Our Kids: The American Dream in Crisis

Orange County, California, has changed demographically over the years. There are cities of great poverty and great wealth. Economic equality within the Latino community has grown over the years, and so have the disparities in school outcomes, even among schools with similar funding where the class demographics are different. It turns out that “whom you go to school with matters” (159). The major public-school movements beginning in the 1840s and 1850s were intended to level the playing field, but that is not the reality today. Gaps between achievement levels of different racial groups have been narrowing over time, but gaps between classes have been growing. Schools themselves are not necessarily exacerbating these gaps. These are mostly established before children get to elementary school, as discussed in the previous chapter.

Schools do make a difference, however, in that they are reflecting the communities where they are located. Most students still attend school based on their parents’ residence, and that makes a difference. Parents with the means to do so also choose where to live based on schools. The “school choice” movement, which allows students to go to schools outside of their neighborhoods, has not had a big impact due to other constraints, such as transportation and other issues.