The shame of the nation

"This is a book about betrayal of the young, who have no power to defend themselves. It is not intended to make readers comfortable." Visiting nearly 60 public schools, Kozol finds that conditions have grown worse for inner-city children in the 15 years since federal courts began dismantling the landmark 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. First, the segregation of black children is at a level not seen since 1968. Few of these students know any white children. Second, discipline modeled on methods traditionally used in prisons is targeted at black and Hispanic children. And third, liberal education in our inner-city schools has been increasingly replaced by culturally barren and robotic methods of instruction. Kozol pays tribute to those undefeated educators who persist against the odds, and offers a humane, dramatic challenge to our nation to fulfill at last the promise made some 50 years ago to all our youngest citizens.--From publisher description.