Public Housing and School Choice in a Gentrified City is a bold statement about education and housing policies that influence the lives of low-income youth. This multi-method study draws on interviews, youth research, and in-depth case studies from Hoboken, New Jersey to examine the influence of intra-district school choice and charter schools on the education of youth in public housing as well as the environmental experiences of low-income youth in a gentrified community. In her work, Molly Vollman Makris examines neoliberal nonegalitarianism, the creation of boutique charter schools, and changes to public housing policy. Makris' research also identifies a link between school choice, universal preschool, and the real estate market, and shows that these educational policies are creating what Makris calls prolonged gentrification. Importantly, the book provides readers with ideas to ameliorate the inequalities identified.
Industry Reviews
"Without identifying heroes or villains, Makris' case study of school choice, public housing, and gentrification in Hoboken illuminates a powerful truth: housing policy and school policy are intimately linked. It also exposes two fictions: that neoliberal educational reforms will improve the quality of education for the most vulnerable youth, and that race and class have no relationship to parents' perceptions of school choice options and subsequent decisions about schooling. Hoboken's experience reminds us of the opportunities and dangers of relying on market-inspired reforms for creating diverse neighborhoods and equitable schools even when communities desire them." - Roslyn Arlin Mickelson, Professor of Sociology, Public Policy, and Women and Gender Studies, University of North Carolina, Charlotte, USA "Besides providing a detailed analysis of contacts between haves and have-nots, Makris clarifies why schools are such an important part of the process. The book has important implications for race, urban planning, education, and the role of young people in shaping both the texture and substance of the environment in which they live." - William Helmreich, Professor of Sociology, The City College of New York and CUNY Graduate Center, USA
