Hopeful Girls, Troubled Boys: Race and Gender Disparity in Urban Education

by Nancy López

This book is an ethnographic study of Carribean youth in New York City to help explain how and why schools and cities are failing boys of color.

Genres: Education

234 pages, Paperback

First published December 13, 2002

Reviews

[notasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

i’m sorry some of y’all have got to stop being so squeamish about abortion

[Marlene Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hopeful Girls, Troubled Boys is an ethnographic book that focuses on the educational experiences of second generation Caribbean students, particularly Dominican, West Indian, and Haitian students in New York City. Nancy Lopez is the author of this book, can also to relate to the focus group of this group since she is also a Dominican who was raised and attended school in New York City. Lopez bases her book around the race-gender framework, throughout her book she argues how race and gender determines the type of education her focus group received. In her book, Lopez attempts to demonstrate how race and gender how girls and boys from the same ethnic backgrounds and socioeconomic status and neighborhood have different attainments and attitudes towards education. Although Lopez makes great points for her arguments, she left out many voices of those in her focus group. Overall, Lopez gives good accounts of the experiences of second generation Caribbean students. Included other factors that shape these experiences, could have helped develop and have made the book more thorough and detailed giving readers an expanded version of information that is already out there.

[Wes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It gives an interesting perspective into the education process for some students. I wish that I had read this book earlier. It did leave me with some questions as to what has changed in the time since it was written. One thing to note about the book is that it is not as encompassing as the title suggests. It is about specific 2nd generation minorities in a certain part of NYC. That being said, a lot can be learned from that. However, the story is not the same in urban education everywhere. But there are some things that are the same. It is notable how boys and girls are treated differently both in the home and at school. I am left with questions for me in how I am treating boys and girls. I definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in education or in race/gender equality.

[a]

This book documents the ways Afro-identified Caribbean kids in NYC face different kinds of racism depending on their gender, and how that impacts their educational trajectories. This is important but it is something I have already spent a lot of time thinking about, and so far the book doesn't seem to add anything that is new (to me). I will probably skim it, but think it is worth looking at for anyone interested in urban education. This book is written from a socy perspective, rather than edu. (I am in the process of trying to select books for my fall courses)

[a · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting ethnography about the ways race and gender structure experiences for Caribbean girls and boys in ways that have implications for their educational trajectories. Includes a chapter on family which adds to the small body of work suggesting the significant costs of male privilege for boys of color. Useful paired with books that focus only on gender in schools (or only on race).