Education may be a fundamental variable if other vital variables are furthermore present in the lives of young children such as good health and nutrition, civilized housing, a safe neighborhood, and above all a loving, caring adult family, whether one person or two or more. However we know that not all young children five in such favorable circumstances, and for those who do not, schooling is probably not nearly as important a factor in their lives as some would like it to be. In other words, if children belong to families where they are consistently loved and cared for, where their health and nutritional needs are properly served, in homes that do not disintegrate into emotional turmoil and disorganization, in neighborhoods that are safe, then those children can make the best use of whatever education is offered them in the preschool programs and schools they attend. If, however, they do not belong to such families, do not live in safe and secure housing and neighborhoods, they are unlikely to be able to take full advantage of their schooling. It is important to recognize that for many children living in these circumstances, however much their learning abilities are impaired by their home situation, the school may be the only safe and secure institution in their lives. It is, therefore, crucial to them, in all manner of ways. Anecdotal evidence from teachers is absolutely persuasive on this point. (Cohen, David K. Grant, S.G (1993)
These contrasts make it complicated to believe claims that America's young children attend common schools. School attendance policies, housing practices, and income differences all help to segregate students by either social and economic class, or by ethnicity and race, or both. The segregation is far from perfect, but a large fraction of America's children attend school with youngsters much like themselves, and have little direct experience of any other America................
