John U. Ogbu
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
2003
Much has already been written about this interesting and timely book by Berkeley sociologist John U. Ogbu. Subtitled "a study of academic disengagement," it explores why middle-class black youngsters in affluent Shaker Heights, Ohio don't do as well in school as their white classmates - or as well as recent immigrants, including those from Africa. The gaps that motivated the study are wide. For example, on state proficiency tests, white 8th graders in Shaker Heights passed at rates averaging 94% while their African-American classmates averaged 61%. High school grade point averages were 3.27 for white males and 3.42 for white females compared with 1.99 and 2.42 for blacks. And so forth. Yet this is a highly regarded public-school system, not one in crisis. What's going on? Ogbu's analysis is perceptive. He attributes the problem partly to schools but mostly to "academic disengagement" among black youngsters AND to numerous community factors, both within the black community and in the broader Shaker Heights context. But he cuts through a lot of conventional explanations and doesn't dwell just on efforts to fix the schools. Indeed, many of his gap-closing recommendations focus on what ought to be done by black parents and their community to put greater emphasis on educational success and provide greater support for youngsters. At a time when the U.S. is concerned with closing the achievement gap, this book is a needed reminder that, while there is much that school systems can do to help accomplish that worthy goal, many other things must be done outside the school setting if success is to occur. The ISBN is 080584516X and further information can be obtained at https://www.erlbaum.com/shop/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=0-8058-4516-X.
