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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What court decision found that segregated institutions for black people could exist as long as they were equal to those open to white people?

2. How did Kozol choose the cities that he visited?

3. How much money does Kozol say is spent on each child attending a poor, non-white, public school around Chicago?

4. How many years did Kozol spend visiting schools and speaking with children about their schools and neighborhoods?

5. How many banks did the Tribune say were located in North Lawndale?

Short Essay Questions

1. How the suburban public schools funded compared to the urban public schools?

2. How does Kozol describe the township of Sauget?

3. Why does the author think that many wealthy people think it is okay if poor children receive fewer advantages?

4. Why does Kozol decide to leave teaching and focus on other social issues?

5. How does Coral Hawkins stand out from most of the teachers Kozol meets at Mary McLeod Bethune School?

6. What type of health issues exist in East St. Louis? Why do these illnesses exist?

7. Compare Baldwin's experience teaching in the urban school district in Boston and the suburban school district west of Boston.

8. How does the pre-desegregation of schools compare to the post-desegregation?

9. Where does Kozol go on his journey to speak with students in the public school system? How does Kozol choose the schools that he visited?

10. What financial cuts are proposed for the schools in East St. Louis? Why do cuts have to be made to the schools in East St. Louis? Who is responsible for making the cuts?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

In various areas, Kozol speaks with adults about the health of the students that attend the poor urban schools and that live in the community. What types of illnesses do the adults mention children having in the various cities that Kozol visits? How do the students get these illnesses? Based on the book, how do you think these illness effect children's education? What can be done to improve the health of students in these various urban cities? Please use specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 2

In the Forward of the book, Kozol refers to the Supreme Court case of Brown v. Board of Education. What is the significance of the Brown v. Board decision? According to the book, how has the school system remained the same since the judgment? What changes have been made since the Brown v. Board decision? Please use specific examples from the book.

Essay Topic 3

Kozol focuses on state and federal regulation of schools. In what ways do the states regulate the schools? In what ways does the federal government regulate American school system? How are these responsibilities divided amongst the state and federal entities? Please use specific examples from the book.

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