weissjm
Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 22
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Posted: Tue Nov 20, 2007 7:33 am Post subject: 11-18-07 Inspiring students |
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Inspiring students
I have been inspired by the passion, commitment, wisdom and eloquence of the parents, educators, taxpayers and especially the students of Pittsburgh Frick 6-8 and Schenley High School.
On Nov. 13, they rallied and testified before the school board to slow down the high-speed train Superintendent Mark Roosevelt suddenly sent down the tracks in his haste to impose another school reform plan that included closing Schenley and splitting up its student body. They demanded time for adequate information sharing and effective community input.
Less than 24 hours later, the board voted 6-3 to commit money to the high school reform plan ("A Compromise for Schenley Students?" Nov. 15) -- despite Mr. Roosevelt's futile apology for not having involved the stakeholders, despite virtually none of our questions having been answered. Mr. Roosevelt's compromise -- allowing current Schenley students to remain together while phasing in the new programs that will stratify their younger peers into separate schools -- is cold comfort and completely misses the point.
As one speaker on Nov. 13 put it, "Schenley is the face of the future of our planet." Just imagine if our nation and planet could model itself after these kids, who want to stay together as a culturally, racially and socio-economically diverse community rather than be split apart.
These kids are idealists, walking the walk rather than just talking the talk. They want to stay together because they believe in and value each other and the idea of true diversity. They don't want that to die out when the current ninth-grade class graduates from high school.
For us to allow this to happen would be a tragedy.
MICHELE FEINGOLD
Squirrel H |
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