Tough Fronts

Tough Fronts takes the difficult issues in urban education head on by putting street-savvy students at the forefront of the discussion on how to best make successful changes for inner city schools. Individual chapters discuss scholarly depictions of black America, the social complexity of the teacher-student relationship, individual success stories of 'at-risk' programs, popular images of urban students, and implications for education policy. With close attention to the voices of individual students, this engaging book gives vitality and legitimacy to arguments for school changes that have been lacking in previous discussions.

List of Figures and Tables Props (Acknowledgments) Preface Foreword by Michael W. Apple Introduction: A Study of Street-savvy Students I. Expert Points of View CHAPTER ONE: There Are No Agents Here: Scholarly Depictions of Black Americans CHAPTER TWO: Postures Formed by Social Marginalization III. The Perspectives of Street-savvy Students CHAPTER THREE: On Being Hardcore, a Hardcore Wannabe, or Hardcore Enough CHAPTER FOUR: Social Capital, Cultural Capital, and Caring Teachers: The Perspectives of Street-savvy Students and a Magic Teacher CHAPTER FIVE: Malcolm: 24/7/365 III. Solutions, Broader Implications, and Policy Suggestions CHAPTER SIX: Shadows, Mentors, and Surrogate Fathers CHAPTER SEVEN: Fear of The Dark: The Vilification of Urban Students CHAPTER EIGHT: Policy Implications for Individuals in Positions of Influence Appendix References Glossary of Social Scientific Terms and Concepts