Howard Blume
Westchester High to Become Magnet School Amid Cost, Ethnicity Concerns (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/04/westchester-high-to-become-a-magnet-school-raising-concerns-about-cost-and-ethnic-make-up.html#more)
LA Times
April 13, 2011
Summary: One of the predominantly black schools in Los Angeles has proposed a move away from traditional education. The proposal would turn the school into a magnet school with a focus on science. The article is a brief discussion of the implications of such a move.
Intended Audience: General Public
Key Points: 1) The school, while improving, is still struggling to break out of the bottom %20 of schools--in terms of test scores, 2) The new principle believes that a focus on math and science creates the best opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the students, 3) Opposition comes from those scared of both the budget situation and a possible shift in the school's demographics.
Relevance: Perhaps magnet schools, like trade schools, can be one answer to providing students with diverse educations. Maybe we do not all need to know the same things, and maybe providing more freedom of choice as to is available will lead to better education in general.
This is an interesting question! Interesting, too, how the article focuses so closely on "ethnicity concerns." I guess that (whatever it means, exactly) IS a concern, but from our privileged position as budding pedagogical philosophers, it seems like the opportunity to explore specific education in an interesting, valuable field should be by far the most-discussed issue.
ReplyDelete"The president of the Westchester High School Alumni Assn., Joseph Martin, said he wanted to see specific language that would safeguard against the school's traditional 'demographics changing.'" As well intentioned as his comments may be, they strikes me as just as unfortunately race-centered (racist?) as the magnet program's "target" of 30% white attendance. What happened to the test scores?! Student performance and engagement in their education?! It seems like those fall by the wayside pretty quickly when the more histrionic issue rears its tired head.