In many ways America is in worse shape than before the first Watts riots occurred over 25 years ago. Intolerance is still abundant; greed is very much alive; and hope held by many at the bottom has been dimmed, if not extinguished. For our country to become everything it is capable of becoming and everything our ancestors dreamed, education cannot continue as usual. Ours is a great country, but when even one of its citizens is made to feel less than human or is robbed of their dignity, something is wrong. encourages teachers to question the status quo and to reexamine their power to influence the direction our country takes into the 21st century. It also encourages teachers to acknowledge the realities that exist, teach the rejection of violence, and promote an awareness and understanding of people as individuals.