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[Pages:5]Parent/~ommunity Negotiating Committee Intermediate School 201 130 E a s t 129th S t r e e t New York, New York 10035

RESPONSE TO BOARD OF EDUCATION "~ropos1as for Improving Education in Schools in

Disadvantaged rea as"

For Release: October 21, 1966

The ~arent/Community N e g o t i a t i n g Committee f o r I . S . 201 has c a r e f u l l y read and considered the Board of Education's proposal ent i t l e d " ~ r o p o s 1a s f o r I m p r o v i n g E d u c a t i o n i n S c h o o l s i n Disadvant a g e d A r e a s . " We a r e shocked b y i t s i m p l i c a t i o n s t h a t t h e f a i l u r e of the educational system i n minority neighborhoods i s due t o inherent inadequacies i n Black and Puerto Rican communities, r a t h e r t h a n i n t h e S c h o o l System i t s e l f . We a l s o r e g r e t t h a t t h e Board h a s t o t a l l y f a i l e d t o a d d r e s s i t s e l f t o t h e demand f o r s i g n i f i c a n t community involvement by proposing t h e establishment of another h i e r a r c h i c a l body w i t h I1 a d v i s o r y 1 ' powers. Our c r i t i q u e of t h e r e port i n further detail follows.

The Board o f E d u c a t i o n p r e f a c e s i t s recommendations w i t h a two and one h a l f page I' background'' t h a t c a n c h a r i t a b l y be d e s c r i b e d a s a m a s s i v e a p o l o g i a a n d whitewash o f t h e Board and t h e New York C i t y Publ-ic School System. The Board b e g i n s by r e f e r r i n g t o i t s 1951 s t a t e m e n t which e n d o r s e s 11maximum teamwork" between p a r e n t s , comunity, and schools.

The Board p o i n t s t o P a r e n t s 1 A s s o c i a t i o n s , v o l u n t e e r programs and Local School Boards a s examples of t h e l r commitment and communil;y P a r t n e r s h i p i n t h e e d u c a t i o n a l p r o c e s s . Anyone even v a g u e l y f a m i l i a r with the operation of the School System i n Black and Puerto Rican communities knows t h a t t h e s e forums have been s t r i p p e d of any s i g n i f i c a n c e by t h e Board of Education i t s e l f . The P a r e n t s ' A s s o c i a t i o n i s customarily used i n our community a s a t o o l o f t h e p r i n c i p a l fc? p r e v e n t i n g s i g n i f i c a n t p a r e n t d i n v o l v e m e n t i n s c h o o l a f f a i r s . By relegating i t s role t o cake s a l e s and by offering i t s o f f i c e r s jobs i n t h e s c h o o l , P a r e n t s t A s s o c i a t i o n s have been s t r i p p e d o f any meaningful significance.

Local School Boards a r e c l e a r l y under the c o n t r o l of t h e Board of Education and t h e white community. For t h i s reason, t h e Black and Puerto Rican schools i n t h e d i s t r i c t of Local School Board 17 i n B r o o k l y n have s e t u p t h e i r own Board p a r a l l e l i n g t h e r e g u l a r l y a p p o i n t e d one d o m i n a t e d by W h i t e s who d o n o t r e p r e s e n t them. Local School Board f o r D i s t r i c t #2 i n Manhattan has seven of nine members who a r e r e s i d e n t s from t h e White community o f Y o r l c v i l l e , although 3/4ths of t h e c h i l d r e n a r e Negro and Puerto Rican from East Harlem. This Board i s e f f e c t i v e l y used a s a buffer a g a i n s t

t h e demands o f t h e minority community. L o c a l S c h o o l Board #4 from

Harlem and East Harlem has so e f f e c t i v e l y used i t s "advfsory:' r o l e a s an advocate for the communityls needs t h a t 110 Livingston S t r e e t completely ignores it.

As a p r e f a c e t o i t s a d m i s s i o n t h a t t h e Board must a d d r e s s i t s e l f t o the i n f e r i o r education i n t h e ghetto, the Board a l l u d e s t o

e numerous programs i t has provided f o r "disadvantaged areas", nvironmental"handicaps, and "ravages of poverty and discriminaon." The i m p l i c a t i o n s a r e c l e a r : The Board of E d u c a t i o n ' s e f f o l t s t o provide q u a l i t y education i n minority communities has f a i l e d because of t h e inadequacies of Black and Puerto Rican people. This i s a s i n s u l t i n g a s i t i s u n t r u e . By w h a t e v e r m e a s u r e o f p h y s i c a l e x -

cellence -- c l a s s s i z e , teacher t r a i n i n g and experience, materials,

a n d program -- B l a c k and P u e r t o R i c a n c h i l d r e n -a s-a whole do n o t

receive equal treatment i n our Public Schools. In addition, the Board of Education has t o t a l l y f a i l e d t o take s e r i o u s l y t h e experience and culture of these children. A predominantly White, middle c l a s s , s t a f f with t h e i r program and s e t of expectations has attempted t o force these children t o adapt t o the Board's particu l a r self-understanding, culture, and vision of society.

The Board cannot s o e a s i l y shed t h e p r i m a r y r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r the criminally i n f e r i o r education being offered i n Black and Puerto R i c a n c o m m u n i t i e s . We a g r e e t h a t i t i s u n f o r t u n a t e i f It g e n e r a l i z e d public c r i t i c i s m s of teachers have done grave i n j u s t i c e t o the many c o m p e t e n t and d e d i c a t e d p r o f e s s i o n a l s . If We would p o i n t o u t t h a t perhaps such c r i t i c i s m i s j u s t i f i e d i n a community where, a s

i n Harlem, 87% o f t h e c h i l d r e n a r e two o r more y e a r s b e h i n d a f t e r

s i x grades. It i s t h e Board of Education, not t h e community, t h a t b e a r s t h e burden o f g u i l t f o r low t e a c h e r morale b y n o t p r o v i d i n g the necessary program, funds, and s t a f f t o enable education t o take place.

To f i n d "prompt a n s w e r s " t o c e r t a i n q u e s t i o n s r a i s e d b y t h e I..IS.: 2 0 1 d i s p u t e , t h e Board s u g g e s t s a " C i t y - w i d e Task F o r c e . I' We do not think t h a t t h e answers a r e so d i f f i c u l t t o f i n d . Certainly t h e y a r e not beyond t h e Board's competence. Indeed, most of them h a v e b e e n s u g g e s t e d b y o t h e r " t a s k f o r c e s , " s t u d y g r o u p s , and commissions.

We wonder how t h e p r o p o s e d t a s k f o r c e c o u l d be a n y more compet e n t than t h e Allen Commission whose r e p o r t allowed t h e Board t o spend two y e a r s making studies and recommendations, and implemented t h e Report i n such a way a s t o s u b v e r t i t s whole f o c u s , namely

qus l i t y i n t e g r a t e d e d u c a t i o n . The i m p l e m e n t a t i o n o f 4-4-4r e o r g a n i -

z a t i o n and t h e p r e s e n t p l a n n i n g of E d u c a t i o n a l Parks a r e two c a s e s in point.

The Board c a l l s f o r II prompt answers" when i t h a s r e p e a t e d l y i g n o r e d a~?swer.s prov-i-ded b y l e a d l n g e d u c a b r s w h i c h i t h a d comm S s s i o n e d ( e . g . D r . Dodson, D r . D e n t l e r , D r . A l l e n , e t ~ . ) . We a g r ? , ?

t h a t "emergency a c t i o n " i s necessary i n t h e education of g h e t t o c h i l d r e n , b u t we s u g g e s t t h a t t h e f I e x t r e m e h a n d i c a p s " t h e s e c h i l d r e n o p e r a t e u n d e r a r e t h e ways i n wh3& t h e Board o f E d u c a t i o n and i t s s t a f f perceives them and t h e i r communities, and not inherent inadequacies i n t h e c h i l d r e n o r t h e i r Negro and Puerto Rican neighborhoods. We c h a r g e t h a t t h i s Task F o r c e i s j u s t a n o t h e r i n a l o n g s e r i e s o f such s p e c i a l groups e s t a b l i s h e d t o enable the Board t o avoid dealing With the educational d e s t r u c t i o n of Black and Puerto Rican children.

We a r e p a r t i c u l a r l y i n t e r e s t e d i n t h e Board o f E d u c a t i o n ' s p r o p o s a l f o r an E d u c a t i o n a l Board f o r I.S. 201. The whole purpose b e h i n d t h e o r i g i n a l demands f o r s u c h a Board by t h e Harlem communit i e s was t o c r e a t e a system of a c c o u n t a b i l i t y t o t h e communities which would change t h e c o m m u n i t y ' s r o l e from one o f t h e 11p l a n t a t i o n ' ! t o one of genuine p a r t i c i p a t i o n and r e s p o n s i b i l i t y . This seemed l i k e a reasonable request, s i n c e the Board had admitted t h a t the s c h o o l must remain s e g r e g a t e d . However, t h e Board has, without c o n s u l t i n g t h e community, imposed i t s own d e f i n i t i o n o f what t h i s Board would b e , e v e n t o s u g g e s t i n g how i t would be c h o s e n .

The N e g o t i a t i n g Committee c o n s f s t e n t l y proposed a s t r u c t u r e w h i c h w u l d work w i t h t h e Board and s t a f f of t h e Systern and would c h o o s e e d u c a t i o n a l e x p e r t s a s a d v i s o r s . We a r e t i r e d o f w h i t e p r o f e s s i o n a l s d o m i n a t i n g t h e e d u c s t i o n a ? s y s t e m o f t h e g h e t t o . We Particularly resent the Board's suggestion that they play such a major r o l e on t h e I.S. 201 Council. Again, i t suggests t h a t t h e Board does not r e a l l y intend t o give the community a s i g n i f i c a n t role in school affairs.

The Board d i d meet w i t h t h e community and v e r b a l l y p r e s e n t e d i t s p l a n . When t h e N e g o t i a t i n g Committee r e q u e s t e d t h e p l a n i n writing and another meeting t o discuss it, Mr. Garrison replied t h a t a d d i t i o n a l m e e t i n g s would be p o i n t l e s s . Members o f t h e Board began t o leave.

To a v o i d t h i s k i n d o f a r r o g a n t i n s e n s i t i v i t y t o t h e l e g i t i m a t e v o i c e o f t h e communi@, t h e 1.2,. 2 0 1 E d u c a t i o n a l C o u n c i l was p r o p o s e d . We know from l o n g e x p e r i e n c e w i t h P a r e n t A s s o c i a t i o n s and L o c a l S c h o o l B o a r d s t n a t community g r o u p s w i t h II a d v i s o r y powcr" a r e i g n o r e d by t h e B o a r d . I n d e e d , when t h e y can d i s m i s s a g r o u p

t o which t h e y had p l e d g e d t h e m s e l v e s t o d e a l i n good f a i t h , -a -f t e r

h a v i n g b r o k e n a n a g r e e m e n t h o n o r a b l y r e a c h e d by b o t h p a r t i e s , we s e e l i t t l e hope t h a t the proposed I.S. 201 Board w i l l be a s i g n i i f c a n t mechanism f o r r e d r e s s l n g t h e present education of our c h i l d r e n ,

O f course, t h e Board of Education absolves i t s e l f of f a i l i n g t o take t h e proposals submitted t o it s e r i o u s l y by s t a t i n g t h a t 11 a s a m a t t e r of sound e d u c a t i o n a l p r a c t i c e , i t c o u l d n o t p r o p e r l y a b d i c a t e t h e r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s s p e c i f i c a l l y l a i d upon i t by t h e E d u c a t i o n Law." The p o i n t i s t h a t t h e Board h a s a l r e a d y a b d i c a t e d i t s "responsibility" t o educate Black and Puerto Rican children. If i t had n o t , t h e I.S. 2 0 l s i t u a t i o n would never have a r i s e n . The community must have a s i g n i f i c a n t voice t o f o r c e t h e Board t o assume i t s r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o educate i t s children.

F i n a l l y , we a g r e e w i t h t h e Board when i t s a y s t h a t " t h e f a c t t h a t t h e 201 Board's functions must remain advisory should not i m p a i r i t s usefulness," since t h e u s e f u l function t h a t the Board intends f o r it i s t o serve a s the l a t e s t buffer between i t s e l f and t h e B l a c k community. The v e r y same s t a t e m e n t s have been made r e garding p a r e n t a s s o c i a t i o n s and loca 1 school boards, whose II adv i s o r y " c a p a c i t y h a s o n l y had i m p a c t when r e p r e s e n t i n g a w h i t e community.

The Board s t a t e m e n t concludes w i t h t h e same high-sounding r h e t o r i c t h a t h a s marked a l l i t s r e c e n t p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t s . However, t h e s t r u c t u r e f o r t h e 1.3. 201 Board i n d i c a t e s t h a t i t h2s no i n t e n t i o n o f t a k i n g i t s own words s e r i o u s l y .

We w i l l b e l i e v e t h a t t h e Board o f E d u c a t i o n means what i t s a y s when i t t a k e s s e r i o u s l y i t s own p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t s r e g a r d i n g q u a l i t y i n t e g r a t e d e d u c a t i o n ; when i t ,b,egins l i s t e n i n g t o o u r l o c a l '?chool Board; and when i t resumes i n good f a i t h t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s w i t h t h e parent/community n e g o t i a t i n g c o m m i t t e e . U n t i l t h e n , we w i l l r e gard a l l t h e f i n d sounding plans f o r "community p a r t i c i p a t i o n " u n i l a t e r a l l y handed down from t h e Board a s f u r t h e r a t t e m p t s ( a l o n g w i t h new p o l i c y s t a t e m e n t s , r e o r g a n i z a t i o n f l a n s , a n d new f i v e m i l l i o n d o l l a r b u i l d i n g s ) t o keep Negro and Puerto Rican c i t i z e n s -I n- t h e i r p l a c e . " ~ r o ~ o s a lf os r I m p r o v i n g E d u c a t i o n i n S c h o o l s i n

i l i s a d v a n t a g e d rea as" t a k e s i t s p l a c e a t t h e t o p of a l a r g e p i l e of

s i m i l a r proposals a s t h i s season's document of d e c e i t and duplic i t y from t h e " ~ o a r do f Gerlocide" o f t h e C i t y o f New York.

PARENT/cOMMUNITY NEGOTIATING PARENT/CONMUNITY NEGOTIATING COMMITTEE

I.S. 201

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