This is a really grand collection of historical social theories and implementation relative to public education so far. I kept looking for a forward or acknowledgment section. This is obviously the work of many pullling together as a team.

There is a three page acknowledgement section in the back. One interesting sentence I found there was the following, "Merton's idea of "opportunity structure" is really the underpinning of this book, though the phrase itself hardly appears in it." This is surprising since Merton apparently guided and mentored the author for several of the research years for this publication.

Also, in the notes, I thought it very significant that the author promises to "find a way to make these letters, along with other correspondence, interviews, and private papers that I refer to below but that can't be used by others because they're in my personal files, available to researchers by depositing them in a library.

I'll continue now back to the regular reading, I just thought you may want to take the time to read these sometimes neglected parts that I find usually interesting.

It seems like they don't ever actually say oppurtunity structure, but skirt around it. I wonder how one would define it? WHat kind of oppurtunitty structure?
On a side not: Our wonderful SAT's were created with the intent of funnelling us all into a category. ISn't that nice?!!(note the sarcasm).