Savage Inequalities Exam

PR AIS E F O R Sav age I n eq ualit ie s “ E asily th e m ost passio nate , an d ce rta in to be th e m ost passio nate ly d eb ate d , b ook ab out A m eric a n ed uca tio n in se v era l y ears … A cla ssic A m eric a n m uck ra k er w it h a n e lo quen t p ro se s ty le , K ozo l o ffe rs … a n o ld - f a sh io ned b ra n d o f m ora l o utr a g e th at w ill affe ct ev ery re ad er w hose h eart h as n ot y et t u rn ed t o s to ne.” —Ente rta in m en t W eek ly “ M ovin g … S h ock in g … H eartb re ak in g.” —Ruth S id el, The N atio n “ It is n eit h er ir o nic n or p ara d oxic a l t o c a ll Sava ge In eq u alit ie s a w onderfu l b ook— fo r K ozo l m ak es it cle ar th at th ere are w onderfu l te ach ers an d w onderfu l stu den ts in e v ery A m eric a n sc h ool, n o m atte r w hat u glin ess, v io le n ce , a n d h orro r s u rro und t h e b uild in g.” — Chic a go T rib u ne “ T he g re at v ir tu e o f J o nath an K ozo l’s n ew b ook a b out in ner-c it y s c h ools i s th at it overc o m es th at ‘e v ery body know s’ pro ble m by brin gin g an u ndulle d c a p acit y fo r sh ock a n d o utr a g e to a to ur o f b ad sc h ools a cro ss t h e co untr y . As so on as Kozo l beg in s le ad in g th e w ay th ro ugh a p ro ce ssio n of overc ro w ded , underh eate d , te xtb ookle ss, bare ly ta u ght c la ssro om s, th e th ought h e su re ly in te n ded to e n gen der b eg in s to ta k e f o rm : H ow c a n t h is b e?” — Wash in gto n P ost B ook W orld “ P oor ch ild re n of all co lo rs are in cre asin gly lo oked upon as su rp lu s b ag gag e, m is ta k es th at sh ould n ev er h av e h ap pen ed . In deed , an o ld er v ie w is re tu rn in g th at an y atte m pts to ed uca te th e lo w er ord ers are d oom ed to fa il. T here ca n b e m ore th an o ne w ay to re ad th e tit le o f J o nath an K ozo l’s d ep re ssin g— an d e sse n tia l— book.” 2 —Andre w H ack er, New Y ork T im es B ook R evie w “M r. K ozo l e xp ose s le m ons in A m eric a n e d uca tio nal fa cilit ie s in th e s a m e way R alp h N ad er a tta ck ed D etr o it a u to m obile m ak ers.” —Herb ert M it g an g, New Y ork T im es “T his b ook d ig s so d eep ly in to th e tr a g ed y o f th e A m eric a n sy ste m o f public e d uca tio n th at it w re n ch es th e r e ad er’s p sy ch e.… A m ust-r e ad fo r ev ery p are n t, e v ery e d uca to r, a n d e v ery r e le v an t p olic y m ak er.” —Ale x H ale y , a u th or o f Roots a n d The A uto bio gra phy o f M alc o lm X “A p ow erfu l a p peal to s a v e c h ild re n b y r e d is tr ib utin g th e w ealt h . It w ill ca u se a n gry , b ut p erh ap s f r u it fu l, d eb ate .” — Kir k u s R evie w s “S ta rtlin g a n d c o m pellin g … C ru cia l to a n y s e rio us d eb ate o n th e c u rre n t sta te o f A m eric a n e d uca tio n.” — Publis h ers W eek ly “A su perb , heart-w re n ch in g portr a it of th e re so lu te in ju stic e w hic h decim ate s s o m an y o f A m eric a ’s u rb an s c h ools .” —Dav id J . G arro w , P ulit z e r P riz e –w in nin g au th or o f Bea rin g th e C ro ss 3 Als o b y J o n ath an K ozo l FIR E I N T H E A SH ES LE TTER S T O A Y O UNG T EA CH ER TH E S H AM E O F T H E N ATIO N ORD IN ARY R ESU RREC TIO NS AM AZIN G G RACE RACH EL A N D H ER C H IL D REN IL LIT ER ATE A M ER IC A ON B EIN G A T EA CH ER CH IL D REN O F T H E R EV O LU TIO N TH E N IG H T I S D ARK A N D I A M F A R F R O M H OM E FR EE S C H OOLS DEA TH A T A N E A RLY A G E 4 5 C op yrig h t © 1 991 b y J o n ath an K ozo l A ll r ig h ts r e se rv ed .

P ublis h ed in t h e U nit e d S ta te s b y B ro ad w ay P ap erb ack s, a n im prin t o f t h e C ro w n P ublis h in g G ro u p, a d iv is io n o f R an dom H ou se , I n c., N ew Y ork .

w ww.c ro w npublis h in g.c o m B ro ad w ay P ap erb ack s a n d it s lo go, a le tte r B b is e cte d o n t h e d ia gon al, a re t r a d em ark s o f R an dom H ou se , I n c.

O rig in ally p ublis h ed in h ard co ver in t h e U nit e d S ta te s b y C ro w n P ublis h ers, I n c., a d iv is io n o f R an dom H ou se , I n c., N ew Y ork , in 1 991.

L ib ra ry o f C on gre ss C ata lo gin g-in -P ublic a tio n D ata is a vaila ble u pon r e q u est.

e IS B N : 9 78-0 -7 704-3 666-7 C over d esig n b y D arre n H aggar C over p hoto gra p h: © B ettm an n/C O RBIS v 3 .1 6 For C assie And f o r D .K . w it h lo ve 7 C O NTEN TS Cover Oth er B ooks b y T his A uth or Title P age Copyrig h t Ded ic a tio n To t h e R ea d er Lookin g B ack w ard : 1 964–1 991 1 . L if e o n t h e M is sis sip pi 2 . O th er P eo ple ’s C hild re n 3 . T he S av ag e I n eq ualit ie s o f P ublic E duca tio n in N ew Y ork 4 . C hild re n o f t h e C it y I n vin cib le 5 . T he E qualit y o f I n noce n ce 6 . T he D re am D efe rre d , A gain , in S an A nto nio Appen dix Note s Ack n ow le d gm en ts 8 TO T H E R EA D ER A C la rific a tio n A bout D ate s an d D ata i n T h is B ook The e v en ts in t h is b ook t a k e p la ce f o r t h e m ost p art b etw een 1 988 a n d 1 990, a lt h ough a fe w e v en ts s o m ew hat p re ce d e th is p erio d. M ost e v en ts , h ow ev er, a re n arra te d in th e p re se n t te n se . T his is im porta n t to k eep in m in d beca u se sta tis tic s, su ch as m oney sp en t in a partic u la r sc h ool d is tr ic t, o r a d esc rip tio n o f th e sta ff o r stu den t b ody in a g iv en sc h ool, a p ply t o t h e y ear o f w hic h I ’m s p eak in g, w hic h is in dic a te d in t h e t e xt o r n ote s.

The n am es o f stu den ts in th is b ook h av e so m etim es b een d is g uis e d a t t h eir r e q uest o r th at o f s c h ool o ffic ia ls . T he n am es o f a ll a d ult s a re r e al, a lt h ough in a fe w ca se s ad ult s are n ot n am ed at all at th eir re q uest.

D ocu m en ta tio n fo r sta tis tic s an d m atte rs of re co rd in th is book is p ro vid ed in t h e n ote s b eg in nin g o n th is p ag e .

9 Lo ok in g B ack w ard :

1964–1 991 It w as a lo ng t im e s in ce I ’d b een w it h c h ild re n in t h e p ublic s c h ools .

I had beg un to te ach in 1964 in B osto n in a se g re g ate d sc h ool so c ro w ded a n d s o p oor th at it c o uld n ot p ro vid e m y fo urth g ra d e c h ild re n w it h a cla ssro om . W e sh are d a n a u dit o riu m w it h a n oth er fo urth g ra d e a n d th e c h oir a n d a g ro up th at w as r e h earsin g, s ta rtin g in O cto ber, fo r a C hris tm as p la y th at, so m eh ow , n ev er w as p ro duce d . In th e sp rin g I w as s h if te d to a n oth er fo urth g ra d e th at h ad h ad a str in g o f su bstit u te s a ll y ear. T he 3 5 c h ild re n in th e c la ss h ad n’t h ad a p erm an en t te ach er sin ce t h ey e n te re d k in derg arte n . T hat y ear, I w as t h eir t h ir te en th t e ach er.

The re su lt s w ere se en in th e fir st te sts I g av e. In A pril, m ost w ere r e ad in g at th e se co nd g ra d e le v el. T heir m ath ab ilit y w as at th e fir st g ra d e le v el.

In a n e ffo rt to r e su sc it a te th eir in te re st, I b eg an to re ad th em p oetr y I l ik ed . T hey w ere d ra w n e sp ecia lly t o p oem s o f R obert F ro st a n d L an gsto n H ughes. O ne o f th e m ost e m bit te re d ch ild re n in th e cla ss b eg an to cry w hen s h e f ir st h eard t h e w ord s o f L an gsto n H ughes.

W hat h ap pen s t o a d re am d efe rre d ?

D oes it d ry u p lik e a r a is in in t h e s u n?

Sh e w en t h om e a n d m em oriz e d t h e lin es.

The n ext d ay , I w as fir e d . T here w as, it tu rn ed o ut, a lis t o f “fo urth g ra d e p oem s” th at te ach ers w ere o blig ed to fo llo w b ut w hic h , lik e m ost f ir st-y ear t e ach ers, I h ad n ev er s e en . A cco rd in g t o s c h ool o ffic ia ls , R obert F ro st a n d L an gsto n H ughes w ere “ to o a d van ce d ” fo r c h ild re n o f th is a g e.

H ughes, m ore o ver, w as r e g ard ed a s “ in fla m mato ry .” I w as s o on r e cru it e d t o t e ach in a s u burb an s y ste m w est o f B osto n. T he s h ock o f g oin g fr o m o ne o f th e p oore st sc h ools to o ne o f th e w ealt h ie st c a n not b e o versta te d . I n ow h ad 2 1 c h ild re n in a c h eerfu l b uild in g w it h a p rin cip al w ho w elc o m ed in novatio n.

Afte r t e ach in g f o r s e v era l y ears, I b eca m e in volv ed w it h o th er in te re sts — th e h ealt h a n d e d uca tio n o f fa rm -w ork ers in N ew M exic o a n d A riz o na, 10 th e p ro ble m s o f a d ult illit e ra te s in se v era l sta te s, th e liv es o f h om ele ss fa m ilie s in New York . It w asn ’t until 1988, w hen I re tu rn ed to Massa ch use tts a fte r a lo ng s ta y in N ew Y ork C it y , t h at I r e aliz e d h ow f a r I’d b een d ra w n a w ay fr o m m y o rig in al co nce rn s. I fo und th at I m is se d bein g w it h sc h oolc h ild re n , a n d I fe lt a lo ngin g to sp en d tim e in p ublic sc h ools a g ain . S o , in t h e f a ll o f 1 988, I s e t o ff o n a n oth er jo urn ey .

Durin g th e n ext tw o y ears I v is it e d s c h ools a n d sp oke w it h c h ild re n in ap pro xim ate ly 3 0 n eig hborh oods fr o m Illin ois to W ash in gto n, D .C ., a n d fr o m N ew Y ork to San A nto nio . W here v er possib le , I als o m et w it h ch ild re n in th eir h om es. T here w as n o s p ecia l lo gic in th e c h oic e o f c it ie s th at I v is it e d . I w en t w here I w as w elc o m ed o r k new te ach ers o r s c h ool prin cip als o r m in is te rs o f c h urc h es.

What s ta rtle d m e m ost— alt h ough it p uzzle s m e t h at I w as n ot p re p are d fo r th is — was th e re m ark ab le d eg re e o f ra cia l se g re g atio n th at p ersis te d alm ost e v ery w here . L ik e m ost A m eric a n s, I k new th at se g re g atio n w as still c o m mon in th e p ublic s c h ools , b ut I d id n ot k now h ow m uch it h ad in te n sif ie d . T he S u pre m e C ourt d ecis io n in Bro w n v .

Board o f E duca tio n 3 7 years a g o, in w hic h th e c o urt h ad fo und th at se g re g ate d e d uca tio n w as unco nstit u tio nal b eca u se it w as “in here n tly u neq ual,” d id n ot se em to hav e c h an ged v ery m uch fo r c h ild re n in th e sc h ools I sa w , n ot, a t le ast, outs id e o f t h e D eep S o uth . M ost o f t h e u rb an s c h ools I v is it e d w ere 9 5 t o 99 p erc e n t n onw hit e . In n o sc h ool th at I sa w an yw here in th e U nit e d Sta te s w ere n onw hit e c h ild re n in la rg e n um bers tr u ly in te rm in gle d w it h whit e c h ild re n .

More o ver, in m ost cit ie s, in flu en tia l p eo ple th at I m et sh ow ed lit tle in clin atio n t o a d dre ss t h is m atte r a n d w ere s o m etim es e v en p uzzle d w hen I b ro ught it u p. M an y p eo ple s e em ed to v ie w th e s e g re g atio n is su e a s “ a past in ju stic e ” th at h ad b een su ffic ie n tly a d dre sse d . O th ers to ok it a s a n unre so lv ed in ju stic e t h at n o lo nger h eld s u ffic ie n t n atio nal a tte n tio n t o b e worth c o nte stin g. I n a ll c a se s, I w as g iv en t h e d is tin ct im pre ssio n t h at m y in quir ie s a b out t h is m atte r w ere n ot w elc o m e.

None o f th e n atio nal re p orts I sa w m ad e e v en p assin g re fe re n ce s to in eq ualit y o r se g re g atio n. L ow re ad in g sc o re s, h ig h d ro pout ra te s, p oor motiv atio n— sy m pto m atic matte rs— se em ed to dom in ate dis c u ssio n. In th re e cit ie s— Balt im ore , M ilw au kee an d Detr o it — se p ara te sc h ools or se p ara te cla sse s fo r bla ck m ale s had been pro pose d . O th er cit ie s— Wash in gto n, D.C ., New York an d Phila d elp hia am ong th em — were co nsid erin g th e sa m e ap pro ach . B la ck p are n ts o r b la ck sc h ool o ffic ia ls so m etim es se em ed to fa v or th is id ea. B ooker T . W ash in gto n w as cit e d wit h in cre asin g fr e q uen cy , D u B ois n ev er, a n d M artin L uth er K in g o nly 11 wit h c a u tio us se le ctiv it y . H e w as tr e ate d a s a n ic o n, b ut h is v is io n o f a natio n in w hic h b la ck a n d w hit e k id s w en t to s c h ool to geth er s e em ed to be e ffa ce d a lm ost e n tir e ly . D utif u l r e fe re n ce s to “ T he D re am ” w ere o fte n se en in sc h ool bro ch ure s an d on w all poste rs durin g Feb ru ary , w hen “B la ck H is to ry ” w as c e le b ra te d in th e p ublic sc h ools , b ut th e c o nte n t o f th e d re am w as tr e ate d a s a c lo se d b ox th at c o uld n ot b e o pen ed w it h out ru in in g t h e c e le b ra tio n.

For a n yone w ho c a m e o f a g e d urin g t h e y ears f r o m 1 954 t o 1 968, t h ese re v ela tio ns c o uld n ot fa il to b e d is h earte n in g. W hat s e em s u nm is ta k ab le , but, o ddly e n ough, is r a re ly s a id in p ublic s e ttin gs n ow ad ay s, is th at th e natio n, fo r a ll p ra ctic e a n d in te n t, h as tu rn ed it s b ack u pon th e m ora l im plic a tio ns, if n ot y et t h e le g al r a m if ic a tio ns, o f t h e Bro w n d ecis io n. T he str u ggle b ein g w ag ed to day , w here th ere is a n y s tr u ggle b ein g w ag ed a t all, is c lo se r t o t h e o ne t h at w as a d dre sse d in 1 896 in Ple ssy v .

Ferg u so n , in whic h th e co urt acce p te d se g re g ate d in stit u tio ns fo r bla ck peo ple , stip ula tin g o nly th at th ey m ust b e e q ual to th ose o pen to w hit e p eo ple .

The d ual so cie ty , at le ast in p ublic ed uca tio n, se em s in g en era l to b e unquestio ned .

To t h e e xte n t t h at s c h ool r e fo rm s s u ch a s “ re str u ctu rin g” a re a d voca te d fo r th e in ner c it ie s, fe w o f th ese r e fo rm s h av e r e ach ed th e s c h ools th at I hav e s e en . In e ach o f th e la rg er c it ie s th ere is u su ally o ne s c h ool o r one su bdis tr ic t w hic h is h ig hly p ublic iz e d as an exam ple o f “re str u ctu re d ” ed uca tio n; b ut t h e c h an ges r a re ly r e ach b ey ond t h is o ne e xam ple . E ven in th ose sc h ools w here so m e “re str u ctu rin g” h as ta k en p la ce , th e fa ct o f ra cia l s e g re g atio n h as b een , a n d c o ntin ues to b e, la rg ely u nco nte ste d . In man y c it ie s, w hat is te rm ed “ re str u ctu rin g” s tr u ck m e a s v ery lit tle m ore th an m ovin g a ro und th e s a m e o ld fu rn it u re w it h in th e h ouse o f p overty .

The p erc e iv ed o bje ctiv e w as a m ore “ e ffic ie n t” g hetto s c h ool o r o ne w it h gre ate r “ in put” fr o m th e g hetto p are n ts o r m ore “ ch oic e s” fo r th e g hetto ch ild re n . T he fa ct o f g hetto e d uca tio n a s a p erm an en t A m eric a n re alit y ap peare d t o b e a cce p te d .

Lib era l c rit ic s o f th e R eag an e ra so m etim es n ote th at so cia l p olic y in th e U nit e d S ta te s, to th e e xte n t th at it c o nce rn s b la ck c h ild re n a n d p oor ch ild re n , h as b een tu rn ed b ack s e v era l d eca d es. B ut th is a sse rtio n, w hic h is accu ra te as a d esc rip tio n o f so m e se tb ack s in th e are as o f h ousin g, healt h a n d w elf a re , is n ot a d eq uate t o s p eak a b out t h e p re se n t-d ay r e alit y in p ublic ed uca tio n. In p ublic sc h oolin g, so cia l p olic y h as b een tu rn ed back a lm ost o ne h undre d y ears.

These , th en , a re a fe w o f th e im pre ssio ns th at r e m ain ed w it h m e a fte r re v is it in g th e p ublic s c h ools fr o m w hic h I h ad b een a b se n t fo r a q uarte r- 12 ce n tu ry . M y d eep est im pre ssio n, h ow ev er, w as le ss th eo re tic a l a n d m ore im med ia te . It w as sim ply th e im pre ssio n th at th ese u rb an sc h ools w ere , by a n d la rg e, e xtr a o rd in arily u nhap py p la ce s. W it h fe w e xce p tio ns, th ey re m in ded m e o f “g arris o ns” o r “o utp osts ” in a fo re ig n n atio n. H ousin g pro je cts , b le ak a n d t a ll, s u rro unded b y p erim ete r w alls lin ed w it h b arb ed wir e , ofte n sto od ad ja ce n t to th e sc h ools I vis it e d . T he sc h ools w ere su rro unded fr e q uen tly b y s ig ns th at in dic a te d DRU G-F R EE Z O NE . T heir d oors were g uard ed . P olic e s o m etim es p atr o lle d th e h alls . T he w in dow s o f th e sc h ools w ere o fte n c o vere d w it h ste el g ra te s. T axi d riv ers fla tly re fu se d to t a k e m e t o s o m e o f t h ese s c h ools a n d w ould d ep osit m e a d oze n b lo ck s aw ay , in b ord er a re as b ey ond w hic h th ey r e fu se d to g o. I’d w alk th e la st half -m ile o n m y o w n. O nce , in th e B ro nx, a w om an s to pped h er c a r, to ld me I s h ould n ot b e w alk in g th ere , in sis te d I g et in , a n d d ro ve m e to th e sc h ool. I w as d is m ay ed to w alk o r rid e fo r b lo ck s a n d b lo ck s th ro ugh neig hborh oods w here e v ery fa ce w as b la ck , w here th ere w ere s im ply no whit e p eo ple a n yw here .

In B osto n, th e p re ss re fe rre d to a re as lik e th ese a s “d eath zo nes” — a sp ecif ic re fe re n ce to th e ra te o f in fa n t d eath in g hetto n eig hborh oods— but t h e f e elin g o f t h e “ d eath z o ne” o fte n s e em ed t o p erm eate t h e s c h ools th em se lv es. L ookin g a ro und s o m e o f th ese in ner-c it y s c h ools , w here filt h an d dis re p air w ere w orse th an an yth in g I’d se en in 1964, I ofte n wondere d w hy w e w ould a g re e to le t o ur c h ild re n g o to s c h ool in p la ce s where no polit ic ia n , sc h ool board pre sid en t, or busin ess C EO w ould dre am of w ork in g. Child re n se em ed to w re stle w it h th ese kin ds of questio ns t o o. S o m e o f t h eir o bse rv atio ns w ere , in deed , s o t r e n ch an t t h at a te ach er so m etim es w ould ste p b ack a n d ra is e h er e y eb ro w s a n d th en nod t o m e a cro ss t h e c h ild re n ’s h ead s, a s if t o s a y , “ W ell, t h ere it is ! T hey know w hat’s g oin g o n a ro und t h em , d on’t t h ey ?” It o ccu rre d to m e th at w e h ad n ot b een lis te n in g m uch to c h ild re n in th ese re ce n t years of “su m mit co nfe re n ce s” on ed uca tio n, of se v ere re p orts a n d o m in ous p re sc rip tio ns. T he v oic e s o f ch ild re n , fr a n kly , h ad been m is sin g f r o m t h e w hole d is c u ssio n.

This s e em s e sp ecia lly u nfo rtu nate b eca u se th e c h ild re n o fte n a re m ore in te re stin g a n d p erc e p tiv e th an th e g ro w nups a re a b out th e d ay -t o -d ay re alit ie s o f lif e in s c h ool. F or th is r e aso n, I d ecid ed , e arly in m y jo urn ey , to a tte m pt to lis te n v ery c a re fu lly to c h ild re n a n d, w hen ev er p ossib le , to le t t h eir v oic e s a n d t h eir ju dgm en ts a n d t h eir lo ngin gs f in d a p la ce w it h in th is book— an d m ay be, to o, w it h in th e natio n’s dia lo gue ab out th eir destin ie s. I h ope t h at, in t h is e ffo rt, I h av e d one t h em ju stic e .

13 CH APTER 1 Life o n t h e M is sis sip pi:

East S t. L o u is , I llin ois “ East o f an yw here ,” w rit e s a re p orte r fo r th e St. Lou is P ost-D is p atc h , “ o fte n e v okes th e o th er sid e o f th e tr a ck s. B ut, fo r a fir st-t im e v is it o r s u dden ly dep osit e d on it s eerily em pty str e ets , East St. Louis m ig ht s u ggest an oth er w orld .” T he cit y , w hic h is 98 perc e n t bla ck , has no o bste tr ic s e rv ic e s, n o r e g ula r t r a sh c o lle ctio n, a n d f e w jo bs.

Nearly a t h ir d o f it s f a m ilie s liv e o n le ss t h an $ 7,5 00 a y ear; 7 5 p erc e n t o f it s p opula tio n l iv es o n w elf a re o f so m e fo rm . T he U .S . D ep artm en t o f H ousin g an d U rb an D ev elo pm en t desc rib es it as “th e most dis tr e sse d sm all cit y in A m eric a .” Only th re e o f th e 1 3 b uild in gs o n M is so uri A ven ue, o ne o f th e cit y ’s m ajo r th oro ughfa re s, a re o ccu pie d . A 1 3-s to ry o ffic e b uild in g, ta lle st in t h e c it y , h as b een b oard ed u p. O uts id e, o n t h e s id ew alk , a p ile o f g arb ag e f ills a t e n -f o ot c ra te r.

The cit y , w hic h b y n ig ht a n d d ay is clo uded b y th e fu m es th at p our f r o m v en ts a n d s m okesta ck s a t th e P fiz e r a n d M onsa n to c h em ic a l p la n ts , h as o ne o f t h e h ig hest r a te s o f ch ild a sth m a in A m eric a .

It is , a cco rd in g to a te ach er a t th e U niv ersit y o f S o uth ern Illin ois , “ a r e p osit o ry fo r a nonw hit e popula tio n th at is now re g ard ed as e xp en dab le .” T he Post-D is p atc h d esc rib es it a s “ Am eric a ’s S o w eto .” Fis c a l sh orta g es h av e fo rc e d th e la y off o f 1,1 70 o f th e cit y ’s 1 ,4 00 e m plo yees in th e p ast 1 2 y ears. T he c it y , w hic h is o fte n u nab le to b uy h eatin g fu el o r to ile t p ap er fo r th e cit y h all, re ce n tly a n nounce d th at it m ig ht h av e to c a sh ie r all b ut 1 0 p erc e n t o f th e r e m ain in g w ork fo rc e o f 2 30. I n 1 989 t h e m ay or a n nounce d t h at h e m ig ht n eed t o s e ll t h e c it y h all a n d a ll s ix f ir e s ta tio ns t o r a is e n eed ed c a sh . L ast y ear t h e p la n h ad t o b e s c ra p ped a fte r th e c it y lo st it s c it y h all in a co urt ju dgm en t to a c re d it o r.

E ast St. L ouis is m ortg ag ed in to th e n ext ce n tu ry b ut h as th e hig hest p ro perty -t a x r a te in t h e s ta te .

14 Sin ce O cto ber 1987, w hen th e cit y ’s garb ag e pic k ups ce ase d , th e back yard s o f re sid en ts h av e b een e m plo yed a s d um p sit e s. In th e sp rin g of 1988 a polic e m an te lls a vis it o r th at 40 pla stic bag s of tr a sh are wait in g fo r re m oval fr o m th e back yard of his m oth er’s house . P ublic healt h o ffic ia ls a re co nce rn ed th e g arb ag e w ill a ttr a ct a p la g ue o f flie s an d ro den ts in th e su m mer. T he polic e m an sp eak s of “ra ts as big as puppie s” in h is m oth er’s y ard . T hey a re k now n to th e r e sid en ts , h e s a y s, as “ b ull ra ts .” M an y p eo ple h av e n o c a rs o r fu nds to c a rt th e tr a sh a n d sim ply b urn it in th eir y ard s. T he o dor o f sm oke fr o m b urn in g g arb ag e, sa y s t h e Post-D is p atc h , “ h as b eco m e o ne o f t h e s c e n ts o f s p rin g” in E ast S t.

Louis .

Railr o ad tr a ck s s till u se d to tr a n sp ort h aza rd ous c h em ic a ls r u n th ro ugh th e cit y . “A lw ay s pre se n t,” sa y s th e Post-D is p atc h , “is th e th re at of ch em ic a l s p ills .… T he w ail o f s ir e n s w arn in g r e sid en ts t o e v acu ate a fte r a sp ill is co m mon.” T he m ost re ce n t sp ill, th e pap er sa y s, “w as at th e Monsa n to Com pan y pla n t.… Nearly 300 gallo ns of phosp horo us tr ic h lo rid e sp ille d w hen a ra ilr o ad ta n k w as overfille d . About 450 re sid en ts w ere ta k en to St. M ary ’s H osp it a l.… The fr e q uen cy of th e em erg en cie s has ca u se d M onsa n to to hav e a ‘s ta n din g acco unt’ at St.

Mary ’s .” In M arc h o f 1 989, a t a sk f o rc e a p poin te d b y Govern or J am es T hom pso n note d th at th e c it y w as in d eb t b y m ore th an $ 40 m illio n, a n d p ro pose d em erg en cy sta te lo an s to p ay fo r g arb ag e c o lle ctio n a n d to k eep p olic e an d fir e dep artm en ts in co ntin ued opera tio n. T he govern or, how ev er, bla m ed t h e m ay or a n d h is a d m in is tr a to rs, a lm ost a ll o f w hom w ere b la ck , an d re fu se d to g ra n t th e lo an s u nle ss th e m ay or re sig ned . T hom pso n’s re sp onse , s a id a R ep ublic a n s ta te le g is la to r, “ m ad e m y h eart f e el g ood.… It’s u nfo rtu nate , b ut th e e sse n ce o f th e p ro ble m in E ast S t. L ouis is th e peo ple ” w ho a re r u nnin g t h in gs.

Resid en ts o f Illin ois d o n ot n eed to b re ath e th e g arb ag e sm oke an d ch em ic a ls of East St. Louis . W it h th e in te rsta te hig hw ay s, sa y s a su perv is o r o f t h e Illin ois P ow er C om pan y, “ y ou c a n r id e a ro und t h e p la ce an d ju st k eep g oin g.… ” East S t. L ouis lie s in t h e h eart o f t h e A m eric a n B otto m s— th e f lo odpla in on t h e e ast s id e o f t h e M is sis sip pi R iv er o pposit e S t. L ouis . T o t h e e ast o f th e cit y lie th e Illin ois Blu ffs , w hic h su rro und th e flo odpla in in a se m ic ir c le . T ow ns on th e B lu ffs are pre d om in an tly w hit e an d do not welc o m e v is it o rs f r o m E ast S t. L ouis .

“T he tw o tie rs— Blu ffs an d Botto m s— ” w rit e s Jam es Now la n , a 15 pro fe sso r of public polic y at Knox Colle g e, “h av e lo ng re p re se n te d … d if fe re n t w orld s.” T heir p hysic a l se p ara tio n, h e b elie v es, “h elp s ra tio naliz e th e p sy ch olo gic a l an d cu lt u ra l d is ta n ce th at th ose o n th e B lu ffs hav e cle arly tr ie d to m ain ta in .” P eo ple on th e B lu ffs , sa y s Now la n , “ o verw helm in gly w an t t h is s e p ara tio n t o c o ntin ue.” Tow ns o n th e B lu ffs , a cco rd in g to N ow la n , d o n ot p ay ta xes to a d dre ss flo od pro ble m s in th e Botto m s, “e v en th ough th ese pro ble m s are gen era te d in la rg e p art b y t h e w ate r t h at d ra in s f r o m t h e B lu ffs .” E ast S t.

Louis la ck s th e fu nds to c o pe w it h flo odin g p ro ble m s o n it s o w n, o r to re co nstr u ct it s se w er sy ste m , w hic h , acco rd in g to lo ca l exp erts , is “ir re p ara b le .” T he p ro ble m is a ll t h e w orse b eca u se t h e c h em ic a l p la n ts in East S t. L ouis a n d a d ja ce n t to w ns h av e fo r d eca d es b een r e le asin g to xin s in to t h e s e w er s y ste m .

The patte rn of co nce n tr a tin g bla ck co m munit ie s in easily flo oded lo w la n d a re as is n ot u nusu al in t h e U nit e d S ta te s. F arth er d ow n t h e r iv er, fo r e xam ple , in t h e D elt a t o w n o f Tunic a , M is sis sip pi, p eo ple in t h e b la ck co m munit y of Su gar D it c h liv e in sh ack s by open se w ers th at are co m monly belie v ed to be re sp onsib le fo r th e hig h in cid en ce of liv er tu m ors an d ab sc e sse s fo und in ch ild re n th ere . M eta p hors o f ca ste lik e th ese a re e v ery w here in t h e U nit e d S ta te s. S ad ly , a lt h ough d ir t a n d w ate r flo w d ow nhill, m oney a n d s e rv ic e s d o n ot.

The d an gers o f exp osu re to ra w se w ag e, w hic h b ack s u p re p eate d ly in to th e h om es o f re sid en ts in E ast S t. L ouis , w ere fir st n otic e d , in th e sp rin g o f 1 989, a t a p ublic h ousin g p ro je ct, Villa G rif fin . R aw se w ag e, sa y s th e Post-D is p atc h , overflo w ed in to a pla y gro und ju st beh in d th e housin g p ro je ct, w hic h is h om e to 1 87 c h ild re n , “ fo rm in g a n o ozin g la k e of … t a in te d w ate r.” T w o s c h oolg ir ls , w e a re t o ld , “ e xp erie n ce d h air lo ss sin ce r a w s e w ag e f lo w ed in to t h eir h om es.” While lo ca l p hysic ia n s a re n ot c e rta in w heth er lo ss o f h air is c a u se d b y th e r a w s e w ag e, th ey h av e is su ed warn in gs th at e xp osu re to r a w s e w ag e ca n p ro voke a ch ole ra o r h ep atit is o utb re ak . A S t. L ouis h ealt h o ffic ia l voic e s h er d is m ay th at c h ild re n liv e w it h w aste in th eir b ack yard s. “ T he dev elo pm en t o f w ork in g se w ag e sy ste m s m ad e cit ie s liv ab le a h undre d years ag o,” sh e note s. “S ew ag e sy ste m s se p ara te us fr o m th e Thir d World .” “It’s a t e rrib le w ay t o liv e,” s a y s a m oth er a t t h e V illa G rif fin h om es, a s sh e b ails r a w s e w ag e f r o m h er s in k. H ealt h o ffic ia ls w arn a g ain o f c h ole ra —an d, t h is t im e, o f t y phoid a ls o .

The se w ag e, w hic h is flo w in g fr o m c o lla p se d p ip es a n d d ysfu nctio nal pum pin g s ta tio ns, h as a ls o flo oded b ase m en ts a ll o ver th e c it y . T he c it y ’s 16 vacu um tr u ck , w hic h u se s w ate r a n d s u ctio n to u nclo g th e c it y ’s s e w ers, ca n not b e u se d b eca u se it n eed s $ 5,0 00 in r e p air s. E ven w hen it w ork s, it so m etim es ca n ’t b e u se d b eca u se th ere is n ’t m oney to h ir e d riv ers. A sin gle e n gin eer n ow d oes th e w ork th at 1 4 o th ers d id b efo re th ey w ere la id o ff. B y A pril t h e p ool o f o verflo w b eh in d t h e V illa G rif fin p ro je ct h as exp an ded in to a la g oon o f s e w ag e. T w o m illio n g allo ns o f r a w s e w ag e lie outs id e t h e c h ild re n ’s h om es.

In M ay , an oth er healt h em erg en cy dev elo ps. So il sa m ple s te ste d at re sid en tia l s it e s in E ast S t. L ouis tu rn u p d is tu rb in g q uan tit ie s o f a rse n ic , merc u ry an d le ad — as w ell as ste ro id s dum ped in pre v io us years by sto ck yard s in th e a re a. L ead le v els fo und in th e s o il a ro und o ne fa m ily ’s hom e, a cco rd in g t o le ad -p ois o n e xp erts , m easu re “ a n a str o nom ic a l 1 0,0 00 parts per m illio n.” Fiv e of th e ch ild re n in th e build in g hav e been pois o ned . Alt h ough ch ild re n ra re ly die of pois o nin g by le ad , healt h exp erts n ote , it s e ffe cts te n d to b e su btle a n d in sid io us. B y th e tim e th e pois o nin g b eco m es a p pare n t in a ch ild ’s sle ep d is o rd ers, sto m ach p ain s an d h ypera ctiv e b eh av io r, s a y s a h ealt h o ffic ia l, “ it is t o o la te t o u ndo t h e perm an en t bra in d am ag e.” T he p ois o n, s h e s a y s, “ is c h ip pin g a w ay a t t h e le arn in g p ote n tia l o f k id s w hose p ote n tia l h as a lr e ad y b een c h ip ped a w ay by t h eir e n vir o nm en t.” The b udget o f th e cit y ’s d ep artm en t o f le ad -p ois o n co ntr o l, h ow ev er, has b een s la sh ed , a n d o ne p erso n n ow d oes t h e w ork o nce d one b y s ix .

Lead p ois o nin g in m ost c it ie s c o m es fr o m le ad -b ase d p ain t in h ousin g, whic h has been ille g al in m ost sta te s fo r deca d es but w hic h pois o ns ch ild re n still b eca u se m ost cit ie s, B osto n an d N ew Y ork am ong th em , ra re ly p en aliz e o ffe n din g la n dlo rd s. In E ast S t. L ouis , h ow ev er, th ere is a se co nd so urc e o f le ad . H ealt h in sp ecto rs th in k it is an oth er re sid ue o f man ufa ctu rin g— in clu din g sm elt in g— in th e fa cto rie s an d m ills w hose pla n ts su rro und th e cit y . “S o m e of th e fa cto rie s are gone,” a pare n t org an iz e r sa y s, “b ut th ey h av e le ft th eir p ois o n in th e so il w here o ur ch ild re n pla y .” In one ap artm en t co m ple x w here partic u la rly hig h quan tit ie s o f le ad h av e b een d ete cte d in th e so il, 3 2 c h ild re n w it h h ig h le v els in t h eir b lo od h av e b een id en tif ie d .

“I an tic ip ate fin din g th e w hole cit y co nta m in ate d ,” sa y s a healt h exam in er.

The D au ghte rs o f C harit y , w hose w ork s o f m erc y a re w ell k now n in t h e Thir d W orld , opera te a m is sio n at th e Villa G rif fin hom es. O n an afte rn oon in e arly sp rin g o f 1 990, S is te r J u lia H uis k am p m eets m e o n Kin g B oule v ard a n d d riv es m e t o t h e G rif fin h om es.

17 As w e r id e p ast b lo ck s a n d b lo ck s o f s k ele ta l s tr u ctu re s, s o m e o f w hic h are still in hab it e d , sh e slo w s th e c a r re p eate d ly a t ra ilr o ad c ro ssin gs. A se em in gly e n dle ss ra ilr o ad tr a in ro lls p ast u s to th e rig ht. O n th e le ft: a bla ck en ed lo t w here garb ag e has been burn in g. N ext to th e burn in g garb ag e is a r o w o f 1 2 w hit e c a b in s, c h arre d b y f ir e . N ext: a lo t t h at h old s a h eap o f a u to t ir e s a n d a m ounta in o f t in c a n s. M ore b urn t h ouse s. M ore tr a sh fir e s. T he tr a in m oves a lm ost im perc e p tib ly a cro ss th e fla tn ess o f th e la n d.

Fif ty y ears o ld , a n d w earin g a b lu e su it , w hit e b lo use , a n d b lu e h ead - co ver, S is te r J u lia p oin ts to th e n ic e st h ouse in sig ht. T he sig n o n th e fr o nt r e ad s MOTEL . “ It’s a w hore h ouse ,” S is te r J u lia s a y s.

When s h e s lo w s th e c a r b esid e a g ro up o f te en -a g e b oys, o ne o f th em ste p s o ut t o w ard t h e c a r, t h en b ack s a w ay a s s h e is r e co gniz e d .

The 9 9 u nit s o f th e V illa G rif fin h om es— tw o-s to ry s tr u ctu re s, b ric k o n th e fir st flo or, y ello w w ood a b ove— fo rm o ne b ord er o f a re ce sse d p ark an d p la y gro und th at w ere fille d w it h fe ca l m atte r la st y ear w hen th e se w ag e m ain s e xp lo ded . T he se w ag e is g one n ow a n d th e g ra ss is v ery gre en a n d lo oks in vit in g. W hen n in e-y ear-o ld S ere n a a n d h er s e v en -y ear- old b ro th er ta k e m e fo r a w alk , h ow ev er, I d is c o ver th at o ur s h oes s in k in to w hat is still a se w ag e m arsh . A n in ch -d eep re sid ue o f fo ule d w ate r still r e m ain s.

Sere n a’s b ro th er is a h an dso m e, jo yous lit tle b oy, b ut tr o ublin gly th in .

Thre e o th er c h ild re n jo in u s a s w e w alk a lo ng t h e m arsh : S m okey , w ho is nin e y ears o ld b ut c a n not y et te ll tim e; M ic k ey , w ho is s e v en ; a n d a tin y ch ild w it h a p onyta il a n d b ig b ro w n e y es w ho ta lk s a c o nsta n t s tr e am o f word s t h at I c a n ’t a lw ay s u ndersta n d.

“H ush , L it tle S is te r,” s a y s S ere n a. I a sk f o r h er n am e, b ut “ L it tle S is te r” is t h e o nly n am e t h e c h ild re n s e em t o k now .

“T here g o m y co usin s,” S m okey sa y s, p oin tin g to tw o te en -a g e g ir ls ab ove u s o n t h e h ill.

The d ay is w arm , a lt h ough w e’r e o nly in th e se co nd w eek o f M arc h ; se v era l d ogs a n d c a ts a re p la y in g b y t h e e d ges o f t h e m arsh . “ It’s a lo t o f sq uir re ls h ere ,” s a y s S m okey . “ T here g o o ne!” “T his h ere s q uir re l is a f r ie n d o f m in e,” s a y s L it tle S is te r.

None o f th e ch ild re n ca n te ll m e th e ap pro xim ate tim e th at sc h ool beg in s. O ne sa y s fiv e o ’c lo ck . O ne sa y s six . A noth er sa y s th at sc h ool beg in s a t n oon.

When I a sk w hat s o ng th ey s in g a fte r th e fla g p le d ge, o ne s a y s “ J in gle Bells .” Sm okey c a n not d ecid e if h e is in t h e s e co nd o r t h ir d g ra d e.

18 Sev en -y ear-o ld M ic k ey s u ck s h is t h um b d urin g t h e w alk .

The ch ild re n re g ale m e w it h a ch illin g sto ry a s w e sta n d b esid e th e marsh . S m okey s a y s h is s is te r w as r a p ed a n d m urd ere d a n d th en d um ped beh in d h is sc h ool. O th er c h ild re n a d d m ore d eta ils : S m okey ’s sis te r w as 11 y ears o ld . S h e w as b eate n w it h a b ric k u ntil s h e d ie d . T he m urd er w as co m mit te d b y a m an w ho k new h er m oth er.

The n arra tiv e b eg in s w hen , w it h out w arn in g, S m okey s a y s, “ M y s is te r has g ot k ille d .” “S h e w as m y b est f r ie n d,” S ere n a s a y s.

“T hey h ad b eat h er in t h e h ead a n d r a p ed h er,” S m okey s a y s.

“S h e w as h olle rin g o ut lo ud,” s a y s L it tle S is te r.

I a sk th em w hen it h ap pen ed . S m okey sa y s, “ L ast y ear.” S ere n a th en co rre cts h im a n d s h e s a y s, “ L ast w eek .” “It s c a re d m e b eca u se I h ad t o c ry ,” s a y s L it tle S is te r.

“T he p olic e a rre ste d o ne m an b ut th ey d id n’t c a tc h th e o th er,” S m okey sa y s.

Sere n a s a y s, “ H e w as s o m e k in t o h er.” But S m okey o bje cts , “ H e w ere n ’t n o k in to m e. H e w as m y m om ma’s fr ie n d.” “H er f a ce w as b uste d ,” L it tle S is te r s a y s.

Sere n a d esc rib es th is s e q uen ce o f e v en ts : “ T hey to ld h er g o b eh in d th e sc h ool. T hey ’l l g iv e h er a q uarte r if sh e d o. T hen th ey k nock h er d ow n an d t o ld h er n ot t o t e ll w hat t h ey h ad d id .” I a sk , “ W hy d id t h ey k ill h er? ” “T hey w as s c a re d t h at s h e w ould t e ll,” S ere n a s a y s.

“O ne is in ja il,” s a y s S m okey . “ T hey c a in ’t f in d t h e O th er.” “In ste ad o f ra p in g lit tle b it ty ch ild re n , th ey sh ould fin d th em se lv es a wif e ,” s a y s L it tle S is te r.

“I h ope,” S ere n a s a y s, “ h er s p ir it w ill c o m e b ack a n d g et t h at m an .” “A nd kill t h at m an ,” s a y s L it tle S is te r.

“G iv e h er a n oth er c h an ce to liv e,” S ere n a sa y s. “ M y te ach er c a m e to th e f u nera l,” s a y s S m okey .

“W hen a lit tle c h ild d ie s, m y m om ma s a y a s ta r g o s tr a ig ht t o H eav en ,” sa y s S ere n a.

“M y g ra n dm a w as m urd ere d ,” M ic k ey s a y s o ut o f t h e b lu e. “ S o m eb ody sh ot t w o b ulle ts in h er h ead .” I a sk h im , “ Is s h e r e ally d ead ?” “S h e d ead a ll r ig ht,” s a y s M ic k ey . “ S h e w as la y in ’ t h ere , ju st d ead .” “I lo ve m y fr ie n ds,” S ere n a sa y s. “ I d on’t c a re if th ey n o k in to m e. I ca re fo r th em . I h ope h is m oth er h av e a n oth er b ab y. N am e h er fo r m y 19 fr ie n d t h at’s d ead .” “I h av e a c a t w it h t h re e le g s,” S m okey s a y s.

“S n ak es h ate r a b bit s ,” M ic k ey s a y s, a g ain f o r n o a p pare n t r e aso n.

“C ats h ate f is h es,” L it tle S is te r s a y s.

“It’s a lo t o f h ate ,” s a y s S m okey .

Late r, a t th e m is sio n, S is te r J u lia te lls m e th is : “ T he J effe rso n S ch ool, whic h th ey atte n d, is a d ecre p it h ulk . N ext to it is a m odern sc h ool, ere cte d tw o y ears ag o, w hic h w as to h av e re p la ce d th e o ne th at th ey atte n d. B ut t h e c o nstr u ctio n w as n ot d one c o rre ctly . T he r o of is t o o h eav y fo r th e w alls , an d th e en tir e str u ctu re has beg un to sin k. It ca n ’t be occu pie d . S m okey ’s s is te r w as r a p ed a n d m urd ere d a n d d um ped b etw een th e o ld s c h ool a n d t h e n ew o ne.” As th e c h ild re n d rif t b ack to th eir h om es fo r s u pper, S is te r J u lia s ta n ds outs id e w it h m e a n d ta lk s a b out th e h ealt h c o nce rn s th at tr o uble p eo ple in t h e n eig hborh ood. I n t h e s e ttin g s u n, t h e v oic e s o f t h e c h ild re n f ill t h e ev en in g a ir . N ouris h ed b y th e se w ag e m arsh , a fie ld o f w ild d affo dils is blo om in g. S ta n din g h ere , y ou w ould n’t th in k th at a n yth in g w as w ro ng.

The str e et is ca lm . T he p ois o n in th e so il ca n ’t b e se en . T he se w ag e is in vis ib le a n d o nly m ak es t h e g ra ss a lit tle g re en er. B ik es t h ro w n d ow n b y ch ild re n lie o uts id e t h eir k it c h en d oors. I t c o uld b e a n o rd in ary t w ilig ht in a s m all s u burb an t o w n.

Nig ht co m es o n an d Sis te r Ju lia g oes in sid e to te le p hone a ca b . In an oth er h our, t h e S t. L ouis t a xis w ill n ot c o m e in to t h e n eig hborh ood.

In th e n ig ht, th e s k y a b ove th e E ast S t. L ouis a re a is b ro w nis h y ello w .

Illu m in ate d b y th e g la re fr o m th e M onsa n to in sta lla tio n, th e sm oke is ven te d fr o m fo ur m assiv e c o lu m ns r is in g a b out 4 00 fe et a b ove th e p la n t.

The g aris h lig ht a n d t u bula r s tr u ctu re s le n d t h e s k y a s tr a n ge, n ig htm aris h lo ok.

Safir A hm ed , a y oung r e p orte r w ho h as c o vere d E ast S t. L ouis fo r th e Post-D is p atc h fo r s e v era l y ears, d riv es w it h m e th ro ugh th e r u tte d s tr e ets clo se to th e pla n t an d poin ts out blo ck s of w ooden house s w it h out plu m bin g. Str a g glin g bla ck ch ild re n w alk alo ng a ro ad th at has no sid ew alk s. “ T he s o il is a ll c o nta m in ate d h ere ,” h e s a y s.

Alm ost dir e ctly over our head s th e pla n t is puffin g out a clo ud of bro w nis h s m oke t h at r is e s a b ove t h e g ir d ers o f t h e p la n t w it h in a g lo w o f re d dis h -g old illu m in atio n.

Tw o a u to b rid ges c ro ss th e M is sis sip pi R iv er to S t. L ouis . T o th e s o uth is th e P opla r S tr e et B rid ge. T he b rid ge to th e n orth is n am ed fo r M artin Luth er K in g. “It ta k es th re e m in ute s to cro ss th e b rid ge,” sa y s A hm ed .

20 “F or w hit e p eo ple in S t. L ouis , it c o uld b e a t h ousa n d m ile s lo ng.” On th e so uth ern e d ge o f E ast S t. L ouis , tin y sh ack -lik e h ouse s sta n d alo ng a lig htle ss str e et. Im med ia te ly b eh in d th ese h ouse s a re th e g ia n t build in gs of M onsa n to , Big R iv er Zin c, C erro C opper, th e A m eric a n Botto m s S ew ag e P la n t a n d T ra d e W aste In cin era tio n— one o f th e la rg est haza rd ous-w aste -in cin era tio n c o m pan ie s in t h e U nit e d S ta te s.

“T he en tir e cit y lie s dow nw in d of th is . W hen th e pla n t giv es off em is sio ns th at a re v ie w ed a s to xic , a n a la rm g oes o ff. P eo ple w ho h av e bre ath ed th e s m oke a re g iv en a c a sh p ay m en t o f $ 400 in e xch an ge fo r a re le ase f r o m lia b ilit y .… “T he d ecim atio n o f t h e m en w it h in t h e p opula tio n is q uit e n early t o ta l.

Four o f fiv e b ir th s in E ast S t. L ouis a re to s in gle m oth ers. W here d o th e men g o? S o m e to p ris o n. S o m e to th e m ilit a ry . M an y to a n e arly d eath .

Doze n s o f m en are liv in g in th e str e ets o r sle ep in g in sm all, is o la te d ca m ps b eh in d th e b urn t-o ut b uild in gs. T here a re se v era l o f th ese c a m ps out in t h e m uddy s tr e tc h t h ere t o t h e le ft.

“T he n ic e st b uild in gs in th e c it y a re th e F ed era l C ourt H ouse a n d th e Cit y H all— whic h a ls o h old s th e ja il— th e N atio nal G uard h ead quarte rs, an d so m e fu nera l esta b lis h m en ts . T here are a fe w nic e house s an d a co uple o f h ig h-r is e h om es fo r s e n io r c it iz e n s. O ne o f th e n ic e st b uild in gs is th e w hore h ouse . T here ’s a ls o a b ra n ch o f th e U niv ersit y o f S o uth ern Illin ois , b ut it n o lo nger o ffe rs c la sse s; it ’s a s o cia l w elf a re c o m ple x n ow .

“T he ch em ic a l p la n ts d o n ot p ay ta xes h ere . T hey h av e c re ate d sm all in co rp ora te d to w ns w hic h a re se lf -g overn ed an d e xem pt th ere fo re fr o m su perv is io n b y h ealt h a g en cie s in E ast S t. L ouis . A lu m in um O re c re ate d a se p ara te t o w n c a lle d A lo rto n. M onsa n to , C erro C opper a n d B ig R iv er Z in c are a ll in S au get. N atio nal S to ck Y ard s h as it s o w n in co rp ora te d to w n a s well. B asic a lly th ere ’s n o o ne liv in g in so m e o f th ese so -c a lle d to w ns.

Alo rto n is a siz a b le to w n. S au get, o n th e o th er h an d, is n ’t m uch m ore th an a le g al f ic tio n. I t p ro vid es t a x s h elt e r a n d im munit y f r o m ju ris d ic tio n of a u th orit ie s in E ast S t. L ouis .” The to w n o f S au get c la im s a popula tio n o f a b out 2 00 p eo ple . Its m ajo r in dustr ie s, o th er th an M onsa n to a n d th e o th er p la n ts , a re to ple ss jo in ts an d a n o utle t fo r th e lo tte ry . T w o o f th e la rg est str ip clu bs fa ce e ach oth er o n a s id e s tr e et th at is p erp en dic u la r to th e m ain h ig hw ay . O ne is nam ed O z a n d th at is fo r w hit e p eo ple . T he o th er str ip clu b, w hic h is know n a s W iz , is f o r b la ck p eo ple . T he lo tte ry o ffic e , w hic h is f r e q uen te d prim arily b y b la ck p eo ple , is t h e la rg est in t h e s ta te o f I llin ois .

“T he lo tte ry a d vertis e s m ostly in b la ck p ublic a tio ns,” A hm ed s a y s. “ S o peo ple w ho h av e n oth in g t o s ta rt w it h w aste t h eir m oney o n a p la ce t h at 21 se lls th em dre am s. Lotte ry pro ce ed s in Illin ois alle g ed ly go in to ed uca tio n; in r e alit y th ey g o in to s ta te r e v en ues a n d th ey a d d n oth in g to th e e d uca tio n fu nd. S o it is a to ta l lo ss. A fflu en t p eo ple d o n ot p la y th e lo tte ry . T he sta te is in th e b usin ess h ere o f se llin g h opes to p eo ple w ho hav e n one. T he c it y it s e lf is fu ll o f b ars a n d liq uor s to re s a n d lo ts o f a d s fo r c ig are tte s t h at f e atu re p ic tu re s o f b la ck p eo ple . A sse m ble a ll t h e w orst th in gs in A m eric a — gam blin g, liq uor, c ig are tte s a n d to xic fu m es, s e w ag e, waste d is p osa l, p ro stit u tio n— put it all to geth er. T hen y ou d um p it o n bla ck p eo ple .” East S t. L ouis b eg in s a t th e M onsa n to fe n ce . R ain sta rts fa llin g a s w e cro ss t h e r a ilr o ad t r a ck s, a n d t h en an oth er s e t o f t r a ck s, a n d p ass a s e rie s of dir t str e ets w it h house s th at are m ostly burn t-o ut sh ells , th e lo ts betw een th em p ile d w it h g arb ag e b ag s a n d th ousa n ds o f a b an doned a u to tir e s. The cit y is alm ost to ta lly fla t an d lie s belo w th e M is sis sip pi’s flo odlin e, p ro te cte d b y a le v ee. In 1 986 a flo odgate b ro ke a n d fille d p art of t h e c it y . H ouse s o n B ond A ven ue f ille d u p w it h s e w ag e t o t h eir s e co nd flo ors.

The w aste w ate r e m it te d fr o m th e s e w ag e p la n t, a cco rd in g to a r e ce n t Gre en peace stu dy, “v arie s in co lo r fr o m y ello w -o ra n ge to g re en .” T he to xic su bsta n ce s th at it co nta in s b eco m e e m bed ded in th e so il a n d th e marsh la n d in w hic h c h ild re n p la y .

Dead C re ek , fo r e xam ple , a c re ek bed th at re ce iv ed d is c h arg es fr o m th e c h em ic a l a n d m eta l p la n ts in p re v io us years, is n ow a p la ce w here k id s f r o m E ast S t. L ouis r id e t h eir b ik es. T he cre ek , w hic h sm okes b y d ay a n d g lo w s o n m oonle ss n ig hts , h as g ain ed so m e n oto rie ty in re ce n t y ears fo r in sta n ce s o f sp onta n eo us c o m bustio n.

The Illin ois E PA b elie v es th at th e c o m bustio n sta rts w hen c h ild re n rid e th eir bik es acro ss th e cre ek bed , “cre atin g fr ic tio n w hic h beg in s th e sm old erin g p ro ce ss.” “N obody in E ast S t. L ouis ,” A hm ed sa y s, “h as e v er h ad th e clo ut to ra is e a p ro te st. W hy A m eric a n s p erm it th is is s o h ard fo r s o m eb ody lik e me, w ho g re w u p in t h e r e al T hir d W orld , t o u ndersta n d..… “I’m fr o m In dia . In C alc u tta th is w ould b e e xp lic a b le , p erh ap s. I k eep th in kin g t o m yse lf , ‘M y G od! T his is t h e U nit e d S ta te s!’ ” By m id nig ht, h ard ly a n yone is o ut o n f o ot. I n b lo ck a fte r b lo ck , t h ere is no se n se of lif e . O nly th e bars an d liq uor sto re s are open — but th e win dow s o f th e liq uor sto re s a re b arre d . T here is a W oolw orth ’s sto re th at h as n o w in dow s. S ile n tly in th e p ersis te n t ra in a d ark sh ap e lo om s befo re u s a n d c u ts o ff th e s tr e et: a fr e ig ht tr a in lo ad ed w it h c h em ic a ls o r co pper, m ovin g slo w ly to th e n orth . T here is n o rig ht o r w ro ng sid e o f th e tr a ck s in E ast S t. L ouis . T he tr a ck s a re e v ery w here . B eh in d u s still:

22 th e e erie sp ecte r o f th e lig hts a n d g ir d ers o f M onsa n to . In fr o nt o f u s, perh ap s tw o m ile s a w ay : th e b eau tif u l S t. L ouis A rc h a n d, u nder it , th e brig htly lig hte d s k ylin e o f S t. L ouis .

“T he u lt im ate te rro r fo r w hit e p eo ple ,” A hm ed sa y s, “is to le av e th e hig hw ay b y m is ta k e a n d fin d th em se lv es in E ast S t. L ouis . P eo ple sp eak of g ettin g lo st in E ast S t. L ouis a s a n ig htm are . T he n ig htm are to m e is th at th ey n ev er le av e th at h ig hw ay s o th ey n ev er k now w hat lif e is lik e fo r all th e ch ild re n here . They ou gh t to get off th at hig hw ay . The nig htm are is n ’t in th eir h ead s. It’s a r e al p la ce . T here a re c h ild re n liv in g here .

“J esse J ack so n c a m e to s p eak a t E ast S t. L ouis H ig h. T here w ere th re e th ousa n d p eo ple p ack ed in to th e g ym . H e w as n early tw o h ours la te .

When h e ca m e in , th e fe elin g w as e le ctr ic . T here w as p in -d ro p sile n ce while h e s p oke. A n o ld m an s a t b esid e m e, le an in g fo rw ard o n h is c a n e.

He n ev er s a id a w ord b ut h e w as c ry in g.

“Y ou w ould th in k, w it h a ll th e c h em ic a l a n d m eta ls p la n ts , th at th ere would b e u nlim it e d e m plo ym en t. I t d oesn ’t w ork t h at w ay . M ost o f t h ese are s p ecia liz e d jo bs. E ast S t. L ouis m en d on’t h av e t h e e d uca tio n. I g o in to th e M onsa n to p la n t a n d a lm ost e v ery f a ce I s e e is w hit e .

“T he b ig gest e m plo yer in th e to w n is p ublic e d uca tio n. N ext, p erh ap s, th e P fiz e r p la n t, w hic h is sit u ate d ju st b eh in d o ne o f th e h ig h sc h ools .

Afte r th at, th e b ig gest b usin esse s m ay b e th e d ru g tr a d e, fu nera ls a n d bars a n d p ro stit u tio n. T he m ay or’s fa m ily o w ns th e la rg est fu nera l h om e in E ast St. Louis . T he C ath olic hig h sc h ool w as sh ut dow n la st year.

There ’s t a lk o f t u rn in g it in to a p ris o n.” There is a p orn ogra p hy t h eate r in t h e c e n te r o f t h e to w n b ut n o t h eate r sh ow in g m ovie s su it a b le fo r ch ild re n . E ast S t. L ouis is th e la rg est cit y so uth o f S p rin gfie ld in t h e s ta te o f I llin ois b ut w as le ft o ff t h e I llin ois m ap fo ur y ears a g o. T he te le p hone d ir e cto ry th at se rv es th e re g io n d oes n ot lis t p hone n um bers o f th e r e sid en ts o r b usin esse s o f E ast S t. L ouis , e v en th ough th e cit y lie s rig ht at th e ce n te r of th e se rv ic e are a th at th e dir e cto ry is s u ppose d to c o ver. T w o y ears a g o, th e o ne p ed estr ia n b rid ge acro ss th e M is sis sip pi R iv er to S t. L ouis w as c lo se d o ff to E ast S t. L ouis re sid en ts .

“It’s a th ir d b rid ge, s m alle r th an th e o th ers,” A hm ed s a y s, “ v ery o ld — th e o nly o ne th at’s o pen to p ed estr ia n s. It p uts y ou r ig ht in to d ow nto w n St. L ouis , q uit e c lo se to th e A rc h . T he c lo sin g o f th e b rid ge w as o rd ere d on th e d ay b efo re a str e et fa ir th at ta k es p la ce e ach su m mer d urin g th e Ju ly F ourth c e le b ra tio n. T hre e o r fo ur m illio n p eo ple flo od in to th e c it y .

There a re b ooth s fo r fo od, a n d rid es a n d m usic . F or p eo ple in E ast S t.

23 Louis , it ’s a n o pportu nit y to b rin g th eir ch ild re n to th e cit y a n d re la x.

Moth ers w alk t h eir k id s a cro ss t h e b rid ge.… “T he p olic e a n nounce d th at th ey w ere sh uttin g d ow n th e b rid ge. T he re aso n th ey g av e w as th at th ere h ad b een so m e m uggin gs in th e p ast.

They w ere co nce rn ed , th ey sa id , th at te en -a g e b la ck s w ould m ug th e peo ple at th e fa ir , th en ru n acro ss th e b rid ge an d d is a p pear in to th e str e ets o f E ast S t. L ouis . R eg ard le ss o f th e r e aso n, it w as a d ecis io n th at den ie d t h e f o lk s in E ast S t. L ouis a cce ss t o t h e f a ir .” Acco rd in g to a sto ry p ublis h ed la te r in Lif e mag azin e, b la ck le ad ers in East S t. L ouis sa id “ it lo oked su sp ic io usly lik e a ra cis t a ctio n.” T he fa ct th at it w as p eg ged to In dep en den ce D ay in te n sif ie d th e se n se o f in ju ry .

The p re sid en t o f t h e N AACP in E ast S t. L ouis s a id , “ W e s e em t o h av e b een is o la te d .… ” The b rid ge w as la te r o pen ed b y c o urt o rd er.

“In r e ce n t y ears,” s a y s A hm ed , “ le tte rs h av e b een g oin g o ut to p eo ple who h av e h om es in a h alf -m ile z o ne n ext to M onsa n to . T he le tte rs o ffe r to buy your hom e, no questio ns ask ed , fo r ca sh : $4,0 00 fla t fo r an y house . T he s p ecu la tio n is th at M onsa n to w an ts a b uffe r z o ne to fe n d o ff fu rth er su it s fo r dam ag es fr o m ch em ic a l em is sio ns. These offe rs are ap pealin g to p oor p eo ple w ho h av e n oth in g a n d w ho h av e n o fa it h th e co urts w ould e v er h onor t h eir c o nce rn s.… “T he la n d betw een th e tw o m ain brid ges an d alo ng th e riv er is re g ard ed a s p rim e re al e sta te b y w hit e d ev elo pers. G iv en th e fa n ta stic vie w o f th e S t. L ouis sk ylin e a n d th e G ate w ay A rc h , th e la n d w ould b e im men se ly v alu ab le if it s b la ck r e sid en ts c o uld b e r e m oved . W hen p eo ple ask , ‘W hat s h ould w e d o w it h E ast S t. L ouis ? ’ th ey d on’t s p eak a b out th e peo ple . T hey a re s p eak in g o f t h e la n d.” Em erg in g f r o m a n oth er r u tte d s tr e et o f h ouse s t h at d o n ot a p pear t o b e in hab it e d , b ut fr o m th e in te rio r o f w hic h so m e lig hts a re se en , w e p ass th e se g re g ate d to ple ss jo in ts ag ain an d sto p th e ca r alo ng M onsa n to Aven ue to sc ru tin iz e B ig R iv er Z in c, C erro C opper (“ A m eric a ’s L arg est Recy cle r o f C opper,” a cco rd in g t o it s s ig n) a n d t h e M onsa n to p la n t. T hen , mak in g a U -t u rn , w e h ead w est o nto th e a cce ss r o ad th at c lim bs b ack to th e b rid ge a cro ss t h e M is sis sip pi.

“E very tim e I cro ss th at b rid ge I fe el th at I am g ettin g o ff a p la n e wit h in a d if fe re n t c o untr y ,” A hm ed s a y s.

Fro m t h e S t. L ouis s id e, o ne s e es t h e d ark b re ad th o f t h e r iv er, a n oth er wid er s tr ip o f b la ck ness w here t h e d w ellin gs o f E ast S t. L ouis lie , a n d t h e glo w in g c lu ste r o f in dustr ia l illu m in atio n s lig htly to th e s o uth . O ff to th e east lie t h e I llin ois B lu ffs , f a r a b ove t h e c h em ic a l p ollu ta n ts .

24 East S t. L ouis — whic h t h e lo ca l p re ss r e fe rs t o a s “ a n in ner c it y w it h out an o ute r c it y ”— has s o m e o f th e s ic k est c h ild re n in A m eric a . O f 6 6 c it ie s in I llin ois , E ast S t. L ouis r a n ks f ir st in f e ta l d eath , f ir st in p re m atu re b ir th , an d th ir d in in fa n t d eath . A m ong th e n eg ativ e fa cto rs lis te d b y th e c it y ’s healt h d ir e cto r a re th e se w ag e ru nnin g in th e str e ets , a ir th at h as b een fo ule d b y th e lo ca l p la n ts , th e h ig h le ad le v els n ote d in th e s o il, p overty , la ck o f ed uca tio n, crim e, d ila p id ate d h ousin g, in su ffic ie n t h ealt h ca re , unem plo ym en t. H osp it a l c a re is d efic ie n t t o o. T here is n o p la ce t o h av e a bab y in E ast S t. L ouis . T he m ate rn it y w ard a t t h e c it y ’s C ath olic h osp it a l, a 1 00-y ear-o ld s tr u ctu re , w as s h ut d ow n s o m e y ears a g o. T he o nly o th er hosp it a l in t o w n w as f o rc e d b y la ck o f f u nds t o c lo se in 1 990. T he c lo se st obste tr ic s se rv ic e open to th e w om en here is se v en m ile s aw ay . T he in fa n t d eath r a te is s till r is in g.

As in N ew Y ork C it y ’s p oore st n eig hborh oods, d en ta l p ro ble m s als o pla g ue th e c h ild re n h ere . A lt h ough d en ta l p ro ble m s d on’t c o m man d th e in sta n t f e ars a sso cia te d w it h lo w b ir th w eig ht, f e ta l d eath o r c h ole ra , t h ey do h av e th e co nse q uen ce o f w earin g d ow n th e sta m in a o f ch ild re n a n d defe atin g th eir am bit io ns. B le ed in g gum s, im pacte d te eth an d ro ttin g te eth a re r o utin e m atte rs f o r t h e c h ild re n I h av e in te rv ie w ed in t h e S o uth Bro nx. C hild re n g et u se d to fe elin g c o nsta n t p ain . T hey g o to s le ep w it h it . T hey g o to sc h ool w it h it . S o m etim es th eir te ach ers a re a la rm ed a n d tr y to g et th em to a c lin ic . B ut it ’s a ll so slo w a n d h eav ily e n cu m bere d wit h re d ta p e an d w ait in g lis ts an d m is sin g, lo st o r ca n ce le d w elf a re ca rd s, th at d en ta l ca re is o fte n lo ng d ela y ed . C hild re n liv e fo r m onth s wit h p ain th at g ro w n-u ps w ould fin d u nen dura b le . T he g ra d ual a ttr it io n of a cce p te d p ain e ro des th eir e n erg y a n d a sp ir a tio n. I h av e s e en c h ild re n in N ew Y ork wit h t e eth t h at lo ok lik e b ro w nis h , b ro ken s tic k s. I h av e a ls o se en te en -a g ers w ho w ere m is sin g half th eir te eth . B ut, to m e, m ost sh ock in g is to se e a ch ild w it h an ab sc e ss th at h as b een in fla m ed fo r week s a n d t h at h e h as s im ply liv ed w it h a n d a cce p ts a s p art o f t h e r o utin e of lif e . M an y te ach ers in th e u rb an sc h ools h av e se en th is . It is a lm ost co m monpla ce .

Com poundin g th ese p ro ble m s is th e p oor n utr it io n o f th e c h ild re n h ere —av era g e d aily fo od e xp en dit u re in E ast S t. L ouis is $ 2.4 0 f o r o ne c h ild — an d th e u nder-im muniz a tio n o f y oung ch ild re n . O f ev ery 1 00 ch ild re n re ce n tly s u rv ey ed in E ast S t. L ouis , 5 5 w ere in co m ple te ly im muniz e d fo r polio , d ip hth eria , m easle s a n d w hoopin g co ugh. In th is co nte xt, h ealt h offic ia ls lo ok w it h a ll th e m ore u neasin ess a t th ose la g oons o f se w ag e outs id e p ublic h ousin g.

On t o p o f a ll e ls e is t h e v ery h ig h r is k o f d eath b y h om ic id e in E ast S t.

25 Louis . In a re ce n t y ear in w hic h th re e c it ie s in th e sta te o f ro ughly th e sa m e s iz e a s E ast S t. L ouis h ad a n a v era g e o f f o ur h om ic id es a p ie ce , t h ere were 5 4 h om ic id es in E ast S t. L ouis . B ut it is th e h eat o f su m mer th at offic ia ls h ere p artic u la rly d re ad . T he h eat th at b re ed s th e in se cts b earin g polio o r h ep atit is in ra w se w ag e a ls o h eig hte n s a sth m a a n d fr u str a tio n an d re d uce s p atie n ce . “T he h eat,” sa y s a m an in p ublic h ousin g, “ ca n brin g o ut t h e b east.… ” The fe ar o f v io le n ce is v ery re al in E ast S t. L ouis . T he C EO o f o ne o f th e la rg e co m pan ie s out on th e ed ge of to w n has dev elo ped an “ ev acu atio n p la n ” fo r h is e m plo yees. S ta te tr o opers a re r o utin ely s e n t to East S t. L ouis to p ut d ow n d is tu rb an ce s th at th e p olic e c a n not c o ntr o l. If th e m is e ry o f th is co m munit y exp lo des so m ed ay in a re al rio t (it h as hap pen ed in th e past) , re sid en ts belie v e th at sta te an d fe d era l la w - en fo rc e m en t a g en cie s will h av e n o h esit a tio n in a p ply in g m assiv e f o rc e t o keep t h e v io le n ce c o nta in ed .

As w e h av e se en , it is b elie v ed b y p eo ple h ere th at w hit e d ev elo pers re g ard th e la n d besid e th e riv er an d ad ja ce n t se ctio ns of th e cit y as partic u la rly a ttr a ctiv e s it e s fo r c o ndom in iu m s a n d lu xu ry h ote ls . It is th e fe ar of vio le n ce , peo ple belie v e, an d th e pro xim it y of th e bla ck popula tio n th at h av e, u p to n ow , p re v en te d p la n s lik e th ese fr o m ta k in g sh ap e. S o m e re sid en ts a re c o nvin ce d , th ere fo re , th at th ey w ill so m ed ay be d is p la ce d . “ It’s h ap pen ed in o th er c it ie s,” s a y s a s o cia l w ork er w ho h as liv ed h ere f o r t e n y ears, “ E ast St. L ouis is a g ood lo ca tio n, a fte r a ll.” This e v en tu alit y , h ow ev er, is n ot v ie w ed a s v ery lik ely — or n ot fo r a lo ng, lo ng tim e. T he so il w ould h av e to b e d e-le ad ed fir st. T he m erc u ry an d a rse n ic w ould h av e t o b e d ealt w it h . T he c h em ic a l p la n ts w ould h av e to be sh ut dow n or m odif ie d befo re th e are a co uld be re g ard ed as attr a ctiv e to d ev elo pers. F or n ow , th e p eo ple o f E ast S t. L ouis p ro bab ly ca n r e st a ssu re d t h at n obody m uch c o vets w hat is t h eir s.

“T he his to ry of E ast St. Louis ,” sa y s th e Post-D is p atc h , is “rif e w it h gre ed a n d lu st a n d b ig otr y .” A t th e tu rn o f th e c e n tu ry , th e c it y w as th e se co nd la rg est ra ilr o ad c e n te r in th e n atio n. It le d th e n atio n in sa le o f horse s, m ule s an d hogs, an d in th e m an ufa ctu re of alu m in um . M eat- pack in g, ste el, an d pain t m an ufa ctu re w ere im porta n t here as w ell.

Vir tu ally a ll t h ese in dustr ie s w ere o w ned , h ow ev er, b y o uts id ers.

Bla ck s w ere d ra w n to E ast S t. L ouis fr o m th e S o uth b y p ro m is e s o f jo bs. W hen t h ey a rriv ed , t h e c o rp ora tio ns u se d t h em a s s tr ik eb re ak ers. I n 1917 a m ountin g w hit e re se n tm en t o f str ik eb re ak in g b la ck s, co m bin ed wit h ra cia l b ig otr y , ig nit e d o ne o f th e m ost b lo ody rio ts in th e n atio n’s 26 his to ry . W hit e m obs to re in to bla ck neig hborh oods. Beatin gs an d han gin gs to ok pla ce in th e str e ets . The mob, whose ra g e was in dis c rim in ate , k ille d a 1 4-y ear-o ld b oy a n d s c a lp ed h is m oth er. B efo re it was o ver, 2 44 b uild in gs w ere d estr o yed .

It m ay b e sa id th at th e u nre g ula te d p riv ate m ark et d id n ot se rv e th e cit y w ell. B y t h e 1 930s, in dustr ie s t h at h ad e n tic e d b la ck p eo ple h ere w it h pro m is e s o f jo bs b eg an t o le av e f o r a re as w here e v en c h eap er la b or c o uld be fo und. P ro xim it y to c o al, w hic h h ad a ttr a cte d in dustr y in to th e a re a, als o c e ase d to b e im porta n t a s e le ctr ic p ow er c a m e to b e c o m merc ia lly av aila b le in oth er re g io ns. The A lu m in um O re C om pan y, w hic h had bro ught 1 0,0 00 b la ck s to E ast S t. L ouis to d estr o y th e u nio ns, n ow sh ut dow n an d m oved to th e D eep So uth . D urin g th e D ep re ssio n, oth er fa cto rie s— th eir o pera tio ns o bso le te — sh ut d ow n a s w ell.

The cit y underw en t a re n ais sa n ce of so rts in W orld W ar II, w hen dese rte d fa cto ry s p ace w as u se d fo r m ilit a ry m an ufa ctu rin g. C heap b la ck la b or w as a g ain r e q uir e d . P ro stit u tio n a ls o f lo uris h ed a s a m ark et a n sw er to th e p re se n ce o f so m an y m ilit a ry m en at n earb y b ase s. O rg an iz e d crim e se t u p h ead quarte rs in th e cit y . F or su bse q uen t d eca d es, E ast S t.

Louis w as th e pla ce w here young w hit e m en w ould go fo r se xu al ad ven tu re s.

Popula tio n p eak ed in 1 945 a t 8 0,0 00, o ne th ir d b ein g b la ck . B y 1 971, wit h th e p opula tio n d ow n to 5 0,0 00, le ss th an o ne-t h ir d w hit e , a b la ck may or w as e le cte d . A s e co nd b la ck m ay or, e le cte d in 1 979, r e m ain ed in offic e u ntil 1 991.

The p ro ble m s o f th e str e ets in u rb an are as, as te ach ers o fte n n ote , fr e q uen tly s p ill o ver in to p ublic sc h ools .

In th e p ublic s c h ools o f E ast S t.

Louis t h is is lit e ra lly t h e c a se .

“M artin L uth er K in g J u nio r H ig h S ch ool,” n ote s th e Post-D is p atc h in a sto ry publis h ed in th e early sp rin g of 1989, “w as ev acu ate d Frid ay afte rn oon a fte r s e w ag e f lo w ed in to t h e k it c h en .… T he k it c h en w as c lo se d an d s tu den ts w ere s e n t h om e.” O n M onday , t h e p ap er c o ntin ues, “ E ast S t.

Louis S en io r H ig h S ch ool w as a w ash in se w ag e fo r th e se co nd tim e th is year.” The sc h ool had to be sh ut beca u se of “fu m es an d back ed -u p to ile ts .” S ew ag e f lo w ed in to t h e b ase m en t, t h ro ugh t h e f lo or, t h en u p in to th e k it c h en a n d th e s tu den ts ’ b ath ro om s. T he b ack up, w e r e ad , “ o ccu rre d in t h e f o od p re p ara tio n a re as.” Sch ool is r e su m ed th e fo llo w in g m orn in g a t th e h ig h s c h ool, b ut a fe w day s la te r th e o verflo w re cu rs. T his tim e th e e n tir e sy ste m is a ffe cte d , sin ce t h e m eals d is tr ib ute d t o e v ery s tu den t in t h e c it y a re p re p are d in t h e 27 tw o sc h ools th at h av e b een flo oded . S ch ool is ca lle d o ff fo r a ll 1 6,5 00 stu den ts in th e d is tr ic t. T he s e w ag e b ack up, c a u se d b y th e fa ilu re o f tw o pum pin g sta tio ns, fo rc e s o ffic ia ls at th e h ig h sc h ool to sh ut d ow n th e fu rn ace s.

At M artin L uth er K in g, t h e p ark in g lo t a n d g ym a re a ls o f lo oded . “ It’s a dis a ste r,” sa y s a le g is la to r. “T he str e ets a re u nderw ate r; g ase o us fu m es are b ein g e m it te d fr o m th e p ip es u nder th e sc h ools ,” sh e sa y s, “ m ak in g peo ple ill.” In t h e s a m e w eek , t h e s c h ools a n nounce t h e la y off o f 2 80 t e ach ers, 1 66 co oks an d ca fe te ria w ork ers, 25 te ach er aid es, 16 cu sto dia n s an d 18 pain te rs, ele ctr ic ia n s, en gin eers an d plu m bers. The pre sid en t of th e te ach ers’ u nio n sa y s th e cu ts , w hic h w ill b rin g th e siz e o f k in derg arte n an d p rim ary c la sse s u p to 3 0 stu den ts , a n d th e siz e o f fo urth to tw elf th gra d e cla sse s up to 35, w ill hav e “a n unim ag in ab le im pact” on th e stu den ts . “If y ou h av e a h ig h sc h ool te ach er w it h fiv e cla sse s e ach d ay an d betw een 1 50 a n d 1 75 stu den ts … , it ’s g oin g to h av e a d ev asta tin g effe ct.” T he s c h ool s y ste m , it is a ls o n ote d , h as b een u sin g m ore th an 7 0 “p erm an en t s u bstit u te te ach ers,” w ho a re p aid o nly $ 10,0 00 y early , a s a way o f s a v in g m oney .

Govern or T hom pso n, h ow ev er, te lls th e p re ss th at h e w ill n ot p our money in to E ast St. L ouis to so lv e lo ng-t e rm p ro ble m s. E ast St. L ouis re sid en ts , he sa y s, m ust help th em se lv es. “T here is m oney in th e co m munit y ,” th e g overn or in sis ts . “It’s ju st n ot b ein g sp en t fo r w hat it sh ould b e s p en t f o r.” The g overn or, w hile a ck now le d gin g th at E ast S t. L ouis fa ce s e co nom ic pro ble m s, n oneth ele ss re fe rs d is m is siv ely to th ose w ho liv e in E ast S t.

Louis . “ W hat in t h e c o m munit y ,” h e a sk s, “ is b ein g d one r ig ht? ” H e t a k es th e o pportu nit y o f a v is it t o t h e a re a t o a n nounce a f is c a l g ra n t f o r se w er im pro vem en t t o a r e la tiv ely w ealt h y t o w n n earb y.

In E ast St. L ouis , m ean w hile , te ach ers are ru nnin g o ut o f ch alk an d pap er, a n d t h eir pay ch eck s a re a rriv in g t w o w eek s la te . T he c it y w arn s it s te ach ers to e xp ect a c u t o f h alf th eir p ay u ntil th e fis c a l c ris is h as b een ease d .

The th re ate n ed te ach er la y offs a re m an date d b y th e Illin ois B oard o f Educa tio n, w hic h , beca u se of th e cit y ’s fis c a l cris is , has been giv en su perv is o ry co ntr o l of th e sc h ool budget. Tw o w eek s la te r th e sta te su perin te n den t p artia lly r e le n ts . In a to ne v ery d if fe re n t fr o m th at o f th e govern or, h e n ote s th at E ast S t. L ouis d oes n ot h av e th e m ean s to so lv e it s e d uca tio n p ro ble m s o n it s o w n. “T here is n o n atu ra l w ay ,” h e sa y s, th at “ E ast S t. L ouis c a n b rin g it s e lf o ut o f t h is s it u atio n.” S ev era l c u ts w ill 28 be r e q uir e d in a n y c a se — one q uarte r o f t h e s y ste m ’s t e ach ers, 7 5 t e ach er aid es, a n d s e v era l d oze n o th ers w ill b e g iv en n otic e — but, t h e s ta te b oard note s, s p orts a n d m usic p ro gra m s w ill n ot b e a ffe cte d .

East St. L ouis , sa y s th e ch air m an o f th e sta te b oard , “is sim ply th e worst p ossib le p la ce I ca n im ag in e to h av e a ch ild b ro ught u p.… T he co m munit y is in d esp era te c ir c u m sta n ce s.” S p orts a n d m usic , h e o bse rv es, are , f o r m an y c h ild re n h ere , “ th e o nly a v en ues o f s u cce ss.” S ad ly e n ough, no m atte r h ow it ra tif ie s th e ste re o ty pe, th is is th e tr u th ; a n d th ere is a poig nan t asp ect to th e fa ct th at, ev en w it h cla ss siz e so arin g an d o ne quarte r o f th e sy ste m ’s te ach ers b ein g g iv en th eir d is m is sa l, th e sta te board o f e d uca tio n d em onstr a te s it s g en uin e b ut sk ew ed c o m passio n b y atte m ptin g t o le av e s p orts a n d m usic u nto uch ed b y t h e o vera ll a u ste rit y .

Even sp orts fa cilit ie s, how ev er, are deg ra d in g by co m paris o n w it h th ose fo und a n d e xp ecte d a t m ost h ig h sc h ools in A m eric a . T he fo otb all fie ld at East St. Louis H ig h is m is sin g alm ost ev ery th in g— in clu din g goalp osts . T here a re a c o uple o f m eta l p ip es— no c ro ssb ar, ju st th e p ip es.

Bob S h an non, th e fo otb all co ach , w ho h as to u se h is p erso nal fu nds to purc h ase fo otb alls a n d h as h ad to c u t a n d r a k e th e fo otb all fie ld h im se lf , has d re am s o f h av in g g oalp osts s o m ed ay . H e’d a ls o lik e t o le t h is s tu den ts hav e n ew u nif o rm s. T he o nes th ey w ear are n in e y ears o ld an d h eld to geth er so m eh ow b y a p atc h w ork o f re p air s. K eep in g th em cle an is a pro ble m , t o o. T he s c h ool c a n not a ffo rd a w ash in g m ach in e. T he u nif o rm s are c a rte d t o a c o rn er la u ndro m at w it h f if te en d olla rs’ w orth o f q uarte rs.

Oth er fo otb all te am s th at co m e to p la y , a cco rd in g to th e co ach , a re sh ock ed to se e th e fie ld a n d lo ck er ro om s. T hey w an t to p la y w it h out a half tim e b re ak a n d g et a w ay . T he co ach re p orts th at h e’s b een m is sin g pay ch eck s, b ut h e’s t r y in g n oneth ele ss t o r a is e s o m e m oney t o h elp o ut a mem ber o f t h e t e am w hose m oth er h as ju st d ie d o f c a n ce r.

“T he d ay s o f t h e t ig ht m oney h av e a rriv ed ,” h e s a y s. “ It d on’t lo ok lik e Mose s w ill b e c o m in g t o t h is s c h ool.” He te lls m e h e h as b een in E ast S t. L ouis 1 9 y ears a n d h as b een th e fo otb all co ach fo r 14 years. “I w as born ,” he sa y s, “in Natc h ez, Mis sis sip pi. I sto od on th e co urth ouse ste p s of N atc h ez w it h C harle s Evers. I w as a te en -a g e b oy w hen M ic h ael S ch w ern er a n d th e o th er b oys were m urd ere d . I’v e b een in th e s tr u ggle a ll a lo ng. In M is sis sip pi, it w as th e f ig ht f o r le g al r ig hts . T his t im e, it ’s a s tr u ggle f o r s u rv iv al.

“In ce rta in w ay s,” h e sa y s, “it ’s h ard er n ow b eca u se in th ose d ay s it was a c le ar e n em y y ou h ad t o f a ce , a m an in a h ood a n d n ot a s ta tis tic ia n .

No o ne co uld p ersu ad e y ou th at y ou w ere to b la m e. N ow th e ch oic e s se em lik e t h ey a re le ft t o y ou a n d, if y ou m ak e t h e w ro ng c h oic e , y ou a re 29 mad e t o u ndersta n d y ou a re t o b la m e.… “N ig ht-t im e in th is cit y , hot an d sm oky in th e su m mer, th ere are deale rs sta n din ’ o ut o n e v ery str e et. O f th e k id s I se e h ere , m ay be 5 5 perc e n t w ill g ra d uate fr o m sc h ool. O f th at n um ber, m ay be o ne in fo ur will g o t o c o lle g e. H ow m an y w ill s ta y ? T hat is a b ig ger q uestio n.

“T he b asic e sse n tia ls a re s im ply m is sin g h ere . W hen w e g o t o w ealt h ie r sc h ools I lo ok a t th e fa ce s o f m y b oys. T hey d on’t sa y a lo t. T hey h av e th eir f a ce s t o t h e w in dow s, lo okin ’ o ut. I c a n ’t t e ll w hat t h ey a re t h in kin g.

I am hopin ’ th ey are sa y in g, ‘T his is so m eth in g I w ill giv e m y kid s so m ed ay .’ ” Tall a n d t r im , h is b la ck h air g ra y in g s lig htly , h e is 4 5 y ears o ld .

“N o, m y w if e a n d I d on’t liv e h ere . W e liv e in a to w n c a lle d F erg uso n, Mis so uri. I w as b orn in p overty a n d r a is e d in p overty . I f e el t h at I o w e it to m yse lf t o liv e w here t h ey p ic k u p t h e g arb ag e.” In th e v is it o rs’ lo ck er ro om , h e sh ow s m e lo ck ers w it h n o lo ck s. T he weig ht r o om s tin ks o f s w eat a n d w ate r-r o t. “ S ee, t h is c e ilin g is in d an ger of c o lla p sin g. S ee, th is r o om d on’t h av e n o h eat in w in te r. B ut w e g ot to co m e h ere a n yw ay . W e w ear o ur c o ats w hile w ork in g o ut. I t e ll t h e b oys, ‘W e g ot t o g et it d one. O ur f a n s d on’t k now t h at w e d o n ot h av e h eat.’ ” He te lls m e h e a rriv es a t sc h ool a t 7 :4 5 A.M . a n d le av es a t 6 :0 0 P.M .— exce p t in fo otb all s e aso n, w hen h e le av es a t 8 :0 0 P.M . “ T his is m y lif e . It is n ’t all I d re am ed o f an d I te ll m yse lf so m etim es th at I m ig ht h av e acco m plis h ed m ore . B ut g ro w in g u p in p overty ru le s o ut so m e a v en ues.

You d o t h e b est y ou c a n .” In th e w in g of th e sc h ool th at hold s voca tio nal cla sse s, a dam p, unple asa n t o dor fills th e h alls . T he sc h ool h as a m ach in e sh op, w hic h ca n not b e u se d f o r la ck o f s ta ff, a n d a w oodw ork in g s h op. T he o nly s h op th at’s o ccu pie d th is m orn in g is th e au to -b ody cla ss. A m an w it h lo ng blo nd h air a n d w earin g a w hit e s w eat s u it s w in gs a p ad dle t o g et c h ild re n in t h eir c h air s. “ W hat w e n eed t h e m ost is n ew e q uip m en t,” h e r e p orts . “ I hav e e q uip m en t fo r a lig nm en t, fo r e xam ple , b ut w e d on’t h av e m oney to in sta ll it . W e als o n eed a b ette r fo rm o f eg re ss. W e b rin g th e ca rs in th ro ugh tw o o th er c la sse s.” C om pute riz e d e q uip m en t u se d in m ost r e p air sh ops, h e re p orts , is fa r b ey ond th e h ig h sc h ool’s b udget. It lo oks lik e a very o ld g as s ta tio n in a n is o la te d r u ra l t o w n.

Sto ppin g in th e doorw ay of a ro om w it h se v en sto ves an d th re e re fr ig era to rs, I am to ld b y a w hit e te ach er th at th is is a cla ss ca lle d “In tr o ducto ry H om e E c.” T he 1 5 c h ild re n in th e r o om , h ow ev er, a re n ot occu pie d w it h w ork . They are sc a tte re d at so m e an tiq uate d ta b le s, ch attin g w it h e ach o th er. T he te ach er e xp la in s th at s tu den ts d o n o w ork 30 on Frid ay , w hic h , sh e sa y s, is “cle an -u p day .” I ask her w heth er sh e re g ard s th is cla ss a s p re p ara tio n fo r e m plo ym en t. “N ot th is cla ss,” sh e sa y s. “T he ones w ho m ove on to A dvan ce d H om e E c. are giv en jo b in str u ctio n.” W hen I ask h er w hat jo bs th ey are tr a in ed fo r, sh e sa y s:

“F ast f o od p la ce s— Burg er K in g, M cD onald ’s .” The sc ie n ce la b s a t E ast S t. L ouis H ig h a re 3 0 to 5 0 y ears o utd ate d .

Jo hn M cM illa n , a so ft-s p oken m an , te ach es physic s at th e sc h ool. H e sh ow s m e h is la b . T he six la b sta tio ns in th e ro om h av e em pty h ole s where p ip es w ere o nce a tta ch ed . “It w ould b e g re at if w e h ad w ate r,” sa y s M cM illa n .

Wip in g h is h an d o ver h is th ro at, h e te lls m e th at h e c a n not w ear a tie or ja ck et in t h e la b . “ I w an t y ou t o n otic e t h e t e m pera tu re ,” h e s a y s. “ T he heatin g sy ste m ’s n ev er w ork ed c o rre ctly . D ay s w hen it ’s z e ro o uts id e it will b e 1 00 F ah re n heit w it h in th is r o om . I w ill b e h ere 2 5 y ears s ta rtin g Sep te m ber— in t h e s a m e r o om , t e ach in g p hysic s. I h av e n o s to ra g e s p ace .

Those b ala n ce sc a le s a re tr a sh . T here a re a fe w sm all w in dow s y ou c a n open . W e a re o n t h e s id e t h at g ets t h e s u n.” Ste p pin g o uts id e t h e la b , h e t e lls m e t h at h e liv es in E ast S t. L ouis , o ne blo ck f r o m t h e s c h ool. B ald in g a n d d am p-lo okin g in h is o pen c o lla r, h e is a b ach elo r 5 8 y ears o ld .

The b io lo gy la b , w hic h I v is it n ext, h as n o la b ora to ry ta b le s. S tu den ts work a t r e g ula r d esk s. “ I n eed d is se ctin g k it s ,” t h e t e ach er s a y s. “ T he f e w we hav e are in co m ple te .” C hem ic a l su pplie s, sh e te lls m e, in a cit y pois o ned b y tw o c h em ic a l p la n ts , a re s c a rc e . “ I n eed m ore m ic ro sc o pes,” sh e a d ds.

The c h em is tr y la b is th e o nly o ne th at’s p ro perly e q uip ped . T here a re eig ht la b t a b le s w it h g as je ts a n d w ate r. B ut t h e c h em is tr y t e ach er s a y s h e ra re ly b rin gs h is stu den ts to th e la b . “ I h av e 3 0 c h ild re n in a c la ss a n d ca n not su perv is e th em sa fe ly . C hem ic a l la b w ork is u nsa fe w it h m ore th an 2 0 c h ild re n t o a t e ach er. I f I h ad s o m e la b a ssis ta n ts , w e c o uld m ak e use o f t h e la b . A s it is , w e h av e t o s tu dy m ain ly f r o m a t e xt.” Even te xts are sc a rc e , how ev er. “W e w ere sh ort of books fo r fo ur month s la st se m este r. W hen w e got re p la ce m en t co pie s, th ey w ere dif fe re n t fr o m th e te xts th at w e a lr e ad y h ad . S o th at p re se n te d a n ew pro ble m .… “D esp it e t h ese f a ilin gs, I h av e h ad t w o s tu den ts g ra d uate f r o m M IT .” “In h ow m an y y ears? ” I a sk .

He t e lls m e, “ T w en ty -t h re e.” Leav in g th e ch em is tr y la b s, I p ass a d ouble -s iz e d cla ssro om in w hic h ro ughly 60 kid s are sit tin g fa ir ly still but doin g noth in g. “T his is 31 su perv is e d stu dy h all,” a te ach er te lls m e in th e c o rrid o r. B ut w hen w e ste p in sid e, h e f in ds t h ere is n o t e ach er. “ T he t e ach er m ust b e o ut t o day ,” he s a y s.

Ir l S o lo m on’s h is to ry c la sse s, w hic h I v is it n ext, h av e b een d esc rib ed b y jo urn alis ts w ho co ver East St. Louis as th e hig hlig ht of th e sc h ool.

So lo m on, a m an o f 5 4 w hose r e d dis h h air is tu rn in g w hit e , h as ta u ght in urb an sc h ools fo r a lm ost 3 0 y ears. A g ra d uate o f B ra n deis U niv ersit y in 1961, h e e n te re d la w s c h ool b ut w as d ra w n a w ay b y a c o nce rn w it h c iv il rig hts . “ A fte r o ne s e m este r, I d ecid ed t h at t h e la w w as n ot f o r m e. I s a id , ‘G o a n d fin d th e to ughest p la ce th ere is to te ach . S ee if y ou lik e it .’ I’m still h ere .… “T his is n ot b y a n y m ean s th e w orst s c h ool in th e c it y ,” h e r e p orts , a s we a re sit tin g in h is c la ssro om o n th e fir st flo or o f th e sc h ool. “ B ut o ur pro ble m s are se v ere . I don’t ev en know w here to beg in . I hav e no mate ria ls w it h t h e e xce p tio n o f a s in gle t e xtb ook g iv en t o e ach c h ild . I f I brin g in a n yth in g e ls e — books o r t a p es o r m ag azin es— I p ay f o r it m yse lf .

The h ig h s c h ool h as n o V CRs. T hey a re s u ch a c ru cia l t o ol. S o m an y g ood th in gs r u n o n p ublic t e le v is io n. I c a n ’t m ak e u se o f a n yth in g I s e e u nle ss I ca n u nhook m y V CR a n d b rin g it in to sc h ool. T he A V e q uip m en t in th e build in g is s o o ld t h at w e a re p re ssu re d n ot t o u se it .” Teach ers lik e M r. So lo m on, w ork in g in lo w -in co m e d is tr ic ts su ch as East St. Louis , ofte n te ll m e th at th ey fe el cu t off fr o m ed uca tio nal dev elo pm en ts in m odern p ublic sc h ools . “W ell, it ’s am azin g,” So lo m on sa y s. “ I h av e d one w it h out s o m uch s o lo ng th at, if I w ere a ssig ned to a su burb an s c h ool, I’m n ot s u re I’d r e co gniz e w hat th ey a re d oin g. W e a re utte rly c u t o ff.” Of 3 3 c h ild re n w ho b eg in th e h is to ry c la sse s in th e s ta n dard tr a ck , h e sa y s, m ore th an a q uarte r h av e d ro pped o ut b y s p rin g s e m este r. “ M ay be 24 a re le ft b y J u ne. M in d y ou, th is is in th e ju nio r y ear. W e’r e s p eak in g of th e ch ild re n w ho su rv iv ed . N in th an d te n th gra d es are th e m ore horre n dous y ears f o r le av in g s c h ool.

“I h av e f o ur g ir ls r ig ht n ow in m y s e n io r h om e r o om w ho a re p re g nan t or h av e ju st h ad b ab ie s. W hen I a sk th em w hy th is h ap pen s, I a m to ld , ‘W ell, th ere ’s n o r e aso n n ot to h av e a b ab y. T here ’s n ot m uch fo r m e in public s c h ool.’ T he t r u th is , t h at’s a p re tty h onest a n sw er. A d ip lo m a f r o m a g hetto h ig h sc h ool d oesn ’t c o unt fo r m uch in th e U nit e d S ta te s to day .

So , if th is is re ally th e la st e d uca tio n th at a p erso n’s g oin g to g et, sh e’s pro bab ly p erc e p tiv e in th at sta te m en t. A h, th ere ’s so m uch b it te rn ess— unfa ir n ess— th ere , y ou k now . M ost o f th ese p re g nan t g ir ls a re n ot th e ones w ho h av e m uch s e lf -e ste em .… 32 “V ery lit tle e d uca tio n in th e sc h ool w ould b e co nsid ere d a ca d em ic in th e su burb s. M ay be 1 0 to 1 5 p erc e n t o f stu den ts a re in tr u ly aca d em ic pro gra m s. O f th e 5 5 p erc e n t w ho g ra d uate , 2 0 p erc e n t m ay g o to fo ur- year c o lle g es: s o m eth in g lik e 1 0 p erc e n t o f a n y e n te rin g c la ss. A noth er 1 0 to 2 0 p erc e n t m ay g et so m e o th er k in d o f h ig her e d uca tio n. A n e q ual num ber jo in t h e m ilit a ry .… “I g et $ 38,0 00 a fte r n early 3 0 y ears o f te ach in g. If I w en t a cro ss th e riv er to o ne o f th e su burb s o f S t. L ouis , I’d b e e arn in g $ 47,0 00, m ay be more . If I ta u ght in th e C hic a g o su burb s, a t a w ealt h y h ig h sc h ool lik e New T rie r, fo r e xam ple , I’d b e g ettin g c lo se to $ 60,0 00. M oney ’s n ot a n is su e fo r m e, sin ce I w ould n’t w an t to le av e; b ut, fo r n ew , in co m in g te ach ers, th is m uch d if fe re n tia l is a g re at d ete rre n t. W hen y ou c o nsid er th at m an y te ach ers a re a fr a id to c o m e h ere in th e fir st p la ce , o r, if th ey are n ot a fr a id , a re n oneth ele ss o ffe n ded b y th e s e ttin g o r in tim id ate d b y th e c h alle n ge o f t h e jo b, t h ere s h ould b e a p re m iu m a n d n ot a p unis h m en t fo r t e ach in g h ere .

“S o m etim es I g et w orrie d th at I’m s ta rtin g to b urn o ut. S till, I h ate to mis s a d ay . T he d ep artm en t fr e q uen tly ca n ’t fin d a su bstit u te to co m e here , a n d m y k id s d on’t lik e m e t o b e a b se n t.” So lo m on’s a d van ce d cla ss, w hic h so on co m es in to th e ro om , in clu des so m e liv ely s tu den ts w it h s tr o ng v ie w s.

“I d on’t g o to p hysic s c la ss, b eca u se m y la b h as n o e q uip m en t,” sa y s one stu den t. “T he ty pew rit e rs in m y ty pin g cla ss don’t w ork . The wom en ’s to ile ts … ” S h e m ak es a so ur fa ce . “ I’l l b e h onest,” sh e sa y s. “ I ju st d on’t u se t h e t o ile ts . I f I d o, I c o m e b ack in to c la ss a n d I f e el d ir ty .” “I w an te d to stu dy L atin ,” sa y s a n oth er stu den t. “B ut w e d on’t h av e Latin in t h is s c h ool.” “W e lo st o ur o nly L atin t e ach er,” S o lo m on s a y s.

A g ir l in a w hit e je rse y w it h t h e m essa g e DO T H E R IG H T T H IN G o n t h e f r o nt ra is e s h er h an d. “Y ou v is it o th er sc h ools ,” sh e sa y s. “D o y ou th in k th e ch ild re n in th is sc h ool a re g ettin g w hat w e’d g et in a n ic e se ctio n o f S t.

Louis ? ” I n ote t h at w e a re in a d if fe re n t s ta te a n d c it y .

“A re w e c it iz e n s o f E ast S t. L ouis o r A m eric a ?” s h e a sk s.

A ta ll g ir l n am ed S am an th a in te rru pts . “ I h av e a c o m men t th at I w an t to m ak e.” S h e th en r e la te s th e fo llo w in g in cid en t: “ F air v ie w H eig hts is a main ly w hit e c o m munit y . A fr ie n d o f m in e a n d I w en t u p th ere o nce to buy s o m e b ooks. W e w alk ed in to th e s to re . E very body lo okin ’ a t u s, y ou know , a n d s o m eb ody s a y s, ‘W hat d o you w an t? ’ A nd lo okin ’ a t e ach o th er lik e, ‘W hat a re th ese b la ck g ir ls d oin ’ h ere in F air v ie w H eig hts ? ’ I ju st 33 sa id , ‘I w an t to b uy a b ook!’ It’s lik e th ey ’r e sc a re d w e’r e g oin ’ to ro b th em . T ak e a w ay a p riv ile g e th at’s th eir s b y rig hts . W ell, th at g oes fo r sc h ool a s w ell.

“M y m oth er w an te d m e t o g o t o s c h ool t h ere a n d s h e t r ie d t o h av e m e tr a n sfe rre d . It d id n’t w ork . T he re aso n, sh e w as to ld , is th at w e’r e in a dif fe re n t ‘j u ris d ic tio n.’ If y ou d on’t liv e u p th ere in th e h ills , o r fu rth er back , y ou c a n ’t a tte n d th eir s c h ools . T hat, a t le ast, is w hat th ey to ld m y moth er.” “Is t h at a m atte r o f r a ce ?” I a sk . “ O r m oney ?” “W ell,” sh e sa y s, c h oosin g h er w ord s w it h c a re , “ th e tw o th in gs, ra ce an d m oney , g o s o c lo se t o geth er— what’s t h e d if fe re n ce ? I liv e h ere , t h ey liv e t h ere , a n d t h ey d on’t w an t m e in t h eir s c h ool.” A b oy n am ed L uth er sp eak s ab out th e ch em ic a l p ollu tio n. “It’s lik e th is ,” h e sa y s. “ O n o ne sid e o f u s y ou h av e tw o c h em ic a l c o rp ora tio ns.

One is P fiz e r— th at’s o ut t h ere . T hey m ak e p ain t a n d p ig m en ts . T he o th er is M onsa n to . O n t h e o th er s id e a re c o m pan ie s in cin era tin g t o xic w aste . S o th e tr a sh is c o m in ’ a t u s th is d ir e ctio n. T he c h em ic a ls is c o m in ’ fr o m th e oth er. W e r ig ht in t h e m id dle .” Desp it e th ese fe elin gs, m an y o f th e c h ild re n v oic e a c u rio usly r e silie n t fa it h in r a cia l in te g ra tio n. “ If th e g overn m en t w ould p ut a h uge a m ount of m oney in to E ast St. Louis , so th at th is co uld be a m odern , w ell- eq uip ped an d to p-r a te sc h ool,” I ask , “w it h ev ery th in g th at y ou co uld ev er w an t fo r e d uca tio n, w ould y ou sa y th at ra cia l se g re g atio n w as n o lo nger o f im porta n ce ?” Wit h out e xce p tio n, t h e c h ild re n a n sw er, “ N o.” “G oin g to a s c h ool w it h a ll th e r a ce s,” L uth er s a y s, “ is m ore im porta n t th an a m odern s c h ool.” “T hey still b elie v e in th at d re am ,” th eir te ach er sa y s. “T hey h av e n o re aso n t o d o s o . T hat is w hat I f in d s o w onderfu l a n d … a h , s o m ovin g.… These k id s a re t h e o nly r e aso n I g et u p e ach d ay .” I a sk t h e s tu den ts , “ W hat w ould h ap pen if t h e g overn m en t d ecid ed t h at th e s tu den ts in a n earb y t o w n lik e F air v ie w H eig hts a n d t h e s tu den ts h ere in E ast S t. L ouis h ad t o g o t o s c h ool t o geth er n ext S ep te m ber? ” Sam an th a: “ T he b use s g oin g to F air v ie w H eig hts w ould a ll b e fu ll. T he buse s c o m in g t o E ast S t. L ouis w ould b e e m pty .” “W hat if E ast S t. L ouis h ad t h e v ery b est c o m pute r c la sse s in t h e s ta te — an d if t h ere w ere n o c o m pute r c la sse s in t h e s c h ool o f F air v ie w H eig hts ? ” “T he b use s c o m in g h ere ,” s h e s a y s, “ w ould s till b e e m pty .” When I a sk h er w hy, s h e a n sw ers in th ese q uie t w ord s: “ I d on’t k now why.” 34 Sam M org an , p rin cip al o f E ast S t. L ouis H ig h, w as b orn a n d ra is e d in East S t. L ouis . H e te lls m e h e d id n’t g o to E ast S t. L ouis H ig h, h ow ev er.

“T his w as t h e w hit e h ig h s c h ool in t h ose d ay s,” h e s a y s.

His o ffic e w as ru in ed in a re ce n t fir e , so h e m eets m e in a tin y ro om wit h sp ace fo r th re e ch air s an d a desk . Im pecca b ly dre sse d in a monogra m med sh ir t w it h gold lin ks in his cu ffs , a purp le tie an d matc h in g p urp le h an dkerc h ie f in h is s u it p ock et, h e is ta ll, d is tin guis h ed - lo okin g a n d c o nce rn ed th at I w ill w rit e a c rit ic a l r e p ort o n E ast S t. L ouis Hig h. W hen I a sk , h ow ev er, w hat h e’d d o if h e w ere g ra n te d a d eq uate fu nds, h e c o m es u p w it h a s e v ere a sse ssm en t o f t h e s ta tu s q uo.

“F ir st, w e’r e lo sin g th ousa n ds o f d olla rs in o ur h eatin g b ills b eca u se o f fa u lt y w in dow s a n d b eca u se th e h eatin g s y ste m c a n not b e c o ntr o lle d . S o I’d re n ovate th e b uild in g an d in sta ll a w hole n ew h eatin g sy ste m an d re p la ce th e w in dow s. W e’v e h ad fir e d am ag e b ut I se e th at as a lo w prio rit y . I n eed c o m pute rs— th at’s a lo w p rio rit y a s w ell. I’d se ttle fo r a re n ovatio n of th e ty pin g ro om s an d new ty pew rit e rs. The hig hest prio rit ie s a re to s u bdiv id e th e s c h ool a n d a d d a m odern w in g, th en b rin g th e s c ie n ce la b ora to rie s u p to d ate . E nla rg e th e lib ra ry . B uy m ore b ooks.

The b ooks I’v e g ot, a lo t o f th em a re se co ndhan d. I g ot th em fr o m th e Cath olic h ig h sc h ool w hen it clo se d . M ost o f all, w e n eed a b uild in g re n ovatio n. T his is w hat I’d do to sta rt w it h , if I had an extr a $20 millio n.” Afte r h e’s e n um era te d a ll t h e c h an ges h e w ould lik e t o m ak e, h e la u ghs an d lo oks d ow n a t h is h an ds. “ T his , o f c o urse , is p ie in t h e s k y. Y ou a sk ed me w hat I n eed s o I h av e to ld y ou. If I’m d re am in g, w hy n ot d re am th e big d re am s f o r o ur c h ild re n ?” His co nce rn s are dow n-t o -e arth . H e’s not pre te n tio us an d does not ap pro pria te t h e c lo udy ja rg on t h at s o m e e d uca to rs u se t o f ill a v acu um o f sp ecif ic s— no ta lk o f “ re str u ctu rin g,” o f “ te ach er c o m pete n cy ” o r a n y o f th e o th er b uzzw ord s o f th e d eca d e. H is fo cu s is o n th e b are n ece ssit ie s:

ty pew rit e rs, w in dow s, b ooks, a r e n ovate d b uild in g.

While w e a re sp eak in g in h is te m pora ry o ffic e , a te le p hone c a ll fr o m th e p olic e in fo rm s h im th at h is h ouse h as ju st b een ro bbed — or th at th e th eft a la rm , a t le ast, h as ju st g one o ff. H e in te rru pts th e in te rv ie w to tr y to re ach h is w if e . H is p ois e a n d h is se re n e se lf -d is c ip lin e d o n ot d ese rt him . I g ain th e im pre ssio n th is h as h ap pen ed b efo re . H e’s a lik ab le m an an d h e sm ile s a lo t, b ut th ere is tr e m en dous te n sio n in h is b ody a n d h is fin gers g rip th e e d ges o f h is d esk a s if h e’s tr y in g v ery h ard to h old h is world t o geth er.

Befo re I le av e th e sc h ool, I ta k e a fin al str o ll alo ng th e h alls . In a 35 num ber o f c la ssro om s, g ro ups o f c h ild re n se em to b e in volv ed in d oin g noth in g. So m etim es th ere ’s a te ach er pre se n t, doin g so m eth in g at his desk . S o m etim es th ere ’s n o a d ult in th e ro om . I p ass th e co okin g cla ss ag ain , in w hic h th ere is n o co okin g a n d n o te ach in g ta k in g p la ce . T he “su perv is e d ” s tu dy h all is s till u nsu perv is e d .

In o ne o f t h e u natte n ded c la ssro om s o n t h e s e co nd f lo or, s e v en s tu den ts sta n d a ro und a p ia n o. W hen I stic k m y h ead in to th e ro om , th ey sm ile an d in vit e m e to c o m e in . T hey a re r e h earsin g fo r a c o nce rt: tw o y oung wom en , fiv e y oung m en . A noth er y oung m an is s e ate d a t th e p ia n o. O ne of th e stu den ts , a heav yse t young w om an , ste p s out ju st befo re th e oth ers. W hen sh e sin gs, h er p ure so pra n o v oic e tr a n sfo rm s th e ro om .

“S o m etim es I fe el lik e a m oth erle ss c h ild ,” s h e b eg in s. T he p ia n is t g aze s up a t h er w it h a n a tte n tiv e lo ok o f a d m ir a tio n.

The lo velin ess a n d t h e a esth etic is o la tio n o f t h e s in ger in t h e s q ualo r o f th e s c h ool a n d c it y b rin g to m y m in d th e w ord s o f D r. L illia n P ark s, th e su perin te n den t o f th e E ast S t. L ouis sc h ools . “ G if te d c h ild re n ,” sa y s D r.

Park s, “a re ev ery w here in East St. Louis , but th eir gif ts are lo st to poverty a n d tu rm oil a n d th e d am ag e d one b y k now in g th ey a re w rit te n off b y th eir so cie ty . M an y o f th ese c h ild re n h av e n o se n se o f so m eth in g th ey b elo ng to . T hey h av e n o fe elin g o f b elo ngin g to A m eric a . G an gs pro vid e t h e b oys, p erh ap s, w it h s o m eth in g t o b elo ng t o .… “T here is a te rrib le b eau ty in so m e o f th ese g ir ls — te rrib le , I m ean , beca u se it is ep hem era l, fo re d oom ed . T he la n guag e th at our ch ild re n sp eak m ay n ot b e sta n dard E nglis h b ut th ere still is w is d om h ere . O ur ch ild re n h av e b eco m e w is e b y n ece ssit y .” Cla rk J u nio r H ig h S ch ool is re g ard ed a s th e to p sc h ool in th e cit y . I vis it , in p art, a t th e r e q uest o f s c h ool o ffic ia ls , w ho w ould lik e m e to s e e ed uca tio n in th e cit y at it s v ery b est. E ven h ere , h ow ev er, th ere is a dis tu rb in g s e n se t h at o ne h as e n te re d a b ack w ate r o f A m eric a .

“W e s p en d t h e e n tir e e ig hth g ra d e y ear p re p arin g f o r t h e s ta te e xam s,” a te ach er te lls m e in a to p-r a n ked Englis h cla ss. The te ach er se em s dev ote d to th e c h ild re n , b ut th re e s tu den ts s it tin g n ear m e s le ep th ro ugh th e e n tir e p erio d. T he te ach er r o use s o ne o f th em , a g ir l in th e s e at n ext to m e, b ut th e s tu den t p ro m ptly la y s h er h ead b ack o n h er c ro sse d a rm s an d is so on a sle ep a g ain . F our o f th e 1 4 ce ilin g lig hts a re b ro ken . T he co rrid or outs id e th e ro om is fille d w it h voic e s. O uts id e th e w in dow , where I s e e n o s c h ooly ard , is a n e m pty lo t.

In a m ath em atic s c la ss o f 3 0 c h ild re n p ack ed in to a s p ace t h at m ig ht b e 36 ad eq uate f o r 1 5 k id s, t h ere is o ne w hit e s tu den t. T he f ir st w hit e s tu den t I hav e se en in E ast St. L ouis , sh e is p olis h in g h er n ails w it h b rig ht re d polis h . A t in y b la ck g ir l n ext t o h er is w rit in g w it h a o ne-in ch p en cil s tu b.

In a se v en th g ra d e so cia l stu die s c la ss, th e o nly b ook th at b ears so m e re le v an ce to bla ck co nce rn s— it s tit le is The A m eric a n N egro —bears a public a tio n d ate o f 1 967. T he te ach er in vit e s m e to a sk th e cla ss so m e questio ns. U nce rta in w here to sta rt, I ask th e stu den ts w hat th ey ’v e le arn ed a b out t h e c iv il r ig hts c a m paig ns o f r e ce n t d eca d es.

A 1 4-y ear-o ld g ir l w it h s h ort b la ck c u rly h air s a y s th is : “ E very y ear in Feb ru ary w e a re to ld to r e ad th e s a m e o ld s p eech o f M artin L uth er K in g.

We r e ad it e v ery y ear. ‘I h av e a d re am .… ’ I t d oes b eg in t o s e em — what is th e w ord ?” S h e h esit a te s a n d t h en s h e f in ds t h e w ord : “ p erfu ncto ry .” I a sk h er w hat s h e m ean s.

“W e h av e a s c h ool in E ast S t. L ouis n am ed f o r D r. K in g,” s h e s a y s. “ T he sc h ool is fu ll o f s e w er w ate r a n d th e d oors a re lo ck ed w it h c h ain s. E very stu den t in t h at s c h ool is b la ck . I t’s lik e a t e rrib le jo ke o n h is to ry .” It s ta rtle s m e to h ear h er w ord s, b ut I a m s ta rtle d e v en m ore to th in k how se ld om an y pre ss re p orte r has obse rv ed th e ir o ny of nam in g se g re g ate d sc h ools fo r M artin L uth er K in g. C hild re n re ach th e h eart o f th ese h ypocris ie s m uch q uic k er t h an t h e g ro w n-u ps a n d t h e e xp erts d o.

“I w ould lik e to c o m men t o n th at,” sa y s a n oth er 1 4-y ear-o ld stu den t, nam ed Sh alik a. “I h av e h ad to d eal w it h th is all o f m y lif e . I sta rte d sc h ool in F air v ie w H eig hts . M y m oth er p ush es m e a n d sh e h ad w an te d me to g et a ch an ce a t b ette r e d uca tio n. O nly o ne o th er stu den t in m y cla ss w as bla ck . I w as in th e fif th gra d e, an d at th at ag e you don’t understa n d t h e u glin ess in p eo ple ’s h earts . T hey w ould n’t p la y w it h m e. I co uld n’t u ndersta n d it . D urin g r e ce ss I w ould s ta n d t h ere b y m yse lf b esid e th e f e n ce . T hen o ne d ay I g ot a n ote : ‘G o b ack t o A fr ic a .’ “T o te ll th e tr u th , it le ft a sa d ness in m y h eart. N ow y ou h ear th em sa y in ’ o n T V , ‘W hat’s th e m atte r w it h th ese c o lo re d p eo ple ? D on’t th ey ca re a b out t h eir c h ild re n ’s e d uca tio n?’ B ut m y m oth er d id t h e b est f o r m e sh e k new . It w as n ot m y m oth er’s fa u lt th at I w as n ot a cce p te d b y th ose peo ple .” “It d oes n ot ta k e lo ng,” sa y s C hris to pher, a lig ht-s k in ned b oy w it h a fa in t m usta ch e an d a so m ew hat h eate d an d p ersp ir in g lo ok, “fo r lit tle kid s t o le arn t h ey a re n ot w an te d .” Sh alik a is s m all a n d lo oks q uit e y oung fo r ju nio r h ig h. In e ach e ar s h e wears a sm all en am ele d p in o f M ic k ey M ouse . “T o so m e d eg re e I d o belie v e,” sh e sa y s, “th at th is is ca u se d b y p re ss re p orts . Y ou se e a lo t ab out th e c rim es c o m mit te d h ere in E ast S t. L ouis w hen y ou tu rn o n th e 37 TV . D o th ey sh ow th e crim es co m mit te d b y th e g overn m en t th at pu ts bla ck p eo ple h ere ? W hy a re a ll th e d ir ty b usin esse s lik e ch em ic a ls a n d waste d is p osa l h ere ? T his is a b ig co untr y . C ould n’t th ey fin d a n oth er pla ce t o p ut t h eir p ois o n?” “S h alik a,” t h e t e ach er t e lls m e a fte rw ard , “ w ill g o t o c o lle g e.” “W hy is it th is w ay ?” ask s Sh alik a in a so fte r v oic e ag ain . B ut sh e doesn ’t a sk t h e q uestio n a s if s h e is w ait in g f o r a n a n sw er.

“Is it ‘s e p ara te b ut e q ual,’ t h en ?” I a sk . “ H av e w e g one b ack a h undre d years? ” “It is se p ara te . T hat’s fo r su re ,” th e te ach er sa y s. S h e is a sh ort a n d sto ck y m id dle -a g ed b la ck w om an . “ W ould y ou w an t t o t e ll t h e c h ild re n it is e q ual? ” Chris to pher a p pro ach es m e a t t h e e n d o f c la ss. T he r o om is t o o h ot. H is sk in lo oks w arm a n d h is b la ck h air is d am p. “ W rit e t h is d ow n. Y ou a sk ed a q uestio n a b out M artin L uth er K in g. I ’m g oin g t o s a y s o m eth in g. A ll t h at stu ff a b out ‘t h e d re am ’ m ean s n oth in g t o t h e k id s I k now in E ast S t. L ouis .

So fa r a s th ey ’r e c o nce rn ed , h e d ie d in v ain . H e w as fa m ous a n d h e liv ed an d g av e h is sp eech es a n d h e d ie d a n d n ow h e’s g one. B ut w e’r e still here . D on’t t e ll s tu den ts in t h is s c h ool a b out ‘t h e d re am .’ G o a n d lo ok in to a to ile t h ere if y ou w ould lik e to k now w hat lif e is lik e fo r stu den ts in th is c it y .” Befo re I le av e, I d o a s C hris to pher a sk ed a n d e n te r a b oy’s b ath ro om .

Four o f th e six to ile ts d o n ot w ork . T he to ile ts sta lls , w hic h a re e ate n aw ay b y re d a n d b ro w n co rro sio n, h av e n o d oors. T he to ile ts h av e n o se ats . O ne h as a r o tte d w ooden s tu m p. T here a re n o p ap er t o w els a n d n o so ap . N ear th e d oor th ere is a lo op o f w ir e w it h a n e m pty to ile t-p ap er ro ll.

“T his ,” sa y s S is te r J u lia , “is th e b est sc h ool th at w e h av e in E ast S t.

Louis .” In E ast S t. L ouis , a s in e v ery c it y t h at I v is it , I a m f o rc e d t o a sk m yse lf if w hat I ’v e s e en m ay b e a ty pic a l. O ne w ould lik e t o t h in k t h at t h is m ig ht be t h e c a se in E ast S t. L ouis , b ut it w ould n ot b e t h e t r u th .

At Lan dsd ow ne J u nio r H ig h S ch ool, t h e St. L ou is S u n r e p orts , “ th ere a re sc o re s of w in dow fr a m es w it h out gla ss, lik e so ck ets w it h out ey es.” Hallw ay s in m an y s c h ools a re d ark , w it h lig ht b ulb s m is sin g o r b urn t o ut.

One w alk s in to a s c h ool, a m em ber o f t h e c it y ’s b oard o f e d uca tio n n ote s, “a n d y ou c a n s m ell t h e u rin als a h undre d f e et a w ay .… ” A te ach er a t a n e le m en ta ry sc h ool in E ast S t. L ouis h as o nly one fu ll- co lo r w ork book fo r h er cla ss. S h e p hoto co pie s w ork book p ag es fo r h er 38 ch ild re n , b ut th e co pie s ca n ’t b e m ad e in co lo r a n d th e le sso ns ca ll fo r co lo r r e co gnit io n b y t h e c h ild re n .

A h is to ry te ach er a t th e M artin L uth er K in g S ch ool h as 1 10 s tu den ts in fo ur c la sse s— but o nly 2 6 b ooks. S o m e o f th e b ooks a re m is sin g th e fir st hundre d p ag es.

Each y ear, S o lo m on o bse rv es o f E ast S t. L ouis H ig h, “ th ere ’s o ne m ore to ile t th at d oesn ’t flu sh , o ne m ore d rin kin g fo unta in th at d oesn ’t w ork , one m ore cla ssro om w it h out te xts .… C erta in cla ssro om s a re so co ld in win te r th at th e s tu den ts h av e to w ear th eir c o ats to c la ss, w hile c h ild re n in o th er cla ssro om s sw elt e r in a su ffo ca tin g h eat th at ca n not b e tu rn ed dow n.” Crit ic s in t h e p re ss r o utin ely n ote t h at e d uca tio n sp en din g in t h e d is tr ic t is a tr if le m ore th an in su rro undin g d is tr ic ts . T hey a ls o n ote th at p ublic sc h ools in E ast S t. L ouis r e p re se n t th e la rg est s o urc e o f p aid e m plo ym en t in th e cit y , an d th is p oin t is o fte n u se d to arg ue th at th e sc h ools are oversta ffe d . T he im plic a tio n of both sta te m en ts is th at E ast St. Louis sp en ds e xce ssiv ely o n e d uca tio n. O ne c o uld a s e asily c o nclu de, h ow ev er, th at th e co ndit io ns of exis te n ce here ca ll fo r ev en la rg er sc h ool exp en dit u re s t o d ra w a n d t o r e ta in m ore g if te d s ta ff a n d t o o ffe r a ll t h ose extr a se rv ic e s so d esp era te ly n eed ed in a p oor co m munit y . W hat su ch crit ic s als o fa il to note , as So lo m on an d prin cip al Sam M org an hav e obse rv ed , is th at th e c ru m blin g in fr a str u ctu re u se s u p a g re at d eal m ore of th e p er-p upil b udget th an w ould b e th e c a se in d is tr ic ts w it h u pdate d build in gs th at c o st le ss to o pera te . C rit ic s a ls o w illf u lly ig nore th e h ealt h co ndit io ns a n d t h e p sy ch olo gic a l d is a rra y o f c h ild re n g ro w in g u p in b urn t- out h ousin g, p la y in g o n co nta m in ate d la n d, an d w alk in g p ast acre s o f sm old erin g g arb ag e o n th eir w ay to sc h ool. T hey a ls o ig nore th e v ast exp en se e n ta ile d in tr y in g to m ak e u p fo r th e d eb ilit a te d sk ills o f m an y pare n ts w ho w ere p rio r v ic tim s o f th ese se g re g ate d sc h ools o r th ose o f Mis sis sip pi, in w hic h m an y o f th e o ld er re sid en ts o f E ast S t. L ouis le d th eir e arly liv es. I n v ie w o f t h e e xtr a o rd in ary m is e rie s o f lif e f o r c h ild re n in t h e d is tr ic t, E ast S t. L ouis s h ould b e s p en din g f a r m ore t h an is s p en t in wealt h y su burb s. A s th in gs sta n d, th e c it y sp en ds a p pro xim ate ly h alf a s much e ach y ear o n e v ery p upil a s t h e s ta te ’s t o p-s p en din g d is tr ic ts .

It is a ls o fo rg otte n th at d ra m atic cu ts in p erso nnel w it h in th e E ast S t.

Louis sc h ools — fo r exam ple , of 250 te ach ers an d 250 nonpro fe ssio nal em plo yees, as d em an ded re ce n tly b y sta te o ffic ia ls — would p ro pel 5 00 fa m ilie s w it h p erh ap s 2 ,0 00 c h ild re n a n d d ep en den ts to th e w elf a re lis ts an d d en y th e cit y th e sta b ilit y a ffo rd ed b y a g ood ch unk o f it s ra p id ly dim in is h ed lo w er m id dle c la ss. N oth in g, in sh ort, th at th e E ast S t. L ouis 39 sc h ool board does w it h in th e co nte xt of it s pen ury ca n ben efit one in te re st in t h e c it y w it h out d am ag in g a n oth er.

It is accu ra te to note th at ce rta in of th e ch oic e s an d prio rit ie s esta b lis h ed by th e E ast St. Louis sc h ool board do at tim es str ik e an obse rv er a s m is g uid ed , a n d s ta te p olit ic ia n s a re n ot h esit a n t t o e m phasiz e th is p oin t. T he m ay or o f th e c it y fo r m an y y ears, a c o ntr o versia l y oung man n am ed C arl O ffic e r, w as fr e q uen tly a tta ck ed b y th e s a m e c rit ic s fo r what so m etim es w as a lle g ed to b e h is la ck o f p ro bit y a n d o f fa r-s ig hte d pla n nin g. T here m ay h av e b een s o m e r e al tr u th to th ese c h arg es. B ut th e dilig en ce o f c rit ic s in o bse rv in g t h e s u ppose d ir re g ula rit ie s o f h is b eh av io r sta n ds in stu nnin g co ntr a st to th eir vir tu al re fu sa l to ad dre ss th e govern in g re alit ie s of destit u tio n an d near-t o ta l se g re g atio n an d th e willin gness o f p riv ate in dustr y to fle e a p opula tio n it o nce c o urte d a n d en tic e d t o E ast S t. L ouis b ut n ow f in ds e xp en dab le .

In v ery f e w c a se s, in d is c u ssin g t h e im mis e ra tio n o f t h is c it y , d o I llin ois offic ia ls open ly ad dre ss th e ce n tr a l fa ct, th e basic ev il, of it s ra cia l is o la tio n. W it h m ore effic ie n t lo ca l govern an ce , E ast St. Louis m ig ht beco m e a b ette r-m an ag ed g hetto , a le ss r a v ag ed r a cia l s e ttle m en t, b ut t h e so il w ould re m ain co nta m in ate d an d th e sc h ools w ould still re se m ble re lic s o f t h e S o uth p ost-R eco nstr u ctio n. T hey m ig ht b e a t r if le c le an er a n d th ey m ig ht p erh ap s p ro vid e th eir c h ild re n w it h a d oze n m ore c o m pute rs or ty pew rit e rs, b ette r sto ves fo r co okin g cla sse s, o r a b ette r sh op fo r tr a in in g fu tu re gas-s ta tio n m ech an ic s; but th e ch ild re n w ould still be pois o ned in t h eir b odie s a n d d is fig ure d in t h eir s p ir it s .

Now a n d th en th e p ossib ilit y is ra is e d b y so m eb ody in E ast S t. L ouis th at th e s ta te m ay s o m ed ay tr y to e n d th e is o la tio n o f th e c it y a s a n a ll- bla ck e n tit y . T his is s o m eth in g, h ow ev er, th at n o o ne w it h p ow er in th e sta te h as e v er c o nte m pla te d . C erta in ly , n o o ne in g overn m en t p ro pose s busin g 1 6,0 00 c h ild re n fr o m th is c it y to th e n earb y sc h ools o f B elle v ue, Fair v ie w H eig hts o r C ollin sv ille ; a n d n o o ne in te n ds to fo rc e th ese to w ns to o pen u p th eir n eig hborh oods to r a cia lly d ese g re g ate d a n d lo w -in co m e housin g. S o t h ere is , in f a ct, n o e xit f o r t h ese c h ild re n . E ast S t. L ouis w ill lik ely b e le ft ju st a s it is fo r a g ood m an y y ears to c o m e: a s c a r o f s o rts , an u gly m eta p hor o f f ilt h a n d o versp ill a n d c h em ic a l e ffu sio ns, a p la ce f o r bla ck s t o liv e a n d d ie w it h in , a p la ce f o r o th er p eo ple t o a v oid w hen t h ey are h ead in g f o r S t. L ouis .

40 CH APTER 2 O th er P eo p le ’s C hild re n : N orth Law ndale a n d t h e S o u th S id e o f C hic a go Alm ost a n yone w ho v is it s in th e sc h ools o f E ast S t. L ouis , e v en fo r a s h ort tim e, c o m es a w ay p ro fo undly s h ak en . T hese a re in noce n t c h ild re n , a fte r a ll. T hey h av e d one n oth in g w ro ng. T hey h av e c o m mit te d n o c rim e.

T hey a re to o y oung to h av e o ffe n ded u s in a n y w ay a t a ll. O ne s e arc h es f o r so m e w ay to u ndersta n d w hy a so cie ty a s ric h a n d, fr e q uen tly , a s g en ero us a s o urs w ould le av e th ese c h ild re n in th eir p en ury a n d s q ualo r f o r so lo ng— an d w it h so lit tle p ublic in dig natio n. Is th is ju st a str a n ge m is ta k e o f h is to ry ? Is it u nusu al? Is it a n A m eric a n a n om aly ? E ven if th e d estit u tio n a n d t h e r a cia l s e g re g atio n a n d t h e t o xic d an gers o f t h e a ir a n d s o il c a n not b e im med ia te ly a d dre sse d , w hy is it t h at w e c a n ’t a t le ast p our v ast a m ounts o f m oney , in gen uit y a n d ta le n t in to p ublic e d uca tio n fo r t h ese c h ild re n ?

Adm it te d ly , th e so il ca n not be de-le ad ed overn ig ht, an d th e ru in ed s p ir it s o f th e m en w ho c a m p o ut in th e mud a n d s h ack s c lo se to th e w ir e f e n cin g o f M onsa n to c a n ’t b e in sta n tly r e sto re d to lif e , n or c a n th e m an y i lln esse s th ese c h ild re n s u ffe r s u dden ly b e c u re d , n or c a n th eir a sth m a b e i m med ia te ly re lie v ed . W hy not, at le ast, giv e ch ild re n in th is cit y s o m eth in g s o s p ecta cu la r, s o w onderfu l a n d s p ecia l in t h eir p ublic s c h ools t h at h undre d s o f t h em , m ay be t h ousa n ds, m ig ht b e a b le s o m eh ow t o s o ar u p a b ove th e h opele ssn ess, th e c lo uds o f s m oke a n d s e n se o f d eg ra d atio n a ll a ro und t h em ?

Every c h ild , e v ery m oth er, in t h is c it y is , t o a d eg re e, in t h e p osit io n o f a s u pplic a n t fo r s o m eo ne e ls e ’s h elp . T he c it y tu rn s r e p eate d ly to o uts id e a g en cie s— th e fe d era l D ep artm en t o f H ousin g a n d U rb an D ev elo pm en t, t h e f e d era l a n d I llin ois E PA , t h e U .S . C ongre ss, t h e I llin ois S ta te B oard o f E duca tio n, re lig io us ch arit ie s, h ealt h o rg an iz a tio ns, m ed ic a l sc h ools a n d e d uca tio nal f o undatio ns— so lic it in g h elp in m uch t h e w ay t h at A fr ic a n a n d L atin A m eric a n n atio ns b eg f o r g ra n ts f r o m a g en cie s lik e A ID . A nd y et w e 41 sto p t o t e ll o urse lv es:

These a re A m eric a n s . W hy d o w e r e d uce t h em t o t h is beg gary — an d w hy, p artic u la rly , in p ublic e d uca tio n? W hy n ot sp en d o n ch ild re n h ere a t le ast w hat w e w ould b e in vestin g in th eir e d uca tio n if th ey liv ed w it h in a w ealt h y d is tr ic t lik e W in netk a, I llin ois , o r C herry H ill, New J erse y , o r M an hasse t, R ye, o r G re at N eck in N ew Y ork ? W ould n’t th is b e n atu ra l b eh av io r in a n a fflu en t s o cie ty t h at s e em s t o v alu e f a ir n ess in so m an y o th er a re as o f lif e ? Is fa ir n ess le ss im porta n t to A m eric a n s to day th an in so m e e arlie r tim es? Is it v ie w ed a s slig htly tir e so m e a n d in co m patib le w it h h ard -n ose d v alu es? W hat d o A m eric a n s b elie v e a b out eq ualit y ?

“D riv e w est on th e Eis e n how er Exp re ssw ay ,” w rit e s th e Chic a go Trib u ne , “o ut p ast th e h osp it a l co m ple x, an d lo ok so uth .” B efo re y our ey es are blo ck afte r blo ck of old , ab an doned , gap in g fa cto rie s. “T he overw helm in g s e n sa tio n is e m ptin ess.… W hat’s le ft is , lit e ra lly , n oth in g.” This em ptin ess— “a n in dustr ia l slu m w it h out th e in dustr y ,” a lo ca l re sid en t c a lls it — is North L aw ndale . T he n eig hborh ood, a cco rd in g to th e Trib u ne , “ h as o ne b an k, o ne su perm ark et, 4 8 sta te lo tte ry a g en ts … a n d 99 lic e n se d b ars a n d liq uor s to re s.” W it h o nly a s in gle s u perm ark et, fo od is o f p oor q ualit y a n d o verp ric e d . M artin L uth er K in g, w ho liv ed in th is neig hborh ood in 1 966, sa id th ere w as a 1 0-t o -2 0-p erc e n t “ co lo r ta x” o n pro duce , a n e stim ate th at s till h old s tr u e to day . W it h o nly a s in gle b an k, th ere a re fe w lo an s a v aila b le fo r h om e r e p air ; p riv ate h ousin g th ere fo re has d ete rio ra te d q uic k ly .

Acco rd in g to th e 1 980 c e n su s, 5 8 p erc e n t o f m en a n d w om en 1 7 a n d old er in N orth L aw ndale h ad n o jo bs. T he 1 990 ce n su s is exp ecte d to sh ow n o im pro vem en t. B etw een 1 960 a n d 1 970, a s t h e la st w hit e f a m ilie s le ft th e neig hborh ood, North Law ndale lo st th re e quarte rs of it s busin esse s, o ne q uarte r o f it s jo bs. I n t h e n ext t e n y ears, 8 0 p erc e n t o f t h e re m ain in g jo bs in m an ufa ctu rin g w ere lo st.

“P eo ple ca rry a lo t o f cro sse s h ere ,” sa y s Rev ere n d Jim W olf f, w ho dir e cts a m is sio n c h urc h n ot f a r f r o m o ne o f t h e d ese rte d f a cto rie s. “ G od’s beau tif u l p eo ple liv e h ere in t h e m id st o f h ell.” As t h e f a cto rie s h av e m oved o ut, h e s a y s, t h e s tr e et g an gs h av e m oved in . D riv in g w it h m e p ast a s p ra w lin g r e d bric k c o m ple x th at w as o nce th e world head quarte rs of Sears, Roeb uck , he sp eak s of th e in cre asin g eco nom ic is o la tio n of th e neig hborh ood: “S ears is gone. In te rn atio nal Harv este r is g one, S u nbeam is g one. W este rn E le ctr ic h as m oved o ut. T he Vic e L ord s, th e D is c ip le s a n d th e L atin K in gs h av e, in a se n se , re p la ce d th em .

42 “W it h th e a rriv al o f th e g an gs th ere is , o f c o urse , more v io le n ce a n d death . I b urie d a y oung m an 2 1 y ears o ld a w eek a g o. M ost o f t h e p eo ple th at I b ury a re b etw een t h e a g es o f 1 8 a n d 3 0.” He sto ps th e ca r next to a w eed -c h oked lo t clo se to th e co rn er of Six te en th a n d H am lin . “ D r. K in g,” h e s a y s, “ liv ed o n t h is c o rn er.” T here is no m em oria l. T he c it y , I la te r le arn , fla tte n ed th e b uild in g a fte r D r. K in g moved out. A bro ken tr u ck now occu pie s th e pla ce w here D r. K in g re sid ed . F ro m a n o pen sid e d oor o f th e tr u ck , a v ery o ld m an is se llin g piz za s lic e s. N ext d oor is a s to re c a lle d J u m bo L iq uors. A m en acin g g ro up of t e en -a g e b oys is s ta n din g o n t h e c o rn er o f t h e lo t w here D r. K in g liv ed wit h h is fa m ily . “ K id s lik e th ese w ill k ill e ach o th er o ver n oth in g— fo r a warm -u p ja ck et,” s a y s t h e p asto r.

“T here a re g ood p eo ple in th is n eig hborh ood,” h e sa y s, “d ete rm in ed an d p ersis te n t a n d s tr o ng-m in ded p eo ple w ho h av e c h ara cte r a n d v ir tu es you d o n ot s e e e v ery w here . Y ou s a y to y ourse lf , ‘T here ’s s o m eth in g h ere th at’s b ein g p urif ie d b y p ain .’ A ll th e v en eers, a ll th e fa ça d es, a re b urn t aw ay a n d y ou s e e s o m eth in g g en uin e a n d b eau tif u l th at is n ’t o fte n fo und am ong th e afflu en t. I se e it in ch ild re n — in th e youngest ch ild re n so m etim es. B eau tif u l sw eet n atu re s. It’s a s if th ey a re re fin ed b y th eir ad versit y . B ut y ou c a n not se n tim en ta liz e . T he o dds th ey fa ce a re h ellis h an d, f o r m an y, m an y p eo ple t h at I k now , lif e h ere is s im ply u nen dura b le .

“D r. K in g o nce s a id t h at h e h ad m et h is m atc h h ere in C hic a g o. H e s a id th at h e fa ce d m ore b ig otr y a n d h atr e d h ere th an a n yw here h e’d b een in th e D eep S o uth . N ow h e’s g one. T he w eed s h av e o verg ro w n h is m em ory .

I s o m etim es w onder if th e k id s w ho s p en d th eir liv es o ut o n th at c o rn er would b e sh ock ed , o r e v en in te re ste d , to k now th at h e h ad liv ed th ere once . I f y ou t o ld t h em , I s u sp ect y ou’d g et a s h ru g a t m ost.… ” On a c le ar O cto ber d ay in 1 990, t h e v oic e s o f c h ild re n in t h e f ir st-f lo or hallw ay o f th e M ary M cL eo d Beth une S ch ool in N orth L aw ndale a re a s brig ht an d optim is tic as th e voic e s of sm all ch ild re n an yw here . The sc h ool, w hose stu den ts a re a m ong th e p oore st in th e c it y , se rv es o ne o f th e n eig hborh oods in w hic h th e in fa n t d eath ra te is p artic u la rly h ig h.

Nearly 1 ,0 00 in fa n ts d ie w it h in th ese v ery p oor C hic a g o n eig hborh oods each y ear. A n a d dit io nal 3 ,0 00 in fa n ts a re d eliv ere d w it h b ra in d am ag e o r wit h o th er f o rm s o f n eu ro lo gic a l im pair m en t B ut, e n te rin g a k in derg arte n cla ssro om on th is au tu m n m orn in g, one w ould hav e no se n se th at an yth in g w as w ro ng. K in derg arte n c la sse s a lm ost a n yw here a re c h eerfu l pla ce s, a n d w hate v er d am ag e m ay a lr e ad y h av e b een d one to ch ild re n here is n ot in it ia lly a p pare n t t o a v is it o r.

When th e c h ild re n lie d ow n o n th e flo or to h av e th eir n ap s, I sit a n d 43 watc h th eir m ovem en ts a n d th eir b re ath in g. A fe w o f th em fa ll a sle ep a t once , b ut o th ers a re r e stle ss a n d t h re e lit tle b oys k eep p okin g o ne a n oth er when th e te ach er lo oks a w ay . M an y tin y c o ughs a n d w his p ers in te rru pt th e s ile n ce f o r a w hile .

The t e ach er is n ot p artic u la rly g en tle . S h e s n ap s a t t h e o nes w ho s q uir m aro und— “R ela x!” a n d “ S le ep !” — an d f o rc e s d ow n t h eir a rm s a n d k nees.

A lit tle b oy ly in g w it h h is h ead c lo se t o m y f e et lo oks u p, w it h h is e y es wid e o pen , a t th e c e ilin g. A noth er, ly in g o n h is sto m ach , sq uin ts a t m e wit h o ne e y e w hile t h e o th er r e m ain s c lo se d . T w o lit tle g ir ls , o ne in b lu e je an s, o ne in p urp le t ig hts , a re s o und a sle ep .

The r o om is s p arse : a la rg e a n d c le an b ut r a th er c h eerle ss s p ace . T here are v ery f e w o f t h ose m an ip ula b le o bje cts a n d b rig ht-c o lo re d s h elv es a n d boxes t h at a d orn s u burb an k in derg arte n c la ssro om s. T he o nly d eco ra tio ns on th e w alls are poste rs su pplie d by co m pan ie s th at m ark et sc h ool mate ria ls : “W in te r,” “S p rin g,” “S u m mer,” “A utu m n,” “Z oo Anim als ,” “C om munit y H elp ers.” N oth in g t h e c h ild re n o r t e ach er m ad e t h em se lv es.

As th e m in ute s p ass, m ost o f th e c h ild re n s e em to s le ep , s o m e o f th em wit h th eir arm s flu ng out ab ove th eir head s, oth ers w it h th eir han ds ben eath th eir c h eek s, th ough fo ur o r fiv e a re w id e a w ak e a n d s ta re w it h bore d om a t t h e c e ilin g.

On th e door is a cla ssro om ch art (“ W atc h us gro w !” it sa y s) th at measu re s e v ery c h ild ’s s iz e a n d w eig ht. N ak is h a, a cco rd in g t o t h e c h art, is 38 in ch es ta ll a n d w eig hs 4 0 p ounds. L ash onda, is 4 2 in ch es a n d w eig hs 45. S en eca is o nly 3 6 in ch es t a ll. H e w eig hs o nly 3 8.

Afte r 3 0 m in ute s p ass, th e te ach er te lls th e c h ild re n to sit u p. F iv e o f th e b oys w ho w ere m ost r e stle ss s u dden ly a re s o und a sle ep . T he o th ers s it up. The te ach er te lls th em , “F old ed han ds!” They fo ld th eir han ds.

“W ig gle y our to es!” T hey w ig gle th eir to es. “T ouch y our n ose !” T hey to uch t h eir n ose s.

The te ach er q uestio ns th em a b out a tr ip th ey m ad e th e w eek b efo re .

“W here d id w e g o?” T he c h ild re n a n sw er, “ F arm !” “ W hat d id w e se e?” The ch ild re n a n sw er, “S h eep !” “W hat d id w e fe ed th em ?” A ch ild y ells out, “ S o up!” T he te ach er re p ro ves h im : “ Y ou w ere n ’t th ere ! W hat is th e rig ht a n sw er? ” T he o th er c h ild re n a n sw er, “ C orn ! ” In a so m ew hat m ech an ic a l w ay , th e te ach er lif ts a p ic tu re b ook o f Moth er G oose a n d flip s th e p ag es a s th e ch ild re n sit b efo re h er o n th e ru g.

“M ary h ad a lit tle la m b, it s fle ece w as w hit e a s sn ow .… O ld M oth er Hubbard w en t to th e c u pboard to fe tc h h er p oor d og a b one.… J ack a n d Jill w en t u p t h e h ill.… T his lit tle p ig gy w en t t o m ark et.… ” 44 The ch ild re n re cit e th e v erse s w it h h er a s sh e tu rn s th e p ag es o f th e book. S h e’s n ot v ery w arm o r a n im ate d a s sh e d oes it , b ut th e c h ild re n are o bed ie n t a n d se em to lik e th e fu n o f sh ow in g th at th ey k now th e word s. T he b ook lo oks w orn a n d o ld , a s if th e te ach er’s u se d it m an y, man y y ears, a n d it s h ow s n o s ig ns o f a d ap ta tio n to th e r a ce o f th e b la ck ch ild re n in t h e s c h ool. M ary is w hit e . O ld M oth er H ubbard is w hit e . J ack is w hit e . J ill is w hit e . L it tle J ack H orn er is w hit e . M oth er G oose is w hit e .

Only M oth er H ubbard ’s d og is b la ck .

“B aa, b aa, b la ck s h eep ,” th e te ach er r e ad s, “ h av e y ou a n y w ool? ” T he ch ild re n a n sw er: “ Y essir , y essir , th re e b ag s fu ll. O ne fo r m y m aste r.… ” The m aste r is w hit e . T he s h eep a re b la ck .

Four lit tle b oys a re still a sle ep o n th e g re en ru g a n h our la te r w hen I le av e th e ro om . I sta n d a t th e d oor a n d lo ok a t th e ch ild re n , m ost o f whom a re s it tin g a t a t a b le n ow t o h av e t h eir m ilk . N in e y ears f r o m n ow , most o f th ese c h ild re n w ill g o o n to Man le y H ig h S ch ool, a n e n orm ous, ugly b uild in g ju st a b lo ck a w ay th at h as a g ra d uatio n ra te o f o nly 3 8 perc e n t. T w elv e y ears fr o m n ow , b y ju nio r y ear o f h ig h sc h ool, if th e neig hborh ood s ta tis tic s h old tr u e fo r th ese c h ild re n , 1 4 o f th ese 2 3 b oys an d g ir ls w ill h av e d ro pped o ut o f s c h ool. F ourte en y ears f r o m n ow , f o ur of th ese k id s, a t m ost, w ill g o to co lle g e. E ig hte en y ears fr o m n ow , o ne of t h ose f o ur m ay g ra d uate f r o m c o lle g e, b ut t h re e o f t h e 1 2 b oys in t h is kin derg arte n w ill a lr e ad y h av e s p en t t im e in p ris o n.

If o ne s ta n ds h ere in th is k in derg arte n r o om a n d d oes n ot k now th ese th in gs, th e m om en t se em s a u sp ic io us. B ut if o ne k now s th e fu tu re th at aw ait s th em , it is te rrib le to se e th eir ey es lo ok up at you w it h fr ie n dlin ess a n d t r u st— to s e e t h is a n d t o k now w hat is in s to re f o r t h em .

In a f if th g ra d e c la ssro om o n t h e t h ir d f lo or o f t h e s c h ool, t h e A m eric a n fla g is c o ate d w it h c h alk a n d b unch ed a ro und a p ole a b ove a b la ck board wit h n o w rit in g o n it . T here a re a c o uple o f p ic tu re s o f le av es a g ain st t h e win dow pan es b ut n oth in g lik e t h e r ic h ness a n d t h e n ovelt y a n d f u lln ess o f exp re ssio n o f t h e c h ild re n ’s c re ativ it y t h at o ne w ould s e e in b ette r s c h ools where p rin cip als in sis t th at te ach ers fill th eir r o om s w it h a rt a n d w rit in g by th e c h ild re n . T he te ach er is a n e ld erly w hit e w om an w it h a s o lid b un of s e n sib le g ra y h air a n d a d ep le te d g ra y is h m ood a b out h er. A m ong th e 30 c h ild re n in th e ro om , th e te ach er sa y s th at se v era l, a ll o f w hom a re bla ck , a re c la ssif ie d “ le arn in g d is a b le d .” The c h ild re n a re d oin g a h an dw rit in g le sso n w hen I e n te r. O n a b oard at th e b ack o f th e ro om th e te ach er h as w rit te n a lin e o f le tte rs in th e 45 sta n dard c u rsiv e s c rip t. T he c h ild re n s it a t t h eir d esk s a n d f ill e n tir e p ag es wit h t h ese le tte rs. I t is t h e k in d o f le sso n t h at is g en era lly d one in s e co nd gra d e in a su burb an sc h ool. T he te ach er se em s b ore d b y th e le sso n, a n d th e c h ild re n s e em t o f e el t h is a n d c o m pound h er b ore d om w it h t h eir o w n.

Next s h e d oes a s o cia l s tu die s le sso n o n t h e B erin g S tr a it a n d s p en ds s o m e tim e in g ettin g th e c la ss to g iv e a d efin it io n o f a “ str a it .” A bout h alf o f th e ch ild re n p ay a tte n tio n. T he o th ers d on’t ta lk o r in te rru pt o r fid get.

They a re w ell e n ough b eh av ed b ut s e em s e d ate d b y t h e t e ach er’s v oic e .

Anoth er f if th g ra d e t e ach er s to ps m e in t h e c o rrid or t o a sk m e w hat I ’m doin g in t h e b uild in g. H e’s 5 0 y ears o ld , h e t e lls m e, a n d g re w u p h ere in North L aw ndale w hen it w as a m id dle -c la ss w hit e n eig hborh ood b ut n ow liv es in th e su burb s. “I hav e a lo w fif th gra d e,” he sa y s w it h out en th usia sm , th en — alt h ough he sc a rc e ly know s m e— la u nch es in to an atta ck u pon t h e p rin cip al, t h e n eig hborh ood a n d t h e s c h ool.

“It’s a ll a g am e,” h e s a y s. “ K eep t h em in c la ss f o r s e v en y ears a n d g iv e th em a d ip lo m a if t h ey m ak e it t o e ig hth g ra d e. T hey c a n ’t r e ad , b ut g iv e th em th e dip lo m a. T he pare n ts don’t know w hat’s goin g on. T hey ’r e sa tis fie d .” When I a sk h im if th e la ck o f m oney a n d r e so urc e s is a p ro ble m in th e sc h ool, h e lo oks a m use d b y t h is . “ M oney w ould b e h elp fu l b ut it ’s n ot t h e majo r f a cto r,” h e r e p lie s. “ T he p are n ts a re t h e p ro ble m .” The p rin cip al, W arre n F ra n czy k, la te r t e lls m e t h is : “ T each ers a re b ein g dum ped fr o m h ig h s c h ool jo bs b eca u se o f lo w e n ro llm en t.

But if th ey ’v e got t e n ure t h ey c a n not b e f ir e d s o w e g et t h em h ere . I ’v e g ot t w o o f t h em as su bs rig ht n ow an d o ne as a p erm an en t te ach er. H e’s n ot u se d to ch ild re n o f t h is a g e a n d c a n ’t c o ntr o l t h em . B ut I h av e n o c h oic e .” The c it y r u ns a p ara lle l s y ste m o f s e le ctiv e s c h ools — so m e o f w hic h a re know n a s “ m ag net” s c h ools — an d t h ese s c h ools , t h e p rin cip al t e lls m e, d o not hav e th e sta ffin g pro ble m s th at he fa ce s. “T hey ca n se le ct th eir te ach ers a n d th eir p upils , S o it r e p re se n ts a d ra in o n u s. T hey a ttr a ct th e more so phis tic a te d fa m ilie s, an d it le av es us w it h le ss m otiv ate d ch ild re n .” Chic a g o, he te lls m e, does not hav e a ju nio r hig h sc h ool sy ste m .

Stu den ts b eg in B eth une in k in derg arte n a n d re m ain h ere th ro ugh e ig hth gra d e. E ig hth g ra d e g ra d uatio n, h ere a s e ls e w here in C hic a g o, is r e g ard ed as a tim e fo r ce le b ra tio n, m uch a s tw elf th g ra d e g ra d uatio n w ould b e ce le b ra te d in th e su burb s. S o th ere a re p artie s, b all g ow ns a n d tu xed os, ev ery th in g th at o th er k id s w ould h av e a t h ig h sc h ool g ra d uatio n. “F or more th an h alf o ur ch ild re n ,” sa y s th e p rin cip al, “th is is th e la st th in g th ey w ill h av e t o c e le b ra te .” 46 Even in th e m ost u nhap py sc h ools th ere a re c e rta in c la sse s th at sta n d out lik e lit tle is la n ds o f e xcit e m en t, e n erg y a n d h ope. O ne o f t h ese c la sse s is a co m bin atio n fif th a n d six th g ra d e a t B eth une, ta u ght b y a w om an , may be 4 0 y ears o f a g e, n am ed C orla H aw kin s.

The c la ssro om is fu ll o f liv ely v oic e s w hen I e n te r. T he c h ild re n a re a t work , su rro unded by a clu tte r of big dic tio narie s, pic tu re books an d gad gets , sc ie n ce g am es a n d p la n ts a n d co lo rfu l m ilk ca rto ns, w hic h th e te ach er purc h ase d out of her ow n sa la ry . An oversiz e d Van Gogh co lle ctio n, o pen to a p rin t o f a su nflo w er, is b ala n ce d o n a ta b le -le d ge next to a fis h ta n k a n d a tu rtle ta n k. N ext to th e ta b le is a r o ck in g c h air .

Han dw rit te n s ig ns a re o n a ll s id es: “ G ettin g to k now y ou,” “ K eep in g y ou sa fe ,” a n d, o ver a w all th at h old s so m e a rtw ork b y th e ch ild re n , “M rs.

Haw kin s’s A ca d em y o f F in e A rts .” N ear t h e w in dow s, t h e o versiz e d le av es of s e v era l w ild -lo okin g p la n ts p artia lly c o ver r o w s o f n ovels , m ath b ooks, an d a n ew W orld B ook E ncy clo ped ia . I n t h e o pposit e c o rn er is a “ S cie n ce Learn in g B oard ” th at hold s sm all pack ets w hic h co nta in bulb so ck ets , bulb s a n d w ir e s, le n se s, m ag nets , b ala n ce s c a le s a n d p lie rs. I n f r o nt o f t h e le arn in g b oard is a m ic ro sc o pe. S ev era l r u gs a re t h ro w n a ro und t h e f lo or.

On an oth er ta b le are a d oze n so da b ottle s se ale d w it h g lu e an d ly in g sid ew ay s, f ille d w it h c o lo re d w ate r.

The r o om lo oks lik e a c h eerfu l c ir c u s t e n t. I n t h e c e n te r o f it a ll, w it h in th e r o ck in g c h air , a n d c ra d lin g a n ew born in h er a rm s, is M rs. H aw kin s.

The 3 0 c h ild re n in th e c la ss a re s e ate d in g ro ups o f s ix a t fiv e o f w hat sh e c a lls “ d ep artm en ts .” E ach d ep artm en t is c o m pose d o f s ix d esk s p ush ed to geth er to cre ate a ta b le . O ne o f th e g ro ups is d oin g m ath , an oth er so m eth in g t h at t h ey c a ll “ m ath s tr a te g y.” A t h ir d is d oin g r e ad in g. O f t h e oth er tw o g ro ups, o ne is d oin g s o m eth in g th ey d esc rib e a s “ m ath em atic s art” — pain tin g c o m posit e s of g eo m etr ic s h ap es— an d t h e o th er is s tu dyin g “ca re ers,” w hic h o n th is m orn in g is a w rit in g e xerc is e a b out su cce ssfu l busin ess le ad ers w ho beg an th eir liv es in poverty . N ear th e sc ie n ce le arn in g b oard a y oung-lo okin g w om an is p re p arin g a n ew le sso n th at in volv es a lo t o f g ad gets s h e h as t a k en f r o m a c lo se t.

“T his w om an ,” M rs. H aw kin s t e lls m e, “ is a p are n t. S h e w an te d t o h elp me. S o I to ld h er, ‘I f y ou d on’t h av e s o m eb ody to k eep y our b ab y, b rin g th e b ab y h ere . I ’l l b e t h e m oth er. I c a n d o it .’ ” As w e t a lk , a b oy w ho w ears b ig g la sse s b rin gs h is b ook t o h er a n d a sk s her w hat th e w ord sa lv a tio n m ean s. S h e sh ow s h im h ow to so und it o ut, th en te lls h im , “ U se y our d ic tio nary if y ou d on’t k now w hat it m ean s.” When a b oy a t t h e r e ad in g t a b le a rg ues w it h t h e b oy b esid e h im , s h e y ells out, “ Y ou o ught t o b e a sh am ed . Y ou w oke m y b ab y.” 47 Afte r 1 5 m in ute s s h e c a lls o ut t h at it is t im e t o c h an ge t h eir t a b le s. T he ch ild re n g et u p a n d m ove to n ew d ep artm en ts . A s e ach g ro up g ets u p to move t o t h e n ext t a b le , o ne c h ild s ta y s b eh in d t o in tr o duce t h e n ext g ro up to t h e le sso n.

“T his is th e p oin t o f it ,” sh e sa y s. “I’m te ach in g th em th re e th in gs.

Num ber o ne: se lf -m otiv atio n. N um ber tw o: se lf -e ste em . N um ber th re e:

you h elp y our s is te r a n d y our b ro th er. I te ll th em th ey ’r e r e sp onsib le fo r one a n oth er. I g iv e n o g ra d es in t h e f ir st m ark in g p erio d b eca u se I d o n ot wan t th em to b e to o c o m petit iv e. S eco nd m ark in g p erio d, y ou g et y our gra d e o n w hat y ou’v e t a u ght y our n eig hbors a t y our t a b le . T hir d m ark in g perio d, I te am th em tw o-a n d-t w o. Y ou get th e sa m e gra d e as your partn er. F ourth m ark in g p erio d, I te ll th em , ‘E very fis h sw im s o n it s ow n.’ B ut I w ait a w hile f o r t h at. T he m ost im porta n t t h in g f o r m e is t h at th ey t e ach e ach o th er.… “A ll th is stu ff” — sh e gestu re s at th e clu tte r in th e ro om — “I bought myse lf b eca u se it n ev er w ork s t o o rd er t h in gs t h ro ugh t h e s c h ool s y ste m .

I b ought t h e V CR. I b ought t h e r o ck in g c h air a t a f le a m ark et. I g ot t h ese books here fo r te n ce n ts ap ie ce at a fle a m ark et. I bought th at en cy clo ped ia ”— sh e p oin ts a t th e r o w o f W orld B ooks— “so th at th ey c a n do t h eir r e se arc h r ig ht h ere in t h is r o om .” I a sk h er if t h e c la ss r e ad s w ell e n ough t o h an dle t h ese m ate ria ls . “ M ost of th em c a n re ad so m e o f th ese b ooks. W hat th ey c a n not re ad , a n oth er ch ild c a n r e ad t o t h em ,” s h e s a y s.

“I te ll th e pare n ts , ‘A ny tim e your ch ild sa y s, “I don’t hav e no hom ew ork ,” ca ll m e up. Call m e at hom e.’ Beca u se I giv e th em hom ew ork e v ery n ig ht a n d w eek en ds to o. H olid ay s I g iv e th em e xtr a .

Every c h ild in t h is c la ssro om h as m y p hone.” Cra d lin g t h e in fa n t in h er la p , s h e s a y s, “ I g ot t o b uy a p la y pen .” The b ottle s o f c o lo re d w ate r, sh e e xp la in s, a re c a lle d “ w av e b ottle s.” The c h ild re n m ak e th em o ut o f p la stic s o da b ottle s w hic h th ey c le an a n d fill w it h w ate r a n d f o od c o lo rin g a n d s e al w it h g lu e. S h e t a k es o ne in h er han d a n d r o lls it s lo w ly t o a n d f r o . “ It s h ow s t h em h ow w av es f o rm ,” s h e sa y s. “ I le t th em k eep th em a t th eir d esk s. S o m e o f th em h old th em in th eir h an ds w hile th ey ’r e at w ork . It se em s to ca lm th em : se ein g th e wate r c lo ud u p lik e a s to rm a n d t h en g ro w c le ar.… “I ta k e th em o uts id e e v ery d ay d urin g m y te ach er-b re ak . O n S atu rd ay s we g o to p la ce s lik e th e a rt m use u m . T uesd ay s, a fte r s c h ool, I c o ach th e drill te am . F rid ay a fte rn oons I tu to r p are n ts fo r th eir G ED [h ig h sc h ool eq uiv ale n cy e xam ]. I f y ou’r e h ere t h is a fte rn oon, I d o t h e g osp el c h oir .” When I a sk a b out h er o w n u pbrin gin g, sh e re p lie s, “I w en t to sc h ool 48 here in C hic a g o. M y m oth er b elie v ed I w as a ‘g if te d ’ c h ild , b ut t h e s y ste m did n ot c h alle n ge m e a n d I w as b ore d a t sc h ool. F ortu nate ly o ne o f m y moth er’s n eig hbors w as a t e ach er a n d s h e u se d t o t a lk t o m e a n d h elp m e afte r sc h ool. If it w ere n ot fo r h er I d oubt th at I’d h av e th ought th at I co uld g o t o c o lle g e. I p ro m is e d m yse lf I w ould r e tu rn t h at f a v or.” At t h e e n d o f c la ss I g o d ow nsta ir s t o s e e t h e p rin cip al, a n d t h en r e tu rn to a s e co nd-f lo or r o om t o s e e t h e g osp el c h oir in r e h earsa l. W hen I a rriv e, th ey ’v e a lr e ad y b eg un. T hir ty -f iv e ch ild re n , te n o f w hom a re b oys, a re sta n din g in r o w s b efo re a p ia n o p la y er. N ext to th e p ia n o, M rs. H aw kin s sta n ds a n d le ad s t h em t h ro ugh t h e w ord s. T he c h ild re n r a n ge in a g e f r o m six th a n d s e v en th g ra d ers t o t h re e s e co nd g ra d ers a n d t h re e t in y c h ild re n , one o f w hom is M rs. H aw kin s’s d au ghte r, w ho a re k in derg arte n p upils in th e s c h ool.

They sin g a n um ber o f g osp el so ngs w it h M rs. H aw kin s p oin tin g to each g ro up— so pra n o, a lt o , b ass— when it is th eir tu rn to jo in in . W hen th ey s in g, “ I lo ve y ou, L ord ,” t h eir v oic e s la ck t h e e n erg y s h e w an ts . S h e in te rru pts a n d sh outs a t th em , “ D o y ou lo ve H im ? D o y ou?” T hey sin g lo uder. T he c h ild re n lo ok a s if t h ey ’r e r iv ete d t o h er d ir e ctio ns.

“T his n ext so ng,” sh e sa y s, “I d re am ed ab out th is . T his so ng is m y fa v orit e .” The p ia n o b eg in s. T he ch ild re n sta rt to cla p th eir h an ds. W hen sh e giv es t h e s ig nal t h ey b eg in t o s in g:

C la p y our h an ds!

S ta m p y our f e et!

G et o n u p O ut o f y our s e ats !

H elp m e Lif t ’e m u p, L ord !

H elp m e L if t ’e m u p!

When a c h ild sh e c a lls “ R ev ere n d J o e” d oes n ot c o m e in a t th e rig ht note , M rs. H aw kin s sto ps a n d sa y s to h im : “ I th ought y ou to ld m e y ou were s a v ed ! ” The ch ild re n sm ile . T he b oy ca lle d “R ev ere n d J o e” sta n ds u p a lit tle str a ig hte r. T hen th e p ia n o sta rts a g ain . T he so und o f ch ild re n cla p pin g an d t h en s ta m pin g w it h t h e m usic f ills t h e r o om . M rs. H aw kin s w av es h er arm s. T hen , a s t h e c h ild re n s ta rt, s h e a ls o s ta rts t o s in g.

49 Help m e lif t ’e m u p, L ord !

Help m e lif t ’e m u p!

There are wonderfu l te ach ers su ch as Corla Haw kin s alm ost ev ery w here in u rb an s c h ools , a n d s o m etim es a n um ber o f s u ch t e ach ers in a sin gle sc h ool. It is te m ptin g to fo cu s o n th ese te ach ers a n d, b y d oin g th is , to p ain t a h opefu l p ortr a it o f th e g ood th in gs th at g o o n u nder ad verse c o ndit io ns. T here is , in deed , a g ro w in g b ody o f s u ch w rit in g; a n d th ese b ooks a re s o m etim es v ery p opula r, b eca u se t h ey a re c o nso lin g.

The r a tio nale b eh in d m uch o f t h is w rit in g is t h at p ed ag ogic p ro ble m s in our c it ie s a re n ot c h ie fly m atte rs o f in ju stic e , in eq ualit y o r se g re g atio n, but of in su ffic ie n t in fo rm atio n ab out te ach in g str a te g ie s: If w e co uld sim ply le arn “ w hat w ork s” in C orla H aw kin s’s ro om , w e’d th en b e in a posit io n t o r e p eat t h is a ll o ver C hic a g o a n d in e v ery o th er s y ste m .

But w hat is u niq ue in M rs. H aw kin s’s c la ssro om is n ot w hat sh e d oes but w ho sh e is . W arm th an d h um or an d co nta g io us en erg y ca n not b e re p lic a te d a n d c a n not b e w rit te n in to a n y s ta n dard iz e d c u rric u lu m . I f t h ey co uld , it w ould h av e h ap pen ed lo ng ag o; fo r w onderfu l te ach ers h av e been h ero iz e d in b ooks a n d m ovie s fo r a t le ast th re e d eca d es. A nd th e pro ble m s of Chic a g o are , in an y ca se , not th ose of in su ffic ie n t in fo rm atio n. If M rs. H aw kin s’s fe llo w fif th g ra d e te ach ers s im ply n eed ed in fo rm atio n, th ey c o uld g et it e asily b y w alk in g 2 0 ste p s a cro ss th e h all an d vis it in g her ro om . The pro ble m s are sy ste m ic : The num ber of te ach ers o ver 6 0 y ears o f a g e in th e C hic a g o s y ste m is tw ic e th at o f th e te ach ers u nder 3 0. T he sa la ry sc a le , to o lo w to k eep e xcit in g, y outh fu l te ach ers in th e sy ste m , le ad s th e cit y to re ly on lo w -p aid su bs, w ho re p re se n t m ore th an a q uarte r o f C hic a g o’s te ach in g fo rc e . “W e h av e te ach ers,” M rs. H aw kin s s a y s, “ w ho o nly b oth er to c o m e in th re e d ay s a week . O ne o f t h ese t e ach ers c o m es in u su ally a ro und n in e-t h ir ty . Y ou a sk her h ow sh e ca n exp ect th e k id s to ca re ab out th eir ed uca tio n if th e te ach er d oesn ’t e v en c o m e u ntil n in e-t h ir ty . S h e a n sw ers y ou, ‘I t m ak es no d if fe re n ce . K id s lik e th ese a re n ’t g oin g a n yw here .’ T he sc h ool b oard th in ks it ’s s a v in g m oney o n t h e s u bs. I t e ll t h em , ‘P ay n ow o r p ay la te r.’ ” But e v en su bstit u te te ach ers in C hic a g o a re q uit e fr e q uen tly in sh ort su pply . O n an av era g e m orn in g in Chic a g o, 5,7 00 ch ild re n in 190 cla ssro om s c o m e to sc h ool to fin d th ey h av e n o te ach er. T he n um ber o f ch ild re n w ho h av e n o te ach ers o n a g iv en m orn in g in C hic a g o’s p ublic sc h ools is nearly tw ic e th e stu den t p opula tio n o f N ew T rie r H ig h S ch ool in n earb y W in netk a.

“W e h av e b een in t h is c la ss a w hole s e m este r,” s a y s a 1 5-y ear-o ld a t Du 50 Sab le H ig h, o ne o f C hic a g o’s p oore st se co ndary sc h ools , “a n d th ey still ca n ’t f in d u s a t e ach er.” A s tu den t in a u to m ech an ic s a t D u S ab le s a y s h e’d b een in c la ss fo r 1 6 week s b efo re h e le arn ed to ch an ge a tir e . H is fir st te ach er q uit a t th e beg in nin g of th e year. Anoth er te ach er sle p t th ro ugh m ost of th e se m este r. H e would c o m e in , t h e s tu den t s a y s, a n d t e ll t h e s tu den ts , “ Y ou ca n t a lk . J u st k eep it d ow n.” S o on h e w ould b e a sle ep .

“L et’s b e re al,” th e stu den t sa y s. “ M ost o f u s a in ’t g oin g to c o lle g e.… We c o uld h av e u se d a c la ss lik e t h is .” The sh orta g e o f te ach ers fin ds it s p ara lle l in a sh orta g e o f su pplie s. A ch em is tr y te ach er a t th e sc h ool re p orts th at h e d oes n ot h av e b eak ers, wate r, b unse n b urn ers. H e u se s a p opco rn p opper a s a su bstit u te fo r a bunse n b urn er, a n d h e c u ts d ow n p la stic s o da b ottle s to m ak e la b ora to ry dis h es.

Man y of th ese sc h ools m ak e lit tle effo rt to in str u ct th eir fa ilin g stu den ts . “If a kid co m es in not re ad in g,” sa y s an E nglis h te ach er at Chic a g o’s So uth S h ore H ig h, “ h e g oes o ut n ot r e ad in g.” Anoth er te ach er at th e sc h ool, w here only 170 of 800 fr e sh m en gra d uate w it h th eir c la ss, in dic a te s th at th e d ro pout r a te m ak es te ach in g easie r. “ W e lo se a ll t h e d re g s b y t h e s e co nd y ear,” h e s a y s.

“W e’r e a g en era l h ig h s c h ool,” s a y s t h e h ead o f c o unse lin g a t C hic a g o’s Calu m et H ig h S ch ool. “W e h av e se co nd a n d th ir d g ra d e re ad ers.… W e hope t o d o b ette r, b ut w e w on’t d ie if w e d on’t .” At B ow en H ig h S ch ool, o n t h e S o uth S id e o f C hic a g o, s tu den ts h av e t w o or th re e “stu dy h alls ” a d ay , in p art to sa v e th e co st o f te ach ers. “N ot much stu dyin g g oes o n in stu dy h all,” a su perv is in g te ach er sa y s. “ I le t th e s tu den ts p la y c a rd s.… I f ig ure t h ey m ig ht g et s o m e m ath s k ills o ut o f it .” At th e Lath ro p E le m en ta ry S ch ool, a sh ort w alk fr o m th e co rn er lo t where D r. K in g re sid ed in N orth L aw ndale , th ere a re n o h oops o n th e bask etb all c o urt a n d n o s w in gs in t h e p la y gro und. F or 2 1 y ears, a cco rd in g to th e Chic a go T rib u ne , th e sc h ool h as b een w it h out a lib ra ry . L ib ra ry books, w hic h h av e b een p ile d a n d a b an doned in th e lu nch ro om o f th e sc h ool, h av e “ sp ro ute d m old ,” th e p ap er s a y s. S o m e y ears a g o th e s c h ool re ce iv ed th e sta n dard re ad in g te xtb ooks out of se q uen ce : T he se co nd work book in t h e r e ad in g p ro gra m c a m e t o t h e s c h ool b efo re t h e f ir st. T he prin cip al, u nce rta in w hat to d o w it h th e w ro ng w ork book, w as to ld b y sc h ool o ffic ia ls it w as “ a ll r ig ht t o w ork b ack w ard s.… ” This d eg re e o f e q uan im it y in fa ilu re , c rit ic s n ote , h as le d m ost a fflu en t pare n ts in C hic a g o to av oid th e public sy ste m alt o geth er. T he sc h ool 51 board pre sid en t in 1989, alt h ough a te ach er an d ad m in is tr a to r in th e sy ste m fo r th re e d eca d es, d id n ot s e n d h is c h ild re n to th e p ublic s c h ools .

Nor d oes M ay or R ic h ard D ale y , Jr., n or d id an y o f th e p re v io us fo ur may ors w ho h ad s c h ool-a g e c h ild re n .

“N obody in h is rig ht m in d,” sa y s o ne o f th e cit y ’s a ld erm en “w ould se n d [ h is ] k id s t o p ublic s c h ool.” Man y su burb an le g is la to rs re p re se n tin g afflu en t sc h ool dis tr ic ts use te rm s su ch a s “ sin khole ” w hen o pposin g fu ndin g fo r C hic a g o’s c h ild re n .

“W e c a n ’t k eep t h ro w in g m oney ,” s a id G overn or T hom pso n in 1 988, “ in to a b la ck h ole .” The Chic a go T rib u ne n ote s t h at, w hen t h is p hra se is u se d , p eo ple h aste n to e xp la in th at it is n ot in te n ded a s a slu r a g ain st th e ra ce o f m an y o f Chic a g o’s ch ild re n . “B ut ra ce ,” sa y s th e Trib u ne , “n ev er is fa r fr o m th e su rfa ce .… ” As sp rin g co m es to C hic a g o, th e sc a rc it y o f su bstit u te s g ro w s m ore acu te . O n M onday s a n d F rid ay s in e arly M ay , n early 1 8,0 00 c h ild re n — th e eq uiv ale n t o f a ll th e e le m en ta ry s tu den ts in s u burb an G le n co e, W ilm ette , Gle n vie w , K en ilw orth , W in netk a, D eerfie ld , H ig hla n d P ark a n d E van sto n —are a ssig ned t o c la sse s w it h n o t e ach er.

In th is r e sp ect, th e c it y ’s dro pout r a te o f n early 5 0 perc e n t is r e g ard ed by s o m e p eo ple a s a b le ssin g. If o ver 2 00,0 00 o f C hic a g o’s to ta l s tu den t popula tio n o f 4 40,0 00 d id n ot d is a p pear d urin g th eir s e co ndary y ears, it is n ot c le ar w ho w ould t e ach t h em .

In 1 989, C hic a g o sp en t so m e $ 5,5 00 fo r e ach stu den t in it s se co ndary sc h ools . T his m ay be co m pare d to an in vestm en t of so m e $8,5 00 to $9,0 00 in e ach h ig h s c h ool s tu den t in t h e h ig hest-s p en din g s u burb s t o t h e north . S ta te d in th e s im ple st te rm s, th is m ean s th at a n y h ig h s c h ool c la ss of 3 0 c h ild re n in C hic a g o r e ce iv ed a p pro xim ate ly $ 90,0 00 le ss e ach y ear th an w ould h av e b een s p en t o n t h em if t h ey w ere p upils o f a s c h ool s u ch as New T rie r H ig h.

The d if fe re n ce in sp en din g b etw een v ery w ealt h y su burb s an d p oor cit ie s is n ot a lw ay s a s e xtr e m e a s th is in Illin ois . W hen re la tiv e stu den t need s, h ow ev er, h av e b een fa cto re d in to th e dis c u ssio n, th e d is p arit ie s in fu ndin g are en orm ous. E quit y , afte r all, does not m ean sim ply eq ual fu ndin g. E qual fu ndin g fo r u neq ual n eed s is n ot eq ualit y . T he n eed is gre ate r in C hic a g o, a n d it s ch ild re n , if th ey a re to h av e a p pro xim ate ly eq ual o pportu nit ie s, n eed m ore th an th e c h ild re n w ho a tte n d N ew T rie r.

Seen in t h is lig ht, t h e $ 90,0 00 a n nual d if fe re n ce is q uit e s ta rtlin g.

Lack o f m oney is n ot th e o nly p ro ble m in C hic a g o, b ut th e g ulf in 52 fu ndin g w e h av e s e en is s o r e m ark ab le a n d s e em s s o b la ta n tly u nfa ir t h at it s tr ik es m an y th oughtfu l c it iz e n s a t fir st a s in exp lic a b le . H ow c a n it b e th at in eq ualit ie s a s g re at a s t h ese e xis t in n eig hborin g s c h ool d is tr ic ts ?

The a n sw er is f o und, a t le ast in p art, in t h e a rc a n e m ach in ery b y w hic h we fin an ce p ublic ed uca tio n. M ost p ublic sc h ools in th e U nit e d Sta te s dep en d f o r t h eir in it ia l f u ndin g o n a t a x o n lo ca l p ro perty . T here a re a ls o sta te a n d f e d era l f u ndin g s o urc e s, a n d w e w ill d is c u ss th em la te r, b ut th e pro perty ta x is th e d ecis iv e fo rc e in s h ap in g in eq ualit y . T he p ro perty ta x dep en ds, o f c o urse , u pon t h e t a xab le v alu e o f o ne’s h om e a n d t h at o f lo ca l in dustr ie s. A ty pic a l w ealt h y su burb in w hic h hom es are ofte n w orth more th an $ 400,0 00 d ra w s u pon a la rg er ta x b ase in p ro portio n to it s stu den t p opula tio n th an a cit y o ccu pie d b y th ousa n ds o f p oor p eo ple .

Typic a lly , in t h e U nit e d S ta te s, v ery poor c o m munit ie s p la ce h ig h p rio rit y on e d uca tio n, a n d th ey o fte n ta x th em se lv es a t h ig her ra te s th an d o th e very a fflu en t co m munit ie s. B ut, e v en if th ey ta x th em se lv es a t se v era l tim es th e r a te o f a n e xtr e m ely w ealt h y d is tr ic t, th ey a re lik ely to e n d u p wit h f a r le ss m oney f o r e ach c h ild in t h eir s c h ools .

Beca u se th e p ro perty ta x is c o unte d a s a ta x d ed uctio n b y th e fe d era l govern m en t, h om e-o w ners in a w ealt h y su burb g et b ack a su bsta n tia l portio n o f th e m oney th at th ey sp en d to fu nd th eir c h ild re n ’s sc h ools — effe ctiv ely , a fe d era l su bsid y fo r a n u neq ual e d uca tio n. H om e-o w ners in poor d is tr ic ts g et th is s u bsid y a s w ell, b ut, b eca u se th eir to ta l ta x is le ss, th e su bsid y is le ss. T he m ortg ag e in te re st th at h om eo w ners p ay is a ls o tr e ate d as a ta x d ed uctio n— in effe ct, a se co nd fe d era l su bsid y. T hese su bsid ie s, as I hav e te rm ed th em , are co nsid era b ly la rg er th an m ost peo ple u ndersta n d. I n 1 984, f o r in sta n ce , pro perty -t a x d ed uctio ns g ra n te d by th e fe d era l g overn m en t w ere $ 9 b illio n. A n a d dit io nal $ 23 b illio n in mortg ag e-in te re st d ed uctio ns w ere p ro vid ed to h om eo w ners: a to ta l o f so m e $ 32 b illio n. F ed era l g ra n ts t o lo ca l s c h ools , in c o ntr a st, t o ta le d o nly $7 b illio n, a n d o nly p art o f th is w as e arm ark ed fo r lo w -in co m e d is tr ic ts .

Fed era l p olic y , in th is re sp ect, in cre ase s th e exis tin g g ulf b etw een th e ric h est a n d t h e p oore st s c h ools .

All o f th ese d is p arit ie s a re a ls o h eig hte n ed , in th e c a se o f la rg er c it ie s lik e Chic a g o, by th e dis p ro portio nate num ber of en tir e ly ta x-f r e e in stit u tio ns— co lle g es a n d hosp it a ls a n d a rt m use u m s, fo r in sta n ce — th at are sit e d in su ch cit ie s. In so m e cit ie s, acco rd in g to Jo nath an W ils o n, fo rm er c h air m an o f t h e C ouncil o f U rb an B oard s o f E duca tio n, 3 0 p erc e n t or m ore o f th e p ote n tia l ta x b ase is e xem pt fr o m ta xes, c o m pare d to a s lit tle a s 3 p erc e n t in th e a d ja ce n t s u burb s. S u burb an it e s, o f c o urse , e n jo y th e u se o f t h ese n onpro fit , t a x-f r e e in stit u tio ns; a n d, in t h e c a se o f p riv ate 53 co lle g es a n d u niv ersit ie s, th ey a re fa r more lik ely to e n jo y th eir u se th an are t h e r e sid en ts o f in ner c it ie s.

Cit ie s lik e C hic a g o f a ce t h e a d ded p ro ble m t h at a n o verly la rg e p ortio n of th eir lim it e d ta x re v en ues m ust b e d iv erte d to m eet n onsc h ool co sts th at w ealt h y su burb s d o n ot fa ce , o r o nly o n a fa r m ore m odest sc a le .

Polic e exp en dit u re s are hig her in crim e-r id den cit ie s th an in m ost su burb an to w ns. F ir e d ep artm en t c o sts a re a ls o h ig her w here d ila p id ate d housin g, o fte n w it h s u bsta n dard w ir in g, a n d a rso n-f o r-p ro fit a re fa m ilia r pro ble m s. P ublic h ealt h e xp en dit u re s a re a ls o h ig her w here p oor p eo ple ca n not p ay fo r p riv ate h osp it a ls . A ll o f th ese e xp en dit u re s c o m pete w it h th ose fo r p ublic s c h ools . S o th e d is tr ic ts th at fa ce th e to ughest c h alle n ges are als o lik ely to be th ose th at hav e th e fe w est fu nds to m eet th eir ch ild re n ’s n eed s.

Man y p eo ple , ev en th ose w ho v ie w th em se lv es as lib era ls o n o th er is su es, te n d to g ro w in dig nan t, e v en ra th er a g it a te d , if in vit e d to lo ok clo se ly at th ese in eq ualit ie s. “L if e is n ’t fa ir ,” one pare n t in W in netk a an sw ere d fla tly w hen I p re sse d th e m atte r. “ W ealt h y c h ild re n a ls o g o to su m mer ca m p. A ll su m mer. P oor k id s m ay be n ot at all. O r m ay be, if th ey ’r e lu ck y, fo r tw o w eek s. W ealt h y c h ild re n h av e th e c h an ce to g o to Euro pe an d th ey hav e th e acce ss to good lib ra rie s, en cy clo ped ia s, co m pute rs, b ette r d octo rs, n ic e r h om es. S o m e o f m y n eig hbors s e n d th eir kid s to sc h ools lik e Exete r an d G ro to n. Is govern m en t su ppose d to eq ualiz e t h ese t h in gs a s w ell? ” But govern m en t, of co urse , does not assig n us to our hom es, our su m mer c a m ps, o ur d octo rs— or to E xete r. It d oes a ssig n u s to o ur p ublic sc h ools . In deed , it fo rc e s u s to g o to th em . U nle ss w e h av e th e w ealt h to pay f o r p riv ate e d uca tio n, w e a re c o m pelle d b y la w t o g o t o p ublic s c h ool —an d to th e p ublic sc h ool in o ur d is tr ic t. T hus th e sta te , b y re q uir in g atte n dan ce b ut r e fu sin g to r e q uir e e q uit y , e ffe ctiv ely r e q uir e s in eq ualit y .

Com puls o ry in eq uit y , p erp etu ate d b y s ta te la w , to o fr e q uen tly c o ndem ns our c h ild re n t o u neq ual liv es.

In Illin ois , a s e ls e w here in A m eric a , lo ca l fu nds fo r e d uca tio n ra is e d fr o m pro perty ta xes are su pple m en te d by sta te co ntr ib utio ns an d by fe d era l fu nds, alt h ough th e fe d era l co ntr ib utio n is extr e m ely sm all, co nstit u tin g only 6 perc e n t of to ta l sc h ool exp en dit u re s.

Sta te co ntr ib utio ns r e p re se n t a p pro xim ate ly h alf o f lo ca l sc h ool e xp en dit u re s in th e Unit e d Sta te s; alt h ough in te n ded to m ak e up fo r lo ca l w ealt h dis p arit ie s, th ey h av e se ld om b een su ffic ie n t to a ch ie v e th is g oal. T ota l yearly sp en din g— lo ca l fu nds co m bin ed w it h sta te assis ta n ce an d th e sm all a m ount t h at c o m es f r o m W ash in gto n— ra n ges t o day in I llin ois f r o m 54 $2,1 00 o n a c h ild in th e p oore st d is tr ic t to a b ove $ 10,0 00 in th e r ic h est.

The s y ste m , w rit e s J o hn C oons, a p ro fe sso r o f la w a t B erk ele y U niv ersit y , “b ears th e a p peara n ce o f c a lc u la te d u nfa ir n ess.” There is a b elie f a d van ce d to day , a n d in so m e ca se s b y co nse rv ativ e bla ck a u th ors, th at p oor ch ild re n a n d p artic u la rly b la ck ch ild re n sh ould not b e a llo w ed to h ear to o m uch a b out th ese m atte rs. If th ey le arn h ow much le ss t h ey a re g ettin g t h an r ic h c h ild re n , w e a re t o ld , t h is k now le d ge may in duce th em to re g ard th em se lv es a s “v ic tim s,” a n d su ch “ vic tim - th in kin g,” it is arg ued , m ay th en u nderm in e th eir ca p ab ilit y to p ro fit fr o m w hate v er o pportu nit ie s m ay a ctu ally e xis t. B ut th is is a m atte r o f psy ch olo gy— or str a te g y— an d not re alit y . T he m atte r, in an y ca se , is aca d em ic s in ce m ost a d ole sc e n ts in th e p oore st n eig hborh oods le arn v ery so on th at th ey are gettin g le ss th an ch ild re n in th e w ealt h ie r sc h ool dis tr ic ts . T hey s e e s u burb an s c h ools o n t e le v is io n a n d t h ey s e e t h em w hen th ey tr a v el fo r ath le tic co m petit io ns. It is a w aste of tim e to w orry wheth er w e sh ould te ll th em so m eth in g th ey co uld te ll to us. A bout in ju stic e , m ost p oor c h ild re n in A m eric a c a n not b e f o ole d .

Child re n , of co urse , don’t understa n d at fir st th at th ey are bein g ch eate d . T hey c o m e to sc h ool w it h a d eg re e o f fa it h a n d o ptim is m , a n d th ey o fte n s e em to th riv e d urin g th e fir st fe w y ears. It is s o m etim es n ot until th e th ir d g ra d e th at th eir te ach ers s ta rt to s e e th e w arn in g s ig ns o f fa ilu re . B y t h e f o urth g ra d e m an y c h ild re n s e e it t o o.

“ These k id s a re a w are o f th eir fa ilu re s,” s a y s a fo urth g ra d e te ach er in Chic a g o. “ S o m e o f t h em a ct lik e t h e g am e’s a lr e ad y o ver.” By f if th o r s ix th g ra d e, m an y c h ild re n d em onstr a te t h eir lo ss o f f a it h b y sta y in g o ut o f s c h ool. T he d ir e cto r o f a s o cia l s e rv ic e a g en cy in C hic a g o’s Hum bold t P ark estim ate s th at 10 perc e n t of th e 12- an d 13-y ear-o ld ch ild re n th at h e s e es a re o ut o f s c h ool fo r a ll b ut o ne o r tw o d ay s e v ery tw o w eek s. T he r o ute f r o m t r u an cy t o f u ll-f le d ged d ro pout s ta tu s is d ir e ct an d sw if t.

Rev ere n d C harle s K yle , a pro fe sso r at Loyola U niv ersit y , belie v es th at 1 0 p erc e n t o f stu den ts in C hic a g o d ro p o ut p rio r to th eir hig h s c h ool y ears, u su ally a fte r s e v en th o r e ig hth g ra d e— an e stim ate t h at I h av e a ls o h ea rd fr o m s e v era l te ach ers. T his w ould put th e c it y ’s a ctu al dro pout r a te , t h e Chic a go T rib u ne e stim ate s, a t “ clo se t o 6 0 p erc e n t.” Even w it h out c o nsid era tio n o f th ese e arly d ro pouts o r o f th e de fa cto dro pouts w ho sh ow u p a t sc h ool a c o uple o f tim es a m onth b ut still a re lis te d as en ro lle d — exclu din g all of th is an d sim ply goin g by offic ia l sc h ool board num bers— th e attr it io n ra te s in ce rta in of th e poore st neig hborh oods a re q uit e r e m ark ab le . F or c h ild re n w ho b eg in t h eir s c h ool 55 ca re er at Anderse n Ele m en ta ry Sch ool, fo r in sta n ce , th e hig h sc h ool dro pout r a te is 7 6 p erc e n t. F or th ose w ho b eg in a t th e M cK in le y S ch ool, it is 8 1 p erc e n t. F or th ose w ho s ta rt a t W oodso n E le m en ta ry S ch ool, th e hig h sc h ool d ro pout ra te is 8 6 p erc e n t. T hese sc h ools — whic h F re d H ess of t h e C hic a g o P an el o n S ch ool P olic y a n d F in an ce , a r e sp ecte d w atc h dog gro up, ca lls “d um pin g gro unds” fo r kid s w it h sp ecia l pro ble m s— are am ong th e c it y ’s w orst; b ut, e v en fo r c h ild re n w ho b eg in th eir s c h oolin g at B eth une a n d th en g o o n to n earb y M an le y H ig h, th e d ro pout ra te , a s we h av e s e en , is 6 2 p erc e n t.

Not a ll o f th e k id s w ho g et to se n io r y ear a n d fin is h it a n d g ra d uate , how ev er, w ill hav e re ad in g sk ills at hig h sc h ool le v el. C it y w id e, 27 perc e n t o f h ig h s c h ool g ra d uate s r e ad a t t h e e ig hth g ra d e le v el o r b elo w ; an d a la rg e p ro portio n o f th ese stu den ts re ad at le ss th an six th g ra d e le v el. A ddin g th ese ch ild re n to th e m an y dro pouts w ho hav e nev er le arn ed to re ad b ey ond th e g ra d e-s c h ool le v el, w e m ay estim ate th at nearly h alf th e k in derg arte n c h ild re n in C hic a g o’s p ublic s c h ools w ill e xit sc h ool a s m arg in al illit e ra te s.

Read in g le v els a re t h e lo w est in t h e p oore st s c h ools . I n a s u rv ey o f t h e 18 h ig h sc h ools w it h th e h ig hest ra te s o f p overty w it h in th eir stu den t popula tio ns, D esig ns fo r C han ge, a r e se arc h c e n te r in C hic a g o, n ote s th at only 3 .5 p erc e n t o f stu den ts g ra d uate a n d a ls o re ad u p to th e natio nal norm . S o m e 6 ,7 00 ch ild re n e n te r n in th g ra d e in th ese 1 8 sc h ools e ach year. O nly 3 00 o f t h ese s tu den ts , s a y s D on M oore , d ir e cto r o f D esig ns f o r Chan ge, “b oth gra d uate an d re ad at or ab ove th e natio nal av era g e.” Those v ery fe w w ho g ra d uate a n d g o to c o lle g e r a re ly r e ad w ell e n ough to h an dle c o lle g e-le v el c o urse s. A t th e c it y ’s co m munit y c o lle g es, w hic h re ce iv e m ost o f th eir stu den ts fr o m C hic a g o’s p ublic sc h ools , th e n on- co m ple tio n ra te is 97 perc e n t. O f 35,0 00 stu den ts w ork in g to w ard deg re es in th e co m munit y co lle g es th at se rv e Chic a g o, only 1,0 00 an nually c o m ple te t h e p ro gra m a n d r e ce iv e d eg re es.

Lookin g a t th ese fa ilu re ra te s a g ain — an d p artic u la rly a t th e re ad in g sc o re s o f h ig h s c h ool g ra d uate s— it is d if fic u lt to k now w hat a rg um en t a co unse lo r ca n m ak e to te ll a fa ilin g stu den t th at sh e o ught to sta y in sc h ool, e xce p t p erh ap s t o n ote t h at a c re d en tia l w ill, s ta tis tic a lly , im pro ve her lik elih ood o f fin din g w ork . In str ic tly p ed ag ogic te rm s, th e o dds o f fa ilu re fo r a stu den t w ho sta rts o ut a t W oodso n E le m en ta ry S ch ool, a n d th en co ntin ues a t a n onse le ctiv e h ig h sc h ool, a re a p pro xim ate ly te n to one. T he o dds o f le arn in g m ath a n d r e ad in g o n t h e s tr e et a re p ro bab ly a s good o r e v en b ette r. T he o dds o f fin din g a fe w m om en ts o f d elig ht, o r may be e v en h ap pin ess, o uts id e th ese d re ary sc h ools a re b ette r still. F or 56 man y, m an y s tu den ts a t C hic a g o’s n onse le ctiv e h ig h s c h ools , it is h ard to know if a decis io n to dro p out of sc h ool, no m atte r how m uch w e dis c o ura g e it , is n ot, in f a ct, a lo gic a l d ecis io n.

The one gre at exce p tio n in C hic a g o is th e sit u atio n th at exis ts fo r ch ild re n w ho c a n w in a d m is sio n to th e mag net o r se le ctiv e sc h ools : T he Chic a go T rib u ne h as c a lle d th e m ag net s y ste m , in e ffe ct, “ a p riv ate s c h ool sy ste m … o pera te d in th e p ublic sc h ools .” V ery p oor c h ild re n , e xclu ded fr o m th is sy ste m , sa y s th e Trib u ne , are “e v en m ore is o la te d ” as a co nse q uen ce o f th e re m oval o f th e m ore su cce ssfu l stu den ts fr o m th eir mid st.

The m ag net sy ste m is , n ot su rp ris in gly , h ig hly a ttr a ctiv e to th e m ore so phis tic a te d pare n ts , dis p ro portio nate ly w hit e an d m id dle cla ss, w ho hav e th e in gen uit y an d, n ow an d th en , p olit ic a l co nnectio ns to o bta in ad m is sio n f o r t h eir c h ild re n . I t is a ls o v ie w ed b y s o m e o f it s d efe n ders a s an id eal w ay to h old w hit e p eo ple in th e p ublic s c h ools b y o ffe rin g th em “ch oic e s” t h at r e se m ble w hat t h ey ’d f in d in p riv ate e d uca tio n. “ T hose t h e sy ste m c h oose s to s a v e,” s a y s th e Trib u ne , “ a re th e b rig hte st y oungste rs, se le cte d b y ra ce , in co m e a n d a ch ie v em en t” fo r “m ag net sc h ools w here te ach ers are han d-p ic k ed ” an d whic h “o pera te much lik e priv ate in stit u tio ns.” Child re n w ho h av e h ad th e b en efit s o f p re sc h ool a n d o ne o f th e b ette r ele m en ta ry sc h ools are at a g re at ad van ta g e in ach ie v in g en tr a n ce to se le ctiv e h ig h s c h ools ; b ut a n e v en m ore im porta n t f a cto r s e em s t o b e t h e so cia l c la ss a n d e d uca tio n le v el o f th eir p are n ts . T his is th e c a se b eca u se th e sy ste m re sts o n th e in it ia tiv e o f p are n ts . T he p oore st p are n ts , o fte n th e p ro ducts o f in fe rio r e d uca tio n, la ck th e in fo rm atio n a cce ss a n d th e sk ills of nav ig atio n in an ofte n hostile an d in tim id atin g sit u atio n to ch an nel th eir c h ild re n to th e b ette r sc h ools , o bta in th e a p plic a tio ns, a n d (p erh ap s a lit tle m ore im porta n t) help th em to get re ad y fo r th e nece ssa ry t e sts a n d t h en p ersu ad e t h eir e le m en ta ry s c h ools t o r e co m men d th em . S o , e v en in p oor b la ck n eig hborh oods, it t e n ds t o b e c h ild re n o f t h e le ss p oor a n d th e b ette r e d uca te d w ho a re lik ely to b re ak th ro ugh th e obsta cle s a n d w in a d m is sio n.

The sy ste m h as th e su rfa ce a sp ects o f a m erit o cra cy , b ut m erit in th is ca se is p re d ete rm in ed b y c o ndit io ns t h at a re c lo se ly t ie d t o c la ss a n d r a ce .

While s o m e d efe n d it a s, in t h eo ry , “ th e s u rv iv al o f t h e f it te st,” it is m ore accu ra te to ca ll it th e su rv iv al o f th e ch ild re n o f th e fit te st— or of th e most fa v ore d . Sim ila r sy ste m s exis t in ev ery m ajo r cit y . They are defe n ded sto utly by th ose w ho su cce ed in gettin g in to th e se le ctiv e sc h ools .

57 The p ara lle l sy ste m exte n ds to ele m en ta ry sc h ools as w ell. A re ce n t co nflic t a ro und o ne su ch sc h ool illu str a te s th e w ay th e sy ste m p it s th e mid dle cla ss ag ain st th e poor. A m ostly m id dle -in co m e co ndom in iu m dev elo pm en t w as b uilt c lo se t o a p ublic h ousin g p ro je ct k now n a s H illia rd Hom es. T he n ew d ev elo pm en t, c a lle d D earb orn P ark , a ttr a cte d a n um ber of y oung p ro fe ssio nals , m an y o f w hom w ere f a ir ly a fflu en t w hit e p eo ple , who a sk ed t h e s c h ool b oard t o e re ct a n ew s c h ool f o r t h eir c h ild re n . T his re q uest w as h onore d a n d th e So uth L oop E le m en ta ry Sch ool w as so on co nstr u cte d . A t th is p oin t a b it te r str u ggle en su ed . T he q uestio n: W ho would g et t o g o t o t h e n ew s c h ool?

The p are n ts f r o m D earb orn P ark in sis t t h at, if t h e s c h ool is a tte n ded b y th e ch ild re n fr o m th e p ro je cts — th ese are th e ch ild re n w ho h av e liv ed th ere all alo ng— th e sta n dard s of th e sc h ool w ill fa ll. The sc h ool, more o ver, has a sp ecia l “fin e arts ” m ag net pro gra m ; m id dle -c la ss ch ild re n , dra w n to th e sc h ool fr o m oth er se ctio ns of Chic a g o, are ad m it te d . So th e effo rt to keep out th e kid s w ho liv e rig ht in th e neig hborh ood p oin ts u p th e c la ss a n d r a cia l fa cto rs. T he c it y , it is n ote d , had r e fu se d t o b uild a n ew s c h ool f o r t h e p ro je ct c h ild re n w hen t h ey w ere th e o nly c h ild re n in th e n eig hborh ood. N ow th at a n ew sc h ool h as b een built , t h ey f in d t h em se lv es e xclu ded .

The D earb orn p are n ts h av e th e p olit ic a l p ow er to o bta in ag re em en t fr o m th e Board of Educa tio n to en te r th eir ch ild re n beg in nin g in kin derg arte n b ut to k eep th e H illia rd c h ild re n o ut u ntil th ir d g ra d e— by whic h t im e, o f c o urse , t h e la rg er n um bers o f t h ese p oore r c h ild re n w ill b e at a d is a d van ta g e a n d w ill fin d it h ard to k eep u p w it h th e c h ild re n w ho were th ere s in ce k in derg arte n . In th e in te rim , a cco rd in g to th e New Y ork Tim es , th e y ounger c h ild re n fr o m th e p ro je ct a re o blig ed to g o to c la ss wit h in “a te m pora ry bra n ch sc h ool” in “a sm all, pre fa b ric a te d m eta l build in g s u rro unded o n t h re e s id es b y ju nkyard s.” The C hic a g o P an el o n P ublic S ch ool P olic y a n d F in an ce te lls th e p re ss th at it “is o nly fa ir ” to le t th e k id s fr o m H illia rd H om es sh are in th e re so urc e s “th at th e m id dle -c la ss k id s e n jo y.” T he p an el a ls o n ote s th at poore r c h ild re n d o n ot t e n d t o b rin g t h e t o p k id s d ow n. “ It is m ore lik ely th at t h e h ig h-a ch ie v in g k id s w ill b rin g t h e o th ers u p.” B ut t h e t r u th is t h at fe w m id dle -c la ss p are n ts in C hic a g o, o r in a n y o th er c it y , h onestly b elie v e th is . T hey s e e t h e p oore r c h ild re n a s a t id e o f m ed io crit y t h at t h re ate n s t o en gulf th em . T hey a re p re p are d to s e e th ose c h ild re n g et th eir s c h oolin g in a m eta l p re fa b in a ju nkyard ra th er th an a d m it th em to th e b eau tif u l new s c h ool e re cte d f o r t h eir o w n k id s.

The co nflic t aro und So uth Loop Ele m en ta ry in Chic a g o help s to 58 illu str a te so m e of th e re aso ns fo r th e re se rv atio ns th at bla ck le ad ers so m etim es voic e ab out th e pro sp ect of a fu lly im ple m en te d pla n fo r “sc h ools o f c h oic e ”— a n otio n str o ngly fa v ore d b y th e W hit e H ouse a n d, partic u la rly , by M r. B ush : If th e ch ild re n of th e H illia rd pro je ct are su cce ssfu lly e xclu ded f r o m t h e m ag net s c h ool a cro ss t h e s tr e et, h ow m uch hard er w ill it be to get th ose ch ild re n in to m ag net sc h ools in oth er se ctio ns o f t h e c it y ? A nd w ill t h ose c h ild re n “ ch oose ” t o g o t o “ sc h ools o f ch oic e ” if it is m ad e c le ar t h ey a re n ot w an te d ? T his is a n e xam ple o f t h e way s th at p eo ple m ay b e ta u ght to m odif y a n d to re str ic t th eir c h oic e s.

The p are n ts , o f c o urse , c o ndit io ned a lr e ad y b y a lif e tim e o f s u ch le sso ns, may n ot e v en n eed t o h av e t h eir d re am s f u rth er r e str ic te d . T he e n erg y t o bre ak o ut o f t h eir is o la tio n m ay h av e a tr o phie d a lr e ad y.

Sch ool b oard s th in k th at, if th ey o ffe r th e s a m e prin te d in fo rm atio n to all p are n ts , t h ey h av e m ad e c h oic e e q ually a cce ssib le . T hat is n ot t r u e, o f co urse , b eca u se th e p rin te d in fo rm atio n w on’t b e re ad , o r c e rta in ly w ill not b e sc ru tin iz e d a g gre ssiv ely , b y p are n ts w ho c a n ’t re ad o r w ho re ad very p oorly . B ut, e v en if a c it y c o uld c o ntr iv e a w ay t o g et t h e b asic f a cts dis se m in ate d wid ely , ca n it dis se m in ate au dacit y as well? Can it dis se m in ate th e lim it le ss h oriz o ns o f th e m id dle c la ss to th ose w ho h av e been t r a in ed t o k eep t h eir e y es c lo se t o g ro und?

Peo ple c a n o nly c h oose a m ong th e th in gs th ey ’v e h eard o f. T hat is o ne pro ble m t h at a “ ch oic e ” p la n m ust c o nfr o nt. B ut it is n o le ss t r u e t h at t h ey ca n o nly c h oose th e th in gs th ey th in k th ey h av e a r ig ht to a n d th e th in gs th ey h av e so m e re aso n to b elie v e th ey w ill re ce iv e. P eo ple w ho h av e fo re v er b een tu rn ed d ow n b y n eig hborh oods w here th ey h av e lo oked fo r housin g an d b y h osp it a ls w here th ey h av e lo oked fo r ca re w hen th ey were ill are n ot lik ely to h av e h opefu l exp ecta tio ns w hen it co m es to public s c h ools .

The W hit e H ouse , in a d van cin g t h e a g en da f o r a “ ch oic e ” p la n , r e sts it s fa it h o n m ark et m ech an is m s. W hat r e aso n h av e th e b la ck a n d v ery p oor to le n d th eir cre d en ce to a m ark et sy ste m th at h as p ro ved so o bdura te an d so re sis ta n t to th eir p le as a t e v ery tu rn ? P la cin g th e b urd en o n th e in div id ual to b re ak d ow n d oors in fin din g b ette r e d uca tio n fo r a c h ild is attr a ctiv e to co nse rv ativ es b eca u se it re affir m s th eir fa it h in in div id ual am bit io n a n d a u to nom y. B ut to a sk a n in div id ual to b re ak d ow n d oors th at w e h av e c h ain ed a n d b olt e d in a d van ce o f h is a rriv al is u nfa ir .

There are co nsc ie n tio us peo ple w ho belie v e th at ce rta in ty pes of “ch oic e ” w it h in t h e p ublic s c h ools c a n h elp t o s tim ula te v arie ty a n d f o ste r deep er fe elin gs of em pow erm en t in pare n ts . There are als o ce rta in models — in E ast H arle m in N ew Y ork , fo r in sta n ce — whic h su ggest th at 59 th is is s o m etim es p ossib le ; b ut t h ese m odels a re t h e o nes t h at a ls o p la ce a hig h p rio rit y o n n ot exclu din g ch ild re n o f th e le ss su cce ssfu l an d le ss know le d geab le p are n ts a n d, in th e E ast H arle m sit u atio n, th ey a re a ls o models th at g re w o ut o f s o cia l a ctiv is m , a n d th eir fa cu lt y a n d p rin cip als co ntin ue to ad dre ss th e overa rc h in g in eq ualit ie s th at re n der th eir exp erim en t a lm ost u niq ue. W it h out t h ese c o unte rv ailin g f o rc e s— an d t h ey are n ot o fte n p re se n t— “ch oic e ” p la n s o f th e k in d th e W hit e H ouse h as pro pose d th re ate n to co m pound th e pre se n t fa ct of ra cia l se g re g atio n wit h t h e a d ded in ju ry o f c a ste d is c rim in atio n, f u rth er is o la tin g t h ose w ho, lik e t h e k id s a t H illia rd H om es, h av e b een f o re v er, a s it s e em s, c o nsig ned to p la ce s nobod y w ould c h oose if h e h ad a n y c h oic e a t a ll.

In a s y ste m w here t h e b ette r t e ach ers a n d t h e m ore s u cce ssfu l s tu den ts are a ttr a cte d to th e m ag net a n d se le ctiv e sc h ools , n eig hborh ood sc h ools must s e ttle f o r t h e r e st. “ I t a k e a n yth in g t h at w alk s in ,” s a y s t h e p rin cip al of Goudy E le m en ta ry S ch ool.

Far fr o m th e w orst s c h ool in C hic a g o, G oudy’s b uild in g is n oneth ele ss dep re ssin g. A cco rd in g to B onit a B ro dt, a w rit e r fo r th e Chic a go T rib u ne who sp en t se v era l m onth s a t G oudy d urin g 1 988, te ach ers u se m ate ria ls in c la ss lo ng s in ce th ro w n o ut in m ost s u burb an s c h ools . S lo w r e ad ers in an e ig hth g ra d e h is to ry cla ss a re ta u ght fr o m 1 5-y ear-o ld te xtb ooks in whic h R ic h ard N ix o n is s till p re sid en t. T here a re n o s c ie n ce la b s, n o a rt o r music t e ach ers. T here is n o p la y gro und. T here a re n o s w in gs. T here is n o ju ngle gym . So ap , pap er to w els an d to ile t pap er are in sh ort su pply .

There a re t w o w ork in g b ath ro om s f o r s o m e 7 00 c h ild re n .

These c h ild re n “ cry o ut f o r s o m eth in g m ore … .

They d o n ot g et it ,” s a y s Ms. B ro dt, w hose Trib u ne a rtic le I h av e r e lie d u pon f o r t h is d esc rip tio n o f a s c h ool in t r o uble .

“K eis h a, lo ok a t m e,” a n a d ult s h outs a t a s lo w r e ad er in a s ix th g ra d e cla ss. “ L ook m e in t h e e y e.” K eis h a h as b een f ig htin g w it h h er c la ssm ate .

Over w hat? A s it t u rn s o ut, o ver a c ra y on. T he c h ild is t e rrif ie d a n d s ta rts to c ry . T ears sp ill o ut o f h er e y es a n d d ro p o nto th e p ag es o f h er m ath book. In Jan uary th e sc h ool b eg in s to ra tio n cra y ons, p en cils , w rit in g pap er.

Keis h a’s te ach er is a p erm an en t su b w ho, acco rd in g to th e Trib u ne , doesn ’t w an t to te ach th is c la ss b ut h as n o c h oic e . “ It w as m y tu rn ,” th e te ach er sa y s. “I hav e a ro om of 39 overa g e, unm otiv ate d six th an d se v en th g ra d ers.… I a m n ot p re p are d fo r th is . I h av e a b so lu te ly n o id ea of w hat t o d o.” “A ll rig ht, w e m ust re ad ,” a n oth er te ach er a t G oudy a n nounce s to a 60 th ir d g ra d e c la ss. S h e s ta n ds in t h e m id dle o f t h e r o om , h er g la sse s a sk ew , hold in g a te ach er’s m an ual th at te lls h er w hat to d o. T he ro om is in ch ao s. A ch ild is passin g out re d co nstr u ctio n pap er to her fr ie n ds.

Anoth er is b usy a t t h e p en cil s h arp en er.

The te ach er lo oks a ro und a n d b lin ks a n d e y es th e ch ild a t th e p en cil sh arp en er. T he c h ild a t th e p en cil sh arp en er sa y s, “ I g ot to sh arp en m y pen cil.” “Y our p en cil is s h arp ,” t h e t e ach er s a y s.

The c h ild m ak es a f a ce a n d b re ak s h er p en cil p oin t t o s p it e t h e t e ach er.

Thre e y ears ag o, th e Trib u ne exp la in s, th is te ach er re ce iv ed “o ffic ia l warn in g” at an oth er ele m en ta ry sc h ool. T ra n sfe rre d here , but fin din g herse lf u nab le t o c o ntr o l t h e c la ss, s h e w as r e m oved in M arc h . I n ste ad o f fir in g h er, h ow ev er, th e p rin cip al re tu rn ed h er to th e c h ild re n fo r th eir morn in g re ad in g c la ss. It is a c la ss o f “ a ca d em ic a lly defic ie n t ch ild re n .” But t h e t e ach er d oes n ot k now h ow t o t e ach r e ad in g.

On t h e t h ir d f lo or, in a b arre n -lo okin g r o om , a t e ach er o bse rv ed b y t h e Trib u ne ’s r e p orte r g iv es a s h arp t o ngue-la sh in g t o h is 3 3 s ix th g ra d ers. “ If you’r e stu pid , sit th ere lik e a d um my,” h e sa y s to a b oy w ho ca n not estim ate a q uotie n t.

To p unis h th e c h ild re n fo r th eir p oor b eh av io r, h e m ak es th em c lim b an d t h en d esc e n d t h re e f lig hts o f s ta ir s f o r h alf a n h our.

“I’m t h e S O B o f t h e t h ir d f lo or,” h e s a y s.

The b le ak ness o f th e c h ild re n ’s liv es is u nderlin ed b y o ne o f G oudy’s th ir d gra d e te ach ers: “I passe d out dic tio narie s once .… O ne of m y stu den ts sta rte d rip pin g o ut th e p ag es w hen h e fo und a w ord . I sa id , ‘W hat a re y ou d oin g? Y ou le av e t h e p ag es t h ere f o r t h e n ext p erso n.’ A nd he t o ld m e, ‘T hat’s t h eir p ro ble m . T his is m y w ord .’ ” Child re n w ho g o to s c h ool in to w ns lik e G le n co e a n d W in netk a d o n ot need to ste al w ord s fr o m a d ic tio nary . M ost o f th em le arn to re ad b y se co nd o r th ir d g ra d e. B y th e tim e th ey g et to six th o r se v en th g ra d e, man y a re re ad in g a t th e le v el o f th e se n io rs in th e b est C hic a g o h ig h sc h ools . B y t h e t im e t h ey e n te r n in th g ra d e a t New T rie r H ig h, t h ey a re in a w orld o f a ca d em ic p ossib ilit ie s t h at f a r e xce ed t h e h opes a n d d re am s o f most s c h oolc h ild re n in C hic a g o.

“O ur g oal is f o r s tu den ts t o b e s u cce ssfu l,” s a y s t h e N ew T rie r p rin cip al.

Wit h 93 perc e n t of se n io rs goin g on to fo ur-y ear co lle g es— man y to sc h ools lik e H arv ard , P rin ce to n, B erk ele y , B ro w n a n d Y ale — th is g oal is la rg ely r e aliz e d .

New T rie r’s p hysic a l s e ttin g m ig ht w ell m ak e th e stu den ts o f D u S ab le 61 Hig h S ch ool e n vio us. T he Wash in gto n P ost d esc rib es a n eig hborh ood o f “cir c u la r driv ew ay s, ch ir p in g bir d s an d w hit e -c o lu m ned hom es.” It is , sa y s a stu den t, “ a m ap le la n d o f b eau ty a n d c iv ilit y .” W hile D u S ab le is sit e d o n o ne c ro w ded c it y b lo ck , N ew T rie r stu den ts h av e th e u se o f 2 7 acre s. W hile D u Sab le ’s sc ie n ce stu den ts hav e to se ttle fo r m ak esh if t eq uip m en t, New Trie r’s stu den ts hav e su perio r la b s an d up-t o -d ate te ch nolo gy. O ne w in g of th e sc h ool, a physic a l ed uca tio n ce n te r th at in clu des th re e se p ara te g ym s, a ls o c o nta in s a fe n cin g ro om , a w re stlin g ro om a n d s tu dio s fo r d an ce in str u ctio n. In a ll, th e s c h ool h as s e v en g ym s as w ell a s a n O ly m pic p ool.

The youngste rs, acco rd in g to a pro file of th e sc h ool in Tow n an d Cou ntr y m ag azin e, “ m ak e g ood u se o f th e h uge, w ell-e q uip ped b uild in g, whic h is im macu la te ly m ain ta in ed b y a c u sto dia l s ta ff o f 4 8.” It is im possib le to re ad th is w it h out th in kin g o f a sc h ool lik e G oudy, where th ere are no sc ie n ce la b s, no m usic or art cla sse s an d no pla y gro und— an d w here th e tw o b ath ro om s, la ck in g to ile t p ap er, fill th e build in g w it h t h eir s te n ch .

“T his is a s c h ool w it h a lo t o f c h oic e s,” s a y s o ne s tu den t a t N ew T rie r; an d th is h ard ly se em s an o versta te m en t if o ne stu die s th e cu rric u lu m .

Course s in m usic , a rt a n d d ra m a a re s o v arie d a n d a b undan t t h at s tu den ts ca n vir tu ally m ajo r in th ese su bje cts in ad dit io n to th eir aca d em ic pro gra m s. T he m odern an d cla ssic a l la n guag e d ep artm en t o ffe rs L atin (fo ur y ears) a n d s ix o th er fo re ig n la n guag es. E le ctiv e c o urse s in clu de th e lit e ra tu re o f N obel w in ners, a ero nau tic s, crim in al ju stic e , a n d co m pute r la n guag es. In a se n io r lit e ra tu re cla ss, stu den ts are re ad in g N ie tz sc h e, Darw in , P la to , F re u d a n d G oeth e. T he sc h ool a ls o o pera te s a te le v is io n sta tio n w it h a b ro ad ca st lic e n se fr o m th e F C C, w hic h b ro ad ca sts o n fo ur ch an nels t o t h re e c o untie s.

Avera g e c la ss siz e is 2 4 c h ild re n ; c la sse s fo r slo w er le arn ers h old 1 5.

This m ay be co m pare d to G oudy— where a re m ed ia l cla ss hold s 39 ch ild re n a n d a “ g if te d ” c la ss h as 3 6.

Every f r e sh m an a t N ew T rie r is a ssig ned a f a cu lt y a d vis e r w ho r e m ain s assig ned t o h im o r h er t h ro ugh g ra d uatio n. E ach o f t h e f a cu lt y a d vis e rs— th ey a re g iv en a re d uce d cla ss sc h ed ule to a llo w th em tim e fo r th is — giv es co unse lin g to a b out tw o d oze n ch ild re n . A t D u S ab le , w here th e la ck of sta ff pro hib it s su ch re d uctio n in cla ss sc h ed ule s, each of th e guid an ce c o unse lo rs a d vis e s 420 c h ild re n .

The am bie n ce am ong th e stu den ts at N ew T rie r, o f w hom o nly 1 .3 perc e n t a re b la ck , s a y s Tow n a n d C ou ntr y , is “ w hole so m e a n d r e fr e sh in g, 62 a so rt o f th ro w back to th e F if tie s.” It is , w e a re to ld , “ a p re p py k in d o f pla ce .” I n a c h eerfu l p hoto o f t h e f a cu lt y a n d s tu den ts , o ne c a n not d is c e rn a s in gle n onw hit e f a ce .

New T rie r’s “te m pera te clim ate ” is “a id ed b y th e h om ogen eit y o f it s stu den ts ,” Tow n an d C ou ntr y note s. “.… A lm ost all are of Euro pean extr a ctio n a n d h arb or s im ila r v alu es.” “E ig hty to 9 0 p erc e n t o f th e k id s h ere ,” sa y s a c o unse lo r, “ a re g ood, healt h y, r e d -b lo oded A m eric a n s.” The w ealt h of N ew Trie r’s geo gra p hic a l dis tr ic t pro vid es $340,0 00 worth of ta xab le pro perty fo r each ch ild ; C hic a g o’s pro perty w ealt h affo rd s o nly o ne-f if th th is m uch . N oneth ele ss, Tow n an d C ou ntr y giv es New T rie r’s p are n ts c re d it f o r a “ w illin gness t o p ay e n ough … in t a xes” t o mak e th is o ne o f th e s ta te ’s b est-f u nded s c h ools . N ew T rie r, a cco rd in g to th e m ag azin e, is “a str ik in g e xam ple o f w hat is p ossib le w hen cit iz e n s wan t t o a ch ie v e th e b est f o r t h eir c h ild re n .” F am ilie s m ove h ere “ se ek in g th e b est,” a n d t h eir c h ild re n “ m ak e g ood u se ” o f w hat t h ey ’r e g iv en . B oth sta te m en ts m ay b e t r u e, b ut g iv in g p eo ple la v is h p ra is e f o r s p en din g w hat th ey h av e s tr ik es o ne a s d is in gen uous. “ A s u pportiv e a ttit u de o n th e p art of fa m ilie s in th e d is tr ic t tr a n sla te s in to a w illin gness to p ay … ,” th e writ e r s a y s. B y t h is lo gic , o ne w ould b e o blig ed t o s a y t h at “ u nsu pportiv e attit u des” o n th e p art o f K eis h a’s m oth er a n d th e p are n ts o f D u S ab le ’s ch ild re n tr a n sla te in to fis c a l se lf is h ness, w hen , in fa ct, th e eco nom ic optio ns open to th e pare n ts in th ese dis tr ic ts are not ev en fa in tly co m para b le .

Tow n a n d C ou ntr y f la tte rs t h e p riv ile g ed f o r h av in g p riv ile g e but t e rm s it a sp ir a tio n.

“C om petit io n is th e lif e b lo od o f N ew T rie r,” Tow n a n d C ou ntr y w rit e s.

But th ere is o ne k in d o f c o m petit io n th at th ese c h ild re n w ill n ot n eed to fa ce . T hey w ill n ot c o m pete a g ain st t h e c h ild re n w ho a tte n ded G oudy a n d Du S ab le . T hey w ill c o m pete a g ain st e ach o th er a n d a g ain st t h e g ra d uate s of o th er s c h ools a tte n ded b y r ic h c h ild re n . T hey w ill n ot c o m pete a g ain st th e p oor.

It is part of our fa it h , as A m eric a n s, th at th ere is pote n tia l in all ch ild re n . E ven a m ong t h e 7 00 c h ild re n w ho m ust s e ttle f o r r a tio ned p ap er an d p en cils a t G oudy E le m en ta ry S ch ool, th ere a re s u re ly s e v era l d oze n , may be se v era l hundre d , w ho, if giv en th e ch an ce , w ould th riv e an d overc o m e m ost o f th e o bsta cle s o f p overty if th ey a tte n ded sc h ools lik e th ose o f G le n co e a n d W in netk a. W e k now th at v ery fe w o f th em w ill hav e th at o pportu nit y . F ew , a s a re su lt , w ill g ra d uate fr o m h ig h sc h ool; fe w er still w ill g o to co lle g e; sc a rc e ly an y w ill atte n d g ood co lle g es.

There w ill b e m ore s p ace f o r c h ild re n o f N ew T rie r a s a c o nse q uen ce .

63 The d en ia l o f o pportu nit y to K eis h a a n d th e s u perflu it y o f o pportu nit y fo r c h ild re n a t N ew T rie r H ig h S ch ool a re n ot u nco nnecte d . T he p are n ts of N ew T rie r’s fe ed er d is tr ic ts v ote c o nsis te n tly a g ain st re d is tr ib utio n o f sc h ool fu ndin g. B y a nin e-t o -o ne ra tio , acco rd in g to a re ce n t su rv ey , su burb an r e sid en ts r e sis t a ll e ffo rts to p ro vid e m ore m oney fo r C hic a g o’s sc h ools .

Effo rts a t re fo rm o f th e Chic a g o sc h ools h av e b een b eg un w it h a n ew wav e o f o ptim is m ev ery te n o r 1 5 y ears. T he n ew est w av e, a h ig hly public iz e d re str u ctu rin g of govern in g arra n gem en ts th at in cre ase s th e partic ip atio n o f th e p are n ts in th eir ch ild re n ’s sc h ools , w as la u nch ed in 1989. T here a re th ose w ho a re c o nvin ce d th at th is w ill so m ed ay h av e a pay off f o r t h e c h ild re n in t h e p oore st s c h ools . O th ers r e g ard it a s a p ure ly mech an is tic alt e ra tio n th at ca n not ad dre ss th e basic pro ble m s of a se g re g ate d sy ste m is o la te d by su rro undin g su burb s w hic h , no m atte r what th e govern in g arra n gem en ts in Chic a g o, w ill re ta in th e ed ge pro vid ed b y f a r h ig her s p en din g a n d in co m para b le a d van ta g es in p hysic a l fa cilit ie s an d te ach er sa la rie s. It is , in an y ca se , to o so on to dra w co nclu sio ns. A vis it o r in 1991, ce rta in ly , w ill se e fe w co m pre h en siv e ch an ges f o r t h e b ette r.

Certa in sc h ools a re o bvio usly im pro ved . G oudy, fo r e xam ple , is m ore ch eerfu l a n d m uch b ette r m an ag ed t h an it w as t h re e y ears a g o. T here is a new p rin cip al w ho s e em s to b e fa r m ore d em an din g o f h is te ach ers th an his p re d ece sso r w as, a n d th ere a re a n um ber o f n ew te ach ers, a n d th ere hav e b een m ajo r s tr u ctu ra l im pro vem en ts .

Goudy, h ow ev er, h as re ce iv ed so m uch a d verse p ublic it y th at it w as exp ecte d , a n d p re d ic ta b le , t h at it w ould g et s o m e e xtr a f u nds t o w ard o ff an y fu rth er co ndem natio n. Sch ool board s, th re ate n ed by dis tu rb in g re p orta g e, fr e q uen tly m ak e ra p id ch an ges in th e sc h ools th at are sp otlig hte d b y t h e p re ss. L im it e d r e so urc e s g uara n te e, h ow ev er, t h at s u ch ch an ges h av e to b e se le ctiv e. E xtr a fu nds fo r G oudy’s ch ild re n m ean a lit tle le ss f o r c h ild re n s o m ew here e ls e .

Condit io ns a t Du S ab le H ig h S ch ool, w hic h I v is it e d in 1 990, se em in ce rta in w ay s to b e im pro ved . Im pro vem en t, h ow ev er, is a r e la tiv e te rm .

Du S ab le is b ette r th an it w as th re e o r fo ur y ears a g o. It is s till a s c h ool th at w ould b e sh unned — or, p ro bab ly , sh ut d ow n— if it w ere se rv in g a whit e mid dle -c la ss co m munit y . The build in g, a th re e-s to ry Tudor str u ctu re , is in fa ir ly g ood re p air a n d, in th is re sp ect, c o ntr a sts w it h it s im med ia te su rro undin gs, w hic h a re a lm ost in desc rib ab ly d esp air in g. T he sc h ool, w hose s tu den t p opula tio n is 1 00 p erc e n t b la ck , h as n o c a m pus a n d 64 no sc h ooly ard , b ut th ere is a t le ast a fu ll-s iz e d p la y in g fie ld a n d tr a ck .

Overc ro w din g is n ot a p ro ble m a t th e sc h ool. M uch to th e re v erse , it is unco m fo rta b ly e m pty . B uilt in 1 935 a n d h old in g so m e 4 ,5 00 stu den ts in past years, it s stu den t popula tio n is now le ss th an 1,6 00. O f th ese stu den ts , acco rd in g to data pro vid ed by th e sc h ool, 646 are “ch ro nic tr u an ts .” The g ra d uatio n ra te is 2 5 p erc e n t. O f th ose w ho g et to se n io r y ear, only 1 7 p erc e n t a re in a c o lle g e-p re p ara tio n p ro gra m . T w en ty p erc e n t a re in th e g en era l c u rric u lu m , w hile a s tu nnin g 6 3 p erc e n t a re in v oca tio nal cla sse s, w hic h m ost o fte n r u le o ut c o lle g e e d uca tio n.

A v iv id s e n se o f lo ss is fe lt b y s ta n din g in th e c a fe te ria in e arly s p rin g when stu den ts file in to ch oose th eir co urse s fo r th e fo llo w in g year.

“T hese are th e n in th g ra d ers,” sa y s a su perv is in g te ach er; b ut, o f th e offic ia l fr e sh m an c la ss o f so m e 6 00 c h ild re n , o nly 3 50 fill th e ro om . A n hour la te r th e e le v en th g ra d ers c o m e to c h oose th eir c la sse s: I c o unt a t most 1 70 s tu den ts .

The f a cu lt y in clu des s o m e e xce lle n t t e ach ers, b ut t h ere a re o th ers, s a y s th e p rin cip al, w ho d on’t b elo ng in e d uca tio n. “ I c a n ’t d o a n yth in g w it h th em b ut I ’m n ot a llo w ed t o f ir e t h em ,” h e s a y s, a s w e h ead u p t h e s ta ir s to v is it c la sse s o n a d ay in e arly J u ne. E nte rin g a b io lo gy c la ss, w e f in d a te ach er d oin g a b so lu te ly n oth in g. S h e te lls u s th at “ so m e o f th e s tu den ts hav e a m eetin g,” b ut th is d oesn ’t sa tis fy th e p rin cip al, w ho le av es th e ro om ir a te . In a ro om h e c a lls “ th e m ath h ead quarte rs,” w e c o m e u pon tw o te ach ers w atc h in g a so ap o pera o n T V . In a m ath em atic s le arn in g ce n te r, se v en kid s are gazin g out th e w in dow w hile th e te ach er is pre o ccu pie d w it h so m eth in g at her desk . T he prin cip al ag ain ap pears dis h earte n ed .

Top sa la ry in th e sc h ool, h e sa y s, is $ 40,0 00. “M y fa cu lt y is ag in g.

Avera g e a g e is 4 7. C om petin g a g ain st th e s u burb s, w here th e s a la rie s g o up to $ 60,0 00, it is v ery , v ery h ard to k eep y oung te ach ers. T hat, y ou pro bab ly k now , is a n o ld s to ry .… I d o in sis t,” h e s a y s, “ th at e v ery s tu den t has a b ook.” H e s a y s t h is w it h s o m e p rid e a n d, in t h e c o nte xt o f C hic a g o, he h as r e aso n t o b e p ro ud o f t h is ; b ut, in a w ealt h y n atio n lik e A m eric a , it is a s a d t h in g t o b e p ro ud o f.

In a t w elf th g ra d e E nglis h c la ss, t h e s tu den ts a re le arn in g t o p ro nounce a lis t o f w ord s. T he w ord s a re n ot d eriv ed fr o m a n y co nte xt; th ey a re sim ply w rit te n o n a lis t. A ta ll b oy str u ggle s h ard to re ad “fa stid io us,” “g re g ario us,” “a u sp ic io us,” “fa tu ous.” A noth er re ad s “d our,” “d em is e ,” “sa lu brio us,” “e g re g io us” an d “co nso m mé.” Still an oth er re ad s “a esth etic ,” “sc h is m ,” “h ein ous,” “fe tis h ,” an d “co nce rto .” There is 65 so m eth in g p oig nan t, a n d e m barra ssin g, a b out th e e ffo rt th at th ese b are ly lit e ra te k id s p ut in to h an dlin g t h ese o dd, p re te n tio us w ord s. W hen t h e t a ll boy str u ggle s to pro nounce “e g re g io us,” I ask him if he know s it s mean in g. It tu rn s o ut th at h e h as n o id ea. T he te ach er n ev er a sk s th e ch ild re n t o d efin e t h e w ord s o r u se t h em in a s e n te n ce . T he le sso n b affle s me. It m ay b e th at th ese are w ord s th at w ill ap pear o n o ne o f th ose re q uir e d te sts th at s ta te s im pose n ow in th e nam e o f “ ra is in g s ta n dard s,” but it a ll s e em s d re am lik e a n d s u rre al.

Afte r lu nch I ta lk w it h a g ro up o f s tu den ts w ho a re h opin g to g o o n to co lle g e b ut d o n ot se em su re o f w hat th ey ’l l n eed to d o to m ak e th is possib le . O nly one out of fiv e se n io rs in th e gro up has file d an ap plic a tio n, an d it is alr e ad y A pril. P am ela , th e one w ho did ap ply , how ev er, te lls m e sh e neg le cte d to su bm it her gra d es an d co lle g e- en tr a n ce te st re su lt s a n d th ere fo re h as to sta rt a g ain . T he c o urse s sh e is ta k in g se em to ru le o ut a p plic a tio n to a fo ur-y ear c o lle g e. S h e te lls m e sh e is ta k in g Sp an is h , lit e ra tu re , physic a l ed uca tio n, Afr o -A m eric a n his to ry a n d a c la ss s h e te rm s “ jo b s tr a te g y.” W hen I a sk h er w hat th is is , sh e sa y s, “It te ach es how to dre ss an d be on tim e an d fig ure your ded uctio ns.” S h e’s a b rig ht, a rtic u la te s tu den t, a n d it s e em s q uit e s a d t h at sh e h as n ot h ad a n y o f th e ric h ness o f c u rric u lu m th at w ould h av e b een giv en t o h er a t a h ig h s c h ool lik e N ew T rie r.

The ch ild re n in th e g ro up se em n ot ju st la ck in g in im porta n t, u se fu l in fo rm atio n th at w ould h elp th em to a ch ie v e th eir d re am s, b ut, in a fa r more d ra stic se n se , c u t o ff a n d d is c o nnecte d fr o m th e o uts id e w orld . In ta lk in g o f so m e re ce n t n ew s e v en ts , th ey sp eak o f M osc o w a n d B erlin , but a ll b ut P am ela a re u naw are th at M osc o w is th e c a p it a l o f th e S o vie t Unio n o r th at B erlin is in G erm an y. S ev era l b elie v e th at J esse J ack so n is th e m ay or o f N ew Y ork C it y . L is te n in g to th eir g uesse s a n d o bse rv in g th eir c o nfu sio n, I a m th in kin g o f th e stu den ts a t N ew T rie r H ig h. T hese ch ild re n liv e in tr u ly se p ara te w orld s. W hat d o th ey h av e in co m mon?

And y et th e k id s b efo re m e se em so in noce n t a n d sp ir it u ally cle an a n d als o — most o f a ll— so v uln era b le . It’s a s if th ey h av e b een s tr ip ped o f a ll th e a rm am en t— th e w ord s, th e r e fe re n ce p oin ts , th e fa cts , th e r e aso nin g, th e e le m en ta l w eap ons— th at s u burb an c h ild re n t a k e f o r g ra n te d .

At th e e n d o f sc h ool th e p rin cip al, C harle s M in go, a h eav yse t m an o f 49, s ta n ds b esid e m e a t a t o p-f lo or w in dow a n d lo oks o ut a cro ss a lin e o f unif o rm an d u gly 1 6-s to ry b uild in gs, th e R obert T ay lo r H om es, w hic h co nstit u te , h e s a y s, t h e c it y ’s s e co nd-p oore st n eig hborh ood.

Str u ttin g a b out b en eath u s, in th e c e n tr a l c o urty ard o f th e sc h ool, a re se v era l p eaco ck s. M ost o f th em a re w hit e . A fe w a re b la ck . A nd tw o o r 66 th re e are ora n ge-r e d . The tr e es an d fo lia g e in th e co urty ard are attr a ctiv ely a rra n ged to g iv e it th e a p peara n ce o f a n a tr iu m w it h in a n ele g an t h ote l.

“T here ’s s o lit tle b eau ty in m y s tu den ts ’ liv es. I w an t t h ese k id s t o c o m e to s c h ool a n d f in d a lit tle s p ace o f s o m eth in g p asto ra l a n d lo vely . I f I h ad a lo t o f m oney I w ould e m pty o ut th re e o f th ose h ig h-r is e b uild in gs, p ut up a fe n ce an d b uild a re sid en tia l sc h ool. I’d ru n m e a p asto ra l p re p sc h ool in t h e m id dle o f C hic a g o. T ear a n oth er b uild in g d ow n. P la n t s o m e tr e es, so m e g ra ss, so m e flo w ers. B uild m e a p atio a ro und a p ool. G ro w so m e iv y o n t h ose w alls . I ’d c a ll it H yde P ark W est.… “I s p en t a s u m mer o nce a t P hillip s A ca d em y in M assa ch use tts . B eau tif u l bric k b uild in gs. T re es a n d la w ns. S tu den ts w alk in g b y th ose b uild in gs, s o at h om e t h ere , u tte rly r e la xed . I t h ought t o m yse lf : M y s tu den ts n eed t h is more t h an p eo ple lik e G eo rg e B ush .” He te lls m e th at th ere is a h ortic u lt u re te ach er in th e s c h ool. “ H e’s th e one th at te n ds th e p atio . H e a n d th e c h ild re n in h is c la ss. T hat’s th e k in d of th in g th e back -t o -b asic s fo lk s do not fin d to th eir lik in g. M ak in g flo w ers gro w , I’m to ld , is not ‘e sse n tia l’ an d w ill not im pro ve th eir ch an ce s o f e m plo ym en t. ‘G et th ese k id s to p ass th eir te sts ! F org et a b out th e f lo w ers!’ W e n eed jo bs, o f c o urse w e d o; b ut w e n eed f lo w ers.” On th e w all of his offic e is a photo gra p h of M artin Luth er K in g su rro unded b y p olic e w it h in a c ro w d o f an gry -lo okin g p eo ple . N ext t o D r.

Kin g t h ere is a h eav yse t b la ck m an w ho h as b een c lu bbed o r p ush ed d ow n to t h e s tr e et. “ T hat w as r ig ht h ere in C hic a g o. T hat b ig m an t h ere n ext t o Dr. K in g— ” “T hat’s y ou?” I a sk .

“N o. T hat’s m y d ad dy.” He te lls m e th at th e p hoto gra p h w as ta k en in N orth L aw ndale . “ It w as an o pen -h ousin g m arc h . M y d ad dy w as h is b odyguard . It w as a m arc h to Cic e ro . H e g ot t u rn ed b ack . O ne o f h is f e w d efe ats .… “W hat h e m an ag ed in th e S o uth h e c o uld n ot p ull o ff in C hic a g o. H e co uld n’t m arc h to C ic e ro . P olic e w ould n ot p erm it it . T hey w ere s u re h e would b e k ille d . I n c e rta in w ay s t h at p ic tu re s a y s it a ll. T his is w here t h e str u ggle s to pped . Y ou s e e t h e c o nse q uen ce a ro und y ou in t h is s c h ool.” “It to ok an extr a o rd in ary co m bin atio n of gre ed , ra cis m , polit ic a l co w ard ic e a n d p ublic a p ath y,” w rit e s Jam es D . S q uir e s, t h e f o rm er e d it o r of th e Chic a go T rib u ne , “ to le t th e p ublic s c h ools in C hic a g o g et s o b ad .” He s p eak s o f th e s c h ools a s a c o stly r e su lt o f “ th e p olit ic a l o rp han in g o f th e urb an poor … day tim e w are h ouse s fo r in fe rio r stu den ts … a 67 botto m le ss p it .” The r e su lt s o f t h ese c o ndit io ns a re o bse rv ed in t h ousa n ds o f lo w -in co m e ch ild re n in Chic a g o who are vir tu ally dis jo in ed fr o m th e en tir e world vie w , ev en fr o m th e basic re fe re n ce poin ts , of th e Am eric a n exp erie n ce . A 1 6-y ear-o ld g ir l w ho h as d ro pped o ut o f sc h ool d is c u sse s her e co nom ic p ro sp ects w it h a T V in te rv ie w er.

“H ow m uch m oney w ould you lik e to m ak e in a year? ” ask s th e re p orte r.

“ About $ 2,0 00,” s h e r e p lie s.

The re p orte r lo oks b ew ild ere d b y th is a n sw er. T his te en -a g e g ir l, h e sa y s, “ h as n o c lu e t h at $ 2,0 00 a y ear is n ’t e n ough t o s u rv iv e a n yw here in Am eric a , n ot e v en in h er w orld .” This sa d y oung w om an , w ho a lr e ad y h as a b ab y a n d is p re g nan t o nce ag ain , liv es in a tr u ly s e p ara te u niv erse o f c lo uded h opes a n d in co m ple te co gnit io n. “W e are cre atin g an en tir e gen era tio n of in co m pete n ts ,” a bla ck so cio lo gis t o bse rv es. “ H er k id s w ill f a il. T here is a g ood c h an ce t h at sh e’l l e n d u p liv in g w it h a m an w ho is a d dic te d o r a n a lc o holic . S h e’l l b e sh ot o r k ille d , o r els e h er ch ild re n w ill b e sh ot o r k ille d , o r els e h er boyfr ie n d w ill b e s h ot o r k ille d . D ru gs w ill b e o verw helm in gly a ttr a ctiv e to a p erso n liv in g in a w orld s o b are o f r ic h ness o r a m en it ie s. N o o ne w ill re m em ber w hat w e did to her w hen sh e w as eig h t years old in ele m en ta ry sc h ool or 15 years old at D u Sab le H ig h. N o one w ill re m em ber th at h er m oth er m ig ht h av e tr ie d a n d fa ile d to g et h er in to Head S ta rt w hen sh e w as a b ab y. W ho k now s if h er m oth er e v en g ot pre n ata l ca re ? S h e m ay b e b ra in -d am ag ed — or le ad -p ois o ned . W ho w ill ask th ese q uestio ns la te r o n? T hey w ill se e h er as a k in d o f h orrib le defo rm it y . U se le ss to o. M ay be a m aid . M ay be n ot. M ay be ju st a n oth er dra in u pon s o cie ty .” The s tu den ts o f D u S ab le H ig h S ch ool a re , o f c o urse , a m ong t h e p oore st in A m eric a . N ew T rie r’s c h ild re n a re a m ong th e r ic h est. B ut N ew T rie r is not t h e o nly h ig h s c h ool in C hic a g o’s s u burb s t h at s p en ds v ast a m ounts o f money to a ssu re su perb re su lt s ; n or a re C hic a g o’s sc h ools th e o nly o nes where p oor r e su lt s a n d g ro ssly in su ffic ie n t fu ndin g c o in cid e. In 1 987, fo r exam ple , P ro vis o H ig h Sch ool, se rv in g ch ild re n in th e b la ck su burb an to w n o f M ay w ood, s p en t o nly a b out $ 5,0 00 fo r e ach p upil: v ir tu ally th e sa m e a s w hat w as sp en t o n h ig h sc h ool stu den ts in C hic a g o, b ut $ 3,0 00 le ss t h an w hat w as s p en t o n c h ild re n in t h e h ig hest-s p en din g s u burb .

But e v en May w ood’s u nderfu nded sc h ools a re n ot th e p oore st in th e are a a ro und C hic a g o. In E ast A uro ra , Illin ois , in 1 987, a lit tle g ir l in th e fo urth g ra d e re ce iv ed a n e d uca tio n co stin g $ 2,9 00. M ean w hile , a lit tle 68 boy th e sa m e a g e in th e to w n o f N ile s c o uld e xp ect so m e $ 7,8 00 to b e sp en t o n e ach y ear o f h is e le m en ta ry e d uca tio n— a fig ure th at w ould r is e to $ 8,9 50 in h is s e co ndary y ears.

Over th e co urse of 13 years, fr o m kin derg arte n to tw elf th gra d e, $38,0 00 w ould b e s p en t o n t h e f ir st c h ild ’s e d uca tio n, a n d o ver $ 100,0 00 on t h e s e co nd c h ild ’s e d uca tio n. I f t h e f o rm er c h ild s h ould b eco m e o ne o f th e ca su alt ie s o f th e h ig h d ro pout ra te a t E ast A uro ra H ig h, sh e w ould re ce iv e s ig nif ic a n tly le ss— as lit tle a s $ 30,0 00 w orth o f e d uca tio n. T here was a g ood c h an ce , m ore o ver, t h at t h is c h ild w ould n ot f in is h s c h ool. T he dro pout ra te a t E ast A uro ra H ig h w as 3 5 p erc e n t. In N ile s, it w as le ss th an 2 p erc e n t.

The f o cu s in t h is b ook is o n t h e in ner-c it y s c h ools ; in ev it a b ly , t h ere fo re , I a m d esc rib in g c la ssro om s in w hic h a lm ost a ll th e c h ild re n a re b la ck o r Latin o. B ut th ere a re a ls o p oor a n d m ain ly w hit e s u burb an d is tr ic ts a n d, of co urse , so m e desp era te ly poor an d very is o la te d ru ra l dis tr ic ts .

Child re n in t h e r u ra l d is tr ic ts o f K en tu ck y, n orth ern M ain e, a n d A rk an sa s, fo r in sta n ce , fa ce a n um ber o f th e p ro ble m s w e h av e se en in E ast St.

Louis a n d C hic a g o, th ough th e n atu re o f th e p overty in ru ra l sc h ools is ofte n so m ew hat d if fe re n t. T he m ost im porta n t d if fe re n ce in th e u rb an sy ste m s, I b elie v e, is th at th ey are o fte n ju st ad ja ce n t to th e n atio n’s ric h est dis tr ic ts , an d th is ev er-p re se n t co ntr a st ad ds a heig hte n ed bit te rn ess t o t h e e xp erie n ce o f c h ild re n . T he u glin ess o f r a cia l s e g re g atio n ad ds it s sp ecia l in ju rie s a s w ell. It is th is k illin g c o m bin atio n, I b elie v e, th at re n ders lif e w it h in th ese u rb an sc h ools n ot m ere ly g rim b ut als o desp era te a n d o fte n p ath olo gic a l. T he fa ct o f d estit u tio n is c o m pounded by t h e s e n se o f bein g v ie w ed a s, s o m eh ow , m ora lly in fe cte d . T he p oore st ru ra l sc h ools I’v e vis it e d fe el, sim ply , ble ak . The se g re g ate d urb an sc h ools f e el m ore lik e la za re tto s.

A re ce n t em phasis o f ce rta in b usin ess-m in ded au th ors w rit in g ab out ch ild re n in t h e k in ds o f s c h ools w e h av e e xam in ed in C hic a g o u rg es u s t o se ttle fo r “re alis tic ” g oals , b y w hic h th ese au th ors m ean th e k in ds o f lim it e d ca re er obje ctiv es th at se em lo gic a l or fit tin g fo r lo w -in co m e ch ild re n . M an y co rp ora te le ad ers h av e re sis te d th is id ea, a n d th ere a re so m e w ho h old o ut h ig h id eals a n d t r u ly d em ocra tic h opes f o r t h ese lo w - in co m e ch ild re n ; but oth er busin ess le ad ers sp eak quit e open ly of “tr a in in g” k id s lik e t h ese f o r n oth in g b ette r t h an t h e e n tr y -le v el jo bs t h eir co rp ora tio ns h av e a v aila b le . U rb an sc h ools , th ey a rg ue, sh ould d is p en se wit h “ fr ills ” a n d fo cu s o n “ th e b asic s” n eed ed fo r e m plo ym en t. E m phasis in th e s u burb an s c h ools , th ey a d d, s h ould n ece ssa rily b e m ore e xp an siv e, 69 wit h a f o cu s u pon c o lle g e p re p ara tio n.

In vestm en t s tr a te g ie s, a cco rd in g t o t h is lo gic , s h ould b e m atc h ed t o t h e pote n tia l e co nom ic v alu e o f e ach p erso n. F utu re se rv ic e w ork ers n eed a dif fe re n t a n d, p re su m ab ly , a lo w er o rd er o f in vestm en t th an th e c h ild re n destin ed to be co rp ora te execu tiv es, physic ia n s, la w yers, en gin eers.

Futu re p lu m bers a n d fu tu re s c ie n tis ts r e q uir e d if fe re n t s c h oolin g— may be dif fe re n t s c h ools . S eg re g ate d e d uca tio n is n ot n ece ssa rily s o u nattr a ctiv e by t h is r e aso nin g.

Early te stin g to a ssig n e ach c h ild to a “ re alis tic ” c o urse o f stu dy, th e tr a ck in g o f c h ild re n b y a b ilit y d ete rm in ed b y t h e t e sts , a n d t h e e xp an sio n of a p ara lle l sy ste m fo r th e ch ild re n w ho a p pear to sh ow th e g re ate st pro m is e (g if te d c la sse s a n d se le ctiv e sc h ools ) a re a ls o fa v ore d fr o m th is van ta g e poin t. In te rm s of sh eer effic ie n cy an d of co st-b en efit co nsid era tio ns, it is a s e n sib le a p pro ach t o e d uca tio n. I f c h ild re n a re s e en prim arily a s r a w m ate ria l f o r in dustr y , a g re ate r in vestm en t in t h e b ette r ra w m ate ria l m ak es s e n se . M ark et v alu es d o n ot fa v or m uch in vestm en t in t h e p oore st c h ild re n .

One ca n not dis p ute th e fa ct th at giv in g poor bla ck ad ole sc e n ts jo b sk ills , if it is se lf -e v id en t th at th ey d o n ot p osse ss th e a ca d em ic sk ills to go to c o lle g e, is a g ood th in g in it s e lf . B ut th e b usin ess le ad ers w ho p ut em phasis o n fillin g en tr y -le v el jo b slo ts are to o fr e q uen tly th e p eo ple who, b y p rio r lo bbyin g a n d v otin g p atte rn s a n d th eir im pact u pon s o cia l polic y , h av e m ad e it a ll b ut c e rta in th at fe w o f th ese u rb an k id s w ould get th e e d uca tio n in th eir e arly y ears th at w ould h av e m ad e th em lo ok lik e co lle g e p ro sp ects b y th eir se co ndary y ears. F ir st w e cir c u m sc rib e th eir d estin ie s a n d th en w e lo ok a t th e d im in is h ed p ro duct a n d w e sa y , “L et’s b e p ra g m atic a n d d o w it h t h em w hat w e c a n .” The ev olu tio n of tw o para lle l cu rric u la , one fo r urb an an d one fo r su burb an s c h ools , h as a ls o u nderlin ed t h e d if fe re n ce s in w hat is f e lt t o b e ap pro pria te to dif fe re n t kin ds of ch ild re n an d to so cia lly dis tin ct co m munit ie s. “ This sc h ool is rig ht fo r th is co m munit y ,” sa y s a fo rm er dir e cto r of stu den t se rv ic e s at N ew T rie r H ig h. B ut, he goes on, “it ce rta in ly w ould n’t b e rig ht fo r ev ery co m munit y .” W hat is co nsid ere d rig ht fo r c h ild re n a t D u S ab le a n d th eir c o unte rp arts in o th er in ner-c it y sc h ools b eco m es se lf -e v id en t to a n yone w ho se es th e c o urse o f stu dy in su ch sc h ools . M an y u rb an h ig h sc h ool stu den ts d o n ot stu dy m ath b ut “b usin ess m ath ”— esse n tia lly , a v ery e le m en ta l le v el o f b ookkeep in g. J o b- sp ecif ic co urse s su ch a s “co sm eto lo gy” (h air d re ssin g, m an ic u re s), w hic h would b e v ie w ed a s in su lt s b y su burb an p are n ts , a re a c o m mon it e m in th e se g re g ate d h ig h sc h ools a n d are se en a s re alis tic p re p ara tio n fo r th e 70 ad ult r o le s t h at 1 6-y ear-o ld b la ck g ir ls m ay e xp ect t o f ill.

In ev it a b ly th is th in kin g m ust d im in is h th e h oriz o ns a n d th e a sp ir a tio ns of p oor c h ild re n , lo ck in g th em a t a v ery e arly a g e in to th e s lo ts th at a re re g ard ed a s a p pro pria te to th eir so cie ta l p osit io n. O n it s d ark est sid e, it als o le ad s to g re ate r w illin gness to w rit e o ff c e rta in c h ild re n . “ It d oesn ’t mak e se n se to o ffe r so m eth in g th at m ost o f th ese u rb an k id s w ill n ev er use ,” a b usin essm an sa id to m e fla tly in C hic a g o. “ N o o ne e xp ects th ese ghetto k id s to g o to co lle g e. M ost o f th em are lu ck y if th ey ’r e ev en lit e ra te . I f w e c a n t e ach s o m e u se fu l s k ills , g et t h em t o s ta y in s c h ool a n d gra d uate , a n d m ay be in to jo bs, w e’r e g iv in g t h em t h e m ost t h at t h ey c a n hope f o r.” “B esid es,” a c o m mon lin e o f re aso nin g c o ntin ues, “ th ese b otto m -le v el jo bs exis t. T hey n eed to b e d one. So m eb ody’s g ot to d o th em .” It is ev id en t, how ev er, who th at so m eb ody will be. There is no se n tim en ta liz in g h ere . N o c o rp ora te C EO is lik ely t o c o nfe ss a s e cre t w is h to s e e h is c h ild re n tr a in ed a s c o sm eto lo gis ts o r c le ric a l a ssis ta n ts . S o th e pre ro gativ es o f c la ss a n d c a ste a re c le ar.

So m e years ag o, New Trie r Hig h Sch ool in au gura te d an “o ffic e ed uca tio n” c o urse t h at o ffe re d in str u ctio n in s h orth an d, f ilin g a n d t y pin g.

“It w as a n a ck now le d ged flo p,” th e Wash in gto n P ost re p orts . N ot e n ough stu den ts w ere e n ro lle d . T he c o urse w as d is c o ntin ued . “ I g uess,” a t e ach er sa id , kid s at New Trie r “ju st don’t th in k of th em se lv es as fu tu re se cre ta rie s.” What d oes m oney b uy f o r c h ild re n in C hic a g o’s s u burb s?

At th e w ealt h ie st su burb an sc h ools it buys th em tr u ly sc h ola rly in str u ctio n f r o m r e m ark ab le a n d w ell-r e w ard ed te ach ers, a n d it a ls o b uys th em a g re at d eal o f th oughtfu l c o unse lin g fr o m w ell-p re p are d a d vis e rs.

In th e su burb s, sa y s th e Chic a go S u n-T im es , “ it is n ot u nco m mon fo r th e ra tio betw een stu den ts an d co unse lo rs to be 250 to one,” an d, at it s lo w est, at N ew T rie r, w here , as w e hav e se en , fa cu lt y m em bers are re le ase d fr o m te ach in g to g iv e c o unse lin g, it is o nly 2 5 to o ne. “ In th e cit y th e r a tio is 4 00 to o ne.” W hile a s u burb an s c h ool lib ra ry is lik ely to hav e 6 0,0 00 v olu m es, a C hic a g o sc h ool lib ra ry “ is lu ck y to h av e 1 3,0 00 volu m es,” sa y s th e Su n-T im es . “In th e su burb s, e xtr a cu rric u la r a ctiv it ie s are s u pporte d a s a n in te g ra l p art o f e d uca tio n, a n d s u m mer s c h ool te n ds to b e sta n dard . In th e cit y , b oth w ere slic e d th in y ears a g o a s m oney beca m e t ig ht.” Is m oney t h e m ain d if fe re n ce ?

It is o bvio usly th e d if fe re n ce in p ro vis io n o f sc h ool lib ra rie s: 6 0,0 00 71 books c o st f o ur a n d a h alf t im es a s m uch a s 1 3,0 00 b ooks.

It is , a t le ast in p art, t h e d if fe re n ce in a ttr a ctin g g if te d a n d e xp erie n ce d te ach ers: T each ers earn in g n early $ 60,0 00 co st a sy ste m h alf ag ain as much a s te ach ers e arn in g $ 40,0 00. T he d if fe re n ce s, b y a n y s ta n dard , a re en orm ous.

“O f co urse one m ig ht asse rt,” Jo hn C oons obse rv es, “th at, th ough money m ay b e a g ood m easu re o f q ualit y , th is c o uld h old tr u e fo r ric h dis tr ic ts o nly .” F ro m th is p oin t o f v ie w , “ th ese c h ild re n o f p oor d is tr ic ts ” ca n a b so rb “o nly th e m ost ru dim en ta ry ” a n d “in exp en siv e” in str u ctio n.

“R ic h c h ild re n ,” o n th e o th er h an d, “ a re c a p ab le o f so ak in g u p th e m ost eso te ric o ffe rin g. H en ce it is p ro per t o p re fe r t h em in s p en din g.” The “g ro ss co ndesc e n sio n of th is arg um en t,” he sa y s, “sh ould be en ough to co ndem n it ” but “it is re g re tta b ly persis te n t in im porta n t priv ate c ir c le s.” Even a cce p tin g, h e c o ntin ues, “ th at y ou ‘g et le ss fo r y our m oney ’ w it h poor c h ild re n , th is d oesn ’t m ean s u ch c h ild re n h av en ’t th e r ig ht to e q ual sc h ools .” T ru e, h e sa y s, “e q ual o pportu nit y acro ss th e b oard ” w ill n ot au to m atic a lly “p ro duce eq ualit y ” in sc h ool perfo rm an ce . Still, “o ne doesn ’t f o rc e a lo sin g b ase b all t e am t o p la y w it h s e v en m en .” Not s u rp ris in gly , w hen p are n ts o f p oor c h ild re n o r t h eir a d voca te s r a is e th eir v oic e s to p ro te st th e rig gin g o f th e g am e, th ey ask in it ia lly fo r th in gs th at se em lik e fa ir ly obvio us im pro vem en ts : la rg er lib ra ry co lle ctio ns, a r e d uctio n in th e s iz e o f c la sse s, o r a b ette r r a tio o f c h ild re n to sc h ool co unse lo rs. W hat se em s o bvio us to th em , h ow ev er, is b y n o mean s o bvio us to th ose w ho h av e c o ntr o l o ver th eir c h ild re n ’s d estin ie s, an d t h e a rg um en ts t h ese p are n ts m ak e a re o fte n m et w it h f la t r e b utta ls .

In 1 988 a n um ber o f C hic a g o’s m ore r e sp onsiv e le ad ers to ld th e p re ss th at c u ttin g c la ss siz e o ught to b e a to p p rio rit y a n d in dic a te d it w ould co st a b out $ 100 m illio n to b eg in to d o th is . T he re b utta l sta rte d a lm ost in sta n tly . E ffo rts to im pro ve a sc h ool by lo w erin g it s cla ss siz e , sa id Assis ta n t U .S . S ecre ta ry o f E duca tio n C heste r F in n, w ould b e a “co stly waste o f m oney .” R ed ucin g c la ss siz e is “ n ot a v ery p ru den t in vestm en t str a te g y,” s a id M r. F in n, w ho s e n t h is d au ghte r t o E xete r, w here c la ss s iz e is 1 3. “ T here a re a lo t o f b ette r a n d le ss c o stly t h in gs y ou c a n d o a n d g et re su lt s .” Aro und th e sa m e tim e, Educa tio n S ecre ta ry W illia m B en nett ca m e to Illin ois a n d t o ld t a xp ay ers, “ If t h e c it iz e n s o f C hic a g o [ w an t t o ] p ut m ore money in , th en th ey a re fr e e to d o s o . B ut y ou w ill n ot b uy y our w ay to bette r p erfo rm an ce .” The New Y ork T im es re sp onded to th e v ie w s o f M r. B en nett w it h th is 72 obse rv atio n: “ P are n ts w ho h av e s c rim ped t o s e n d t h eir c h ild re n t o p riv ate sc h ool” o r v ote d fo r h ig her ta xes to im pro ve th eir lo ca l p ublic sc h ools “m ay b e co nfu se d b y th e E duca tio n D ep artm en t’s re ce n t sta te m en ts .… Acco rd in g to th e dep artm en t’s fo urth an nual sta tis tic a l pic tu re of th e natio n’s p ublic sc h ools , th e am ount sp en t p er p upil, o n h ig her te ach er sa la rie s or on im pro vin g th e te ach er-s tu den t ra tio has alm ost no co rre la tio n w it h p erfo rm an ce .” T his , s a id t h e Tim es , b ols te rs “ th e m essa g e [M r. B en nett] h as b een p re ach in g: M oney is n ot p rim arily ‘w hat w ork s’ in ed uca tio n.” In C hic a g o, w here th e is su e h ad b een p ose d , th e q uestio n w as n ow ask ed : If m oney a n d c la ss siz e d id n ot m atte r, th en w hat o th er c h an ges mig ht b e h elp fu l t o t