Second Short Quiz + Suggested Answers

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johnkarls
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Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 8:43 pm

Second Short Quiz + Suggested Answers

Post by johnkarls »

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Question 1

DEATH AT AN EARLY AGE: THE DESTRUCTION OF HEARTS AND MINDS OF NEGRO [published in 1967] CHILDREN IN BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 1

Jonathan Kozol (1967) – it won the National Book Award.

Question 2

THE NIGHT IS DARK AND I AM FAR FROM HOME – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 2

Jonathan Kozol (1975).

Question 3

PRISONERS OF SILENCE: BREAKING THE BONDS OF ADULT ILLITERACY IN THE UNITED STATES – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 3

Jonathan Kozol (1980).

Question 4

ILLITERATE AMERICA – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 4

Jonathan Kozol (1986).

Question 5

RACHEL AND HER CHILDREN: HOMELESS FAMILIES IN AMERICA – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 5

Jonathan Kozol (1988) – it won (A) The Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, (B) The Conscience in Media Award of The American Society of Journalists and Authors, and (C) The Christopher Award.

Question 6

SAVAGE INEQUALITIES: CHILDREN IN AMERICA’S SCHOOLS – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 6

Jonathan Kozol (1991) – it won The New England Book Award and was a finalist for The National Book Critics Circle Award.

Question 7

AMAZING GRACE: THE LIVES OF CHILDREN AND THE CONSCIENCE OF A NATION – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 7

Jonathan Kozol (1995).

Question 8

ORDINARY RESURRECTIONS: CHILDREN IN THE YEARS OF HOPE – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 8

Jonathan Kozol (2000).

Question 9

THE SHAME OF THE NATION: THE RESTORATION OF APARTHEID SCHOOLING IN AMERICA – who was the author and what awards did the book win?

Answer 9

Jonathan Kozol (2005).


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EDITORIAL NOTES
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As the reader can see from these titles, Jonathan Kozol is dealing with three different aspects of the same problem of America’s permanent underclass. The three aspects of the permanent underclass = K-12 "schools" that are a mockery of the term "schools," adult illiteracy and widespread homelessness (though, of course, not every member of the permanent underclass is homeless).

There is no legitimate reason for this permanent underclass!!!

Identical-twin studies (the Gold Standard for distinguishing the effects of environment vs. genetics) consistently show that American inner-city kids have the same intelligence as suburban kids!!!

The illegitimate reason???

Just as our authors Bill Bishop and Robert Cushing describe, Americans segregate themselves into different communities based on various criteria.

Historically, the most important criterion was economic status as those who could afford to avoid living in America’s inner-city ghettos did so. Though Bishop and Cushing are discussing the newest addition to the list of criteria = political beliefs.

Unfortunately, K-12 public education in America is financed primarily with property taxes. So where’s the mystery??? America’s inner-city ghettos have no property tax base!!! Accordingly, America’s inner-city ghetto “schools” exhibit the heart-breaking conditions that Jonathan Kozol describes in his books!!!

It makes no difference that Americans have the best of intentions = looking for a community that has a good school system. Indeed, US Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall who, as General Counsel for the NAACP argued the landmark desegregation case Brown v. Board of Education, was often asked why he sent all of his own children (two sons) to Exeter, one of the top 2-3 boarding schools in America. He always answered that a parent does the best s/he can by her/his own children!!!

Nevertheless, Americans exhibit no conscience about the effect of their actions on the children left behind in the ghettos!!!

The shocking rate of illiteracy???

US Governmental studies over the last 50 years have consistently shown, and continue to show, that America’s illiteracy rate exceeds 30% of the total population.

Jonathan Kozol constantly reminds his readers that the US Government’s criteria for illiteracy essentially boil down to whether one can read the warning label on a can of rat poison.

Though shocking, why surprising???

Whenever Reading Liberally has focused on inner-city education, we have always reviewed the depressing statistics provided by “yours truly” from his experience as the sponsor of one of 178 “I Have A Dream”® programs in 51 American cities replicating Eugene Lang’s original promise in 1981 to the sixth graders of Harlem PS 121 that he would pay their college tuition if they stayed in school (following which Gene provided tutoring & mentoring until HS graduation). “Yours truly” also served as Gene’s volunteer treasurer of IHAD-National during the 1990’s, as a result of which he can attest that the following statistics were typical of the 51 large American cities in which IHAD operated –

99% of households headed by single adults.

95% of total households headed by a single adult who was a drug addict.

75% - 80% of total households headed by a single-adult drug addict who turned any receipts over to the pusher so that the kids had to steal just in order to eat.

So where’s the mystery???

Why is there any surprise that we have created a permanent underclass in America.

Jonathan Kozol probably thought he was shocking in using the word Apartheid in the title of his last book.

In the opinion of ”yours truly,” Jonathan Kozol was being polite – he should have used the term Genocide instead!!!

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Katrina Anniversary And America’s Inner-City Ghettos

Post by solutions »

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This weekend (Aug 28-29), we are seeing a media blitz commemorating the 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and its devastation of New Orleans.

The real horror of 5 years ago was that America was forced by Hurricane Katrina to witness on TV incessant coverage of inner-city conditions in New Orleans.

But were the inner-city conditions in New Orleans any different than the typical inner-city conditions that John Karls is talking about in the 51 major cities serviced by “I Have A Dream”® programs?

Of course not!

That is why America turned its back on New Orleans as soon as it could manage a self-induced state of amnesia!

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