By Bob Harris
While cleaning out one of my file cabinets recently, I came across a folder with yellow newspaper articles dating back to 1987 and 1988. I found discussions of some of the same problems being discussed today. It is sad that similar problems still exist today. Although we do have a different ethnic population with slightly different causes for the problems, they still exist.
In the Oct. 8, 1987 Daily News there were listed 16 schools on probation and being warned “to get better or else.” Nathan Quinones, who came from the system, was the chancellor at the time.
In the Nov. 18, 1987 Newsday there was a headline declaring: “Study of the Class of ’86 finds only 41% graduated on time.” This sounds like today.
On Dec. 18, 1987 in the Daily News, it was reported that Borough President Claire Shulman called for the Board of Education to not close failing schools, but to “go back inside and do something to improve the programs.” Today, several big high schools have been broken up into mini-schools inside the building; also, a number of small magnet schools have been created. During the recent open school day and night parents were required to come in to pick up their child's report card. If the card was not picked up it was mailed home. All this costs extra money!
The Jan. 11, 1988 New York Times printed a “memo” headlined “A System Adrift” to then-Chancellor Richard Green (who died while in service). The article told of hundreds of windows broken and unrepaired in one high school, overcrowding, classes held in closets and bathrooms plus high dropout rates and uneducated graduates. Since then several new custodial contracts and contingency funds, plus more power given to principals, have made it easier to do some repairs in schools quicker. And, new standards have been set.
Regretfully, overcrowding, particularly in Queens schools, makes it hard for teachers to reach students individually and “meet their needs.” There are just too many students in our schools, with some being illegal aliens whose parents don’t pay taxes but use services and are afraid to get involved. Classes outside of New York City are much smaller and the buildings are, for the most part, in better shape. We do need much more money than we now receive from the state and the federal government.
In the Jan. 17, 1988 Daily News there were two pages describing how the drug cartels split the crack market in southeastern Queens. Why should a teen care about school and studying and homework when he or she can see the amount of money to be made from the drug trade? When we solve the drug problem we will solve the school problem!
Two days later in the Daily News, there was a large headline: “Board At War Over Control.” One of the articles told about Mayor Ed Koch who “wants full control.” Sounds like 2001. There was also a discussion of principals’ tenure which the principals had. Well today, “they” have removed tenure for principals and told them they have to work longer hours. Today, principals no longer have tenure — their union (yes, even though they’re managers, they have a union) negotiated an exchange of higher pay for the elimination of tenure. A May 30 article in Newsday carried the headline “Success Hinges on Principals.” Well now!
The July 1, 1988 Newsday had a story telling of six city high schools selected for an industry-funded career preparation program which would put industry leaders into schools full-time advising students. Today many high schools have a partnership with corporations which mentor students and staff, hire students as interns during the summer and help the schools in many other ways. This is in addition to the Principal-For-A-Day which brings businesses leaders and celebrities into just about every school in the system, for one day usually in April, to see the many positive things going on there. This often prompts them to support the schools in many ways.
One just has to read the many positive articles in most newspapers about student leaders and various programs in our schools. The People in the News page in The TimesLedger always tells about our fine young students. The sad thing is that if one or two or three students, or one teacher does something wrong, some papers print the story with large headlines…this is what the public and the critics remember.
GOOD NEWS OF THE WEEK: Education seems to be the major item on the mind of the public.
BAD NEWS OF THE WEEK: There still are problems….yet, there are more good things than bad.
