Schoolin'

I found this article interesting in light of a conversation I recently had with a student. In this situation, the families have taken to organizing a protest about the conditions in the Southside Chicago schools. Good for them! The reason this article is so disheartening, however, is that the situation is not unique to Southside Chicago. Many urban, public schools have the same issues/concerns. No books, no money to buy books, leaking roofs, no equipment, etc. I once had someone tell me that the textbook being used in an urban history class was from 1965!

Articles and stories like these are the ones I use in the classroom when discussing the intersection of race/class/opportunity with my students. Many of them have/are benefiting from education, so they see this as the link to opportunity. They tend to focus on individual responsibility (or micro explanations) rather than social structural issues (or macro explanations). It fits their worldview, is validated by their peers, and likely influenced by their upbrining (I am speaking for the "typical" student at my university).

Some of the ones in the early years of college are still trying on different majors with little thought to the job possibilities upon graduation. They are too busy making friends, finding themselves, and discovering their interests. I believe that these experiences are just as important to their emotional development as their academic experiences are to their cognitive development. But, it is fascinating when these two collide.

Case in point: the student I alluded to earlier. Now, as a reference, our university is among the top 10 in the U.S. for students who go into the Peace Corp after graduation, so there is a great degree of social activism in our student population, but many of them go overseas. This student was a part of a group that went to New Orleans for the summer. The students did not have any choice where they were placed, so some went to work for the local social service agenices or non-profits, while others went into the schools. My student was working at a freedom school. Her first response was "I'm glad I went but I don't think I will go back next summer."

Why? She was appalled at the lack of instruction and classroom management issues that consumed almost all of her time. The difference between these schools and other urban, public schools, however, is that due to donations from Katrina there was money and equipment that was not being utilized (a bureaucratic issue unrelated to the post but a common one in post- Katrina New Orleans). But, more importantly, she understood that her micro views were incapable of explaining some of the structural concerns she witnessed on a daily basis.

How does this impact her worldview? Dealing with systemic, structural concerns is a daunting task. And that is what is required to deal with the issues mentioned in the article above. She saw "blocked opportunity" and the frustration that results. She also saw that education did not "fix" this problem.

Is education the key to democracy? Or is equal educational opportunities for all the key to democracy? Have can you expect to have an "informed electorate" (props to Jefferson)? Is the system designed to keep some "uninformed" on purpose? Discuss.

*Time to plug The Wire again. Season 4 deals specifically with this issue. Watch it!