Activism
Vallas meets advocates for immigrant students
Students pose the issue of teacher quality
Edison HS students call for non-military options
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Activism around the city
Vallas meets advocates for immigrant students
On the morning after a major winter storm paralyzed much of the Philadelphia region, a crowd of determined people trekked to the Free Library’s central branch, where as many as 150 parents and advocates from African, Latino and Asian communities aired concerns about the School District’s immigrant student services.
The Saturday, March 17 meeting was organized by a coalition of community groups formed to protest the District’s elimination of an office that enforced language access mandates and reached out to immigrants and refugees.
During the three-hour gathering, parents and community leaders told outgoing CEO Paul Vallas and other officials in attendance that many of the District’s efforts to serve immigrants fell short.
Inadequate translation and interpretation services, poor communication with parents, problems with ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) and bilingual instruction, insufficient diversity among District employees serving immigrant communities, a lack of cultural sensitivity, and a need for greater community involvement in District decisions were among the criticisms raised.
Some said they were buoyed by Vallas’ appearance and felt their voices had been heard. But others were wary of being too optimistic.
“Paul Vallas and his group listened to us, but we don’t know if the issues will be addressed,” said Liberian parent Dahn Dennis, whose two daughters attend Catharine Elementary School in Southwest Philadelphia.
District officials have said other departments have absorbed the translation and outreach services that had been provided by the now-closed language access office.
Margaret M. Chin, who heads the district’s Office of Language, Culture, and the Arts, said the District is dedicated to reaching out to immigrant communities and that services have been improved.
“We are much better off than before, but we still have a lot to do,” Chin acknowledged.
She added she has met with community representatives following the meeting.
Ellen Somekawa, executive director of Asian Americans United, said she was glad immigrant communities were able to voice their concerns. She noted that none of the concerns were new, adding: “It’s discouraging we haven’t made more progress.”
For more information on the coalition, contact Asian Americans United at aau@aaunited.org.
Students pose the issue of teacher quality
With a new study showing no progress in the District on the problem of under-qualified teachers at the city’s schools that serve predominantly low-income students and students of color, a local group has been developing a creative strategy to address the issue.
This spring at Sayre High School in West Philadelphia, student members of the Philadelphia Student Union have been approaching substitute teachers with a simple request: “Can we run the class?”
“Oftentimes when there’s a substitute, they just tell the students what work the teacher left,” said Nijmie Dzurinko, director of the Philadelphia Student Union.
She said that in addition to fostering student leadership skills and “demonstrating what an interactive, engaging classroom can look like,” the student presenters ask their classmates what they think of the quality of their education and how it can be improved.
“We want to find out their concerns, find out what they feel about their school, find out what they think works and what doesn’t work,” Dzurinko said.
Sayre senior and Student Union member Kenyon McGriff, who has participated in eight classroom presentations, said the aim is to empower his fellow classmates and get them to scrutinize the caliber of their education.
“We’re not trying to make Sayre look bad,” McGriff said. “We’re just trying to let students across Philadelphia know that poor education means poor minds.”
Sayre principal Joseph Starinieri told the Notebook he had been unaware of the classroom presentations and stated, “There are not a lot of subs at Sayre.”
In its third study of teacher quality in Philadelphia, the nonprofit group Research for Action credited the District with making strides in hiring and keeping qualified teachers since 2002. But it also found the District has failed in “changing the unconscionable pattern of having the least qualified teachers in schools serving the highest percentage of poor and minority students.”
Edison HS students call for non-military options
As in many high schools across the country, representatives of the Armed Forces comb the cafeteria, hallways, and classrooms of Edison High School in North Philadelphia.
But the sight of military recruiters has special significance at Edison, which lost more than 60 students in the Vietnam War – believed to be the highest number of casualties from any U.S. high school in that conflict.
Today, as another war rages in Iraq, a group of students at Edison is working to expand the awareness and availability of non-military opportunities after high school.
“The Army is not your only option,” said Edison senior Kerrisha Tenner, 18. “We’re not anti-military. We’re just pro-college.” She is part of a group of 10 Edison students who say their classmates are not getting enough information and guidance about post-secondary options.
The school’s chapter of Youth United for Change (YUC) has campaigned for two years to increase college recruitment. The group, advised by adult YUC organizers, has written a draft plan to achieve that goal for the school’s more than 2,700 students.
YUC proposes requiring that before graduating, every student meet with at least one college recruiter; that the school create a schedule for college recruiters to visit regularly; and that the school set up a table with college, financial aid, and SAT information and adorn hallways with college posters.
According to a 2005 YUC survey filled out by 400 Edison students, 36 percent said they had been approached by a military recruiter during lunch period, while only 16 percent said a college recruiter spoke to them during lunch break.
District Regional Superintendent Wilfredo Ortiz said he backs YUC’s efforts and described the group as a “catalyst” that jumpstarted a needed conversation.
“What they’re asking is nothing out of the ordinary,” Ortiz said. “I support any effort to get young people into post-secondary education.”
Ortiz said he plans to take up the group’s proposals at the start of the next school year.