Submitted by Hope (not verified) on June 10, 2006 - 21:54.
I work in the 2nd largest school district in Illinois. We are being sued by several Hispanic families because of our re-districting policies which essentially segregated the low SES groups (predominately Hispanic) and the upper-end SES groups. There seems to be a trend of sending kids to their neighborhood schools, which in effect is based on clear racial and SES status.
Prior to this policy, Hispanic students (primarily mono-lingual Spanish speakers) were bussed outside of their neighborhoods into hostile environments where they were not accepted or wanted. This action, while perhaps better for both communities as relates to understanding other cultures, further disenfranchised a group of people who did not feel connected to their communities or the school. My feeling is that Hispanics were bussed because they continue not to vote, therefore the predominately white school board would never be voted out because of these actions.
I believe this move occured for "neighborhood" schools because an upper-end neighborhood with very little racial integration had started proceedings to separate from the district. The district would lose money as well as the prestige of the higher test scores.
Meanwhile, the district has done very little to create an all-inclusive environment for the primarily Hispanic schools. Most principals and school principal secretaries do not speak Spanish, nor are they Hispanic - instead, a Hispanic liason is hired to interface with one group of people - the mono-lingual child and parents. Only recently, have I begun to see a change in the main district office - now one can see Hispanic faces in secretarial positions and some very upper level positions.
With these type of practices, Hispanic communities will never be able to take control or have a real say in their schools because the leadership is unable to communicate with them in meaningful and knowing ways. Having said all this, the question still remains - does community control necessarily mean better instruction? If a community is empowered with this type of control, does it just mean that the faces will change, but not the politics?
I don't know if we will win the law suit, but I do know that we are expending lots of money that we don't have to win the law suit. In Rockford, Illinois, where a similar law suit was filed - they lost. In the end, the community of Rockford suffered financially and great racial divide continue to be felt throughout the community and schools. There just has to be a better way of doing the right thing.
I work in the 2nd largest
Submitted by Hope (not verified) on June 10, 2006 - 21:54.
I work in the 2nd largest school district in Illinois. We are being sued by several Hispanic families because of our re-districting policies which essentially segregated the low SES groups (predominately Hispanic) and the upper-end SES groups. There seems to be a trend of sending kids to their neighborhood schools, which in effect is based on clear racial and SES status.
Prior to this policy, Hispanic students (primarily mono-lingual Spanish speakers) were bussed outside of their neighborhoods into hostile environments where they were not accepted or wanted. This action, while perhaps better for both communities as relates to understanding other cultures, further disenfranchised a group of people who did not feel connected to their communities or the school. My feeling is that Hispanics were bussed because they continue not to vote, therefore the predominately white school board would never be voted out because of these actions.
I believe this move occured for "neighborhood" schools because an upper-end neighborhood with very little racial integration had started proceedings to separate from the district. The district would lose money as well as the prestige of the higher test scores.
Meanwhile, the district has done very little to create an all-inclusive environment for the primarily Hispanic schools. Most principals and school principal secretaries do not speak Spanish, nor are they Hispanic - instead, a Hispanic liason is hired to interface with one group of people - the mono-lingual child and parents. Only recently, have I begun to see a change in the main district office - now one can see Hispanic faces in secretarial positions and some very upper level positions.
With these type of practices, Hispanic communities will never be able to take control or have a real say in their schools because the leadership is unable to communicate with them in meaningful and knowing ways. Having said all this, the question still remains - does community control necessarily mean better instruction? If a community is empowered with this type of control, does it just mean that the faces will change, but not the politics?
I don't know if we will win the law suit, but I do know that we are expending lots of money that we don't have to win the law suit. In Rockford, Illinois, where a similar law suit was filed - they lost. In the end, the community of Rockford suffered financially and great racial divide continue to be felt throughout the community and schools. There just has to be a better way of doing the right thing.