Comments on: The Other America: Giving Our Poorest Children the Same Opportunities as Our Richest http://www.slj.com/2012/08/literacy/the-other-america-giving-our-poorest-children-the-same-opportunities-as-our-richest/ The world's largest reviewer of books, multimedia, and technology for children and teens Sun, 17 Feb 2013 02:19:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 By: Jonathan Kozol’s Thoughts on “The Other America” in SLJ | http://www.slj.com/2012/08/literacy/the-other-america-giving-our-poorest-children-the-same-opportunities-as-our-richest/#comment-1544 Jonathan Kozol’s Thoughts on “The Other America” in SLJ | Tue, 28 Aug 2012 18:45:35 +0000 http://www.bookverdictk12.com/?p=11029#comment-1544 [...] working with children in inner-city schools for nearly fifty years. Kozol recently published an article in the August edition of School Library Journal and shared his thoughts on “giving our [...] [...] working with children in inner-city schools for nearly fifty years. Kozol recently published an article in the August edition of School Library Journal and shared his thoughts on “giving our [...]

]]> By: Kmabry http://www.slj.com/2012/08/literacy/the-other-america-giving-our-poorest-children-the-same-opportunities-as-our-richest/#comment-528 Kmabry Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:21:49 +0000 http://www.bookverdictk12.com/?p=11029#comment-528 I agree with you. I envision libraries as an escape from the "real world" filled with all the books you reference. I believe a stronger economy will provide opportunities for individuals and businesses to sponsor or subsidize libraries for inner city schools. The charter school model opens up all kinds of creative ways to reach children outside the traditional public school model that has failed so many. I believe your story wil inspire many to voluntarily contribute to make your vision a reality. I agree with you. I envision libraries as an escape from the “real world” filled with all the books you reference. I believe a stronger economy will provide opportunities for individuals and businesses to sponsor or subsidize libraries for inner city schools. The charter school model opens up all kinds of creative ways to reach children outside the traditional public school model that has failed so many.
I believe your story wil inspire many to voluntarily contribute to make your vision a reality.

]]> By: Joanne Davis http://www.slj.com/2012/08/literacy/the-other-america-giving-our-poorest-children-the-same-opportunities-as-our-richest/#comment-438 Joanne Davis Wed, 15 Aug 2012 19:38:16 +0000 http://www.bookverdictk12.com/?p=11029#comment-438 My inner city elementary school was gifted with a beautiful library from the Robin Hood Foundation. 5 years later the children are still in awe of the enticing space and the thousands of volumes within it and they are indeed grateful for them. Every visit to the school library is still exciting and appreciated and a welcome respite from the endless standardized tests. My inner city elementary school was gifted with a beautiful library from the Robin Hood Foundation. 5 years later the children are still in awe of the enticing space and the thousands of volumes within it and they are indeed grateful for them. Every visit to the school library is still exciting and appreciated and a welcome respite from the endless standardized tests.

]]> By: Judy Freeman http://www.slj.com/2012/08/literacy/the-other-america-giving-our-poorest-children-the-same-opportunities-as-our-richest/#comment-117 Judy Freeman Wed, 08 Aug 2012 03:37:20 +0000 http://www.bookverdictk12.com/?p=11029#comment-117 This article made my entire summer! Leave it to the eloquent Kozol to broadcast what we librarians have been saying forever. Want kids to read? Give them great books, a fabulous librarian (yep--you!), and a budget to make their libraries into palaces of literature. Reading lamps, even. Hey, we library folk decorate like crazy, usually with gorgeous books on display everywhere and puppets, toys, and bibelots (slightly used, sometimes cracked, but always eye-catching) on every shelf. As my librarian mom used to say, "We're doing the best we can." And how many of you have spent a mini fortune on stuff for your libraries this year? Most of you, I'm betting. Reading about Baltimore's $5 million for school libraries and now Kozol's love poem to librarians everywhere, my library gloom has dispersed (at least until the euphoria lifts and another 100 librarians get summarily canned somewhere). From Kozol's lips to every administrator's brain. Send a copy of this to every principal, superintendent, and school board member today! Judy Freeman www.JudyReadsBooks.com This article made my entire summer! Leave it to the eloquent Kozol to broadcast what we librarians have been saying forever. Want kids to read? Give them great books, a fabulous librarian (yep–you!), and a budget to make their libraries into palaces of literature. Reading lamps, even. Hey, we library folk decorate like crazy, usually with gorgeous books on display everywhere and puppets, toys, and bibelots (slightly used, sometimes cracked, but always eye-catching) on every shelf. As my librarian mom used to say, “We’re doing the best we can.” And how many of you have spent a mini fortune on stuff for your libraries this year? Most of you, I’m betting. Reading about Baltimore’s $5 million for school libraries and now Kozol’s love poem to librarians everywhere, my library gloom has dispersed (at least until the euphoria lifts and another 100 librarians get summarily canned somewhere). From Kozol’s lips to every administrator’s brain. Send a copy of this to every principal, superintendent, and school board member today!

Judy Freeman
http://www.JudyReadsBooks.com

]]> By: mclicious http://www.slj.com/2012/08/literacy/the-other-america-giving-our-poorest-children-the-same-opportunities-as-our-richest/#comment-73 mclicious Mon, 06 Aug 2012 12:39:10 +0000 http://www.bookverdictk12.com/?p=11029#comment-73 This is fabulous. I wish the right people would read it, because I absolutely agree. My own personal love of reading has led me to more knowledge and achievement and further learning and opportunities than my PSAT or GRE scores ever did or will. This is fabulous. I wish the right people would read it, because I absolutely agree. My own personal love of reading has led me to more knowledge and achievement and further learning and opportunities than my PSAT or GRE scores ever did or will.

]]> By: Unpaid armies http://www.slj.com/2012/08/literacy/the-other-america-giving-our-poorest-children-the-same-opportunities-as-our-richest/#comment-61 Unpaid armies Sun, 05 Aug 2012 19:38:37 +0000 http://www.bookverdictk12.com/?p=11029#comment-61 [...] Other America: giving our poorest children the same opportunities as our richest - School Libraries Journal (USA).  Author with great experience of inner-city USA has no doubt where money should be spent.  “no matter what the economic ups and downs may be at any given moment, public school libraries in destitute communities need not just sufficient but extravagant funding. If there’s a single thing our state and federal governments could do to stir up a love of learning in our poorest children, it would be to take a good big chunk of the massive sum of money that’s now being wasted on the testing industry” [...] [...] Other America: giving our poorest children the same opportunities as our richest – School Libraries Journal (USA).  Author with great experience of inner-city USA has no doubt where money should be spent.  “no matter what the economic ups and downs may be at any given moment, public school libraries in destitute communities need not just sufficient but extravagant funding. If there’s a single thing our state and federal governments could do to stir up a love of learning in our poorest children, it would be to take a good big chunk of the massive sum of money that’s now being wasted on the testing industry” [...]

]]> By: Anjali Amit http://www.slj.com/2012/08/literacy/the-other-america-giving-our-poorest-children-the-same-opportunities-as-our-richest/#comment-9 Anjali Amit Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:54:01 +0000 http://www.bookverdictk12.com/?p=11029#comment-9 I so agree with you -- most public school libraries are sad, sterile places. There are some notable exceptions (the library at Nobel Middle School used to be one.) We can't fight City Hall, but we can make our own contributions to the effort. How about contributing books from our own libraries -- to the public park recreation centers? Or to after-school programs? or just leave a bunch of books on a bus bench? Just get the books out. Somebody is sure to pick up one, and hopefully benefit by it. The small libraries people set up outside their homes is such a great idea. There are many ways to create opportunities. Anjali I so agree with you — most public school libraries are sad, sterile places. There are some notable exceptions (the library at Nobel Middle School used to be one.)

We can’t fight City Hall, but we can make our own contributions to the effort. How about contributing books from our own libraries — to the public park recreation centers? Or to after-school programs? or just leave a bunch of books on a bus bench? Just get the books out. Somebody is sure to pick up one, and hopefully benefit by it. The small libraries people set up outside their homes is such a great idea.

There are many ways to create opportunities.
Anjali

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