Serving in Florida

1. Serving in Florida • What’s the point of her experiment? What does she hope to prove ? • Is this experiment less valid since she knows it’s only temporary? • Can Gail, Ellen or George do anything to improve their lives? • Is this article proof that immigrants cannot succeed in America? • Can legal immigrants succeed when illegal immigrants cant? • Is it really harder to be or become middle class now than ever before? • Stossle asks Ehrenreich, “If you do a good job, can’t you move up?” she responds, “Well, John, it’s not that easy.” Is it supposed to be easy? • How is it possible that Adam and Barbara set out to achieve the same thing and each had such radically different results? • Has the middle class expectations changed to become unreasonable?

2. Stephen Cruz • Does affirmative action create unhappiness? • How is isolation of minorities different from isolation of whites? • Do focusing on details prevent real progress? • How does speech define Cruz’s status? • What does Cruz say motivates the American Dream? Is he right? • Do we still need AA? Should it be updated? How?

3. Class in America • Why don’t we talk about class and society? • What class do we talk about? How is that odd? • Examine four myths. Why do we hold onto them? • Should the rich have to give their money away? • How do we hide poverty? Why do we do it? What are the results of it? • Why is it so hard to break away from your class? • How does class effect us? • Even though we go to college more, why has the drop-out rate increased so much?

4. The Black Avenger • Is he right that white men are causing the black race to fall behind? • Is there guilt among whites? • Is there a difference between “black” and “white” values? • Are we “glad” to be white? Should we be? • Is there such a thing as the hobbled black? • Does he have a point that slavery no longer affects blacks since it’s so far in the past? • Thoughts on restitution.

5. From Fly-Girls to Bitches and Hos • What is the result of rap music on female and male fans? • Does rap create misogyny, fear, anger, and despair? • Does rap cause the violence that exists? • What is the “redemptive healing space”? Is it necessary? • Are blacks depressed and hiding it? Is that why they are statistically far more violent than whites?

6. Talking About Racism • Do these examples count as racism? • Is it true that blacks cannot be racist at all? • Is our country unique in the world for putting such emphasis on color? Do you think this hurts our image to other countries? Why does it matter? • Do we unintentionally create racists through school and other institutions? • Do you agree that white Americans are indifferent to suffering of those they perceive to be “other”? • What role does individuality play in creating racism according to the article? Do you agree?

7. The Seven-Lesson Schoolteacher • Based off what Gatto says you really learn, are you equipped to succeed in America? In the world? • Is this why we’re falling so far behind other countries? • Are these seven lessons things you feel are true? • Is it true that our economy and social system depends on the seven lessons? • Is the American Dream dead based on what is it said on p. 179?

8. Idiot Nation • What do the statistics on p. 154 say about us? • Is it too judgmental to say that because we don’t read we can’t? • Do we go out of our way to be stupid? • Why don’t we focus on what’s actually happening in the world? • Why would that many seniors at an university not be able to answer basic questions? • Why is our education so bad? Teachers? Unions? Supplies? • How is education connected to the American Dream? • Is it because teachers don’t get respect from society and people that they are bad? Or is it the same percent in every profession that doesn’t get enough acknowledgment? • Why do people not care about the physical quality of schools? The air quality in buildings and trailers cause people to be sick.

9. Is the reason we don’t care as adults because we are so repressed in school? • Is letting companies like Coca-Cola and Pepsi sponsor school events and advertise in schools hurting kids even more? Is it causing more damage than they thought it would? • Moore says to “Mock the Vote” and to basically step up and take a stand, but isn’t it better to be subservient sometimes?

10. The Progressive Basics • If students only had to learn what they wanted or were good at, what would happen to the American Dream? The economy? • What future will the students of this progressive school have by comparison of students that go to a government funded school? • Isn’t competition the true spirit of the American Dream? • Which is better: creativity or status – conscience? • Is it true that in order to succeed we must become drones? • Is our appreciation of the individual part of why the college drop out rate is so high? • Should we crush people in favor of setting real goals? • In what ways is it good to make people all the same?

11. “I Just Wanna be Average” • Do you agree that “students will float at the mark you set” ? Or do most high schoolers realize that they will only get back what they put in? • Based on Rose’s life, should we eliminate all lower level classes and incorporate all students into the classes that are like 110 and AP bio? • What is the difference between a curriculum meant to liberate you versus a curriculum meant to occupy you (186)? Is this a problem in all classes or only vocational? • Do you feel it’s common for sports’ students to get passed on like Rose did in chemistry and algebra? Is this really a problem? • What does voc. ed do to students in the program? Do you think that if you were in voc ed you would be a bad student too, or would you always try?

12. CP Ellis • Is he a “good” American despite the KKK? • Is he proof that you can work hard and only fail? • Is patriotism based off the idea on 593? Does that mean being patriotic is really bad? • Is democracy really dead since CP Ellis couldn’t even win for the school board? • Why do people join the KKK? • Knowing this, is it possible to ever get rid of racism?