In the book, I write about children in first grade who were taught to read by reading want ads. They learned to write by writing job applications. Imagine what would happen if anyone tried to do that to children in a predominantly white suburban school.

Instead of seeing these children for the blessings that they are, we are measuring them only by the standard of whether they will be future deficits or assets for our nation's competitive needs.

Apartheid does not happen spontaneously, like bad weather conditions.

As a matter of record, New York City spends a higher portion of its budget on instruction and associated costs within the schools themselves than any of the other 100 largest districts in the nation.

President Obama still places far too much emphasis on relentless testing with standardized exams.

A dream does not die on its own. A dream is vanquished by the choices ordinary people make about real things in their own lives.

You need massive recruitment to tell the poorest of the poor what is possible.