Schools Facilitate and Shed Light on Cooperation in Flushing

Despite its many flaws, the American education system remains one of our nation’s greatest achievements. Not only does an educated population have obvious intrinsic value, the schools themselves are often an important part of local communities.

In schools, previously divided groups may come together and interact, united by the common goal of a better life for their children. And this interaction breeds trust and cooperation. In this way, the education system has not only made America the most technologically advanced and highly educated nation in the world but also allowed it to become one of the most diverse. This vibrant diversity is part of what makes America so unique. The shores of our country have received refugees and expiates from all corners of the world. These immigrants have come to our nation and added their cultural history and cultural flavor to the colorful conglomerate that is the American identity.

Too often in our history, immigrants and the cultural mores they bring have been met not with open arms but rather with anger and xenophobia. And too often, these misunderstandings led to clashes both physical, in the form of riots and protests as well as legislative, in the form of discriminatory laws.

Fortunately, America is at heart, a country committed to liberty. Gradually, new immigrant groups become accepted as an integral and important part of American culture.

In Flushing schools have both provided a pathway as well as served as an example of the integration, acceptance and cooperation between the various ethnicities.  Over the years, Flushing has been home to one incoming wave of immigrants after another. Today, it is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse communities in New York City. In the past, it has also been home to conflict and struggle between the various ethnic groups but today, cooperation reigns. Kids from all different sorts of backgrounds mingle comfortably in the halls of the schools. This spirit of collaboration is obvious in the profiles of three different high schools (Flushing High School, Flushing International High School, East-West School of International Studies) within the borders of flushing.

Each of the three schools profiled is home to a diverse student body, hailing from all different ethnicities and backgrounds. That they are all able to coexist and flourish side by side is indicative of the vibrant health of the Flushing community. It is a community that is constantly evolving and changing. Over the years, the people who reside within its borders have changed demographically in all directions and there is no doubt its ethnic landscape will continue to change as new immigrants are welcomed into the fold.

East-West School of International Studies

The East-West School of International Studies is a relatively new school, founded in 2006 by Principal Benjamin Sherman. It is unique because it requires graduating students to not only pass all the standard state tests but also to be fluent in one of three Asian languages: Chinese, Korean or Japanese.

Students first sample each of the three languages before committing to one and taking at least three years of classes. Many of the extracurricular activities also have Asian themes such as Korean style painting and martial arts. According to the school’s website, the mission of the school is to provide a comprehensive cultural experience for students so they leave not only with fluency in a second language but also an understanding of Asian culture.

The school serves around six hundred students from sixth to twelfth grade and shares a building with JHS 237, the Rachel L. Carson School. Each year, the school accepts around eighty sixth graders with preference for children in the district. Because the school is so small, there are no Advanced Placement classes although students may take college classes through the College Now program. It does have a full spectrum of college preparatory classes such as calculus and physics for more advanced students. And indeed, the graduation rate is around 85% with 77% then enrolling in college.

According to one of the school’s counselors, the ethnic composition of the school matches the surrounding neighborhood well. Predictably, 58% of the students are of Asian background. But that means a substantial portion of the students are in fact of other ethnicities. The fact that these students also show a genuine interest in Asian culture is indicative of the welcoming and all-embracing nature of the school.

Flushing International High School

The Flushing International High School is yet another great example of the spirit of cooperation that exists in Flushing. It was founded in 2004 is part of a network of schools designed to help international students adapt to and flourish in their new environment.

To that end, the school is open to any resident in the city who has been in the United States for less than four years and whose native language is something other than English. Nevertheless, many of the students do come from the Flushing area. The students are placed into English classes by skill level so age groups are sometimes mixed together.

With a little over 400 students all together, Flushing International High School is too small for AP classes or honors courses so students of all skills levels study together. However, advanced students can take college courses through College Now and students are placed in a full time internship during the second semester of their senior year.

Approximately 55% of the kids are of Asian ethnicities and another 40% or so are Hispanic with a handful of whites and blacks making up the remainder . This of course hides the fact that the students come from over thirty different countries and collectively speak over twenty languages with many freshmen speaking their native language exclusively.

That this school, with all its diversity and ethnic variance, can be a friendly and accepting environment is a testament to the level of inter-language and inter-ethnic cooperation within the walls. The very existence of a school catering to immigrant children and their specific needs is a good indication of the acceptance that such individuals enjoy in Flushing. Immigrants from all corners of the world, of all skin colors and of all ethnicities are welcome and respected.

Flushing High

Flushing High School has the distinction of being one of the first public high schools in the city. It was founded in 1875 and began with a class of only seven students. The main building itself features Gothic Architecture including gargoyles and stained glass.  The complex is massive and the entire school stretches nearly two city blocks. Despite its enormous size, the school is still overcrowded as it serves over three thousand students and covers the ninth through twelfth grade. The school offers priority admission to students in its zone and indeed, most student comes from the surrounding neighborhood.

The high school faces many of the problems typical of large urban schools. According to insideschools.org the graduation rate is only around 60% and college enrollment after high school is less than 40%. The percentage of students who graduate college ready is only around 15%. 

Nevertheless, Flushing High School offers a variety of honors classes and Advanced Placement classes, as well as three themed programs, the Thurgood Marshall Law Academy, Business Entrepreneurship, and the Math and Science Institute. Students in these programs attend classes tailored to each discipline. For instance, those in the Thurgood Marshall Law Academy run mock trials, those in Business Entrepreneurship draft business plans and those in the Math and Science Institute can participate in one of the best math teams in the city.

In the 2010-2011 school year, 4% of the students were white, 25% black, 52% hispanic and 19% asian. Around 22% of the students are in ESL, many of whom may be immigrants. In fact, the school has specialized classes for both native Spanish and Chinese speakers as well as an adult education program for parents who do not speak English.

The school really seems to recognize that their students and their parents come from diverse backgrounds. Their website has a bar allowing parents to translate the pages into one of a couple dozen different languages through google translate. The information binders they hand out to parents similarly contains material in four different languages. Though it is customary to think of Flushing as a very Asian neighborhood,  the school seems to facilitate communication and interaction between all the ethnic groups in the community and is a focal point of cooperation.