The nation is caught in a brutal cycle of educational, racial and socioeconomic inequity. Kozol argues that the only solution to this problem is the increased role of the government in the financial support of the less fortunate children and the under funded schools they attend. The prosperous families will not voluntarily help the poor, who cannot assist themselves in this case. This solution will be a difficult one to achieve, since the trend in the country is to cut back on government spending in all areas. Another trend is to have private resources fill in the gaps left by government cutbacks. However, as Kozol points out, "Cutting back the role of government and then suggesting that the poor can turn to businessmen who lobbied for such cuts is cynical indeed" (Kozol 82). Kozol's outlook is gripping because it takes aim at both the mind and the heart of the reader. He appeals to intellect by using statistics, which show that the nation has a segregated, and imbalanced school system, in which the rich receive better educations and the poor, especially minorities, receive less of an education. For example, he compares poor and wealthy school districts in San Antonio. The poor district spends $2800 yearly on each child's education, and "72 percent of children [in that district] read below grade level." In the wealthy district, $4600 is spent yearly on each child. In that district, "virtually all students graduate and 88 percent of graduates go on to college" (Kozol 224). He appeals to the heart by showing how this unjust school system is also an ethical and spiritual failure that will eat away at the soul of the nation. He also appeals to the heart of the reader by, as has been previously expressed, letting the children speak for themselves for the reason that the children are the victims of this system. One 14-year-old girl says, "We have a school in East St. Louis named for Dr. King.