Tearing Down the Gates

Tearing Down the Gates
Author: Peter Sacks
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 389
Release: 2007
Genre: Education
ISBN: 0520261690

"Tearing Down the Gates is a superb book which exposes the dirty little secret of American education: that while our public schools and universities are meant to be engines for social mobility, they too often reinforce stratification. Peter Sacks is one of the great storytellers of American inequality, interweaving devastating statistics with poignant stories of individuals he came to know well in his reporting. While much of the literature on inequality rightfully tackles the barriers of race and gender, Sacks digs deeper, laying bare the taboo reality of social class in America."—Richard D. Kahlenberg, Senior Fellow, The Century Foundation, and author of The Remedy: Class, Race, and Affirmative Action "Peter Sacks has been relentless in his writings that we, as a nation, are failing in our responsibility to provide access to a quality education for our poorest citizens. In his latest work, Tearing Down the Gates, he provides compelling data and anecdotes to drive home the stark reality that our higher education system is not accessible to low-income students in the same way that it is for students from more affluent families. He challenges the education community in particular, and all of our democratic institutions in general, to remove the barriers that keep motivated low-income citizens from succeeding. Not only is it the right thing to do; our country's societal and economic survival may depend on it."—William D. Boyd, Senior Associate Vice President, Student Affairs, San Diego State University "Peter Sacks pulls no punches in pointing out the hypocrisy and resulting tragedy of our society's educational inequities, puncturing our self serving belief in meritocracy that is not quite that. The results of his study will be controversial, but the topic could not be more pressing for all of us and for the future of our democracy and economy."—Anthony W. Marx, President, Amherst College "Peter Sacks has written a compelling account of the ways in which class determines educational opportunity. Made vivid by anecdotes, supported by socioeconomic data, Tearing Down the Gates will give anyone concerned with higher education much food for thought about the ways in which our colleges reinforce class privilege, failing to provide the equal opportunity we value so highly."—Carol T. Christ, President, Smith College "A powerful, timely, and richly documented work on the stunning disparities in success and opportunity along the lines of class and race that undermine the promises of democratic education in America. Drawing upon vivid personal experience, Sacks brings a close lens to bear upon allegedly progressive institutions such as the Berkeley, California, public schools; and demonstrates the enduring contradiction between high ideals annunciated by a liberal community and the actual behavior of the parents of the privileged who go to school in such communities. In a valiant effort to open up an avenue of hope, the author identifies schools and universities that have attempted to tear down the gates which have perpetuated caste divisions in our nation and its pedagogic institutions-but in clear-sighted recognition of the potent backlash on the part of these who fervently defend inequities which benefit their children. This very important and disturbing book reminds us of the struggle still ahead."—Jonathan Kozol, author of The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America "In the spirit of Jonathan Kozol's writing on K-12 education, Peter Sacks carries the story of inequity, social stratification, and unequal opportunities to the domain of higher education. While the story has been described by statisticians, Sacks puts a human face on the disparities in opportunity by socioeconomic class through revealing portraits of individual young people from widely differing circumstances, and the vastly different educational opportunities they face. It is hardly surprising that as education has grown sharply in economic value, wealthy parents will do whatever it takes to give their children every educational advantage; what has not caught up to reality is our continuing belief that all children have equal opportunity. One example of the punch of this book is his treatment of Berkeley High School, where even in this most liberal of cities, the wealthy have found ways to advantage their young. A must read for all who care about the future shape of civil society in this country."—David Breneman, University of Virginia

Epic Measures

Epic Measures
Author: Jeremy N. Smith
Publisher: Harper Collins
Total Pages: 169
Release: 2015-04-07
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0062237527

Moneyball meets medicine in this remarkable chronicle of one of the greatest scientific quests of our time and the visionary mastermind behind it. Medical doctor and economist Christopher Murray began the Global Burden of Disease study to gain a truer understanding of how we live and how we die. While it is one of the largest scientific projects ever attempted—as breathtaking as the first moon landing or the Human Genome Project—the questions it answers are meaningful for every one of us: What are the world's health problems? Who do they hurt? How much? Where? Why? Murray argues that the ideal existence isn't simply the longest, but the one lived well and with the least illness. Until we can accurately measure global health issues, we cannot understand what makes us sick or do much to improve it. Challenging the accepted wisdom of the WHO and the UN, the charismatic and controversial health maverick has made enemies—as well as some influential friends, including Bill Gates who gave Murray a $100 million grant. Told with novelistic verve by acclaimed journalist Jeremy N. Smith, the story of Murray's lifelong determination to understand how we live and die encompasses wars and famines, presidents and activists, billionaires and billions of people worldwide living in poverty. It shows the human side of scientific revolutions and of revolutionary scientists—their breakthroughs and setbacks, their genius and their flaws, their champions and their critics—as they strive to bring the news of their findings to the world. This transformational effort is far from over, but the story of its genesis and impact is already an epic tale.

Standardized Minds

Standardized Minds
Author: Peter Sacks
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Total Pages: 351
Release: 2001-01-10
Genre: Education
ISBN: 9780738204338

"Standardized Minds" dramatically shows how an unhealthy and enduring obsession with intelligence testing affects everyone. Drawing creative solutions from the headlines and front lines, Sacks demonstrates proven alternatives to such testing, and details a plan to make the American meritocracy legitimate and fair.

Run To Earth

Run To Earth
Author: SF Mazhar
Publisher: SF MAZHAR
Total Pages: 286
Release: 2014-02-10
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN:

He never knew how different he was. Until his fourteenth birthday. When his life changed. Forever. When Aaron Adams sneaks out to celebrate his fourteenth birthday, he has no idea a tragedy awaits him. After a shocking secret is revealed, Aaron is forced to leave his world and enter...a new one. Thrust into a world he doesn't understand, Aaron struggles to find his place in a society that seems to despise him. Desperate to find why his name is so fervently hated, Aaron sets out on a path of discovery – only to find demons, dangerous hybrids and more secrets; ones that threaten everything Aaron thought he knew.

Report

Report
Author: United States. Army. Office of the Chief of Engineers
Publisher:
Total Pages: 942
Release: 1897
Genre: Engineering
ISBN:

Animated Lands

Animated Lands
Author: Andrea Mubi Brighenti
Publisher: U of Nebraska Press
Total Pages: 305
Release: 2020-11
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1496222369

In Animated Lands Andrea Mubi Brighenti and Mattias Kärrholm focus on territory as a living phenomenon--and territoriality as an active and constantly reshaping force. They explore the complexity of territorial production through a series of parallel investigations into fundamental territorial themes, such as rhythm, synchronization, melody, morphogenesis, and animism. The notion of territory is excavated through case studies including the analysis of urban playgrounds, homemaking, the transformations of urban walls, and the stabilization of peculiar building types such as the house-museum. These empirical examples span such cities as Ahmedabad, Amsterdam, London, and Rome. Animated Lands provides a broad introduction to what a theory of territories could be and how it could help to advance sociospatial studies.

Prayer Walking

Prayer Walking
Author: Steve Hawthorne
Publisher: Charisma Media
Total Pages: 204
Release: 1993
Genre: Fiction
ISBN: 0884192687

Ordinary believers are stepping into the streets to pray effectively for their neighbors. With eyes open to real needs and with ears open to the promptings of God's Spirit, intercession becomes an adventure. We have never been so aware of the need to contend for our cities against a rising tide of spiritual evil. As a result, multitudes of Christians worldwide have begun to prayerwalk their cities and nations. Prayerwalking gives you a practical menu of proven ideas to begin preparing whole cities for spiritual awakening. Biblical insights will build your faith to voice city-size prayers. And the stories and statements of more than one hundred prayerwalking Christians will fire your imagination for your first steps.