Kozol Chapter 6

“Even before this new phenomenon had been observed, many of the better elementary schools in major cities like New York already had in place admissions policies that clearly favored children of the ‘savvy parents,’ as the press in New York City frequently describes well-educated and well-connected people.” (Kozol, 135)

      How are the unconnected and uneducated people going to get an education?  It is sad that school systems deny students education because they don’t know anyone. 

“How do parents who are not so well-informed at first identify the schools that are considered really good?” (Kozol, 137)

Yes, how do they?  These folks appear to read local magazines written about schools that have good standings.  They want to give their children the best education possible.  Because students are being “out sourced” to other institutions to receive the better education, thus the local schools are not getting the opportunity to educate these students.

“Most of the children in the neighborhood have ended up at one of the large and low-performing high schools in the Bronx.” (Kozol, 142)

      ‘Large’ and ‘Low-performing’ don’t go together.  The combination of these status usually show downfall in a school.  Low performing schools are not good to have no matter what the size.  These schools typically receive poor score on standardized tests which is caused by student’s lack of knowledge.  Large, low-performing schools are worse because this means that there is a greater number of students who are not performing up to standards and the school is responsible for getting them to the standards.

“The steep climb to the top floor of the building was a challenge for the many students who had asthma.”  (Kozol, 143)

      This is a pretty intense fact.  These students appear to be not in that great of shape, could this be because the school is not providing enough physical education.  The schools are so focused on improving test scores that the schools remove these classes from students’ schedules.  Additionally, this quote speaks of ‘steep’ stairs; does this mean that the building itself is no longer to code, as it is so old.  School systems need to continue to update their buildings so students can work with some of the latest technology and learn about recent event/happening.

“The second elementary school I visited was cordoned off by signs that read ‘RESTRICTED AREA’ and ‘DANGER.’” (Kozol, 153)

      This is not good for a school.  How is the school supposed to issue all of the required standardized tests?

      Come to find out, the school Kozol wrote about was partially condemned already because the roof started collapsing and such.  Classes we combine in a section of the school that was still usable.  This means that classes were 2 or 3 times as large.  How is a student supposed to learn in these types of conditions?  The ratio of students to teachers needs to be minimal to give every student a chance at an equal education.

“‘Keep Roosevelt students out of East Meadow,’ residents were warned in flyers handed out kids and parents in East Meadow.” (Kozol, 158)

      The following sentences go on to explains that Roosevelt schools are failing with “rampant violence”, “drug sales”, “continual assaults”, and “wide spread violence.”  The folks in the community in which the students attend East Meadow schools, are assuming that if the students from Roosevelt join the district, East Meadow will now face these problems.  I feel at though this is racist because (though there is not a specific race) the East Meadow people are looking down on the Roosevelt folks.  This is not fair for the students in Roosevelt schools that may not be causing the listed issues.