Talking Points #10 on Johnson

Privilege, Power, and Difference: What Can We Do?By Allan Johnson

Premise- This article is about:

• privilege


• power


• acceptance


• difference


• community


• social systems


• exclusion


• rejection


• oppression


• schools


• harassment


• discrimination


• violence


• society


• gender


• silence


• saying the words


• solutions


• problems

Author's Argument: Johnson argues that the better we educate ourselves on privilege and oppression, the more successful it will be to put the system of discrimination that causes privilege and oppression to an end.

Evidence:

1) "The problem of privilege and oppression is deep and wide, and to work with it we have to be able to see it clearly so that we can talk about it in useful ways" (125). Johnson is explaining that privilege and oppression are significant problems and once we are able to see them we can fix them.

2) "The reluctance to acknowledge and use power comes up in the simplest everyday situations, as when a group of friends starts laughing at a racist or sexist joke and you have to decide whether to go along" (133). Johnson is basically saying that each and every single one of us have the duty to stand up to racism or sexism even if it means going against our friends.

3) "We won't end oppression by pretending it isn't there or that we don't have to deal with it" (137).

4) "Dare to make people feel uncomfortable, beginning with yourself" (145).

5) "In the end, taking responsibility doesn't have to involve guilt and blame, letting someone off the hook, or being on the hook yourself. It simply means acknowledging an obligation to make a contribution to finding a way out of the trouble we're all in and to finding constructive ways to act on that obligation" (153).

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

I liked started off the blogs with Johnson, and it is natural for me the enjoy concluding on this author too. It is so easy to comprehend his argument and his message he gives to the readers. I agree with his argument, we must all work together to solve the problem because as they say there is no "I" in "TEAM". One person alone did not ignite the problems with privilege and oppression, so it is going to take more than one person to end it. His readings have made me more aware of what I need to do to help end the problem and he helped me find my own voice so I can be prepared when a racist or sexist situation occurs.

It seems so unreal that this is our last blog, it went by so quickly! FNED 346 really improved my confidence and I have participated way beyond my own personal expectations. Although our topics are sometimes hard to talk about, I always feel comfortable saying what I believe in. All of this openess is really going to help my confidence in becoming a teacher, hopefully!

Thursday's Class 4/17

Everyone in my group showed up and we all accomplished a good amount towards our project and presentation. Having this two hour time just to work on the project really allowed us to discuss ideas and provide feedback for one another.

Talking Points #9 on Orenstein

"School Girls" by Peggy Orenstein
Premise- This article is about:

• 
  
  gender


• 
  
  schooling


• 
  
  inequalities


• 
  
  equalities


• 
  
  girls vs. boys


• 
  
  compare/contrast


• 
  
  teachers


• 
  
  students


• 
  
  education


• 
  
  women/girls


• 
  
  community


• 
  
  parents


• 
  
  debate


• 
  
  perspectives


• 
  
  fairness


• 
  
  differences


• 
  
  sexism


• 
  
  curriculum


• 
  
  statistics

Author's Argument: Orenstein argues that teachers need to improve the curriculum by making it more gender neutral, being equally fair to both boys and girls. She goes on to warn about a so called "hidden curriculum" that misguides girls and toys with their self esteem issues.

Evidence:

1) "On a national level, the Gender Equality Education Act, which should be implemented in 1995 includes provisions for improved data gathering, for the development of teacher training programs, for programs to encourage girls in math and science, and for programs to better meet the needs of girls of color."

2) "Women are one-half of the world's people; they do two-thirds of the world's work; they earn one-tenth of the world's income; they own one-hundredth of the world's property."

3) "Curriculum should be both a window and a mirror for students , that they should be able to look into other's worlds, but also see the experiences of their own race, gender, and class reflected in what they learn."

4) "In her book, Teaching Stories, Ms. Logan writes that, during lessons that explore gender roles, which can easily turn into opportunities to cast blame for inequities, emphasizing tolerance is especially important."

5)"Feminist teaching is not about allowing a win/ lose situation to develop between boys and girls."

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

I found this article easy to read and understand, therefore it was a good experience to read. I felt that the examples of gender in the classroom used by Orenstein really helped me comprehend her main argument. This article made me think of how many times in school I was heard "policeman" or "weatherman" instead of a more gender neutral approach to describing these professions. This article has inspired me in that when I eventually become a teacher, I want to modify my curriculum to be equal to both genders and not female or male oriented.

Talking Points #8 on Wise

"Whites Swim in Racial Preference" by Tim Wise
Premise- This article is about:

• race
• affirmative action
• families
• racial preference
• values
• money
• minorities
• privilege
• incomes
• society

Author's Argument: Wise argues that racial preference; such as affirmative action as a privilege for whites, has impacted America's laws in a bias manner, affected our public policy, and lastly is responsible for the blatant inequalities that are still present in today's society.

Evidence:

1) "In other words, it is hardly an exaggeration to say that white America is the biggest collective recipient of racial preference in the history of the cosmos" (1). Wise states that whites are privileged in that they have benifited the most from racial preference, and history confirms this belief.

2) "We strike the pose of self-sufficiency while ignoring the advantages we have been afforded in every realm of activity: housing, education, employment, criminal justice, politics, banking, and business" (2). Wise is saying that the people who are on the receiving end of racial preference do not fully appreciate the privilege they are getting.

3) "White preferences, the result of the normal workings of a racist society, can remain out of sight and out of mind, while the power of the state is turned against the paltry preferences meant to offset them" (3) Wise believes that racism is a factor of white preference and democracy disagrees with the preferences whose duty is to equalize them.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share: This article was enjoyable for me to read because it was not repetitive and it was easy for me to find the author's argument. He uses metaphors like asking fish what water is to portray examples of racial preference, in addition to examples throughout the text. I agree that many white people in America do take the privileges they have for granted and do not appreciate them enough, but I do not believe it is intentional. I believe we take it for granted just as we take breathing or eating for granted.

Racially Charged Shooting Divides Peaceful New York Suburb

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=4581800&page=1

Racially Charged Shooting Divides Peaceful New York Suburb

http://abcnews.go.com/2020/story?id=4581800&page=1

Sad story

Neglect caused four year old to weigh 10 pounds.
http://www.wptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=21cb8f63-514a-4994-849d-2199476939a6

Talking Points #7 on Lawrence

“One More River to Cross” By: Charles Lawrence
Premise- This article is about:

• nation's schools
• desegregation
• segregation
• labeling
• whiteness
• privilege
• race
• labeling
• schools
• students
• separation
• classifications
• feelings
• equal protection
• Supreme Court
• North vs. South
• realization
• "separate but equal"

Author's Argument:

Lawrence argues that Brown v. Board of Education has not been a complete success because segregation is still an issue in schools. He also goes on to assert that the public, especially the school systems and courts, need to better educate themselves on different types of segregation in order to end it. Finally, he argues how damaging segregation can be to children in the middle of it.

1) "If one views the Brown case narrowly, as a case intended to desegregate the nation's schools, history has proven it a clear failure". (281) Lawrence is saying that if you really think about it, the whole purpose of the Brown case has not proven to end all segregation and therefore it was not a complete success.

2) "Professor Charles Black has noted that the significance of segregation was best understood by looking at what it meant to the people who imposed it and to those who were subjected to it". (282) Lawrence is proving that in order to understand segregation, it is vital to study the people who were victims of it. That is the most effective way, learn about the problem before you attempt to fix it. (band-aid on broken bone)

3) "Many black schools that existed within the segregated school systems of the South were in fact superior to their white counterparts". (284) Lawrence includes this fact about segregation in the South to prove that colored children are "smart", thus crushing labels given to them such as "dumb".

4) "The exclusion or segregation of blacks in public facilities was settled policy and reached considerable maturity in the North before moving South in full force". (285) Lawrence brings this point up to prove that lack of education and understanding was what caused the spread and thriving of segregation.

5) "Once the state has effectively institutionalized racial segregation as a labeling device, only minimal maintenance is required". (286) Lawrence is saying that once the state actually recognizes segregation is a tool to label minorities, they will only do the bare minimum and will not go above and beyond the solve the problem.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

Although lengthy and hard to understand at times, I felt that this article enlightened me on the subject of segregation and how to solve the problem. There is still segregation occuring, I watched it in the movie"For One Night". It was a true story about a colored teenage girl getting her high school in her hometown of Butler, Georgia, to integrate the prom after thirty-one years of segregation. This story took place in the year 2002, which is sort of impossible to comprehend because you would think segregation was a thing of the past.

Talking Points #6 on Oakes

Tracking: Why Schools Need to Take Another Route by Jeannie Oakes
Premise- This article is about:

• grouping
• tracking
• government
• education
• teachers
• students
• strategies
• skills
• classroom
• classes
• average kids
• speed
• curriculum
• academic scores
• labeling
• opportunities
• evaluations
• opportunities

Author's Argument:

Oakes argues that students are academically labeled too early on in their education and this causes some students to perform better than others because they have a greater opportunity to succeed in school. She also believes that all students deserve an equal chance at an education, not just higher learning ones.

Evidence:

1) "Students who are placed in high-ability groups have access to far richer schooling experiences than other students" (178). This quote explains that students put into higher learning classrooms get better attention and resources from the teacher, and they will most likely go on to live a successful life. However, students who are in a lower learning enviroment are not getting as good of an education.

2) "One fact about tracking is unequivocal: tracking leads to substantial differences in the day-to-day learning experiences students have at school" (178). This quote alone proves how Oakes feels about tracking in schools, she believes that students in a higher group learn more than students in a lower learning group.

3) "In low-ability classes, for example, teachers seem to be less encouraging and more punitive, placing more emphasis on discipline and behavior and less on academic learning" (179). This quote shows that children placed in lower learning classes are at a disadvantage because the teachers are not focusing enough on academics.

4) "Heterogeneous groups of students will probably do best in classrooms where the curriculm content is challenging, complex, related to real life and- most of all- rich with meaning" (180). This quote shows that students have a greater chance of succeeding if they are challenged, which would require them to be placed in a higher learning class.

5) "To be successful, heterogeneous classrooms probably need to lean toward placing students more in charge of their own evaluation--checking their own understanding and asking for and providing feedback" (181). The shows that Oakes believes the key to students success is to include more responsibilty on the shoulders of the children, and allow them to give feedback.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

I really enjoyed reading this article because I felt that the author clearly got her point across with being too repetitive. The article showed me just how important it is to give all children an equal oppurtunity at education and that dividing children will lead to success for some, and failure for others. In my school at which I perform my service learning, the children who need extra help I assist them with. They are still learning the same material and are in the same classroom with everyone else, they just need a little more attention.

Talking Points #5 on Kahne and Westheimer

Joseph Kahne and Joel Westheimer " In the Service of What?" The Politics of Service Learning"

Premise-This article is about:

• politics
• service learning
• educators
• legislators
• money
• community service
• learning/teaching
• experiences
• community
• democratic education
• American schools
• classrooms
• differences
• altruism
• self-reflection
• charity
• morals
• intelect
• helping
• understanding

Author's Argument: Kahne and Westheimer argue that it would be beneficial if service learning were incorporated into schools because it would give children better character and more sense of accomplishment.

Evidence:

1) "Educators and legislators alike maintain that service learning can improve the community and invigorate the classroom, providing rich educational experiences for students at all levels of schooling." (2) The authors are saying that service learning is a positive endeavor that can enlighten children to better the community.

2) "Both provide authentic learning experiences, reflection on matters of social concern, and opportunities for interdisciplinary study linked to curricular goals." (3)This part of the article was about two service learning projects and what the students who participated learned from the experience.

3) "For Thanksgiving this year my stepmother and I helped serve the seniors their Thanksgiving dinner. This was a very rewarding experience helping others in need." (7) This student had a powerful and worth while experience helping the less fortunate.

4)"After they returned, the students' perspectives on these elementary school children had changed. They were surprised at the children's responsiveness and their attentiveness." (8) This quote is a reaction from upper middle class students who helped out at elementary school located in a poor neighborhood.

5) "Efforts to integrate service learning activities into the curriculum have great potential and deserve the support they are now receiving." (12) This quote shows that the authors are happy service learning is gaining the positive attention in deserves.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

Although a bit boring at times, I found this article to be unbias and informative. It is a lenghty piece, and I believe it is also repetitive at times. This article could have easily been shortened and still delivered the main argument. I enjoyed the personal stories from students on how community service affected them and what they got out of it. This article made me think of my own service learning project, and how to me it really does not feel like community service because I am teaching, which is what I love to do. I hope to still be teaching after college, just getting paid for it. I completely agree with the authors in that service learning not only benefits the community, it also benefits the person volunteering as well.

Disney first: black princess in animated film

‘The Frog Princess’ will be set in New Orleans, scored by Randy Newman



NEW ORLEANS - The Walt Disney Co. has started production on an animated musical fairy tale called “The Frog Princess,” which will be set in New Orleans and feature the Walt Disney Studio’s first black princess.
The film, set for release in 2009, also is the first hand-drawn film Disney has committed to since pledging last month to return to the traditional animation that made it a worldwide brand.
“The Frog Princess,” a musical scored by composer Randy Newman, is “an American fairy tale” starring a girl named Maddy who lives in the French Quarter in New Orleans, said John Lasseter, chief creative director for Disney and Pixar Animation Studios.

Talking Points #4 on Christensen

Linda Christensen: "Unlearning the Myths That Bind Us"

Premise- This article is about:

• stereotypes
• sexism
• racism
• culture of power
• media
• gender issues
• Disney
• secret education
• children's books
• movies
• cartoons
• racial inequalities
• impressions
• myths
• minorities
• generalizations of characters

Author's Argument- Christensen argues that children are quite impressionable beings who are influenced by the media, and their actions prove this. She also argues that authors and writers of children's books and movies need to portray their characters in an unbias, socially equal way. In order to do this, Christensen believes we have to expose the myths in order to end stereotypes in the media.

Evidence:
1) "Our society's culture industry colonizes their minds and teaches them how to act, live, and dream." (126) Christensen is saying that children are highly influenced by the media, and they apply it to their everyday life.

2) "Children's cartoons, movies, and literature are perhaps the most influential genre "read" (127). This quote is stating that the media is the most influencial genre for children.

3) "Many students don't want to believe that they have been manipulated by children's media or advertising. No one wants to admit that they've been "handled" by the media. This quote explains that people want to have control of their own minds, and do not want to be tricked or manipulated into thinking what the media wants them to. (128)

4) "The newer cartoons-like Mulan, Aladdin, and Pocahontas-are subtler and take more sophistication to see through." (130) This quote reveals that stereotypes are still present in these modern Disney movies, however, they are not as obvious as previous movies.

5) "They were fueled by the opportunity to convince some parents of the long-lasting effects cartoons impose on their children, or to enlighten their peers about the roots of some of their insecurities" (137) The author gave the children a chance to make a difference by teaching them about the stereotypes in media. This experiment allowed the students to see themselves as actors in the world.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share:

This article was a delight to read because of the specific examples used by Christensen, such as Disney movies and how stereotypical they are. The majority of people have seen a Disney movie in their lifetime, but few actually catch on to the stereotypes shown in these family movies. I already knew that Aladdin was fairly controversial, but I never realized that Disney has given sort of a "look" to what a Disney Princess should be. There has never been a Hispanic or Africican American Disney Princess, which is surprising because Disney movies cover all different types of cultures, like Arabia and China. I liked how the students watched cartoons and took on issues in hopes to change the stereotypes. The activity allowed the students to see themselves as actors in world and open my eyes to the stereotypes in media and the affects it has on the world.

Barack Obama is trying to reach out to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, confused and all the other kinds of voters out there.

The Democratic presidential hopeful has just written the following message:
"I'm running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of equality for all – a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters. It's wrong to have millions of Americans living as second-class citizens in this nation. And I ask for your support in this election so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans.
Equality is a moral imperative. That's why throughout my career, I have fought to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans. In Illinois, I co-sponsored a fully inclusive bill that prohibited discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity, extending protection to the workplace, housing, and places of public accommodation. In the U.S. Senate, I have co-sponsored bills that would equalize tax treatment for same-sex couples and provide benefits to domestic partners of federal employees. And as president, I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes and a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that equal treatment. But I also believe that the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples — whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage. Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate. While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does. I have also called for us to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and I have worked to improve the Uniting American Families Act so we can afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system.
The next president must also address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. When it comes to prevention, we do not have to choose between values and science. While abstinence education should be part of any strategy, we also need to use common sense. We should have age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception. We should pass the JUSTICE Act to combat infection within our prison population. And we should lift the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. In addition, local governments can protect public health by distributing contraceptives.
We also need a president who's willing to confront the stigma – too often tied to homophobia – that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. I confronted this stigma directly in a speech to evangelicals at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, and will continue to speak out as president. That is where I stand on the major issues of the day. But having the right positions on the issues is only half the battle. The other half is to win broad support for those positions. And winning broad support will require stepping outside our comfort zone. If we want to repeal DOMA, repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and implement fully inclusive laws outlawing hate crimes and discrimination in the workplace, we need to bring the message of LGBT equality to skeptical audiences as well as friendly ones – and that's what I've done throughout my career. I brought this message of inclusiveness to all of America in my keynote address at the 2004 Democratic convention. I talked about the need to fight homophobia when I announced my candidacy for President, and I have been talking about LGBT equality to a number of groups during this campaign – from local LGBT activists to rural farmers to parishioners at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. Martin Luther King once preached.
Just as important, I have been listening to what all Americans have to say. I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans. But neither will I close my ears to the voices of those who still need to be convinced. That is the work we must do to move forward together. It is difficult. It is challenging. And it is necessary.
Americans are yearning for leadership that can empower us to reach for what we know is possible. I believe that we can achieve the goal of full equality for the millions of LGBT people in this country. To do that, we need leadership that can appeal to the best parts of the human spirit. Join with me, and I will provide that leadership. Together, we will achieve real equality for all Americans, gay and straight alike."

Talking Points #3 on Carlson

Dennis Carlson in "Gayness, Multicultural Education, and Community"

Context/Premise- This article is about:

• gayness
• straightness
• lesbians
• embryonic communities
• democratic community
• American culture
• tolerance
• homosexuals
• heterosexuals
• public schools
• class
• gender
• race
• culture
• normalizing school community
• silence
• stereotypes
• sex education
• personal lives

Author's Argument- Carlson argues that public schools in a democratic society need to have teachers educate students to have tolerance for homosexuals as they do for heterosexuals, and this is a vital step in accepting race, gender, and sexual preferences. In other words, educate on the issues rather than silence them.

Evidence-

1) "While public schools have long been viewed by progressive educators as embryonic communities that should engage young people in building a democratic community of mutual support and respect, gay people have for the most part been made absent, invisible, and silent within this community and at the same time represented as the deviant and pathological "Other". (233)- This quote states that there is a certain silence and ignorance towards gay people in the public school system, and that homesexuals are seen as morally wrong.

2) "Public schools in particular have often promoted such "normalizing" conceptualizations of community that are based on defining a cultural center or "norm" and positioning class, gender, race, and sexual Others at the margins." (234) -Carlson is explaining that the public school systems force teachers to educate an unattainable image of normalcy on students. He questions what happens if a child is not what is considered "normal". For example, if the child is a homosexual and then this way of teaching makes that feel like their a freak, uncapable of being like everyone else.

3) "Normalizing practices, however, must reach beyond curriculum texts if they are to be effective in constructing a normalizing school community." (237) This quote explains that it is just as vital for learning about proper normalcy outside of the classroom as it is inside.

4) "These abuses get tolerated because gay teachers and students operate in an environment where they feel afraid to stand up for themselves, and because any discussion of gay people continues to be absent in the curriculum so that homophobia is not interrogated" (239).- This example shows that this type of homophobia is somewhat accepted because gay teachers and students are afraid to defend themselves, and I have a sense of compassion for these individuals because they are human like the rest of us and have feelings too.

Questions/Comments/Points to Share: Although I found this article to be difficult to comprehend at times, I found it eye opening as I did with the other past readings on the different forms of racism. I liked how Carlson used specific examples of ignorance towards homosexuals, especially in pop culture, because here gayness is basically invisible. I was able to relate this to the SCWAAMP activity because we talked about how few movies there are about homosexuals and also how they are stereotyped in the media. I agree with Carlson, in that all sexual preferences should be equally accepted and one should not be deemed more "normal" than the other.

Talking Points #2 on Rodriguez

Richard Rodriguez- Aria


Context/Premise: This article is about public language, private language, classroom language, language of home, language barriers, silence caused by language barriers, teachers, students, education, pronounciations, advantage of English language, the privilege of Americaness, bilingual individuals, and ignorance by English speaking teachers and children.


Argument:Rodriguez argues that children should be taught a second language early in their life because it would be considered a public language rather than a private one, and because it is essential for children to know English as a first language, bilingual children loose part of their identity when they silence the use of their native language.

Evidence: "Had they been taught a second language like Spanish or French, they could have regarded it simply as that: another public language." (34)
Here Rodriguez is explaining that if children learned a language in addition to English, they would be able to converse with other bilingual students.

"Because I wrongly imagined that English was intrinsically a public language and Spanish was an intrinsically private one, I easily noted the difference between classroom language and the language of home." (34)
Rodriguez is remembering his school experience where he realized English was the public language and Spanish was the private language of his home.

"Unsmiling, ever watchful, my teachers noted my silence." (35)
The silence was caused by Rodriguez not speaking English at home, and therefore, he struggled with it at school and decided to hide behind the silence.

"Only when I was with them in public would I grow alert to their accents." (38)
Rodriguez would notice his family's thick Spanish accent only when they were in public, surrounded by fluent English speaking people. In the privacy of his home, he does not notice it.


Questions/Comments/Points to Share: This story was straightforward and clear, making my reading it enjoyable and insightful because it made me take for granted the English language. I was taught the English language in the privacy of my home so I could apply it to the public when I was old enough to go to school. But many children speak Spanish primarily at home, so how does that prepare them for school? It makes it difficult to say the least. I think teachers need to be aware of each student's culture and be very careful not to silence them because of a language barrier. However, all children living in America need to learn English because that is the main language of the public, and it will help them get ahead rather than be silenced.

Talking Points #1 on Kozol/Goldberg

Jonathan Kozol- Amazing Grace
Bernard Goldberg- 100 People Who Are Screwing Up America.

Context/Premise: These two articles are about poverty, ghetto neighborhoods, parents, children, poorness, starvation, destitution, herion and crack cocaine addictions, HIV and AIDS, depression, fear, anxiety, asthma, faith, relegion, violence, murder, homicide, death, drugs, guns, unfair medical treatment, prejudice, racism, welfare, minorities, unemployment, abuse, homelessness, sickness, awareness, patriotism, political correctness, and education.

Argument: Kozol and Goldberg argue that poverty is a serious problem that unfortunately affects childrens rights to education because of elements such as starvation, diseases, destitution, drugs, violence, and homicide, which are all factors that work against a child properly learning, and that this is becoming a more significant issue in today's society.


Evidence: Kozol- One statistic that truly shocked me and forced me to realize just how serious the situation of poverty is comes from this quote.
"Only seven out of 800 children do not qualify for free school lunches." (3)

Kozol- With children having to deal with things like homicide, which is clearly beyond their maturity level, it is no wonder how that affects their emotional stability.
"Depression is common among children in Mott Haven." (4)

Kozol- "What is it like for children to grow up here? What do they think the world has done to them? Do they believe that they are being shunned or hidden by society?" (5)

Kozol interviews a boy named Cliffie, a seven year old boy with a less then desirable life, yet the boy like many other children living in poverty offers up high spirits rather then crying about what he does not have. "There are children in the poorest, most abandoned places who, despite the miseries and poisons in the world has pumped into their lives, seem, when you first meet them, to be cheerful anyway." (6)

Kozol interviews a teenage boy named David, whose mother is suffering from AIDS. This quote is David's response to when Kozol asks him what he means by "the evil on the earth."
"I believe that what the rich have done to the poor people in this city is something that a preacher could call evil. Somebody has power. Pretending that they don't so that they don't need to use it to help people-that is my idea of evil. (23)

Goldberg- "The teachers are predictable liberals." (293)

Goldberg- This next quote I found relates to Lisa Delpit's theory that issues of pwer are enacted in the classroom. "We are taught U.S. history out of politically correct textbooks..." (294)
This relates to Delpit because she believes that "the power of publishers of textbooks and of the developers of the curriculum to determine the view of the world presented." (24)


Other Issues to Consider- Although the harsh reality of poverty was a bit to graphic at times, I feel like a learned a lot from reading Kozol's Amazing Grace. It is hard to truly understand the depth of what these children are going through, especially because I have been fortunate enough to have a good life. Children are impressionable beings, and I cannot imagine how hard it must be to go withought a meal or worse, witness extreme acts of violence. Kozol's writing style is unbiased and well researched, as shown by his various interviews throughout the reading. His writing enabled me to visually see the roach infested apartment and the mother who was shot while holding her baby.

About Me

I am Erica and I am a freshman at Rhode Island College. This is my second semester at RIC and I am less anxious then I was last semester. I feel more confident is my ability to partipate in class. This week marks the conclusion of the second week of this semester, and I feel as though it will fly by. I like all my new classes and it is nice to see classmates from last semester and meet new ones. When I am not in class I enjoy reading magazines and spending time with my family and friends.