At that time, I had recently finished a book called Amazing Grace, which many people tell me is a very painful book to read. Well, if it was painful to read, it was also painful to write. I had pains in my chest for two years while I was writing that book. Jonathan Kozol amazebookcall share on social
An awful lot of people come to college with this strange idea that there's no longer segregation in America's schools, that our schools are basically equal; neither of these things is true. Jonathan Kozol americaawfulbasically Change image and share on social
I hope to be remembered for writing books about social justice that also have enough aesthetic value to endure as works of literature. Jonathan Kozol aestheticbookendure Change image and share on social
Hypersegregated inner-city schools - in which one finds no more than five or ten white children, at the very most, within a student population of as many as 3,000 - are the norm, not the exception, in most northern urban areas today. Jonathan Kozol 000areachild share on social
Instead of seeing these children for the blessings that they are, we are measuring them only by the standard of whether they will be future deficits or assets for our nation's competitive needs. Jonathan Kozol assetblessingchild Change image and share on social
President Obama still places far too much emphasis on relentless testing with standardized exams. Jonathan Kozol emphasisexamobama Change image and share on social
By far the most important factor in the success or failure of any school, far more important than tests or standards or business-model methods of accountability, is simply attracting the best-educated, most exciting young people into urban schools and keeping them there. Jonathan Kozol accountabilityattractbusiness share on social
During the decades after Brown v. Board of Education there was terrific progress. Tens of thousands of public schools were integrated racially. During that time the gap between black and white achievement narrowed. Jonathan Kozol achievementblackboard share on social
Nationally, overwhelmingly non-white schools receive $1,000 less per pupil than overwhelmingly white schools. Jonathan Kozol 000nationallyoverwhelmingly Change image and share on social
A culture in which guilt is automatically assumed to be neurotic and unhealthy has devised a remarkably clever way of protecting its self-interest. Jonathan Kozol assumeautomaticallyclever Change image and share on social