“In the book, I write about children in first grade who were taught to read by reading want ads. They learned to write by writing job applications. Imagine what would happen if anyone tried to do that to children in a predominantly white suburban school.”

American writer, progressive activist, and educator

Jonathan Kozol is an American writer, progressive activist, and educator, best known for his books on public education in the United States. His work has focused on the conditions and inequalities of American schooling, and he has become closely associated with writing that examines public education as a social and political issue. Across his books and public work, he has argued from a reform-minded, progressive point of view.