School Selection and Conditions

Our presentation and discussion on Wednesday certainly brought up a lot of issues and problems with selection. One important idea that came about is that perhaps school selection is, at least in part, responsible for continuing the trend of segregation. I firmly believe that education needs to be integrated, as its effects go well beyond simply what our children learn in each subject area. I also do not necessarily think that we need to eliminate school selection all together. There are obvious benefits to having the choice of school that children attend. So essentially we need to find a way to have some school selection and assure that it is integrated. I think this starts with, as Kerri-Ann said, social capital. Not everyone has this, obviously, and not everyone can obtain this. So we are left with equalizing the playing field between the have and have nots. This comes with making people aware that they do have choices. We know that people are not always aware of their options, witness the Bard School discussed in class. So who provides this information to people who do not have it? There are people who are aware, and through programs such as our class, are becoming more aware of the inequalities and injustices of our school system. It is up to these people to not only tell others about the problems, but to tell people about the opportunities, they are not aware of. Much of the research we have looked into has told of the problems, not many give solutions. It is the role of those who serve these populations to also advocate for them as well. Tell me what is wrong with the system, but tell me how to fix it as well. Of course solutions are not always easy, however they are there, and we come about these solution through an open conversation that will force those in power to listen and make change.

Unfortunately we were unable to get to much of our discussion of school conditions. Let's just say it would have been great. Basically, school conditions are awful for many of our students and they affect both the learning and teaching abilities a great deal. The question that I asked in class as to who is responsible for solutions can not only be asked of schools condition, but selection and much of what has been discussed in class this semester. The easy answer is to say that the government is responsible for placing these burdens on the schools, NCLB, poor conditions, segregation, etc. That answer would be right. However, while the schools, teachers, parents and students may not have been the cause of many of these problems, I think the solutions lie in their hands. These people are at the ground level, they see the problems everyday. Both the videos we intended to show in class discussed the role that these people must play in fixing these problems. The Youth Education Alliance, seen in the DC Public Schools video, and the AFT, American Federation of Teachers, recognize this fact. If change is going to happen, we can not leave the ultimate decision as to when, in the hands of the government or those in control of the money. The YEA and AFT see the role of students and teachers as advocates for change. So if change at any level of education is going to happen it is through organizations such as these that make people aware of the problems and then hold those in power accountable for assuring that change happens.

Here is the AFT video we were unable to show in class:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5e2bWHkMNi8

Here is the website for YEA, the Youth Education Alliance: http://www.youtheducationalliance.org/ . It shows the role that students can have in making change. Too often students do not think they can make a difference, it is important that they know they can have an effect on their education. This will keep kids from saying and believing things like Fortino said in Kozol, "Your ghetto, so we send you to the factory." (180).