education, urban

The author writes about her experiences during a year spent at West Side High School in New York City, a facility populated by students who are fighting to stay in mainstream society while dealing with the problems of gangs, drugs, and violence.

A teacher describes life at T.C. Williams High School in Alexandria, VA.

A true story about a teacher in a racially divided school who gives her students what they've always needed, a voice.

Presents the 1996-97 school year of twelve South-Central Los Angeles high school students who qualified for an elite gifted program because of their exceptional IQs, and how they persevered despite challenges from the physical landscape, their home life, and school administrations.

Shares the stories of teachers who have overcome the challenges of teaching in high-poverty urban communities and explains how other teachers can adapt their methods and strategies for their own classrooms.

Chronicles the experiences of twelve South Central Los Angeles high school seniors in a program for gifted students, as well as their teachers and administrators, and discusses the potential ramifications of the elimination of affirmative action in California.