Page 451 - Sociology and You

“perfunctory.”
read the same old speech of Martin Luther King. We read it every year. ‘I have a dream. . . .’ It does begin to seem—what is the word?” She hesitates and then she finds the word:
I ask her what she means.
“We have a school in East St. Louis named for Dr. King,” she says. “The school is full of sewer water and the doors are locked with chains. Every student in that school is black. It’s like a terrible joke on history.”
It startles me to hear her words, but I am star- tled even more to think how seldom any press re- porter has observed the irony of naming segregated schools for Martin Luther King. Children reach the heart of these hypocrisies much quicker than the grown-ups and the ex- perts do.
Source: Excerpted from Jonathan Kozol, Savage Inequalities (New York: Harper Collins, 1992), p. 35.
What Does it Mean
austerity
hardship; severity
egress
act of coming out; exiting
perfunctory
routine; without enthusiasm
poignant
deeply affecting; touching
skewed
slanted; distorted
Jonathan Kozol, a long-time social activist, is author of seven award-winning books which focus on the plight of the disadvantaged children of our nation. Savage Inequalities: Children in America’s Schools, shows the disparities in America’s public school system.
Read and React
1. What does Kozol mean by “educational inequality”? Do you agree or disagree with his view? Why?
2. Does Kozol believe there is a link between economic resources and educational inequality? Explain. Discuss why you agree or disagree.
3. If Kozol were going to speak to your local school board, what would you like to say to him regarding educational inequality?
4. Is educational inequality a problem in your school? In other schools in your community? Elaborate.
5. Imagine yourself in the school Kozol describes. How would it affect your education, view of life, and future?
Chapter 12 Education
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