“Many things have changed in inner-city schools since then, some remain the same.” (Kozol, 162)
Change can be good, but it can also be bad. This quote appears to be discussing physical changes to a school, in which case, most are good. According to what the book said, inner-city schools tend to be in disrepair. Anything that could improve the conditions, of a school, are typically well accepted.
It is important that every student be able to sit in a chair without worry that it is going to break when they sit on it. Teachers need to have some form of chalk board or white board to post information relevant to the class. All schools need to have some form of change.
“Physical disrepair and squalor may not be as blatant in most districts now, although there are schools I visit were conditions are good deal more offensive than the ones my students faithfully describe.” (Kozol, 162)
Schools have a tough time making changes to a school. Any physical changes to the school are typically voted on by the town. The schools have to listen to the residence of the town as it is their tax dollars that would be paying for the changes.
Where I live, the school district, in the next town over, put a decision to a vote three times before it was accepted. The item voted on was whether or not to build a high school for the town. (Some high school students from this town attended my high school or another local high school; thus, the town I lived in lost out on the cost of educating these students our neighboring town had to pay.)
“Overcrowding in the California schools was legendary by this time.” (Kozol, 169)
Overcrowding is a big problem. It isn’t fair to the students and it’s not fair to the teachers. As it is the teachers have to plan lesson for 20 to 25 students, but to tack on another twenty is severe. Most teachers only have the capability of servicing only a certain number of students because of the activity and supplies.
Sharing is good but it doesn’t allow students to get the full experience. Especially in Technology Education, overcrowding can create a safety issue; because there are too many students, thus not everyone may get the proper instructions or students may be so tightly packed that they can’t use the equipment properly, as two examples.
Overcrowding is a big issue that can easily be resolve however, the cost to resolve this issue is very great.
“Some of the most disturbing documentation I was shown by lawyers for the plaintiffs came children only eight or nine years old who were attending one of the many California schools that suffered rodent infestation.” (Kozol, 172)
Rodents, in a school? This is terrible. Schools should really be sanitary place were the students do not have to worry about a rat running across the table. I’m sure that in some urban school systems, students worry about this at home.
Additionally this is a health hazard that needs to be taken care of immediately. If OSHA were to find out about this, the school would have fines up the wazoo. It could be cheaper to fix the problem than pay the fines.
Finally, it is upsetting that something of this sort has to be taken to court. Schools should know that this has to be fixed as to remove the unhealthy conditions.
“Unlike the staggered luncheon sessions I observed at Walton High, lunch was served in a single sitting to the students in this school.” (Kozol, 176)
The following line goes on to say that the school consists of approximately 3,300 students. The lunch staff here must go nuts every day.
As it is, it is enough work to make lunch for 3,300 students; but to have to have it ready to serve to all of these students at the same time is crazy. In addition, how much time is allotted for the students to eat lunch? If it’s only 30 minutes chances are that not everyone will get a chance to eat. The students at the end of the line will not make it to the serving station until after the bell has rung for the next class.
At my former high school, the lunch staff was sometimes unable to serve all of the students in a single lunch wave (there were three lunch waves). In these cases there were only about 250 students.
“In the first pages of this book, I spoke of the sewing class for black fifth graders (female only) in the school in which I taught in 1964 and 1965 in Boston” (Kozol, 185)
Well… if this isn’t racism, then I do not know what is. I feel that a class like this is saying to the 5th grade females of color, “this is all you’re good for.”
I see this as racism because it is categorizing people. The class is specifically for “black 5th graders (female only). Not only is this segregation, but this is sexism as well.
Huh I never thought of it that way "It is important that every student be able to sit in a chair without worry that it is going to break when they sit on it." although it makes perfect sense and I agree. The students are smarter then we give them credit for, they do fully understand their environment and its screaming at them, YOU DON'T HAVE A CHANCE!
ReplyDeleteWe don't want students sitting on the floor, it is uncomfortable and a terrible position.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand where students being smarter than we think links into this.
I mean that they know when they are getting ripped off, once you know that, why try? So with your example, they are sitting on the floor or window sill at that point what incentive do they have to learn?
ReplyDeleteEven while I was in class, I never enjoyed sitting on the floor and how much space is there on the window sill. Students to be comfortable in order to effectively and efficiently learn.
ReplyDelete