DO NOT WRITE THE POINT, ILLUSTRATION A, ILLUSTRATION B, EXPLANATION ON THIS ESSAY.  DO HAVE MLA FORMAT

Choose one essay in Rereading America that we have discussed in class that writes about the challenges of being a human being in the world  Your assignment is to establish not only what the challenges are but why they exist.

In order to write this essay, you must consider topics associated with the readings such as education, indoctrination, race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, police brutality, violence, social norms, fear, knowledge, philosophy, cultural leadership, dominance, power, resistance, dehumanization, marginalization, power, structural racism, assimilation, condition, cognitive dissonance and many more presented in class and in the reading.

This assignment is an argumentative essay, which is in third person. You will not use the words, “we, our, us, you or I.” You will use words like society, people, individuals, and persons.

This essay is not a summary of the reading, so don’t write the author’s name in the points or the explanations sections. Do write the author’s name at the beginning of the summaries of the quotes in Illustration A of each body paragraph (look below).

You will also implement the

MLA (Links to an external site.)

format. Here is the link to make sure you are clear about the formIf you don’t have the MLA format, points will be deducted for each error. Make sure to watch the video and apply the steps to your essay before writing.

To establish your thesis, answer the question: What are the problems that exist in society because of social constructs of power? The thesis is a combination of any three points you choose from the homework assignments. 

3

1st Essay Prompt, February 15th

1st Essay Due March 15th on Canvas before Midnight. 200 Points. I don’t accept late papers.

Choose one essay in Rereading America that you have read that writes about the challenges of being a human being in the world. Your assignment is to establish not only what the challenges are but why they exist.

In order to write this essay, you must consider themes associated with the readings such as education, indoctrination, race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, police brutality, violence, social norms, fear, knowledge, philosophy, cultural leadership, dominance, power, resistance, dehumanization, marginalization, power, structural racism, assimilation, condition, cognitive dissonance and many more presented in class and in the reading.

This assignment is an argumentative essay, which is in third person. You will not use the words, “we, our, us, you or I.” You will use words like society, people, individuals, and persons.

This essay is not a summary of the reading, so don’t write the author’s name in the points or the explanations sections. Do write the author’s name at the beginning of the summaries of the quotes in
Illustration A
of each body paragraph (look below).

You will also implement the MLA format. Here is the link to make sure you are clear about the form

If you don’t have the MLA format, points will be deducted for each error. Make sure to watch the video and apply the steps to your essay before writing.

To establish your thesis, answer the question: What are the problems that exist in society because of social constructs of power? The thesis is a combination of any three points you choose from the homework assignments.

Introduction and Thesis

1st paragraph:

1. Write a summary of one of the essays from Rereading America. Include the

writer’s name and title of the book; the book is either underlined or italicized. (5 sentences)

2. Answer the question above to get your thesis. The answer is the last sentence(s) of the first paragraph. No more than 2 sentences.

Body of the Essay

2nd paragraph:

1. Point: What is the first problem that exist because of a social
construct? (no more than 2 sentences)

2. Illustration (A): Write a summary of the quotation; begin with Coates’

name. (Must be 5 sentences)

3. Illustration (B): Insert a quotation that reflects the summary. Include page
inside the parenthesis. Don’t pp. pg, or p inside the

parenthesis.

4. Explanation: Why is this social construct a problem in society?

(4-7 sentences)

3rd paragraph:

1. Point: What is the second problem that exist because of a social
construct? (no more than 2 sentences)

2. Illustration (A): Write a summary of the quotation; begin with Coates’
name. (Must be 5 sentences)
3. Illustration (B): Insert a quotation that reflects the summary. Include page
inside the parenthesis. Don’t pp. pg, or p inside the
parenthesis.
4. Explanation: Why is this social construct a problem in society?
(4-7 sentences)

4th paragraph:

1. Point: What is the third problem that exist because of a social
construct? (no more than 2 sentences)

2. Illustration (A): Write a summary of the quotation; begin with Coates’
name. (Must be 5 sentences)
3. Illustration (B): Insert a quotation that reflects the summary. Include page
inside the parenthesis. Don’t pp. pg, or p inside the
parenthesis.

Only include the page number. For example: (45).

4. Explanation: Why is this social construct a problem in society?
(4-7 sentences)

CONCLUSION

5th Paragraph:

1. Reintroduce the introduction with the writer’s name. Do not include the title of

the book. (4-5 sentences)

2. Reintroduce the thesis. (1-2 sentences)

Please don’t write the first social construct in society is…This is just to get you thinking about the themes: In order to write this essay, you must consider themes associated with the readings such as education, indoctrination, race, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, police brutality, violence, social norms, fear, knowledge, philosophy, cultural leadership, dominance, power, resistance, dehumanization, marginalization, power, structural racism, assimilation, condition, cognitive dissonance and many more presented in class and in the reading.

Rubric for an Essay

Levels/Criteria

200-180

179-160

159-150

Below 150

Demonstration of Reading Comprehension

(In-Class Essay Only)

Writing demonstrates strong comprehension of reading through apt summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting.

Writing demonstrates sufficient comprehension of reading through clear summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting.

Writing demonstrates superficial or inaccurate comprehension of reading through insufficient or inaccurate summarizing, paraphrasing, and quoting.

Writing does not demonstrate comprehension of reading. MLA format not in place

Thesis/Main Idea

The writing asserts a precise, thoughtful position in its thesis or main idea.

The writing presents a clear, specific position in its thesis or main idea.

The writing does not present a clear, specific position in its thesis or main idea.

The writing has no apparent thesis.

Organization

– Writing demonstrates an effective pattern of organization that facilitates the reader’s understanding of the thesis.
– Main points are clearly, precisely stated.
– Paragraphs are appropriately organized and avoid redundancy.

– Writing follows an appropriate pattern of organization.
– Main points are sufficiently clear
– Paragraphs have sufficient internal organization.
– Writing is only occasionally redundant.
-Uses the writer’s name in analysis

– Writing is not well organized.
– Main points are not clearly stated.
– Paragraphs do not have sufficient internal organization
– Writing is sometimes redundant.
-Writer’s name is in the points and analysis

– Writing lacks coherent structure.
– There do not seem to be main points.
– Paragraphs do not have coherent internal organization.
– Writing is redundant throughout.

Development/ Illustration

Statements are substantially supported
Illustration (a) is the only place in the body with the writer’s name.

Statements are sufficiently supported with relevant illustration.

Statements are insufficiently illustrated or illustration is irrelevant.

Statements are not illustrated. Lacks Summary

Use of Textual

Evidence

Writing adeptly uses appropriate and convincing passages from texts. 4 lines or 5lines or more a block quotation.

Writing sufficiently uses appropriate passages from texts.

Writing does not sufficiently incorporate appropriate passages from texts. 5 or more lines

Writing does not incorporate passages from texts.

Analysis

– Analysis is insightful and well articulated
– Ideas are logically connected.
– Writing duly considers more than one viewpoint/position and provides concessions where appropriate.
Don’t include the writer’s name in analysis

– Analysis is cogent and clear
– Ideas are logically connected.
– Writing accounts for more than one perspective and provides some concession.

– Analysis is superficial and/or poorly articulated.
– Writing does not connect ideas logically.
– Writing provides only superficial discussion of more than one viewpoint.

– Analysis is nonexistent or illogical.
– Writing provides no discussion of more than one viewpoint.

Clarity/Style

– Writing engages reader.
– Vocabulary and sentence structure are appropriate for the topic and intended audience.
– Writing is clear and precise.

– Writing enables reader to understand with little or no rereading.
– Vocabulary and sentence structure are sufficiently appropriate and clear.

– Writing requires reader to reread in order to understand ideas.
– Vocabulary and sentence structure are ineffective or unclear.

Writing is not comprehensible.

Mechanics/

Usage

Writing is virtually free from errors that distract from meaning and readability.

Occasional errors distract from meaning and readability.

Grammatical errors are noticeably distracting. Title is punctuated incorrectly, header not in place.

Grammatical errors are consistently distracting and make writing difficult to follow.

Student’s Last Name 2

Student’ Name

Karen Seneferu

English 102-01

4 October 2019

Segregation: Alive & Visible

(Introduction)Nikole Hannah-Jones details her experience of racial segregation in her essay “Choosing a School for my Daughter in a Segregated Society.” Her options are between predominantly white private institutions or under resourced schools for black and Latino children. Hannah-Jones resists the two-tiered system by desiring to place her daughter in the segregated, low income schools in hopes to integrate the school economically. Her and her husband Faraji demonstrate privilege because they have a choice between two structures of education. This is an opportunity many families of color do not have. Despite the Supreme Court ruling segregation as unconstitutional in Brown v. Board, economic and social segregation between white, black or brown students exists as a result of America’s racist history.(Thesis) School segregation results from ignorance towards the social wounds that remain long after a policy is overturned, housing discrimination, and a disproportion of power in the hands of a dominant race who pass laws and policies to execute systemic racism.

(Point1)Despite segregation being overruled legally, separation and discrimination still exist as side effects of racist policies. This currently affects the availability of opportunities for black and brown people in schools. (Illustration A)Hannah-Jones points out that when segregation was overruled in 1954, white New Yorkers believed in their progressivism over the “backwards” South, an example of liberal naivety. Legally segregation between white and black students was overruled. This was thought of as a victory among liberals in coastal cities. Hannah-Jones turns this victory inside out. She states that in actuality schools were strategically placed in deeply segregated areas of New York. Hannah-Jones writes,(Illustration B) “At a meeting of the Urban League around the time of the decision, he [Kenneth Clark] charged that though New York had no law requiring segregation, it intentionally separated its students by assigning them to schools based on their race or building schools deep in segregated neighborhoods” (5). (Explanation) Clark states black children were attending worse schools than other black children in the South, proving the ignorance of democratic New Yorkers. Ignorance to the disparity perpetuated and inherited by black and brown people is detrimental to the opportunities available to them. Issues are thought of as resolved because of legal overruling, but the residue lingers, left and then ignored. This leaves black and brown individuals in a liminal space between being ahead of their ancestors but not yet free. White people in power do not see or willfully do not acknowledge the side effects years of segregation and the deprival of opportunities has on the current youth of black and brown students. Segregation is still perpetuated despite the removal of the policy and it is retained through social means for reasons rooted in racism.

(Point 2)Racial segregation correlates directly with housing discrimination towards black and brown people. (Illustration A)Hannah Jones interviews the Macbeths, a veteran family who moved into the Farragut Buildings in 1952. The Farragut buildings were initially set up to house veterans returning from war and their families. At the time the project housed both black and white people. By the 1960s, white people had the advantage of using Administration insured loans to buy themselves out of the projects. Black people were prevented from buying homes, even after discrimination became illegal in 1968, because provisions in deeds prevented the sale to black buyers. Hannah-Jones states, (Illustration B) “They [the McBeths] continued to rent while many of their white neighbors bought homes and built wealth. Scholars attribute a large part of the yawning wealth gap between black and white Americans — the typical white person has 13 times the wealth of a typical black person — to discriminatory housing policies” (14). (Explanation) Housing discrimination prevents families and people of color from moving out of impoverished neighborhoods. In turn, children are born and raised in those same neighborhoods their predecessors were unable to leave or fully own. Black people are unable to build profit from their assets for their descendants to inherit. From the beginning, the housing system was designed for black people to stay separate as well as unable to build wealth to expand beyond their assigned parameters. This means the residential system and the economic system denying financial help to black families has inherently black and white people are not equal, and therefore do not deserve fair treatment.

(Point 3)In America, the people in power are historically white. The policies and laws being passed are to the advantage of those in power. (Illustration A) Hannah- Jones details a rezoning she attends at a Brooklyn elementary school. The education council holds a meeting to vote on the integration of schools in the district. Parents of students attend the lower income schools worry about their kids who were there from the beginning being forgotten in the wake of white children being hurriedly accommodated by the council. A petition was signed for half of the seat to be guaranteed for children of lower income to ensure that the school would be truly integrated. The rezoning was approved but the seats held for 50 percent low-income was set-aside. Hannah-Jones states:

(Illustration B) This rezoning did not occur because it was in the best interests of P.S. 307’s black and Latino children, but because it served the interests of the wealthy, white parents of Brooklyn Heights…the plan would send future students from the only three Farragut buildings that had been zoned for P.S. 8 to P.S. 307, ultimately removing almostall low-income students from P.S. 8 and turning it into one of the most affluent schools in the city. (17) (Explanation) The rezoning was seen as a success on the road towards integration, but in actuality its white children that fill the seats that black and brown children once filled. The president of the council David Goldsmith, a white man, didn’t see the value of holding low income seats for students in one school. The black and brown body once again is displaced in favor of the white body. Under the guise of progress towards integration, minority children suffer the disadvantages of white policy makers in power. Black and brown children are unable to receive the same education and priority as white children. Their future selves are placed in further social, economic and financial inequality— perpetuating

the cycle of systemic racism.

(Reintroduction)Nikole Hanna-Jones explains how the segregation is perpetuated by society even after policies are removed. She expresses the impact segregation has not only on her daughter, but the lives of all black and brown children who are subject to an education system rooted in racism. American social, economic, and financial systems were created in favor of the white body and white people inherit this power. Black and brown people inherit social segregation and policies that place them at an inherent disadvantage. The wounds black and brown people carry must be repeatedly recognized by those in power in order to be repaired. (Restatement of the thesis)True integration means low-income children of color must have an equal number of seats in any space they have with white children, then opportunity is truly shared. Otherwise, the basis of America’s democracy remains fractured and its values a lie.