Death at an Early Age

[Kebo]

Death at an Early Age by Jonathan Kozol

This book was recommeded to me by my father with his realization of my interests both in Blacks and education. He read this work as required reading in college back in the late 60s. The story seems very relevant today.

Its a true life story of a new teacher in the Boston Public School system. He's a white teacher in an urban segragated public school and the book is about his observations of the poisoning miseducation black children are receiving in the educational environment. To sum it up its a sad and pitiful scene illustrating Boston Schools as a racist system, destructive to the minds of black children.

The story takes place in one school but I got the impression that this destructive educational environment was widespread in Boston and in the whole country. The timeframe of the book is the 60s but it feels relevant to the way it is today.

Its a book filled with insights into the overt and subtle racism in one school and the impact that its having on students before this teacher's eyes. There are also villains in the story like the reading teacher and the art teacher.

The author didn't speak up enough on what he saw but he did eventually get fired from the school system for curriculum deviation.

Kebo

Death at an Early Age: The Destruction of the Hearts and Minds of Negro Children in the Boston Public Schools by Jonathan Kozol

[Kebo]

This book jogged my mind to thinking about the control the school system has on the minds of American youth. The school system can decide which portion of the population it wants to educate and how much it wants to educate it.

What my mind is coming up with is the school system is deliberately segragating the education of blacks and miseducating blacks, because of the truth about American history and the fear of what will happen if the black masses discover the truth and develop their intelligence.

Kebo

[Rootsie]

This is a very good book, as are all of Kozol's books.
His most recent books are Savage Inequalities, Amazing Grace, and Ordinary Resurrections. Savage Inequalities is about the huge disparity between inner-city and suburban schools. The other two are about children and schools in South Bronx.

[Kebo]

Thanks for replying Rootsie. Kozol's got another book too called illiterate America. The title sounds relevant. With your experience do you have some thoughts and insights on the situation in the education system in this country. Whats been you reaction to Death at an Early Age and other works like these?

Kebo