant advances to the black school I went to. In my personal opinion, there is no reason why there should be so great of spread in opportunity. There is no other association to make but that race plays the factor. Even on a local level, government is more likely to assist the school system than it is to help out the black school systems. One piece of evidence is the fact that the white school system had plans of building a multi-million dollar project to construct a school to replace the old one that receives fancy renovations each summer. The black school on the other hand, does not receive anything of the sort. Many of the changes that take place are within the athletics department. I personally feel that is wrong because one can conclude to say that the only good that can come out of these schools is an athlete. Furthermore, the most important factor to the success of education first and foremost is the security of faculty. Just as Kozol presented on several occasions, many of the black schools have to make due with permanent substitutes that could potentially not even care what happens to those children after that academic term. Beyond that I feel a sense of security that provides for an environment of learning is also essential. Materials are least important but at the same time are important. The reason they come last is because there are several different types of teaching methods in which materials are least important.
Reply to this
Kozol's main argument is that urban schools with high percentages of minorities are not equally funded as the other schools outside of the urban areas. They are extremely underfunded and they have a lck of supplies, teachers, and books. This in return destroys the community because children are not getting the education they need. This continues to hurt the communities that these families live in.
Reading this book was a real eye opener. I am not from a large city so I never realized that schools were this horrible. This book was written more than 15 years ago but I still believe this is a huge issue. Properties in the urban areas just aren't worth as much. A lot of the money for schools comes from property and income taxes that people in urban areas simply just don't have. This is what is causing such a big issue. Wealthy people in the suburbs have nice houses and properties. All of these things are taxed and these taxes go into the wealthy surburban schools.
The most important factor in academic achievment to me is getting to the kids before they are too old. You can't expect to educate kids at an older age. Kids that are 5 years old need the best education possible to learn the fundamentals. They need to be able to understand letters and numbers which will give them the ability to start doing basic math and reading.
Many of the kids in the urban schools simply have not been given the tools to suceed at a young age. By the time they get to their upper level classes they are so far behind that they are destined to fail. Thats why I feel this was the most important factor to academic achievement.
IF the urban schools had the BASICS such as books, good teachers, and supplies I think there would be a substantial difference. It may take several years to improve urban schools but you have to start somewhere.
Reply to this
Kozol's main argument is that of urban, inner city schools being under funded, unequal school systems in our nation's major cities. He also argues as to why it is impossible for inner city schools to not get funding but, as in St. Louis, all you have to do is cross a bridge and you are in one of the most funded school systems in that state.
To this day, the problem still persists because even if inner city schools are being given "more" funding it still hasn't changed much because many school building are still not adequate to have school children in them, they still don't have enough books for their classes, they still aren't offering a better atmosphere for the students away from home.
The most important factors for a school system to be succesful is a standing, adequate building for the students to learn safely and comfortably in. There has to be school supplies that last the whole year; books, pencils, lab supplies, paper,etc. A faculty that is actually there and cares about their students, people that are in the school because they want to be, not because this is the only job they could find.
These factors are all important because students sometimes need to get away from their family lives and school gives them that home away from home. If the building isn't up to par, then why would the student want to go to school?? if there isn't any paper or lab supplies to learn with, then why would anyone go to school? It is obvious that these factors are important for the schools to generate succesful individuals.
Reply to this
Kozol's book, Savage inequalities, is arguing that segregation is still very prevalent in all different parts of the country. It is sad to see this especially after Brown V. Board of Education which was supposed to end segregation. He visits these different cities from the West, East, and Southern states and segregation is still a problem in all places. Money is terribly distributed, and a lot of the urban areas are receiving 1/4 of the money that is being received in the middle to upper class suburban areas. These urban schools don't have the funds to even have enough text books for the children, the school facilities are incapable to even carry on most classes, some of the teachers are uneducated, and the teacher to student ratio is horrible. There is a lot more than this, but it would take up an entire page. These areas are rejected by the suburbs and segregation is bigger now than even times in the past.
This problem is definitely still around, and it is even worse now in some areas than before. It is in every city, even in Indianapolis. You look at the suburbs around the city and the majority of schools are wealthy areas with million dollar facilities just for sports. Even my highschool had a 2 million dollar locker room. You go downtown and you compare the cities' facilities with the suburban rich highschools and the differences are ridiculous. This is just one example. You can see this in every city.
There are several important factors for successful academic achievement. The first one being the people who run the school. You can not run a successful program unless you have a sufficient number of teachers and faculty that are qualified. The second would be supplies like texts and lab equipment. How can you teach something and expect the kids to learn it without having something to look to. One more thing that I believe is necessary is a wide curriculum. If you just teach the kids enough to get by tests it will not set them apart. Having choices is what makes people unique and set apart from the crowd. In Savage inequalities, several people talk about how it has nothing to do with financial status, but having money is the only way you can get sufficient facilities and supplies.
Reply to this
Kozol argues that the majority of schools deemed 'bad learning institutions' are in that condition due to people disobeying typical state law and other statutes that would privilege all schools with the same funding for textbooks, teachers, and other forms of educational tools. He infers that these underprivileged schools are compiled of mainly minority based populations.
This problem definitely still persists. As I recently stated in class; a perfect example of this huge differences in schools in a small geographical area would be Northwest Indiana. The Lake county public schools hold a very diverse group of people, but the schools themselves hold a very segregated group of people. Many of the minority based schools in the county have much lower mean test scores in many of the various high school tests. This could definitely be attributed to Kozol's theory. I'm unsure if there is a direct correlation, but it is very probable.
The most important factors that contribute to academic success are the tools provided to young people in public schools. Without the proper educational tools, there is no possible way any young student can be successful in achieving a college future.
Reply to this
Kozol informs us of the lack of education that blacks are receiving in urban areas around the country. The sad thing is that there are many things that could be done by the federal, state and local government to improve the schools and communities in which they are in, but no one is willing to undo this vicious cycle. I believe that those with the power to change this injustice want to keep blacks impoverished, hopeless, and uneducated. It’s bad enough that the students are not receiving a quality education, but on top of that they are going to schools in horrible conditions. Who is going to want to learn in an environment where there are no windows, outdated textbooks, heating and cooling problems, unsanitary restrooms, etc?
When I read the book I was in shock to believe that this was America, where everyone is supposed to be treated equal. It makes you think that you are reading about a Third World country instead of the wealthiest country in the world. The problems that Kozol discussed in his book are still present today even though we have the No Child Left Behind Act created by the Bush administration. I continue to see television shows and specials about some of the schools in the US. The similarity between the time that Kozol did his research and now is that this inequality is still occurring in urban areas. We are still faced with schools that are in horrible condition, have outdated materials, and teachers who don’t care about their student’s success. I believe that blacks are brainwashed to think that they are nothing, will never be or amount to anything, and that this issue is normal. Some of the children that Kozol talked to said they were use to the way things were and didn’t have many expectations for themselves. It had been an ongoing cycle from one generation to the next. One of the teachers in the Advance Home Ec. class from the school in East St. Louis stated that the students were being trained for fast food jobs at places like McDonald’s and Burger King. I know many people who would be satisfied with this or believe that this is the way they are supposed to live.
I attended public schools from the 1st -12th grade in Indianapolis. Though people look down on public education, I am still a proud graduate and product of the public school system. There were some areas where my education could have been better, but I believe that I took advantage of the opportunities and resources that were available to me so that I could learn more and make something of myself.
Having a healthy and stable environment in which you live and attend school, being surrounded by people (family and teachers) who actually want to see you succeed, students that want to learn, and having teachers who enjoy what they do are fa
Reply to this
Kozol's main argument in his book, Savage Inequalities, is that lower class, urban schools are underfunded and given less chance of success by both government and society, therefore children who attend these schools are given an opportunity at a decent education far inferior to there peers at private, better funded schools. Also, another fact that Kozol points out is that the percentage of minority students in these under funded schools is alarmingly high, which only adds to the disturbing cycle in their communities of poor education leading out poor jobs and lack of opportunities for people in these communities to better themselves.
I firmly believe that this problem still exists today, and actually think that it has only gotten worse. The facilities that were already unacceptable and run down over 15 years ago when this book was written have had little done to many of them even to this day, which obviously just leaves them even more outdated. I personally was lucky enough to go to a private high school, and seeing the advantages that I was given for attending that school compared to some of the urban schools in downtown Indianapolis, I now see more than ever that something needs to be done about this increasing problem. While I am not saying that the education I received at my school was superior, I am saying that the opportunity for a better education was definitely there.
The first, obvious answer in order for students to achieve academic success is that they have to have outgoing, engaging teachers. Teachers are the main component in making kids "want" to learn. The enthusiasm that a good teacher can bring to a classroom is contagious to their students, and completely necessary for academic success. Also, not only should the students certainly have textbooks, but they should make sure that they have "updated" textbooks, learning from old, outdated texts certainly does not do anything to help kids achieve success in today's world, where many things have changed since these older texts were written. Certainly not the last thing, but another very important factor to me in education today is teaching kids how to properly use computers and the internet. With the amount of business done on computers and the wealth of knowledge that kids can get from the internet, not properly teaching them how to use these tools is absolutely unacceptable.
These are the most important aspects to me at least for children to achieve academic success because, by giving kids these opportunities and skill sets now, not only are they getting the education that can help them at a young age, but they are building a base of knowledge on which they can continue to expand well into their professional careers.
Reply to this
Kozol's main thesis in "Savage Inequalities" is that urban schools with the majority of their students in the minority are under-funded and don't get as much attention as those schools in suburban settings. He also focuses on the cycle that is created by limiting the opportunities for these students.
The issues Kozol discussed in this book are still prevalent today. Schools in poor, urban areas still do not get enough funding and thus are unable to hire good teachers and keep their facilities up to date. Also, since a lot of places are still segregated, their is not equality. There are still vast differences between urban, suburban and rural schools.
The most important factors for successful academic achievement are up-to-date textbooks, enthusiastic teachers and interest. These three things are crucial for all students. Students cannot be expected to learn as much if they don't have the right tools, which includes not only up-to-date textbooks but also many other tools that will help them learn and understand what they need to. Enthusiastic teachers are a huge part of the necessity. If teachers are not enthusiastic, they shouldn't expect their students to be either. Which leads into interest. If teachers are able to generate an interest, the students will be more apt to learning.
Reply to this
Kozol's main point he wanted to get across to his readers was to emphasize how schools are still vastly segregated. Schools in the inner city are underfunded and lack basic resources needed to provide children with the same academically minded opportunities as children in a different school district that may only be 10 minutes away. Some of these basic resources are things such as text books, classrooms, and doors to the bathroom stalls. They're things I take for granted everyday.
This book along with Kozol's other book which I read last year opened my eyes to all the segregation still going on today. It wasn't as prevalent to me before hand. I grew up in a decent neighborhood and went to a "preppy" school (deemed by everyone who knew of my school) The poorer kids in my area growing up went to a different school than I did and it was predominantly black but they were still much better off than anything in these two books. I'm sure this kind of segregation is still going on. It's a vicious cycle that is just about impossible to break from and the most people seem to do about it is read books like these and think "what a shame" and then go on to the next part of their day. Even if someone did want to help, who would know where to begin? It's not just the lack of money. It's a whole ideology now. Even the teachers in those schools lose hope for their students and lose the drive to teach them. Many of the interviews through out the book talk about how money isn't the key issue anymore. It'd take a lot more than money to help these schools and the kids in them.
I think one of the most important factors in acedemic achievement comes from the teachers themselves. I feel that even if the school lacks resources for the teacher, if the teacher himself still has a drive to give the kids hope for a future that maybe the kids themselves will retain some hope. But once their teacher begins to lose hope, drive, energy, and enthusiasm towards the kids and their future, then why should the kids care? If the teacher doesn't care, who should expect the students to? I think everyone needs someone to care for and about them. Someone outside of their family just because family is kind of a "give-me" But even inside your family, if someone cares about whether you succeed or not makes all the difference in the world. That means that someone will take the time to push you and celebrate with you if do succeed and if not then they'll be there to help you get back up. If no one is there then no one will care if you get back up or not. No one will help you get back up and no one will celebrate with you if you do get back up. The students in this book have lost the care from their state and government and are slowly losing it from their own teachers and other school staff. Pretty soon the light of the candle will go out completely if no one is going to be around to keep the fire burning
Reply to this
Kozol's main assertion in Savage Inequalities is that segregation in public schools still exists in today's society. He also shows how these segregated schools face huge challenges that are not faced by schools in more affluent and (and often more white) suburbs. Funding is one of the biggest of these challenges, which results in slum-like buildings, inability to retain teachers, very low test scores and overall bad morale.
Although this book was written over a decade ago, these problems still exist today. The structure of funding has not changed for our public schools, leaving those areas with little property value much less money for public schools. Also,it is still the case that students who live in the inner cities are predominately minority. Few of these types of districts have made strides toward busing these children into less segregated school systems, or instituting other programs which might help to lessen segregation.
While motivated faculty, up-to-date textbooks and a nice facility all are important factors in academic achievement, I would argue that they are not the most important. To me, the most important factor in attaining high academic standards is the will of the children. Children who are surrounded by teachers who don't care, a building resembling a slum and parents and peers who do not value education will lose faith in academics. Integrated schools, however, would allow segregated and low income children to intermix with those children from more affluent and education-oriented backgrounds. I think that these peers would have a profound affect on the segregated child's will to succeed.
Reply to this
Kozol’s main thesis in Salvage Inequalities is depicting that during the time of his research, inner – city schools lack the quality that would enable students to receive a decent education. The suburban schools are overpopulated, underprivileged and lack the funding to provide a proper education for less fortunate children. Kozol discusses how although many of the students are black there are also poor communities whose school systems are lacking where white children go to get an education. By talking with teachers, Kozol shows the impact of a poor education on children. Without the proper education paths will not be paved to strive in life, creating a vicious cycle for these children.
I think the problem of inequality and lack of funding in inner – city schools is still present today. To the reader, Kozol’s research may seem somewhat outdated however, not much has changed in the past 20 years since his research has been published. There are still inner – city schools that are under funded that cant provide its students with the proper education. They still lack enough materials for each student to learn successfully and without the will to learn, students are not going to succeed.
In order to achieve academically, it is important to have the will to strive to learn and do the best that you can. In Kozol’s book, in order for students to be successful in school, it is important for them to be taught by the proper educators. Each student should be able to receive his or her own textbook and learn in a classroom that is not overpopulated with any instruction. Students need to be instructed in a way that will keep them interested and be in an environment that is comfortable for them. Schools also need the proper funding in order to make all learning possible. I think it is ridiculous that the lack of funding in schools provides such an inhabitable learning environment for students.
All of these factors contribute to academic success because by having an education, a person is able to succeed in life. If not by working in a top corporation, they will still have the satisfaction of having a high school diploma and knowing that all of your hard work has paid off. By having the proper educators, students will be able to learn all aspects of certain subjects. It is important to have a teacher that is so passionate about a subject that it makes the student want to learn. It is important for places of education have enough funding to provide each student with his or her own textbook. This is important because each child deserves to read and learn in an individual style. If each student has a textbook, they could be able to learn and read and research and explore on his or her own, making their minds grow everyday. Learning enables students to feel good about them and to feel accomplished, and by having all of the right tools and educators learning could be a success for many people.
Reply to this
The argument that Kozol makes in his book Savage Inequalities is that regardless of the outcome of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 schools are still racially segregated. This racial segregation is apart of a cycle. Funding, school/ teacher quality, and the student outcome; the location of a school determines the amount of funding it receives, based on property tax, the funding received by a school enhances it resources which increases teacher and school quality, the quality of the teacher/school increases the success of a student, the success of that student will influence the success of the community, the success of the community influences the economy of the community, and this in turn influences the funding toward that school .
The problem does still exist in today’s time. In Indianapolis there are two public school systems. There is the (IPS) Indianapolis Public School System and the Township Public School system. It is not a by chance that the IPS system has less funding, fewer resources, fewer teachers, more students, and more minorities. The township schools often have more AP courses offered, more teachers, more extra curricular activities, more funding, and fewer minorities.
The most important factor for successful academic achievement is equal funding used wisely. This is because everything else spans from the funding of schools. Inadequate funding results in fewer resources, more issues and stress, and less learning. If there is adequate funding in a school system along with up to date facilities, resources, and better teacher to student ratios then children would have the ability to focus solely on their school work rather than being distracted by their school’s environment. It is important to see that equal funding would be beneficial, but it would also require the community to improve. If students are going to school hungry, worried about violence, tired, stressed, sick, or a combination of all the above, it is very hard for a teacher or school system to teach that student.
Reply to this
In “Savage Inequalities,” Kozol argues that unequal education is present in many areas in the United States in the 1980s-1990s. Many urban public schools are underfunded and are presented with fewer resources than more successful suburban schools. Moreover, many individuals including parents of students attending more successful schools are actually preventing children of urban schools to receive equal opportunity in education. Kozol states that the lack of resources and the poor educational environment instills a sense of failure in the children; many children from these schools drop out and do not attend post secondary education.
Although this study was done two decades ago, the problem still persists now. In general, many inner city public schools consistently rank at the bottom in test scores and graduation rates. If this study was performed again, many of the same areas including Chicago and East St. Louis would still have public schools performing at a low level.
Children are exposed to school for most of the day; thus, much of their influences arise in school. Consequently, the environment in which a child learns is crucial. The class size matters. The quality of the teacher matters. The necessary educational materials (i.e. books, computers, writing utensil, paper, etc) matters. These are all factors that Kozol discusses in “Savage Inequalities.” To a certain extent, money is necessary to provide many of these basic educational needs.
Since children are so moldable at a young age, having quality teachers is vital. A teacher that not only cares about their students but also have the capability to teach well enables students to care about their own lives as well as their education. Furthermore, proper educational materials are necessary. Students not only learn from teachers but also learn from themselves through reading books and texts. In addition, the world is becoming more technologically dependent, and having the knowledge to use such technology is crucial towards succeeding in virtually any field. Having the proper equipment to learn such as computers and laboratories not only serves as a vital teaching method but also encourages students to explorer and discover on their own. And, writing utensils and paper may seem abundant in most cases, but many schools that have students suffering academically do not even have such basic learning necessities.
The community also contributes to academic failure or success. Areas with dilapidated buildings and polluted areas causes health issues both physically and psychologically. Moreover, a proper diet for students if vital for academic success.
Reply to this
Kozol's main argument is that since public schools are still racially segregated today, they cultivate many inequalites of education, all stemming from lack of funding, which in turn produces poor students who serve as excuses for future lack of funds, therefy perpetrating a cycle of inequality.
Since the book was written fairly recently, I believe it is in fact fair to say that the problem still exists today. I went to a public school in Michigan City, IN for 4th and 5th grade, but did not notice this kind of segregation. We had roughly 1/3 black and 2/3 white students. I would say other grade schools in the city were comparable, however I will admit that I never saw them all. It seemed as though our school had about as much funding as the others, as well. I feel like EVERY school I've ever gone to- private or public- has had major necessity for improvement if only funds were available. So, in that sense I'd say personal experience has shown me a fairly equal, though lacking, school system. In this light, my experiences do not mirror those of Kozol, though I do not doubt his exist.
I believe the most important factors for academic achievement in order of importance are support from family, enthusiastic and knowledgeable teachers, and up-to-date knowledge and/or technology.
I place so much emphasis on support from family because I know as a youngster that it was impossible to plan for the far future. Therefore, my drive to "do my best" and color a great picture or be quiet to listen to storytime, and all those other school fundamentals came from the desire to be good at, and to be praised for what I did. If no one cared, I would not have either, and would not have built a foundation for schooling in my future. Enthusiastic and knowledgeable teachers (i.e. GOOD teachers) are also a must! They are the lifeblood of the school system since everything they do impacts the students' knowledge base and ablity TO learn. Lastly, it would be pointless to go to school and learn outdated material. Lessons should be current so that all students can communicate effectively with their peers and with the world.
Reply to this
The main theme in Kozol's "Savage Inequalities" was the disparity between black schools in urban areas, and white schools in the suburbs.
I believe that this problem still exist today. I remember living in Newark, NJ right next to Irvington, NJ which Kozol mentioned in his book, I used to run on the cross country team, but for the most part I remember how in awe we students were when we went to the campus of one of the suburban school. It seemed like they were college campuses. They were that much more advance than our school. They had campuses, and fields, and alot of equipments, while we werent even able to afford new uniforms for the cross country/ track team.
I know alot of people might think the key to academic success is money and other financial means, but i must say I disagree. I think the key to be successful academically is to use your resources wisely. For example, most of the kids in third world countries live and go to school in the same condition as those described in the book, but when the come to America, them boys be smart. The foreign students are typically smarter and have a different outlook on life and education than most Americans do. It is not because they had better fundings, but because they used their resources wisely.
Reply to this
In Kozol's "Savage Inequalities" his main thesis is that urban schools, more specifically those with a heavy minority population, are underfunded and don't get the same attention as suburban schools. With their lack of funds, these school have out of date facilities and poorly trained teachers which results in students that aren't up to par with students in suburban area schools that get more attention and better facilities and teaching staffs.
This problem is definitely still in existence. I'm from Fort Wayne, Indiana and from when I was going through the school system, it was even evident to me then that some schools had more money than others. From what I recall, the schools that got more attention and school funding were outside of the city where the majority of the population were white and the schools that got less attention and little school funding were in the inner-city where the majority of the population were minorities. I can't be sure if this is still true of the school system in Fort Wayne today, but I could see how it could very well still be in existence.
Academic success can be achieved by anyone. Whether they come from a rich background or a poor one, what matters is the mindset of the individual student. Now, I also believe that with up-to-date books/equipment and teachers who care about the success of their students, that students have a better shot at succeed because they'll be more inclined to be interested in their academic futures.
Reply to this
The point of Kozol’s book is to show the large differences between not only the lack of education and the difference in quality. With the many governmental issues of support that he mentions, one would venture to think that the blame for the problems that arise in local school systems lies with the government. However, it is clear that if this is the case, the government has created itself a scapegoat in that of the community. This goes to say that the government feels no need to put money into a system that is already failing because the community decides not to invest in it. What I think those government officials fail to realize is that the communities that need the assistance are not in the positions to help, namely that of East St. Louis, IL. At one time the city was teeming with opportunity and chance for prosperity and now a common way to earn money is through prostitution.
I definitely feel that this issue is still present, namely because when I was younger, I had a series of subtle racial encounters that introduced me to this whole issue of race having ‘power’. In short, I wrestle with an individual who had a Nazi tattoo on his hand and beyond that, he would frequently refer to me by racially demeaning names. As the match continued, the referee, whom I believe was raciest also stated I slammed the guy to hard and was disqualified for three future matches. In my life that may have been an isolated incident, however I know the disparity between race and education still go hand in hand.
In my opinion, the most important factor to successful academic achievement is experienced and passionate faculty. If a school has at least that much, they have unlimited success potential in my opinion.
Reply to this
The point of Kozol's book made a lot of sense to me because I put myself in that situation and being raised in Detroit our school systems are all messed up. I can say that i havent really learned anything through my years of school because of how they taught it or how they didnt teach it. As I was going through school my teachers were always on strike because they wasn't getting paid enough and we would have days off of school just because. This goes along with the book because I wasn't privaleged enough to get a good education, whereas if I would have went to a private school and had to pay then I would have definitely got my money worth. the thing with that is that my family didnt have the money for that, so we had to settle for the worst. I honestly think some change need to be made and money needs to be invested in public schools all around the world, because i know this isnt' just in Detroit.
I also feel that this is going on right now as we speak. I had very few White friends growing up because they wasnt around. When I met my first White friend he was so smart and knew way more than i knew and it was weird talking to him because my level of intelligence wasn't on the same level as his. The only smarts i had was streets smarts. I asked him what school he went to and his response was this school about 40 minutes away from here with all Whites and maybe 5 Black individuals. I was thinking to myself its vice versa for me. I saw one White student through all my years of school until I got to college. When getting here you really see how the schooling has paid off in the past because a lot of things i was supposed to know i had no clue about. I am still learning until this day that i was cheated out of an good education and it hurts when you think about it. This book brough back a lot of memories and how unprivelaged some people are.
The most important factor to me is giving everyone and equal opportunity, regardless of skin color and money. This is the most important factor to me because i feel if Blacks get the same opportunity as Whites then they will take full advantage of it.
Reply to this
In the book Savage Inequalities, written by Kozol, the main argument was that in urban areas around the country blacks are receving below par education. The majority of the students in these urban areas are of the minority and are not being funded the way the people are being funded in the suburbs. Being underfunded is a reason why the government is cheating those kids by giving them a bad education. With the minorities in these urban areas being so high, the government needs to step in instead of backing away because these people need to get a good education just like everyone in the suburbs are getting. On top of not getting a good ecucation, they are getting a bad education while sitting in horrible environments. The schools and classrooms and not taken care of and that is something that needs to be changed.
I definately see this problem still happening in today's world. Back at home, I live in the suburbs and about 15 minutes from where I live is Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland probably has one of the worst education programs in the nation. All of their schools are definately not well kept and they do not use the proper teaching ways that should be followed today. The kids in that community are not getting the right education for many reasons and they are all the same as Kozol was saying. Schools need to offer kids a place where they want to go during the day. Meaning, the government needs to make schools a home away from a home. They need to have clean living conditions to teach in and they need to have up to date everything in the school so the kids are taught the proper stuff.
The most important thing for kids and a successful education is having them start early in a nice environment so they are not scarred to go to school everyday. If they go to school and they hate the way it looks or hate that they are using old smelly books, then they are not going to want to be taught. They are just going to complain and not learn the material that they are suppost to learn. Kids today need to have a proper educationg growing up because it will help them in the future. The government needs to realize what terrible envirnments these kids are growing up in and need to take action sooner rather then when it's to late. I was blessed to grow up in a great environment with great schooling and all that but I really do hate to see kids growing up on a bad education.
If kids today do not have the proper teaching growing up then they are not going to be successful once they move on to further their educations. Kids need to be taught how to live life at an early age because that is when our brains are most open to new things. If we try and teach our kids when they are older it is not going to work as well as if they had a good place to get an educations when they were younger.
Everyone needs to be treated equal and that is something that needs to be adressed by the government in today's society.
Reply to this
The main thesis that Kozol emphasizes in Savage Inequalities is that there is a large population of underpriveledged children living in far below standard conditions. He proves that the majority of these families are non-white citizens and that the state of education is incredibly lower than that of the children living in the suburbs next door. Schools are literally falling apart, do not have the staff or supplies to offer even a sufficient education. A small minority of the students even graduate from high school and those that do at times do not even leave with a reading level above eigth grade. The money spent per student is consistently drastically lower than the amount of money spent per kid in the suburbs. In general, the living conditions, lowered expectations, and lack of opportunities promotes a terrible cycle of poverty and unhealthy living for the minority groups living in these areas.
I do believe that these conditions still exist today. In some areas, there have definately been some strides forward but inner city schools still do not have the resources that schools in the suburbs have in order to give a proper education to the students. A much higher percentage of inner city students still drop out of highschool and a lower percentage go to college. It is evident that the inequality of urban and suburban life still exists.
There are many factors that influence academic achievement. Motivated teachers that expect the students to achieve is one of the most important needs in my opinion. If the students are expected to fail they will, but if they are encouraged and given goals to attain they are more apt to do so. Obviously better facilities and the neccesary supplies are also important in academics. For an individual to succeed they need a support system. A stable family life and availability of teachers to help with struggles is important. To me possibly the most vital aspect, however, is self-motivation and belief that the education will help them to reach a goal that they have for their life. The student needs to feel like the schooling has a purpose and that the education they are getting will be valuable to them.
Reply to this
The main thesis in Savage Inequalities that Kozol is trying to emphasize is the fact that many children who deserve a great education are faced with many inequalities. Many urban schools are receiving unequal funds compared to other schools and segregation is still present. The schools he visited were too crowded, dirty, and understaffed.
This problem certainly still exists today. Many schools still are not receiving enough funding to provide children with a good education. This book was not written long ago enough to take care of all the schools facing problems. Kozol mentions schools in order to cut costs laying off teachers and hiring a large number of permanent substitute teachers. This leads to larger class sizes and the need for students to adjust to so many different teaching styles. Therefore, they are not learning anything.
What are the most important factors for successful academic achievement?
Children should feel comfortable at their school in order for them to have successful academic achievement. This will motivate them to attend school and learn. Also there is a need for permanent teachers and up to date class material. Otherwise students will constantly have to adjust in order to be successful in classes and while
In order to be successful academically, students need to feel like they are equal to other studends along with their chances of success. Otherwise, they will be discouraged and it would be hard to convince them to even try. Children need to learn at an early age how to enjoy and respect everyones differences.
Reply to this
Kozol's main argument in "Savage Inequalities" is that minorities are being mistreated and are not receiving the proper education to acheive their goals and knowledge that others are accomplishing. Urban public schools are also not being supplied with the proper tools compared to those living in suburban areas. He specifically and overtly described the conditions in which these students suffered and how there was little encouragement on becoming successful individuals in the near future due to limited resources. He states that their should be equality amongst these schools no matter who is attending which school. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to lead a hopeful life. It is as if much of the population does not realize what others are going through at such a young age especially in Camden, New Jersey, the fourth-poorest city of more than 50,000 people in America. Many subjects and lessons taught in 1st grade still need to be reviewed at the 6th grade level. It is evident that with an increase in funding in these schools maybe someday these children will have a chance at a better life.
Yes, I see this as a problem still. Even though funding maybe better, schools are still struggling to hire more well rounded teachers, facilities, and equipment. I would have to say Chicago for instance still struggles in poor urban communities. Just by driving past or actually going inside these schools you can see drastic differences from suburban schools. No words need to be said when walking down the halls because it is all explained just by looking at the environment these children have to adapt to each day.
As I'm sure it is obvious that funding, proper working environment, teachers salaries,supplies and equipment are the ideal factors for successful academic acheivement. Kozol mentioned that a school did not have computers and they used typewriters that should have been removed 20 years ago. That is how outdated some schools are and with the focus of these factors we can see improvement of education amongst urban communities.
These factors are important because I look back on my education and if one of these factors were missing I do not believe I would be where I am today. I think I would not have been as motivated and determined to do so well in school knowing that there was no hope for success in the future. Younger siblings see the outcomes of their older siblings and they can predict their future. I think many people would rather not place their children in school if they knew it was not going to make an impact on their life. So why not focus on these factors?
Reply to this
Kozol’s main argument is that urban schools that are mainly minority do not get the same funding and education as a majority white school. This problem is still present today. For example, the Indianapolis Public school system. The system does not receive a lot of funding and is one of the worst public school systems in the country. If you compare IPS to the township schools, the graduation rate is much higher, but these schools are majority white.
The most important factors for successful academic achievement are teachers that are able to relate to the students and understand their needs, school supplies and fairly new text books, places and time to study, and a way to receive help on topics that are not clearly understood.
These factors are important because without them, learning could not take place. Teachers help show students how to learn successfully. School supplies are important because it’s hard to go to school without them. Finding a place and time to study is very important because that’s how you get to become successful. And help is always needed, especially if a topic is not completely understood.
Reply to this
Johnathan Kozol's novel Savage Inequalities investigates the problems and inadequacies of many urban school systems. Kozol finds well supported schools on one side of the city, and underfunded poor schools on the other side. His main argument is that racism and segregation are the source of the problems in American schools. In many of the cities Kozol finds that the affluent suburban schools are predominately white and the poor urban schools are predominately black.
These problems still persist today. You can still find the same racial segregation's between urban and suburban schools. The affluent suburban schools are still getting more funding than many inner city schools. Kozol blames this uneven distribution to funds on the property tax laws. The education systems rely heavily on property taxes. When you live in a poor neighborhood where the property value is low the taxes bring in a low revenue, which then leaves the schools with less funding. This cycle of uneven taxation is ongoing and need to be broken.
When schools are not receiving the proper amount of financial support there is no way that a student can academically succeed. For a student to be successfully they need a proper environment, good recourses, and motivation. In most of the schools Kozol looks at, the buildings were structurally inadequate to hold classes. Overcrowded classes and leaking pipes were just the start of the long list of problems that all served as distractions to students. The schools also lacked in the essential items such as books and even teachers. In one school they started combining classes and using a permanent substitutes instead of the teacher to save money. A permanent substitute most often does not have as much educational background, knowledge or experience as a general teacher. All of these factors add up and would leave a student with little or no motivation. This would intern lead to these students finishing their schooling with a minimal degree, working a low paying job, and never fully achieving anything. The system is clearly unfair and needs to change.
Reply to this
the main argument that Kozol tries to get across is how segregation still exists in the school systems. He not only tries to get across the obvious problems with segregation, but how the lack of money that is given to fund the inner city schools with black children. He also explores the idea that not only is segregation still in existence even after the brown vs the board of education, but how people are not even giving the idea a thought. Many people were still turning their heads and not acknowledging the problem.
I do believe that segregation is still a problem in America today. what we discussed in class regarding the case in Louisville, Ky has a lot to do with this. segregating our children is not going to solve any issues we currently have, only make more arise. i would agree with the thoughts of many in class that it has segregation has actually became a bigger problem as time has gone by instead of getting better. my senior class had only 9 black students to the 400 white students. this is a prime example of why things need to change.
academic achievement is brought upon by teachers who not only have great knowledge, but wisdom and enthusiasm. a student also needs a great since of belonging within the classroom, and school grounds. this goes for any race or ethnic background. before i was a senior in high school i hated history, but i had a teacher that year who loved each and every student in her class. she fought for you to get an A ... she did not give a's. she wanted to see you be successful probably more than most wanted to be themselves. this is the type of teacher that brings the fun back to learning and that is something every student should encounter at some point in the educational experience.
Reply to this
Kozol's main argument is that innercity schools do not have the funds required for students to get a proper education. He explores almost an alternate reality it seems. The schools he visits are urban innercity schools that are funded very little or not at all. The schools have poor working facilities, little or no resources for properly educating students, and are not up to date with the resources. He argues that instead of providing funds for schools in suburban areas which do not really need them, funds should be given to the former; where they would be put to use. Areas like East St. Louis where students are living and "getting their education" in inhealthy conditions and crime ridden ghettos in Chicago, to name just two of his examples, need these funds.
This problem is still around today. Towns near where I grew up have huge stadiums and facilities that look almost like facilties a college would have and just next door in areas in some Hammond and Calumet schools, facilities are run down and there are very little spaces where they can practice far from unhealthy mills and crime violence.
The most important factors for academic acheivement are having teachers who can motivate students to learn, up-to-date resources and texts, and safe and trustworthy facilities. These factors are the most important because the student cannot gain proper knowledge with outdated texts and sources. Teachers need to be able to get students interested and engaged with the materials so they will remeber it. Students will not be concentrated on learning if they are in an atmosphere they feel they can be harmed physically or mentally in.
Reply to this
Kozol's main arguments is that urban inner city schools are more likely than suburban schools to be underprivileged, undereducated, and ultimately are being left behind in society. He also argues that most of these schools are overcrowded and divided by race. The majority of students found in underprivileged schools like in East St. Louis or Camden, New Jersey are all black and Hispanic. Kozol tries to point out how local and federal governments try to but the blame for the conditions of the school environments on the parents or the students themselves. Kids do not choose to go to school in these conditions, and if parents had hope that their kids could have a brighter future they would probably be more involved. These kids have no choice. Is it really about the money that will help make a difference in public school environments, or is it about the parents, or is it really just the society that does not want things or to give opportunities to underprivileged students thus making things change?
Although Kozol did most of his research during the 80s and 90s the problems still persist today. Have we fixed the problems that he pointed out in East St. Louis, Camden, New Jersey, North Bronx and the list goes on. No, the problems still exist today and whats bad is that they are continuing to get worse.
The most important factors for successful academic achievement is to first have a safe environment and clean foundation for students to come to school. If children are not safe in a school that has walls caving in, no toilet paper or clean air vents then how is a child suppose to learn when the majority of the time they are just trying to survive. I think adequate supplies need to be provided to have a successful academic achievements, teachers are needed desperately,parent involvement, and having sufficient school funding/ equal funding provided by federal gov't and city taxes. The list I am sure can go on.
These factors are important because they are currently what go into private or suburban public schools that are making individuals become successful academically. But before suburban and private schools continue to increase their resources and academic programs we need to first increase the education and schooling environment in urban and inner city schools.
Reply to this