The Trouble With Black Boys: And Other Reflections on Race, Equity, and the Future of Public Education

The Trouble With Black Boys: And Other Reflections on Race, Equity, and the Future of Public Education
Pedro A. Noguera, New York University
ISBN: 978-0-7879-8874-6
©2008
352 pages


Pedro Noguera is one of the nation's most important voices on the subject of equity and social justice in education. He has never been afraid to take on the tough issues “ yet always offers reason for hope in the face of seemingly intractable challenges. This book will pull together Noguera's thoughts on a wide range of educational subjects “ from school improvement to school violence. He examines the link between racial identity and school-related behavior; examines the significance of race in the racial achievement gap; looks at the educational future of Latino immigrants; recommends investing in the social capital of students and their parents; and discusses the role of leaders in restoring public faith in education.

Brief Table of Contents:

Part One: The Structure and Culture of Inequality in Schools

Introduction: Unfinished Business: Closing the Achievement Gap at Berkeley High School, Pedro A. Noguera, Jean Yonemura Wing

1. Structuring Inequality at Berkeley High

2. Integration Across Campus, Segregation Across Classrooms: A Close-up Look at Privilege

3. The Discipline Gap and the Normalization of Failure

Part Two: Agency in the Fight for Equity

4. Changing Teacher Practice and Student Outcomes

5. Creating Demand for Equity: Transforming the Role of Parents in Schools

6. Songs of Experience: Student Reflections on Four Years at Berkeley High

Conclusion: Lessons Learned: The Limits and Possibilities of Using Research to Counter Racial Inequality

Epilogue: Finishing School

---