Initial Thoughts
The Shame of the Nation by Jonathan Kozol targets the separation of white and black students that still exists today, despite the Brown v. Board of Education case that ruled that separate is, in fact, not equal. One of the prominent issues of race that was addressed in the American civil rights movement of the 1950-60s was the deep segregation of schools and the clear advantages and amenities given to white schools over black ones. Kozol exposes the fact that this is still continuing today, particularly in reference to inner-city schools in large cities like New York, Chicago, and Detroit.
After reading the first two chapters of the book, I am very intrigued by this topic, especially because it is so different from the education I have received so far in my life. Hopkinton, the town I have grown up and attended school in, is the complete opposite of the underprivileged schools, communities, and towns that are being described in the novel; predominantly white, middle-class families, and a very small, almost entirely white high school student population of ninety-three percent. As a result of these conditions, I cannot relate my education and experiences whatsoever to the students that Kozol has spent time with and interviewed, which is why this topic strikes me.
In terms of the book itself, I really enjoy the author's style of mixing his own personal experiences, written in a straightforward, narrative tone, with more all-encompassing passages about the education system as a whole, using more intellectual, abstract tone and word choice. It is clear even solely from the first two chapters that Jonathan Kozol has a lot of credibility on the topic of apartheid education, which is supported by a multitude of statistics and personal anecdotes to enforce his argument. One passage that particularly appealed to my pathos emotions of sympathy and slight guilt is a dialogue that the author had with a sixteen-year-old girl at a school in Harlem regarding her place in America: " 'Think of it this way... If people in New York woke up one day and learned that we were gone, that we had simply died or left for somewhere else, how would they feel?'... 'I think they'd be relieved,' this very solemn girl replied" (28). This passage is effective because it brings in the argument that the separation of school has a very direct and serious effect on the psyche of black students. This passage makes me excited and interested to read the next section of the book and to see how Jonathan Kozol develops his views on today's education system as it relates to race.
Lilia,
ReplyDeleteI completely relate to your feeling of intrigue when reading this book! It’s shocking. I also have spent the majority of my life in a school, town, and state lacking in racial diversity (to say the least). My own experiences with education are extremely privileged: quality facilities, teachers, and opportunities. It was great to see your own situation used in your blog post because it really helped me understand (and relate to) where you were coming from as a reader.
Although my observations complement your evidence very well, it still is surprising to me that 93% of the school is white. I thought that you taking a statistic from outside of the book was well done; especially since the book uses percentages in a similar way.
As far as your quote goes, the one you chose also stood out to me too. I like how you used what Isabel said to summarize one of the main subjects of that entire passage: the psychological effects of racial isolation. I wonder, how do you think these effects are manifested in segregated schools?
I agree that coming from a small predominately white town makes this more of a striking thing. This shows that even throughout time, out world still has its faults with racism and discrimination. Did reading the beginning of this book help you understand what it is like to live in a life where you are constantly discriminated against for a poor cause? What issues today relate to an issue like this where people are respected less because of a certain aspect of their daily life? While we all may think of how lucky we are coming from a good school, town, and location we must also come to grips with the fact that there are kids just like us out there that are in terrible situations but can't find a way to remove themselves from it. Can you think of a time where you saw someone treated differently because of their race?
ReplyDeleteTo answer your first question, the portion of the book that I have read so far has definitely opened my eyes to living a life of continuous discrimination, and the experiences that these students endure every day. However, I will never have a full understanding of their feelings and misfortunes, because of my race.
DeleteSomewhat similar to this issue, of people being disrespected for qualities and aspects of their lives that they cannot control, is the view towards members of the Islamic religion. Their ritual, everyday prayers occur five times every day, once or twice of which usually falling during work or school hours. Because Muslims are one of the only religious groups that pray like this, there is a certain degree of wariness among some people different from them, and even hate from Islamophobic groups. The most logical explanation for these feelings is the same as those towards black students: fear of being different, and not sharing the exact same qualities as everyone in our society.
Lilia, what does the author do to develop his credibility? Providing more specific example from your reading would be helpful, especially for those who are not reading the same book you are.
ReplyDelete