[Student Reporters] Milton Academy Discusses Nickel and Dimed

Yoona Lee / 11th Milton Academy

Barbara Ehrenreich's Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America chronicles her experience of living on minimum wage and describes the struggles of low-salary workers for daily survival. To write this book Ehrenreich set aside everything and spent several months waitressing cleaning homes and hotel rooms delivering meals nursing home residents and working in Wal-marts.

This was the book that the two student leaders Nick Jacob and Assel Tuleubayeva of Milton Academy a private school in MA chose as summer reading for the whole school. A week following the opening day after the long summer break the whole school divided into groups of ten to twelve each with one or two faculty members and a senior leader to discuss the book.

"I think this book is relevant to all of us living through global economy crisis whether we are poor or not" said Cameron Parsons one of the senior leaders opening up the discussion. Most of the students appreciated the book for helping them become aware of the hardships of lower class and for making them appreciate their own conditions. "Everybody in Milton Academy is greatly privileged to be able to afford to come here. As privileged people we have the duty to help others. What's the point if we don't do anything to actually contribute to the society?" said Woodruff Hudson a junior. "I agree" complied Sarah Reily a senior "and I think community service is a great way to reach out to the lower class. Milton Academy is a great school in a sense that it provides various community service opportunities."

There were some criticisms as well. "Ehrenreich had that condescending attitude towards her fellow workers knowing that she was better educated and wealthier. She was always expecting better treatment and complained when she did not get one" said Steffany Yoon a senior. "I think she always knew that she could always pull out of the low-wage jobs whenever she wanted" replied Becky Li also a senior. "Still I appreciate the book because it actually brought up the issue of poverty. It also motivated me to talk to the school cafeteria staffs and know more about them" she said. "The book was definitely enlightening" agreed Cameron Parsons nodding.

Through the 45 minute discussion students were able to look back on the society they live and understand the plight of others who live on different socioeconomic level.