Chapter 1: Dishonoring the Dead[edit]
In the first chapter of this text, Kozol examines the current state of segregation within the urban school system. He begins with a discussion on the irony stated in the above quote: schools named after leaders of the integration struggle are some of the most segregated schools, such as the Thurgood Marshall Elementary School in Seattle, Washington (95% minority) or a school named after Rosa Parks in San Diego, California (8000% minority). Kozol notes that most of the students within these schools are unfamiliar with the actions of the minority leaders their schools are named after. Kozol goes on to point out the lack of segregation within the urban communities that surround these schools, specifically mentioning the residential segregation in New York City, which matches levels from the 1960s.
Introduction and Chapter 1 Summary The introduction talks about how Jonathan Kozol began teaching and he introduces the book. Kozol lets the reader know what to expect when reading the book. Chapter one is about how schools named after someone in history like Martin Luther King Jr. or Thurgood Marshall are not integrated, they are still segregated. Kozol also mentions how Dr. King said, "as long as the Negros basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one," (33), but right now minorities are moving from larger ghettos to smaller ones. They are trying to get out and move into the suburbs, but when they move out they end up in the same situation.Kozol, at the end of chapter one, talks about how the schools try to instill in the children that they can achieve anything they want to by chanting things like, "yes I can, I know I can." (35). Kozol believes that this does not work because society does not believe that they can. This section of reading uses a lot of examples to support what Kozol is saying. He repeatedly mentions how many of the inner-city schools are not integrated. Kozol is always giving examples of school that are anywhere from 96-99% African American or Hispanic.
Shame of the nation Introduction and Chapter 1 Dishonoring the dead
This week Brittany was the discussion leader.
My first question is found on page 7 of the book.
1.Why do you think that Kozol states that while some rooms were freezing cold other rooms were sweltering hot?
The first thing that I thought about was that there might not have been heat throughout the whole building. Another possibility could be that the building did have heat installed throughout the whole building, but the heat on one side broke. If the school was having trouble with money, they probably couldn't afford to put it in or fix the heat for the other side of the building. The principal might have felt that if she turned the heat up really high, the unheated side of the building mightreceive some heat. The one thing I was wondering was if the majority of the white students were put in the heated section while the African American students were placed in the cold rooms. I would sure hope that there were equal racialproportions of kids in each side of the building.
My second question can be found on page 19.
2. How do you think that the public does not know that for the past 12 years the Unites States has been regressing to segregation? Also how does the public not know that the amount of African American students in a school that has a population of mainly white kids has decreased to lower than it was in 1968?
I think one reason that the public does not know about the regression back to segregation rests in the fact that school officials and the media refuses to call it "segregation". The media, Kozol tells us, calls schools that are segregated as "diverse" schools. This makes the school sound like it has a wide range of students with different ethnicity's including white, black, Hispanic and Asian. However this is not true, instead "diverse" schools are mainly populated by blacks and Hispanics. If the ratios of students races in schools were published I feel the public would notice the segregation, and hopefully become enraged. I think the main reason that our country's regression is hidden from the public is because our leaders don't want to face the facts. The leaders of our country and media do not want to say that people who fought for racial equality have been forgotten.
My third question can be found on page 20.
3. What do you feel about the quote, "To give up on integration while aware of its benefits requires us to consciously and deliberately accept segregation?"
I feel that this is a very brutally honest way of stating the events that are happening throughout the country. The public is giving up on the benefits that all races gained from integration in order to make the racists that still exist more comfortable. Sadly, this will have drastic disadvantages for each and every child in our country. Finally, I think this is a very sad way to honor all those people and Dr. King who fought for racial freedom.
My last question can be found from the pages 23-25.
4. Why do you think that schools names after major equal rights and non segregation leaders are mainly populated by African Americans and Hispanics? Also, why do you think the kids in these schools not learn about segregation laws and leaders?
I think that the kids do not know about the leaders and laws so that they do not realize how unfair they are being treated. I feel that most of the kids just happen to end up at these schools while the "white" people flee. What is happening is just like when the "white flight" occurred years back. I feel that it is a huge shame in our country, that these kids are going to schools named after people who fought for equality, yet in these schools equality is not given.

Chapter 2&3: The Ordering Regime[edit]

Kozol examinesSummary of Chapter 2 and 3
Chapter 2 illustrates how corrupt our education system is in our nation and how all children are not offered the same equal opportunity to a good education. Jonathan Kozol further emphasizes on the inequalities of education funding in the nation and describes how the wealthy are unwilling to throw in money into failing school because they figure, “what’s the point?” He also compares inner city schools possessing characteristics of a totalitarian government or an atmosphere similar to that of a prison. He also iterates the fact that even when the economy and financial markets soar, none of the proceeds go to serve the schools of the poor, where school building’s window frames are rotting and glass panels are falling into the street.

Chapter 3 further emphasizes how different inner city schools are compared to suburban schools. Kozol describes inner city schools as “embracing pedagogy of direct command and absolute control….the teacher who is the stimulus and the students who respond” (64). He provides an example of when he visited a P.S. 65 school in the South Bronx, describing the silent lunches being instituted in the cafeteria and sometimes even at recess! Even in the classroom if a child were to interrupt or make any sort of distraction, the teacher would make a swift gesture with his or her hand to silent the children. Kozol described it as a “strange salute the teachers gave to the class.” Furthermore, all of the students are divided into 4 levels that separate each other based on their grades and how well they abide by the rules. The students are even assessed on “the way they march along the corridors.” From this notion, he wants to illustrate that schools like P.S. 65 discourage and humiliate their students. the strategy of "one size fits all" within urban public schools. Scripted programs such as 'Success for All' drive curriculum changes, using models adapted from industrial efficiency and Taylorism. In addition, Kozol discusses the naming ritual that permeates the formality of each course taught by the school. Such examples include 'Authentic Writing', 'Active Listening', 'Accountable Talk', and 'Zero Noise'. Teachers in urban school are strongly encouraged to follow these scripted lessons to bring formality and structure to the learning environment. This order is driven by state testing, which leads to anxiety among schoolchildren when their reading level is announced. Students are scored from Level One (lowest) to Level Four (highest), which places them into categories for further instruction. However, these placement scores are used as descriptive terms among students; 'He's a level one', or 'She's gone down to a level two'.
Chapter 2 and 3 Discussion Leader
My first questions comes from pages 50-53 when Kozol is talking about inner-citypre-K in New York City and how even though many of the children apply for pre-K; they are not accepted. Then a page or two over Kozol talks about how inMilwaukee the children are able to go to pre-K in a program called Head Start.
(1) My Question is if people know how important it is for children to go to pre-K , why doesn't the New York school system step up a Head Start program for inner-city children?
I think one of the reasons why NYC does not do this is because since there are so many inner-city children, the cost would be outrageous. I think some of the middle class and upper class who can afford to donate extra money to their children's schooling should have that money go towards the pre-K program for inner-city children. I know the parents are not going to want to do that, but I feel something needs to be done.
My second questions comes from page 65 when Kozol goes into the school P.S. 65 and there is a new rule that the children are to eat lunch in silence and if they misbehave, they will have to have a silent recess.
(2) I want to know what you guys think about the silent lunches and silent recess if a child misbehaves?
I think this is a stupid rule. I think part of learning to talk and also solve problems comes from talking with peers your own age. I work at the Children's Center here on campus and we tell the child when they get into a little argument with another child to try and talk it out and try to solve the problem between themselves before coming to a teacher. I feel that if the children are not able to talk during lunch how are the able to acquire these skills? I also do not think that the children should be punished with a silent recess if they misbehave. Children need to go outside, run around and use up their energy; it is good exercise for them.
My third question comes from page 66 when Kozol is talking about how there are several teachers teaching in the inner-city schools who just took a summer short-order preparation and have had no previous teaching training.
(3) I would like to know if this is even legal?
I am sure that this is legal, but is seems a little sketchy to me. How can someone teach children when they have had no previous experience and all they took was a summer course? People wonder why the child are not doing well in school. I think in order for these children to do well they need a teacher who actually has a teaching degree and knows what he/she is doing and talking about.
My final question comes from page 82 when Kozol talks about how the only way teachers are able to hang up art work or work of the children is if they fix the mistakes or spelling errors that the children made.
(4) I want to know if you think this is degrading the children?
I feel that this is not right at all. I know kids are going to make mistakes when spelling or doing an art project, but don't we expect that. They are not high school level spellers and we should not expect them to be, they are still learning. Also how would the children feel when they see their art work and realize that it was changed? Would they feel like they are not good enough?

Chapter 4: Preparing Minds for Market[edit]
Within this chapter, Kozol continues to look at the curriculum shifts found in urban schools, which are nowhere to be seen in more affluent suburban schools. Increasingly, teachers are encouraged to weave 'work-related' themes into the lessons throughout the day. This trend starts at the elementary school level with 'Help Wanted' signs, classroom jobs labeled as 'managers', and students keep 'earnings-tracking' charts on their desks. Learning itself, is further taught as a 'possession' and not something one 'engages' with. The influence of managerial thinking continues into urban high schools, where students are strongly encouraged to select a 'career path' during their freshman year, so they may tailor their course work. Among the choices not marketed is a college education. The curriculum additions are often influenced by local corporations and business leaders. Kozol points out that many of these corporations place great importance on 'team players', and the walls of urban school classrooms are plastered with corporate brands and managerial themes.
Chapter 4 Summary
“I’m in the business of developing minds to meet a market demand,” says a principal in charge of one of the many inner-city, racially segregated schools that now follow an “industry-embedded education” system that focuses primarily on preparing students for entry-level jobs upon graduating. Kozol illustrates how these schools expect children as young as kindergarten to start thinking about what jobs they may want and begin preparing for them. An emphasis is usually put on managerial positions, with some schools assigning the kids classroom roles such as “Coat Room Manager, Door Manager, and Line Manager,” and teaching kindergartners how to “negotiate.” In this chapter, Kozol is able to create a micro view of this issue. A memorable section includes the discussion of a bright young high school student who becomes trapped in the Culinary Arts curriculum despite academic promise and capabilities of going to college. This story pulls at the reader’s heart strings and further connects them to the children who are burdened with this type of education, or lack there of.
Chapter 5 Summary
Chapter 5: The Road to Rome[edit]
In this chapter, Kozol looks into the damaging effects of high stakes tests, specifically on inner-city children who are almost destined to fail as a result of limited resources. In these schools, drastic and specific measures are taken to raise scores, usually at the expense of any freedom or flexibility in the curriculum. The schools adopt blanket teaching materials that have been compared to military manuals.
Kozol also calls attention to the negative physiological effects these tests have on the children who take them. In L.A., standardized tests are given to children as young as 5 or 6, who without strong reading skills become frustrated to the point of crying and wetting their pants. Furthermore, the children who do not perform to standard are being forced to repeat multiple grades, which increase the likelihood that the student will drop out by 90%.
The subjects that are not included in these high stakes tests, such as geography, history, and science are no longer being taught, consequently lowering the quality of education for students in low performing schools. Music, art, and recess, and even portions of the summer break are also being excluded in order to maximize test preparation time.
This chapter discusses standardized testing and how it has affected inner-city school systems. The curriculums in such schools that rely on these scores for their funding, and in some cases the ability to keep their doors open, have morphed into institutions where the only subject matter allowed to be taught is what has the potential for showing up on these standardized tests. One thing that is attention grabbing in this chapter is Kozol’s cynicism. He writes, “Numbers become everything. Live by rubrics, die by an accidental dip in yearly scores. And to the winners go the extra $15,000.” This tone allows leaves no room for the reader to question Kozol’s stance on the issues he is discussing. He is clearly upset with how important these tests have become and how much they are taking away from quality education.