It’s no secret that most parents want the best education possible
for their children. The excellence of the school in a community can
influence the parents' choice of where to purchase a house. If they
have the means they will opt for the community with the best schools.
DeRoche points out
that lines are drawn in communities indicating which areas are serviced by which schools. He believes this is unfair and points out some ideas such as lotteries that could function to give all students a chance
to attend the best schools. This is possibly one solution to the
problem. However, it doesn’t address other issues about
under-performing schools. One problem is often the lack of parental
involvement, another is that teachers often prefer the better schools
and hence the better students.
At one point forced
busing was touted as a solution to the problem. However, it was
unpopular with many parents who wanted their children to remain in
the neighborhood as well as expensive.
This is an
interesting book, well-written and easy to follow. His solution has
been tried in some areas and can be made to work. However, I think
the book misses the big picture focusing on one aspect of the
problem.
I received this book
from Net Galley for this review.
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