Educational Differences/Similarities

"At Ballou High School, bright students like Cedric learn the lesson that 'distinctiveness can be dangerous, so it's best to develop an aptitude for not being noticed.' How do you think Cedric's experiences could compare and contrast with the educational experience here at Kennedy?"

For starters, at Ballou, some of the kids fear for their lives everyday, making learning for them difficult. At Kennedy, there is a much safer environment where kids feel that they can learn and work in safety (most of the time). This is just the beginning of the aspects that make the two schools' educational systems completely different. The students at Ballou seem to either not try or don't want to try for fear of getting beaten up or killed. Kennedy students are praised for their good grades. In fact, it is something they all strive for. They want good grades so they can make the honor roll and get into a good college. There is a divide between the students at Ballou, and they seem to either want to just make it out of high school and get a simple job or go to a small college, or they only go to torment other students and because the law says they have to. These students with no aspirations will most likely not graduate, and will probably end up dealing drugs. While the educationl systems differ, kids slack off at both schools. At Ballou, though, it is just on a greater, more dangerous, scale.

As Cedric experienced, at Ballou you can be scorned and teased for having good grades. People called him a nerd just because he wanted to do well in his life. He strove for something great, something he wanted to achieve because he wanted to be successful in life. Other kids in his class threatened him, stole his stuff, and tormented him for no good reason. At Kennedy, this would most likely not happen. There is the occassional whisper of "nerd" when someone gets a decent grade on something, but nothing so serious as the situation at Ballou. Grades are prized and getting good ones and decent AP scores is almost revered at Kennedy. Many kids don't even have to work hard here, or at least not as hard as kids like Cedric.

Both schools do have some similarities. For example, there are award ceremonies at both schools. At Kennedy, you can make it onto the honor roll, get a certificate and a t-shirt, and get to stand on stage and shake a few peoples' hands. People clap and cheer, especially friends and parents that wanted you to do well. At Ballou, this is definitely not the case. There is an instance in the book where nobody even wants to go on stage because they know they will be laughed at and kicked about by the other kids. Teachers have to make the students go up and even this is a challenge. They receive a $100 check for their grades, but even this is not wanted. They do not want it because they are afraid of what the other children will do to them. Getting decent grades at Ballou is bittersweet (but mostly bitter).

While both schools hand out awards for getting good grades, only Kennedy students really treasure it. The kids at Ballou fear for their lives, and they have to work and learn in unsafe environments where they feel constantly threatened. They have to lay low or else they'll get beaten up. They work a lot harder than Kennedy kids to achieve what they do, though. Kennedy kids work hard, but they are safe and there are less distractions there. Cedric and other kids at Ballou have it rough.