GHOSTS IN THE SCHOOLYARD Racism and School Closings in Chicago's South Side

Blending history and memoir, Eve Ewing's audiobook offers a challenging look at the targeted closure of several public schools in Chicago in 2013. Why these schools? Why these communities? Lisa Reneé Pitts narrates this dense exploration with determination. Her enunciation is clear, and her emphasis unmistakable as she voices parents and community members. The author has a unique position as a scholar and researcher because she was formerly a student and teacher on the city's South Side--it would have been interesting to hear an intro or endnote by her. Public life in Chicago has long been shaped by political corruption and racist policies, and Ewing's investigation is an indictment of outcomes determined by neighborhoods and zip codes. A.S. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2019]