If you care at all about the state of our schools, you have got to read this. And don't say: "Oh, that's just D.C.!" Please remember that trends in poor African-American communities usually preceed the rest of society by about ten years.

Exerpt #1:

Being a white teacher in a mostly black school unquestionably hindered my ability to teach. Certain students hurled racial slurs with impunity; several of their parents intimated to my colleagues that they didn?t think a white teacher had any business teaching their children?and a number of my colleagues agreed. One parent who was also a teacher?s aide threatened to ?kick my white ass? in front of my class and received no punishment from the principal, beyond being told to stay out of my classroom. The failure of the principal, parents, and teachers to react more decisively to racist disrespect emboldened students to behave worse.

Exerpt #2:

I submitted my report cards to Ms. Savoy, who insisted that my grades were ?too low? and demanded that I raise them immediately. I offered to show her all of my students? work portfolios; but she demurred, informing me that the law obliged me to pass a certain percentage of my students. I paid no attention, gave my students the grades they deserved, and patiently explained to every parent that their child?s grades would improve once he or she started behaving in class and doing the assigned lessons. For this, Ms. Savoy cited me for insubordination.

Exerpt #3:

This lack of consequences encouraged a level of violence I never could have imagined among any students, let alone second-graders. Fights broke out daily?not just during recess or bathroom breaks but also in the middle of lessons. And this wasn?t just playful shoving: we?re talking fists flying, hair yanked, heads slammed against lockers. When I asked other teachers to come help me stop a fight, they shook their heads and reminded me that D.C. Public Schools banned teachers from laying hands on students for any reason, even to protect other children. When a fight brewed, I was faced with a Catch-22. I could call the office and wait ten minutes for the security guard to arrive, by which point blood could have been shed and students injured. Or I could intervene physically, in violation of school policy.

Good heavens. But wait, it gets far worse...

City Journal rocks; and thanks to Amy Kropp.