[lbo-talk] Race to Nowhere | Slate

[Chuck Grimes]

They don't play all that much. Especially not free social play that I had 
from morning to night, just by stepping out on the street. No one steps out 
on the street. Public space became closed to children about 25 years ago. 
They play only in private spaces, and the achievement race starts early and 
is unrelenting.

Joanna

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I think it depends a little on where you live, the neighborhood and its 
micro-social order. For example Berkeley High School lets out for lunch hour 
and the kids clog the downtown like obnoxious pests. There is a kind of 
adult collective relief when they go back to their giant prison compound 
next to city hall and get out of the park across the street. A similar scene 
is duplicated at Willard middle school at or around three. It's near to a 
small shopping and restaurant area around Ashby and Tele.

I live in a heavy student area but just a block or so south of me is a quiet 
residential area with lots of street barriers and a lot of families with 
kids. The playground of the nearest school is usually pretty full after 
school in good weather. I was surprized in the long ago, just how kid 
friendly Berkeley was in programs, schools, field trips, interesting places 
to visit. The lower grades in this particular area with two elementary 
schools nearby often take their classes on walks around the downtown area 
which also includes the main branch of the library. The city hall, main 
library, and most of the high school were built under WPA projects and all 
centrally located. In this plan, you can see how a city literally constructs 
its society as a living entity.

Another civilizing influence are the social science departments including 
education that kind of permeate the city's institutions in social services. 
This helps mitigate the endless neoliberal regimes.

CG