DRAMA CLASS IS IN SESSION…
Richard Carranza, the Chancellor of the Board of Education has resigned. Replacing him will be the first Black female chancellor, Meisha Porter. The NY education system is the largest in the entire nation, with over 1 million students and 1,800 schools.
The resignation comes on the tail of a three year battle between Mayor De Blasio and Carranza’s butting heads over school policies.
On a truly heartbreaking note, Carranza mentioned he lost 11 family members due to COVID, and needed time to grieve. For those of you who have been experiencing something similar – here’s two of our guides to grief and self care during a pandemic. We’re sending you a virtual hug and feel free to write us if you want to talk <3
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Think of NYC’s school system as the litmus test for the entire country. What happens here will most likely be replicated in some degree in states all across the country. We’re like the lab rats of the nation…or at least in NY’s case, pizza loving rats.
A Black female chancellor in charge of the nation’s largest education system – is pretty badass. Could this be a step in the right direction regarding not only representation in leadership, but also schooling?
NYC IS DIVERSE…BUT SCHOOLS ARE ANYTHING BUT KOSHER
NY happens to have the most segregated schooling system in the nation. You would think segregation left alongside microwaveable TV dinners and poodle skirts in the 60’s but not really.
According to the NYT, out of 895 slots in Stuyvesant High School’s freshman class, only seven were offered to black students in 2019.
In the 1970’s, Black students made up 10% of Stuyvesant’s HS population. Today, it is less than 1%.
SIDE NOTE: Join us for our info session on March 11th at 7pm with Big Brothers Big Sisters NYC. Learn about how you can be a mentor for a NY youth.
Some critics argue that specialized testing prevents black and hispanic students from attending better schools, They also claim that the tests favor white and Asian American students. Others argue that these proposals are racist towards Asian American students. What we can agree on is that there needs to be a change in the system.
“Can anyone look the parent of a Latino or black child in the eye and tell them their precious daughter or son has an equal chance to get into one of their city’s best high schools?” – Mayor De Blasio
There’s been a huge battle between parents and schools to integrate schools, and well, let’s just say folks haven’t been too happy.
“In 2016, a proposal to send some Upper West Side children — who were zoned for a high-performing, mostly white, wealthy elementary school near their homes — to a lower-performing school, attended mostly by low-income black and Hispanic students, about a ten-minute walk away, was met with vitriol. ” – NYT
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Meisha Porter has been the Bronx Executive Superintendent and veteran of the NY public school system for over 20 years.
Having grown up in NY, and having been a product of the schooling system here – it appears she has a strong hold on what the NY schools system needs to flourish, and the very students who are being impacted. She starts officially on April 1st – we’ll keep you posted on any updates.
