My understandig of the NYC schooling system is that students can apply
to public schools with different areas of emphasis, like the iconic
"FAME" school.  So students are able to apply to whatever school they
want and city transportation can get them there... I could be very
wrong, but that is my understanding.

Using a system of public transportation and schools based off student
interest is not feasible in area like here in Franklin Co., Kentucky.
The school systems (county and city) bus their students to their
schools.  The county has two high schools and the city one with a
combined student population of 2,037.  Needless to say we do not have
the resources to make single interest schools.  There is already
disparity between the city highschool and the county highschools, the
city school is known for being the better and parents spend a good deal
of money to send them there.

In response to your final paragraph, I question the government's choice
to focus on certain groups of students.  My opinion could be formed from
our country's sensationalist journalism, but isn't there a report that
is saying more and more young women are succeeding in maths and sciences
and that young men are falling behind?  I dunno... I feel like we all
look for the round peg answer in a world full of octagon wholes *shrug* 

-----Original Message-----
From: povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:povertyracewomen-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Laurie Sheridan
Sent: Monday, April 09, 2007 3:20 PM
To: RaceWomen and Literacy Discussion List The Poverty
Subject: [PovertyRaceWomen 673] Re: public perceptions

One of my sons taught until recently at a public middle school in New
York City that was girls-only--the Young Women's Leadership Academy, in
East Harlem.  It was a pilot school--part of the public school system in
NYC.  It appeared to be quite successful, and widely supported--many
public school teachers chose to send their own daughters there--but it
was also the target of a couple of gender discrimination lawsuits, all
unsuccessful.  So, apparently it's legal so far in most instances to
separate students by gender in public schools, at least in New York.  I
believe there are other schools on a similar model, but I don't know
much about them.  Boys-only schools and classrooms have been tried in
Chicago and I think Milwaukee, too.   They too have been somewhat
controversial, but have apparently been quite effective in supporting
young black males and helping them succeed in school.  

I also saw the article about having special programming for boys in
Ossining, NY, earlier today.  Interesting article, sounded like an
effective program.  But, I don't believe they were in separate
classrooms--I think they had additional programming, after school and
during, in addition to their regular classroom activities.  So that's a
little different.

I feel so divided, even confused, about all of this.  It would be so
easy to re-institute or slide towards "separate but unequal" once again.
(Though, of course, there is now substantial data indicating that's been
happening to a shocking extent, anyway, in terms of racial
re-segregation of the schools.)  It could be similar for gender, too.
It was so hard win get equal funding, for example, for girls' in-school
athletic programs--and segregating schools by gender might only help
widen that gap.  I wonder if there might be differences in overall
resources, recruitment of good teachers, even curriculum, also.   It's
worrisome.

I do worry about all these programs' targeting African-American males
becoming another way of segregating, or re-segregating, schools.   But,
at the same time, I can see how programs that focus on young men, could
be quite effective.   What do y'all think?

Laurie Sheridan




>>> Andrea Wilder <andreawilder at comcast.net> 4/9/2007 1:31 PM >>>

Hi David,

Please explain about the Gender Equity law. (I may have missed a
posting). Also, I have come across stories about public education where
some school districts are trying out female only or male only education.
There is also a story on the front page of today's New York Times about
schooling black boys separately in Ossing,(sp?) New York. 
This is an interesting topic.

Andrea

On Apr 9, 2007, at 1:16 PM, David J. Rosen wrote:


> <djrosen.vcf>


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