Jonathan Kozol's Essay Still Separate, Still Unequal

Savage Inequalities by Jonathan Kozol is an in-depth analysis of America’s public school system and the problems that encompass it. Kozol’s book examines some of the poorest public schools in the United States and attempts to explain how the school or school district plummeted so far into the depths of poverty. Kozol believes that the biggest problem public school faces is segregation, which is still very real in many parts of the United States. Racism and a lackadaisical attitude toward the education of minority groups in America are the roots of the problems that public schools face. In his book, Jonathan Kozol visits a multitude of schools across the country, from poverty-stricken schools to affluent schools.

After few hours reading, “The Sanctuary of School” was written by Lynda Barry, grew up in an interracial neighborhood in Seattle, Washington State. Then, I think this article was interesting to read. I love the way how she told us her past experience by using her own voice to lead us step by step get into her story, then she also shares us about her feeling and how it impacted to her future life. Plus, at the end, she argues that the government should not be cutting the school programs and art related activities. Those programs definitely do help the students and the parents as well. It helped the children learn new things and fill out the empty space that the children need their parent to fill out, but their parent were so busy with works

Tyna L. Steptoe’s book, Houston Bound: Culture and Color in a Jim Crow City explores the significance of Wheatley High School, a public secondary school located in the heart of Fifth Ward, Houston, Texas, established in the 1930s to serve black and Creole students during the Jim Crow era. Despite being segregated, the students at Wheatley did not let this hold them down and instead made the best of the situation by getting heavily involved in their school. Wheatley High School gave their black and creole students tools for advancement and helped strengthen their cultural identity and in a historic period in which racial discrimination attempted to curtail their political and economic potential.

According to the 2011 ACS, (Automated Collection System), the median household income of Dane County’s African American families was $20,664, less than 1/3 the median income enjoyed by White families ($63,673). These statistics showed the problem of income disparity between black and white families. This income disparity might have negative impact in all domain of the black population life such as education, healthcare, etc.….

In his article “ Segregation Now,” James writes about how poor African Americans and Latinos are being segregated in schools today. Segregation still occurs, and it has become worse in recent years. Segregation is still a common circumstance in American public schools. This no longer consists of only white and black students but also other ethnical students. A recent study from USA Today, explained that Latino and African Americans students are more likely to attend schools that are mostly made up of poor students.Meanwhile, white and Asian American students are more likely to attend middle-class schools. Similarly, another study shows that the years between 1993 and 2011, the number of African Americans in schools where ninety percent or more of the student population were minorities increased from 2.3 million to over 2.9 million. Undoubtedly, segregation still exists in our generation and has recently increased over the

During the time in which this book was written, Black Boy by Richard Wright, the separate but equal doctrine instilled by Jim Crow laws were booming. Under Jim Crow, anything that could be done by anyone seemed to be under the analysis of laws to be abided by. For example, it became apparent in Louisiana that whites and blacks could not buy or consume alcohol on the same premises and if it were done, one could be charged with a misdemeanor and given a fine ranging from $50 to $500.

There was just one African-American student at the private school where I spent my childhood. I often wonder how they felt. Looking back a thousand questions spring to mind, but the truth is at the time it never occurred to me to care. The exclusivity of my early schooling coupled with my father’s influence shaped me into a child of comfort, ignorant of issues outside my sphere of understanding. I never thought of myself as indifferent, at least not

In Johnathan Kazol book, shame of a nation he brings up the current problem of segregation in inner city schools, that have only gotten worse since Brown vs. Board of Education. Kazol brought spent a decade with in the schools of Boston, observing students within schools that aren't as privileged as suburban schools in the categories of nice building, supplies and teachers. He also brings up the topic of of tax spending, on how schools in suburbs like Nassau County receive more money than NYC, and how schools even in a couple minute radiation have mast variety of educational opportunities. For example, they offer programs bases on the majority of the ethnicity of the school, a majority white school would have advanced classes and different

Secondly, it is often argued that African Americans are necessary to get educational equality as whites. Base on the data from By Susan Berfield (2016), she revealed the fact that black students still do not receive an equal education in diverse schools. In her explanation, she gave an example about Fleming’s experience. Fleming lived with her husband and her three children. She decided to send her kids to elementary school in south Evanston. At school, she noticed that black students lived separately in the canteen. Her kids also told her that while white students played soccer, black students often played basketball. There is research which shows how African Americans are oppressed by Whites. According to the book of Diamond who is the professor

“Why are you talking like a white person?” she questioned. “I am not”, I responded puzzlingly. “I am not,” she mocked. Consequently as a result of my skin color, society scrutinizes and stereotypes me, but once I open my mouth and speak, they realize I am far from the loud, ignorant black person depicted on television. At a young age, I realized I was different from the "typical" black person. The teasing of my voice and labeling me an “Oreo” damaged my self esteem creating insecurity and frustration. My mother’s action of enrolling me into a private school, and not a public one just gave them another reason to tease me. “You’re not black enough” they would say. Never experiencing the public school system, or favoring rap music, it seemed

An education is one of the most vital aspects of a child’s upbringing. The desegregation of schools has not only proved to universally better the lives of many, but there is a significant societal value to diversity and inclusion. Yet, it is unjust to think that our country should be changing for both races; our country should change on the sole negative consequences of those of color. Director of the Civil Rights Project Gary Orfield sums it up best. Using clear, concise sentence formatting and strong, dignifying language, Orfield states that “it is time to stop celebrating a version of history that ignores our last quarter century of retreat and begin to make new history by finding ways to apply the vision of Brown in a transformed, multiracial society in another century” (Epperly, Jessica). There needs to be more forces of change, working to create a transformed multiracial society, unlike the one we live in

Her mother is originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then she moved to a rural town in Greenwood, South Carolina where she met her husband. Unfortunately, Randolph’s father was hung at age 7. Her mother was a certified nurse and her father was enlisted in the military. Ms. Randolph’s grandmother was like a second mother to her, and very instrumental in her life, which she lived within 5 miles. She would display great excitement when she visits her grandmother every weekend. Her mother was born to a large and close-knit family. She was one of seven siblings, and was also the youngest child.

There are many different issues in this nation. With every issue someone faces a consequence. When it comes to abortion it’s the baby; with animal cruelty it’s the animal; but with racism, it’s the minority. Racism is broken down into so many different fields, and is considered to be one of the most relevant issues in our country today. The three main categories that one should most consider would be the work environment, who people are taught to hang around, and the speech that people use on a daily basis. There are so many people that suffer from these three problems every day, and every day it get worse.

I first learned about segregation in the third grade during Black history month. I guess since I learned in class that it was a thing of the past, I could not see pass that most of my classmates were Black or from other minority groups. Throughout my childhood and adolescence, I was attending predominantly Black and Latino school staff was mainly Caucasian. I believe their presence in the school gave off the illusion that I was in a racially diverse environment, even though there were a lower percentage of Caucasian students in the schools I attended. It was not until I read “Still Separate Still Not Equal” by Kozol, that I was made me aware of this. Kozol spoke of the reasons why schools are still legally segregated in the form of fundings, and quality of education given to minorities versus white students that is partly due to the society as a whole being unaware of this. In the article Kozol talks about how the students' that he met in different states in these minorities filled schools were well aware they was being treated unfairly by their school system. These students were also aware of the fact that there are other schools where their students the opposite. Overcrowded schools, poor school meals, and lack of clean and working restrooms was part of the complaints he heard from students in urban schools. He was asked by students if he could help change their current educational situation. When he questioned officials about this he was told that it is due to the unstable economy. The views of privileged and wealthy do not believe that the funding would help the public school students' problem as if they are unaware of the fact that they spend a lot of money making sure their children get the best education in private schools. Kozol concluded by stating that the time has passed to be figuring out or making excuses as

African- American writings have dealt with manifold themes throughout history. The American Civil War can be considered a break-through in the political as well as literary history. Many texts were born with subtle experiences of racist attitudes in America. Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye can be pinned to the African- American writings after the American Civil War movement of the 1960’s, representing a “distinctively black literature” what Morrison calls “race-specific yet race-free prose”. Morrison is among the pioneer of those contemporary black writers who have redefined African- American writings in more ways than one. This assignment will focus on the aspects of gender bias and double consciousness in The Bluest Eye.