This reading to show how this school addressed issues such as multiethnic communities and low-income background students to get an idea of how schools can try to reform their own system. Some of these failed and many succeeded. I also thought it was important to see how funding and federal cooperation plays a critical role. An example of this is how Benjamin Franklin had little funding to actually help with, not only the beautification of the school but also the development and maintenance of various programs and facilities such as bathrooms. An example of federal policy clashing with educational reform within East Harlem is when they instated the WPA rule of letting go of those who worked over 18 months. This move would cripple Benjamin Franklin’s WPA Program leaving teachers understaffed (even more so than they already were.
This long article had a lot of features that have tied into our other readings. The reading didn’t draw too much attention to it but briefly brought up the idea of school zones being drawn a certain way to exclude or include a particular demographic. The school’s attendance zone would be drawn so to as to “avoid a large influx of Negros from the Central Harlem District.” Additionally, the reading also talked about how “…educators also sought to adjust the high school curriculum to the perceived talents and destinies of children with different backgrounds.” This type of issue, within the context, seemed similar to tracking which is often debated on when discussing education policy.
This reading fits into the course because of how this was a school that was created to help alleviate certain concerns pertaining to the existing education system of that time and location. Some of those issues included trying to increase high school enrollment within East Harlem, but also provide relief for overcrowded schools. However, it also had to juggle different issues such as low attendance, high dropout rates, different ethnic groups, and students coming from low economic backgrounds. Benjamin Franklin is an example of a school that attempts to remedy these issues through various programs and revolutionizes the education system in East Harlem by creating a “community-centered schooling.” Some of these programs succeeded and other failed. The failure for this often arises from issues with funding, federal cooperation and lack of aid.
Thanks for this, Ashley-Mei. I had a little trouble understanding the beginning of your post (perhaps it was a problem with the cut and paste?) but once you got into the meat of the readings it was much more clear. I think it is important to notice that this highly-celebrated school and story partly created its success through the exclusion of Black students, many of whom lived pretty nearby. As you note, the authors don’t make too much of this. But should we celebrate a school built on exclusion?