It was pretty heart-breaking to read about what the students in these “poor schools” had to go through. They had to learn in an overcrowded classroom, with low ceilings, and in a stuffy room without air condition in the summer and heater in the winter. It made me realize that I definitely took some of these things for granted. These kids were expected to learn in horrible conditions with 15 year old textbooks. With overcrowding in a classroom and the conditions of the school, it is a wonder if a child can learn anything. It is sad to read that these kids start to lose hope and drop out of school.
I can’t blame the kids for wanting to drop out. If I was in their position, I would find it hard to even focus in school. Instead of blaming these kids for “being lazy” and blaming them for ending up in the streets, there should be things done to help these schools that need funding.
Rich schools in towns like Glencoe and Winnetka had more than enough. They had superior labs and up to date technology. Also, had seven gyms and an Olympic pool. Schools like these had an average class size of 24. It is pretty jaw dropping when you compare these kind of schools with the poorer schools. In the poor schools, the teachers had to carry around the lab equipment because there was a lack of space. They also used the gym as a classroom.
While reading this section of the book, some thoughts came into mind:
Do you feel like students from the poor schools have a right to complain about the physical conditions of the school? Or do you feel like they shouldn’t complain because it’s technically free and it’s coming out of the pockets of taxpayers ?
Would you be willing to pay more tax for the benefits of students in the urban school? Do you feel like it’s the society responsibility to do something about it?
It’s really a shame for these kids because some of the kids have so much potential in the poorer schools, yet they can never reach their fullest due to the conditions of the school and the neighborhood.