Blog Post #3
Amazing Grace
By: Jonathan Kozol
Reflection
After reading Amazing Grace, I was able to take what Kozol shared and use it to reflect on my own personal experiences and life. Kozol discusses children who grew up in the South Bronx, the poorest school district in America. As you continue the reading, you learn about these children's lives and struggles. The children and adults that Kozol came in contact with are victims of drugs, violence, and poverty. Due to the environment they are victim to, the children feel a sense of hopelessness. At times they even feel "abandoned" or "forgotten".
As I read, I realized that these children's hurdles were never something that I had to jump. Growing up, I was fortunate enough to never experience the hardships that these children face on a daily basis. I attended private school all the way from pre-k to my senior year of high school. I'm sure that throughout my schooling experience, I had ups and downs, but there was never a time where I felt "hidden". Nor was there ever a time where I felt trapped in a cage.
Although my experiences cannot relate to the children of the South Bronx experiences, this reading further strengthened my belief that there is still discrimination within the school system. Just because not every child has the same opportunity to attend private school does not mean they should have to fall victim to their environment. Instead of dismissing children, we need to hear their voices. We need to stop making the assumption that because they grew up this way...they will always be this way. No, rather we should strive to strengthen our communities for the sake of our youth.
Point/Question to Share in Class:
Change is not something that happens overnight, but how can we in our own communities help children who struggle with these hurdles? How do we make sure our future students do not become victims of their environment? How can we be better citizens?
In America, students only make up roughly 23% of the population. However, they are 100% of the future.
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