In some ways, life inside prison mimics that in the public schools. The two institutions are overseen by a county board and administrators. Jailers are the teachers, runarounds are the aids, inmates are the students, and all are driven by public demands and values. Lacking an inspiring and engaging environment, all captives rightfully ask,…

"Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools" describes the contrasts between rich and poor schools located within a few miles of each other. The author, Jonathan Kozol, claims that contrasts are due to inequitable funding; he would abolish the property tax and replace it with equitable funding for every child deriving from a…