Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic convention last night, and reactions to it, got me thinking about a key tension in American discussions of education.

We have two discourses going simultaneously:

DISCOURSE 1: Youth should strive to reach their dreams, regardless of obstacles. Motivation is everything; opportunity is there for the taking. (As Obama put it, America should be a place where you can "make it if you try.")

DISCOURSE 2: Young people cannot succeed if opportunities are not provided to them. Therefore, adults must provide children with opportunities. (As Obama put it, Americans should give our children a "world class education.")

Obama talked almost exclusively about Discourse 1 last night, and said very little about opportunities denied to American children.

My new book, Because of Race, is largely about opportunites denied to children. I try to discuss a feedback loop: while children start out striving, they may stop striving if opportunities are not provided to them.

Educators need to motivate young people to strive toward their dreams regardless of obstacles, BY providing the opportunities that only schools can provide.