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Synopsis What is happening to our schools and to our kids? In this exposé of the flaws in American public education, Jonathan Kozol, with equal parts outrage and humanism, writes about the two separate and unequal systems of education in this country. His choice of the word "apartheid" in his subtitle is not merely rhetorical; students in many schools may never encounter students from other backgrounds, as segregation seems to have retaken hold. He also notes that students in inner-city schools are being shortchanged, and are suffering under a coercive culture of fear and control that can be likened to the prison system. In Kozol's view, the rhetoric of reform and improvement is a false Washingtonian drumbeat that takes advantage of well-meaning parents and communities. Students may even be worse off today than they were a decade ago. Furthermore, instruction and education have been replaced by testing. While privileged communities have curriculums of enrichment, inner-city kids have an endless diet of test preparation.
Kozol's is a respected, trusted voice. He based this book, which is informed by his long experience and trained eye, on his visits to schools around the country, his meetings with educators, and his talks with students and their families. He is the author of classics in the field that include DEATH AT AN EARLY AGE and SAVAGE INEQUALITIES. In THE SHAME OF THE NATION, Kozol speaks even more forcefully.
| Size | | Length: | 423 pages | | Height: | 8.0 in | | Width: | 5.0 in | | Thickness: | 0.8 in | | Weight: | 11.2 oz |
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