Kozol's Depiction of the White Experience: Pages 135-214

As I read from page 135 to 214 of The Shame of the Nation, I found that the chapters were significantly more engaging. Frankly, I found that Kozol’s ideas were more relatable to my own experiences— whether it be talking about the white experience or rather his own emotions about others’ experiences.

Chapter 6, in contrasting white and non-white New York City schools admissions and conditions, frequently brought to mind previous conversations I have had about white privilege and institutionalized racism.

In one such discussion, I remember someone suggesting that, while racism is a real issue, institutionalized racism no longer has an active role in American society. Their basic thought process was that because government enforced segregation ended in the 60s and they saw no evidence of intentionally racist legislation, racism is merely the skin tone based prejudice that a person encounters in individual interactions.


I even disagree with this perspective beyond its application to education systems. These thoughts suggest that present day solutions to institutionalized racism, like affirmative action, are unnecessary. Theoretically, a person earns their way into a private high school or college by simply being the best.

In Kozol’s experiences with white children, he found that they believed that they had earned their high intelligence levels through hard work and determination. This implies that anyone who showed an equal amount of initiative to learn would be an equally competitive candidate.

This philosophy, in my opinion, is flawed. It does not account for the lack of obstacles (economic and social) that a segregated school system creates for privileged whites. I frequently find myself forgetting this basic (yet crucial idea). In the months leading up to college applications, I find myself considering what kind of candidate I will be to colleges. As I think about such things, similar to the kids that Kozol spoke with, I usually look to the hard work I have done in AP classes. On most occasions, I feel that I have earned the grades I get; the ones that make me a strong candidate. Like Kozol says, “Merit, no matter how it may have been attained, is somehow self-confirming. (Kozol 140)”

I say this meaning: in the past, I have taken for granted the little pieces that have come together to help me attain this “merit.”

“The early advantages one may have become irrelevant to most of us once a plateau of high achievement has been reached. The years we may have spent when we were three or four years old in a superb developmental preschool, the strategies our parents may have used to win us a first-rate elementary school, and all the other preferential opportunities that may have introduced us to the channels in which academic competence has been attained— all this falls out of view once we arrive in a position in which we can demonstrate to others, and ourselves, that our proficiencies are are indisputably superior to those of other students of our age who may not have opportunities. (Kozol 140-141)"

This passage made me think. It’s hard to say that something you’ve worked toward is a result of something more than yourself but, after my readings from The Shame of the Nation, I believe that (in my life) this is often the case. Now, I realize that I must attribute my success to a private preschool education, an elementary school that could cater to my individualized learning needs, recess, textbooks, computers, guidance counselors… the list goes on.

Kozol’s idea that white people have begun to migrate away from inner cities to give their kids better educations falls into this category of things that apply to me. When I was younger, the districts around my old house were constantly changing. As I reached middle school age, we were placed in a district where the high school was deemed “sketchy” by the community. In order to give me (and my siblings) the best education possible, my parents decided to move. Although Kozol disapproves of this action, I am extremely grateful that I had the opportunity to do such a thing. I wish it didn’t come at a cost.

People who have the ability to move schools may not be aware of what they are perpetuating. “Those who defend the bifurcated system...make the familiar argument, “Don’t change our schools; make the others better.” (Kozol 141)"

I once agreed with this statement in its entirety. However, “These people, “fail to see… that the two systems are inextricably linked; each exists, in part, because of the other.” (Kozol 141)"

It all goes back to separate but equal.



After a lengthy, and altogether too familiar, segment on the appalling conditions of non-white schools, Kozol gave the reader an insight into his own opinion on what needs to be done.

He discussed a New York plan to merge the Roosevelt and East Meadow districts. The predominantly white East Meadow district responded by distributing a flyer warning people of the “rampant violence… drug sales… continual assaults...widespread pregnancies” and suggesting that if the resident moved away their property values would decrease (Kozol 158).

The East Meadow parents deemed it a matter of social class. Effectively, Kozol juxtaposes this scenario with earlier Southern racism. This resonated with me as a reader because I find it difficult to perceive similarities between historically obvious examples of racism and present day subtleties that are dismissed as socio-economic issues.

This segment was also particularly effective because Kozol toys with the idea of hope.

Although he reveals that this dissolution of districts would have been a possible solution, he contrasts this with the idea that white people are unwilling to lend their help and resources in order. On a somber note, he says “If ever there had been an opportunity to end educational apartheid of a small community of children, this had been it. (Kozol 159)"

Despite the idea that Roosevelt could possibly improve, Kozol ends with the realization that any hope for these schools to reach equal measure is improbable. His tone, very cynical, plays to the serious nature of his argument about apartheid.



Other Thoughts

"“We seein’ more than y’all can see,” the very small girl named Obie said to me...

At the same time, I didn’t think that what she said was actually true. I think that most Americans can see the same injustices she and her classmates saw. (Kozol 186)"

As far back as my memory reaches, I remember being aware that racism exists. No matter how hard I think about it, I don’t remember meeting anyone who didn’t believe that racism was not an issue (in some way shape or form).

In The Shame of the Nation, Kozol suggests that Americans can see what is happening and let it continue. And, Kozol is right. People can see the injustices that happen to black and Hispanic people (although maybe not with an educational lens). While I was aware of this, I think it is difficult to realize that in my experiences learning, I still haven’t actually done anything about it.

I’m interested to see what Kozol proposes people do on a small scale. His ideas seem as though they require rather large scale changes. They would restructure entire districts, causing real economic strain on the middle and upper class. As a result, changes as radical as these will need support. Hopefully, his call to action will become applicable to my own capabilities.