The first major theme of Savage Inequalities is the link between inequality and segregation. One of the important tasks of Kozol's argument is to establish that the inequalities manifest in American education are connected to practices of segregation, in both the past and the present. Supplemental to this argument is Kozol’s position that these practices of segregation echo across generations, and predicate future inequality. Kozol's belief is that continuing racial prejudice and separatism, although mostly tacit, help keep these divisions active. These divisions, in turn, spoil opportunity for future generations.

Kozol's concept of "inequality" can be summarized as an "equality of opportunity"—that is, the maintenance of a system whereby all people have the ability to compete academically and economically, and forge their own destinies. In Kozol's view, the current system does not guarantee appropriate materials, resources, and attention to students of lower socioeconomic classes, and students of color.

While most of Kozol's viewpoints here are commonly held, he goes further in his insistence of methods of reform. Kozol is a redistributionist; he supports policies that direct funds and materials from wealthier, higher-performing districts to poorer, lower-performing ones. His rationale is that the latter has much more unfair challenges and obstacles; this imbalance needs to be rectified if progress is to be made.