If George W. Bush could read - this is a book he should be made to read. As old as it may be - nothing has truly changed...so many children being 'left behind'. A devastating book. While we piss away billions abroad, TRUE Home Security (health education and proper employment) is ignored.

The poeple who govern are schools should tread this book. As a white student in a basicl ricth white Shool district, I picked this up this summer for my AP English reading asignment.

I have complained about leaks in my school's cellings, and what I thought was the worst computers in the country. But reading this book,, I am shocked to learn that some kids have to sit on tolliets because there arn't enough classrooms. Thhere are large holes cellings. And these schools are basicly black, sitting right next store to white schools with four gymes.

The govermant says that money won't help them. Money buys books. Money keeps good teachers. Money fixes holes in walls. Money pays for labs. It doesn't matter hwo good the princeible.

Kozal shows the savage wrongdoings of our own socity. That this sort of thing should happen is saveage, but that this would be happening in our great country, is even more of a tragidy. What happened to the American Dream?

And how much longer will the next generation have to suffer?

Kozal presents a heart-moving, emotional, trubleing, and horific vision of the school system. READ IT IF YOU WANT THE TRUTH!

Talk to the Polish and South Koreans, and ask them why they do more with less.

This is more of in respond to "Sorcia"'s review of the book and it is because of people like that that racism and inequality exist. Although Mr. Kozol does visit the worst and best school the problem is the racial action, sure there will always be the half and half not but when the half-not are mostly minorities because the government traps them there- that is unfair. And yes they are force to live in that lifestyle, obviously someone did not read the book closely, they have no choice! If society (the rich) and the government will only help to better their education then they will have an opportunity to escape their lifestyle. How dare they be greedy and selfish and try to keep others from succeeding, just so that their kids move ahead. This book is a reality. I am part of the average American and although we have supplies and equipment, teachers let me and many other students get away with many things and let us move ahead to other classes, although we aren't prepared for it. Although this book was repetitive and at times boring, it still made me angry that such thing is going on in this country, above all because supposedly this is a country of opportunities but apparently the American dream is only for white people and that is a reality that if you can't see then you are ignorant. It is harder for a minority to succeed in this country than it is for white and not because white people are smarter, it's because the government and society makes it difficult for non-whites. And even today this is going on, Kozol was right, this problem is not going to change unless people start admitted that they are racist and start really making everyone in this country equal, with equal opportunities to succeed or fail. Although slavery was abolish over 100 years ago, a lot of people still have that mentality that minorities are inferior and that is not true, but as I said unfortunately this mentality still exist and the government and society is still treating us as inferiors and trying to mask it as though they are not. I am not saying that all whites are evil, but some running and living in this country are. This is my opinion.