Jonathon Kozol

Kozol spent an hour talking about the injustices in American public schools. Growing up a privileged child and now dedicating his life to be an advocate to the education of minorities, he speaks of the underfunded, under trained, and out right ridiculous conditions of urban schools. He does this by integrating facts and personal observation in with humor. His sense of humor though was unprofessional, he used name calling and referred to government or corporate heads as stupid. While he had a lot of good points, that could cause significant conversations to begin about these attention deserving topics, I don't believe he used his talent and resources in the best way he could. By simply "playing" the game a bit more, I believe, he could get much further in his goals and efforts.
While I looked around in the auditorium I saw many eager and excited faces soaking in every word that came out of this frail man’s mouth. I, however, was not so convinced that his “martyrism” and charm would work on me. I went to his question and answer session in the afternoon and perceived him as an angry and bitter man that dealt with the injustices he saw by complaining and not taking action. While I am not saying he doesn’t take action, because he is a man that has obviously made improvements through his individual efforts on the American educational system, I am saying he didn’t seem to me to put every last effort into this cause he carried as so dear to him. These problems I had was first his interaction with David Farrero, a chairman of that Gate’s Foundation, he talked as though the Gate’s Foundation was just another all business donator that would not even look at a cause that would have slow and minuet progress. The Gate’s Foundation right now is helping intercity children and the fact that when asked if he wrote grant request, Kozol responded, “They wouldn’t give him money and he is too old to ‘beg.” If no one asks, how can Kozol expect people to help? If money is not donated how will we pay for these improvements that it is apparent these schools absolutely need?
In conclusion, Kozol opened the floor for conversation and spent his lifetime investigating the problem. Now it is our responsibility as future educators is to start where he left off and create solutions to the endless problems Kozol found; for without action and solution the problem will continue to grow, the gap continue to widen, and public schools will be no more apparent in this country as government official’s children are in them.