One Response to “Video: Joel Klein, Chancellor of New York City Public Schools”
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I am a parent of two children at PS 163, one is in the Third Grade G&T which is low on female students and the other is a Gen-Ed Kindergartner who learns with 22 other students. The G&T K has only 11 students. I am willing to add there is only one black child in that class which means nothing really, or does it? One African-American student in that exclusive class.
Why has Mr. Klein raised the bar so greatly on the G&T which was called “SP” in the 1970’s- 80’s? SP stood for Special Progress. What right does Mr. Klein have to make it so much harder to integrate well testers and “poor” testers. I believe he is breaking the law by separating and not equalizing the classes. Again, 23 in Gen (general) Ed and 11 in G&T (gifted & talented.) The GE class is overcrowded while the elite Kindergartners in g&t sit together, work together and commune at a table set for 11 students. Again there is just one black child in that class and surely he tested well, but the other class is dominated by various ethnic groups and there are just 2 caucasian students.. Can I take this matter to City Hall? Is Joel Klein creating 2 camps of children–those of “privilege” judged by random testing and another class that is challenged in every way because of overcrowding. I refuse to believe that one group is so much more entitled or intelligent to deserve this kind of SPECIAL treatment, he should equalize the Kindergarten, not segregate it. I believe Mr. Klein is another kind of fascist by his standards. I am tempted to get a Civil Rights attorney involved in the situation. This school is on the Upper West Side. It is or once was the most ethnically and economically diverse school on Manhattan. What is the deal with this separation of kids over test scores? Mr. Klein implies one group will have a better chance in life (from the get go) than the other? I know how the system works in NYC from experience and that will be the result. These two different K classes never mingle. I am truly concerned about the continuation of humanity and our children growing up in New York City, I see segregation in action in the NYC public school system.
SFH
SFH