Concrete is named after the Lone Star Cement Company, which is where most of the adults work. The kids are working class and do not value education. Many get married in high school and drop out. None think of going to college.
Toby's civics teacher, Mr. Mitchell, is also an army recruiter. He tells the kids about taking personal belongings like pictures and letters off dead bodies in World War II. He also tells the kids the Americans were on the wrong side of the war. If Hitler had not killed the Jews, they would have made the atomic bomb before the Americans did. Mr. Mitchell fails a girl for saying Freedom of Speech is her favorite amendment, even though the test question asked the kids.....
