Ladislaus M. Semali

As an educator, this book exposed me to the impassionate works of Jonathan Kozol’s prolific writing and prizewinning books—"Rachel and her Children" and "Amazing Grace"—and more, about how public education has failed children of all colors. These works ought to be a “must read” for every aspiring educator in America. I was fortunate to meet Kozol during his visit to University Park in 2001 and many more years after, I continued to follow his incredible understandings into the blight effect on poor children that has irreparably wrenched my psyche and impassioned me to embrace multicultural education and teach it regularly at Penn State. Kozol was instrumental to dispelling my naiveté about American wealth and in grasping the tragedy of the American public education.