The author did his field work with Cedric in the 1990’s. I find it upsetting that what hasn’t changed (or what has gotten worse) is how dysfunctional many urban schools still are. What are the answers for getting students to learn? I still contend that early childhood education is essential, as well as support to parents.
What has changed, I believe, is the compassion that people once had about others, who were disadvantaged economically and emotionally.
bookwoman elaine 
We have checked our compassion at the door of inner city schools and will pay for it later with an uneducated, untrained population. More than 50 percent of the babies born in our country today are minorities. We must educate them — if not for their sake, for our own.