pg 18 Kozol "The Shame of the Nation"
"Schools that were already deeply segregated 25 or 30 years ago, like most of the schools I visit in the Bronx, are no less segregated now, while thousands of other schools that had been integrated either voluntarily or by the force of law have since been rapidly resegregating both in northern districts and in broad expanses of the South."
"Schools that were already deeply segregated 25 or 30 years ago, like most of the schools I visit in the Bronx, are no less segregated now, while thousands of other schools that had been integrated either voluntarily or by the force of law have since been rapidly resegregating both in northern districts and in broad expanses of the South."
Reading this is a big realization for me, that just because there has been what seems like great progress from past events in history, it does not mean that it has been accepted and enforced across the country. It is sad to see this type of information which is why most people are not aware or chose not to acknowledge. I wonder how over this large amount of years that things still remain the same if not worse. " While thousands of other schools... have since been rapidly resegregating..." This is beyond nonsensical to me for this to happen in so many schools. How has this been allowed to happen? When thinking further about the reasoning behind this I see that people of power have to go to great lengths to go against the law and allow for schools that have gone from being diverse to such a large percentage of one race.
pg 28 Kozol "The Shame of the Nation"
"I asked her if she truly thought America did not 'have room' for her or other children of her race. 'Think of it this way,' said a sixteen year old girl sitting beside her. " If people in New York woke up one day and learned that we were gone, that we had simply died or left for somewhere else, how would they feel?' 'How do you think they'd feel?' I asked. 'I think they'd be relieved,' this very solemn girl replied."
This one girl expressing this to Kozol after some questioning makes me think about how many people of color feel similarly but just have not had confidence to speak (with good reason) these feelings to anyone. When first reading this honestly my initial thought was that must be an exaggeration but even if it were for anyone to any feelings remotely close to these is incredibly telling. This first thought that I had shows how unaware I am because of the privileges that have being a white female. By feeling like people of New York would be relieved to have children of her race gone tells us that the treatment of this child and many of her peers can not be acceptable and would be seen especially unacceptable to most if this poor treatment was being done to white children.
pg 41 Kozol "The Shame of The Nation"
" four kindergarten classes and a sixth grade class were packed into a single room that had no windows"
This statement brought me directly into the classrooms that I grew up in and wanted to take back all the complaints that I might have made through my years of public schooling. I distinctly remember the rumors that went around my high school about whether or not we were getting air conditioning the following year or a number of new TVs. The debate of which would be better is sickening to think about now when there are schools that exist and have conditions like these to deal with each day. The number of students that must be in one room has to be an enormous distraction to the learning and productivity that these teachers try to accomplish each day. Just thinking about the teachers in this situation makes me have a small sense of the frustration they must experience. Overtime the teachers in this room inevitably get discouraged resulting in the students lack of motivation. This countless number of added issues that must be ensuing within this one room is simply unfair to the students involved.
Tim Wise, "Reflections on Racism and Reasonable Suspicion: Immigration, Arizona and Anti-Latino Bias"
"They will have to follow every rule to the letter, for fear of being otherwise legally harassed by cops, even as those of us belonging to the dominant group will be able to nonchalantly go through our days, unconcerned about having to prove our identity just because a piece of our taillight cover was cracked, or because we went a few miles over the speed limit, or because our muffler wasn’t working sufficiently to reduce the noise from our car within legal limits in our communities."
Tim Wise here writes to make people with privilege aware of their privilege which I feel is a constant struggle because it is one thing to know that you are a person who receives different more beneficial treatment than people of other races, genders or sexuality etc. but it is more important to be aware of in what situations does this happen and what do these people have to do differently to overcome these differences. This quote reveals one specific topic where latinos are discriminated against and how hard it is to avoid this and the consequences. This quote is important for readers because it explains not only the privilege that most people have of not worrying about breaking the law essentially but also explains what latinos do have to worry about when they are even in the slightest way breaking the law.
pg 28 Kozol "The Shame of the Nation"
"I asked her if she truly thought America did not 'have room' for her or other children of her race. 'Think of it this way,' said a sixteen year old girl sitting beside her. " If people in New York woke up one day and learned that we were gone, that we had simply died or left for somewhere else, how would they feel?' 'How do you think they'd feel?' I asked. 'I think they'd be relieved,' this very solemn girl replied."
This one girl expressing this to Kozol after some questioning makes me think about how many people of color feel similarly but just have not had confidence to speak (with good reason) these feelings to anyone. When first reading this honestly my initial thought was that must be an exaggeration but even if it were for anyone to any feelings remotely close to these is incredibly telling. This first thought that I had shows how unaware I am because of the privileges that have being a white female. By feeling like people of New York would be relieved to have children of her race gone tells us that the treatment of this child and many of her peers can not be acceptable and would be seen especially unacceptable to most if this poor treatment was being done to white children.
pg 41 Kozol "The Shame of The Nation"
" four kindergarten classes and a sixth grade class were packed into a single room that had no windows"
This statement brought me directly into the classrooms that I grew up in and wanted to take back all the complaints that I might have made through my years of public schooling. I distinctly remember the rumors that went around my high school about whether or not we were getting air conditioning the following year or a number of new TVs. The debate of which would be better is sickening to think about now when there are schools that exist and have conditions like these to deal with each day. The number of students that must be in one room has to be an enormous distraction to the learning and productivity that these teachers try to accomplish each day. Just thinking about the teachers in this situation makes me have a small sense of the frustration they must experience. Overtime the teachers in this room inevitably get discouraged resulting in the students lack of motivation. This countless number of added issues that must be ensuing within this one room is simply unfair to the students involved.
Tim Wise, "Reflections on Racism and Reasonable Suspicion: Immigration, Arizona and Anti-Latino Bias"
"They will have to follow every rule to the letter, for fear of being otherwise legally harassed by cops, even as those of us belonging to the dominant group will be able to nonchalantly go through our days, unconcerned about having to prove our identity just because a piece of our taillight cover was cracked, or because we went a few miles over the speed limit, or because our muffler wasn’t working sufficiently to reduce the noise from our car within legal limits in our communities."
Tim Wise here writes to make people with privilege aware of their privilege which I feel is a constant struggle because it is one thing to know that you are a person who receives different more beneficial treatment than people of other races, genders or sexuality etc. but it is more important to be aware of in what situations does this happen and what do these people have to do differently to overcome these differences. This quote reveals one specific topic where latinos are discriminated against and how hard it is to avoid this and the consequences. This quote is important for readers because it explains not only the privilege that most people have of not worrying about breaking the law essentially but also explains what latinos do have to worry about when they are even in the slightest way breaking the law.
pg 18 Kozol 'The Shame of the Nation' 'Schools that were already deeply segregated 25 or 30 years ago, like most of the schools I visi..."
ReplyDeleteThis is mind boggling to me as well, to really think about what is going on regaurding this topic. I thought that we were making progress as a nation, and to hear that we have stayed the same or are getting worse is very disturbing. I went to a very diverse high school, so to realize how much segregation is still going on behind the scenes really is surprising.
-Kathy P.
It is hard to make that realization when you are not experiencing it yourself like you said at your diverse high school. Like we have discussed in class it is very hard for people to become aware of this information when they have the privilege of not being involved in these unfair environments. But now what is important is to figure out what we can do now that we are aware and informed about how racism still very much exists in America today.
ReplyDeleteThat is the key question right there, what are we going to do now that we are aware..it is crucial that we future teachers are going over these important topics before we are let out into the school systems. We are going to be responsible for impressionable students, and in order to educate them on these topics, we need to be educated ourselves. We need to be able to have empathy for our students, and to do that we have to have some kind of understanding ourselves.
ReplyDeleteVery true! The more people that are aware of their privilege and the lack of privilege that so many people receive every day, the closer we come to actions to be made. Without the knowledge of the racism going on through out the country the less that can be done to work towards progress for the conditions in these school that are a majority black and latino students. Its ironic that white people have the privilege of getting an education but it is still limited information about the true America that exists right now.
ReplyDelete