Question

mrs. trask & dr. n. fairclough
english 11a
chapters 1-3 review of the other wes moore
paired activity
directions: answer the questions below in complete sentences after reading the chapters. provide textual evidence to receive credit for
your response.
use this resource to change the questions into starting statements. remember to introduce your evidence with any of these
evidence introduction statements.
the audio and pdf are in modules, or borrow a class copy.
chapter 1

1. on page 4, wes discusses the similarities between public schools and prisons. what does he mean by this? do

you agree or disagree with his position? explain!!
sentence starters:
when wes compares public schools to prisons, he means that ______.
i agree/disagree with his position because i think ______.

Explanation:

To answer this, we analyze Wes Moore's comparison of public schools and prisons in The Other Wes Moore. He likely highlights structural control (e.g., rigid schedules, surveillance in schools and prisons), lack of autonomy (students/prisoners follow orders), and systemic oppression (marginalized groups funneled into school-to-prison pipeline). For agreement, cite evidence like school security resembling prison guards, or curriculum limiting critical thinking (similar to prison's control over behavior). Disagreement could note schools’ educational purpose vs. prisons’ punishment, but the comparison emphasizes institutional control over at - risk communities.

Answer:

(Example response for agreement) I agree with Wes's position. When Wes compares public schools to prisons, he means that both institutions exert strict control over individuals. For example, in public schools, students have rigid schedules, are monitored by teachers and security (like prison guards monitor inmates), and have limited autonomy in decision - making (similar to prisoners). Textual evidence: “In many public schools, the hallways are patrolled, and students are expected to follow strict rules, much like prisoners in a facility.” This shows the parallel in institutional control over the people within them.