Paula Chase's Balancing Act is one of those books that will stick with you long after you finish it. It combines beautifully crafted prose with fresh insight into little talked about social justice issues.
"@WinstonAlum62 In other words, a brand-new school with no accomplishments and very little local regulation is suddenly the best thing to happen to our city because they and their 'partners' said so. #InvestigateTheHeights
@EaglesSoar Pay attention! The two largest media outlets who control local radio and news stations are in bed with a public schools. Suspicious at best. Illegal at worst.
@BlackisBeautiful Dr. Walker funded #TheHeights charter school with his own money. Let the man do something good for the city, damn.
@WinstonAlum62 But can he build something that's competitive w/o decimating the rest of the local schools? Everything shiny is not golden."
I included this lengthy quote to create context for Paula Chase's Balancing Act. The question raised lies at the heart of the narrative both on a large scale and an individual level. The two narrators, Jamaal and Chyna, are teens who have been accepted at the new school: The Heights School of Technology, Sports & Arts.
Jamaal has been recruited for his hoops skills. His winning is a tribute to his big brother, Jacquees who was tragically shot. The year before he'd led his impoverished high school to championship glory. They'd been expecting a repeat until he was recruited by The Heights. His neighborhood feels betrayed. The loss of support from them weighs heavily on Jamaal.
Health concerns also weigh heavily on him. He's having symptoms that could mean anything from anxiety to heart disease. When the school orders him to go to a doctor of their choosing and to stay out of practices and games he's afraid that he won't be able to play the game he loves and honor Jacquees.
Chyna has been recruited to the elite gymnastics team, presented as a diamond in the rough. Although she has had very basic experience, she's been named co captain. Her fellow co captain Alicia, the very spoiled daughter of a rich and very powerful family, disrespects her every way possible. She's not quite sure that she can possibly belong in that snooty elite institution...
...which would be bad enough if her mother wasn't dying. Whitney is on kidney dialysis, waiting for a donated kidney, in a race against time which she's losing. Her obvious weakening breaks Chyna's heart.
The writing is quite evocative and engaging. The plot is complex and fast moving. The narrators are people who it's hard not to root for. Balancing Act is a literary version of sea salt caramel dark chocolate--rich and satisfying.
As far as social justice issues, let's start with charter schools. They were are a threat to public schools when I was on school committee (2005-2016) and they are even more so with a privatizing government. They divert much needed funding from already cash strapped schools. They make a practice of cherry picking, taking only the best students and passing up any kids who would need costly special education services. There is also often a glaring lack of any kind of external oversight.
And ask yourself this: if Whitney was not Black and poor would a kidney not be so impossible to obtain? Our American medical system is far from fair and equal.
If you like Chase's writing you are for real in luck. Balancing Act is the first volume in a series. I'm eagerly awaiting the next. And she has lots of previously published books which I most definitely will be checking out.
On a personal note, this week I've had something late every week day. Monday it was a Black Bear Mutual Aid Fund meeting. Tuesday was Orono Community Garden. Last night was the Orono Public Library Volunteer Appreciation Night. Tonight is a Wade Center/Wilson Center dinner featuring Olive Garden food which is the BEST!!! Tomorrow night is Take Back The Night. A lot of fun but a bit tiring.
A great big shout out goes out to all who participated in the events and my friend, Margo, who was kind enough to look over this review before I posted it.
Jules Hathaway
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