False Promises Kozol Ch. 8

Quote 1- "Speaking of the nicely refined torture a man can experience from having been created and defeated by the same circumstances, Baldwin wrote, the best that one can say is that they are in an impossible position and that those who are motivated by genuine concern maintain this position with heartbreaking dignity."(Kozol, p. 198)
It is sad to hear that people can be "created and defeated all by the same circumstances."  I thought this quote was very powerful.  It made me think deeper of how this torture and defeat could happen to a person of color.  It made sense when I put it into the real world.  I, not only, put it into context today, but also related this quote to the past and apartheid.  A lot is expected of black leaders whether they lived in the past or present day.  A lot is expected of them when they come; too little is accorded to them when they leave." This statement says it perfectly not only in the past, but even to those in power present day.

Quote 2- "There are hundreds of principals in our urban schools who are authentic heroes, few of whom would emulate the posturing and bluster of Joe Clark and most of whom do not receive the notice and support that they deserve.  But there is a difference between recognizing the accomplishments of able school officials and the marketing of individuals as saviors of persistently unequal systems."(Kozol, p.200)
I liked this quote because there are several hundred principals out in our urban school systems that don't receive that support and get noticed as great leaders.  Some of these principals are given close to nothing for their amazing accomplishments and may not receive any recognition.  These individuals need to be given recognition for their accomplishments.  The poor principals of rich suburban schools still get more support than those amazing heroes in urban settings, where money is a big issue.  I think these principals should switch schools for a day to see what it is like and to compare it to how they have it at their own school.  Hopefully, this will help the under-achieving principals realize how much easier they have it and will help them do a better job.

Quote 3- "Strict demands for proof of adequate yearly progress in all public schools and penalties, such as the loss of federal funds, for schools that did not meet their goals, as measured by their students' scores on standardized exams."(Kozol, p. 202-203)
Again, we see the issue of standardized testing and the funding that goes along with them.  If these schools do not meet their AYP then they can have the penalty of losing all their funding.  Without this funding schools are pretty much on their own for getting their scores up for the next time around.  Not only do they have to try and get these scores up, but they have to suffer with less money from the government.  I feel like this can make or break a school and determine the outcome of what happens in the lives of the children.  A lot lies on the shoulders of these exams and it is all how well the teachers prepare the students to ready them for these high stakes exams.

Quote 4- "If the president had used his leadership to advocate for transfers not only within school districts, but between them, the transfer option might have had real meaning and, indeed, if earnestly enforced, it might have opened up the possibilities for mightily expanded racial integration in suburban schools surrounding our core cities."(Kozol, p. 203-204)
I really thought this quote had great insight to how our presidents should have acted in the past in order to help diversify our school systems.  It could even work in todays day and age, but in order for this to happen, there needs to be a big change!  I grew up in  a suburban town, where our high school had students bused in from Hartford.  This opportunity for them to learn was much better than in their own community, but also this opportunity gave us the chance to learn from them and understand their culture. I feel like having a diverse school district is very important not only for the equality for all, but also for the opportunity for everyone to coexist and learn from one another.

Quote 5- "Playing games of musical chairs with children's lives, when half the chairs are broken and the best chairs are reserved primarily for people of his class and race, is cynical behavior in a president."(Kozol, p. 204)
I really liked this quote and the analogy of musical chairs to race and class of the president.  It was a aspiring quote and a strike to all the presidents and how they cannot find out how to create equality for all.  They have been saying they will for the longest time, but instead do what they think will make them look good.  Will the problem of inequality ever be solved?  I think there needs to be a drastic change in our world or politics to allow for equality.  I hope it will happen in my lifetime, but I don't think there is much hope for that to happen.

Quote 6- "Highly implausible test-score fluctuations in the Houston schools have awakened suspicions of cheating on the part of principals who had apparently been pressured by administrators to do anything they could to boost the scores."(Kozol, p. 206)
Ha ha.  How could this be true, cheating on the part of a principal?  This quote makes me laugh to see that someone could cheat to get his/her school to pass the standardized tests.  I understand that there is a lot of pressure on people high up to get their school to succeed the first time at these tests, but isn't cheating just setting up your students to fail in life.  By promoting cheating, students will think it is okay to do throughout their schooling career.  Cheating doesn't allow for any learning and these students are set up for failure.  If I were these principals, I would feel bad for the failure of the students I was responsible for!