Every morning when I'm rushing to drop my 2 and 6 year old daughters off to school I pass 2 high schools in Newark, Science and West Side. Each time we pass Science high school my 2 year reminds me of the name. The young people attending this school have backpacks, at least 8 out of 10. Most of the back packs look full. I don't know if they're full of books but at least they look like they are doing homework. I don't see too many of the young ladies in heels, they mostly have on flats. No one hangs out in front of the school. I also don't notice anyone smoking in front of the school.
After I drop my children to a private school in Newark, that our family truly loves, I pass West side high on my way to the parkway so that I can go to work. The scene is totally different. First, not many students carry book bags. I'm guessing maybe 2 out of 10 students carry book bags and the book bags are flat to their backs as if there's absolutely nothing inside them.I rarely see a young lady with a book bag.. They carry purses, big enough to fit a cellphone, small wallet and lip gloss. No one's carrying books, not even a small paperback novel. When I'm stopped at the light I sit there in shock because the students smoke in the front of the school with security and a police officer less than 200 feet away. I wonder when this behavior became the norm.
Here are two schools in Newark where the cultures appear to be very different. I wonder why it's acceptable for students to show up unprepared to learn at one school while at another school less than a mile away it seems to be totally not tolerated?
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2 comments:
As I pointed out in my latest comment to a blog - "For those of you who think racism is a thing of the past..." featured at The U(rban) files, I believe the circumstance you observe is as a result of lack of good school policy that enforces a non chalant behavior in school.
Also, I think the big piece of the problem belong to households across America. This is a country where you can't scold your child without fearing the Child services. Then the child turns out spoiled, all of a sudden its the school or the community's problem.
If only, such students were properly home trained, they would not be behaving as such out of their homes. As they say "charity begins at home."
As a community, we are fast becoming a victim to our own inventions. A 4 year old kid (that does not know right from left knows to dial 911 when he or she is spanked for behaving badly), Child services comes along, and simply takes him/her away.
These result are result of parent's fear to teach, train, or scold their children in the rightful manner.
Well after reviewing the NCLB and observing its impact first hand at the Camden Middle school superintendent's meeting, what you observed is as a result of the effect of NCLB policies and acts. - pardon my previous gaffe.
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