Sociology 3901: Worksheet--"Unequal Education"

1. Describe the physical layout and facilities at each of the two New York City junior high schools profiled in this movie:

a. JHS 141 in Riverdale

b. JHS 137 in South Fordham

2. How do the two principals describe their schools and the teachers in those schools?

a. JHS 141, Riverdale

b. JHS 137, South Fordham

3. What were your impressions about the differences in the teachers in the two schools?

34 What are the concerns of the mothers of the two boys profiled?

a. James Kelly's mother

b. Lonnie Smith's mother

Sociology 3901: Groups--"Unequal Education"

Draw on this video but also on the Kozol text:

1. Why are these schools, in the same district of New York City and just miles apart, so very different? Why doesn't the school board equalize the resources flowing to these schools?

2. Both boys in the video have concerned and involved mothers. What are the two mothers able to do about their concerns for their sons' educations?

3. What will most likely happen to a boy like James as he becomes an aduilt? How about a boy like Lonnie?

4 What are the most important differences between schools that serve middle and upper middle class neighborhoods and those that serve poor and working class neighborhoods? Why are dropout rates so high and achievement levels so low in the latter?

5. What do you think about Kozol's argument that in a just society, schools serving impoverished, inner city neighborhoods should actually have more resources than suburban schools? If you were a parent with school-age kids, living in an affluent suburb of the Twin Cities, would you support a system in which all public schools in Minnesota were fully and equally funded by the state, except that schools with a high percentage of low-income and/or immigrant kids got an extra 10% per student?

6.. What about a system of equal support on a per student basis? Why do you suppose we dont' have such a system?