Like a previous entry mentioned, the 1960s brought an educational movement that led to two distinct changes in school types- alternative schools, and bilingual educational school. The movement was created to support small schools in contrast to the traditional larger schools that dominated the educational school system. It is interesting that the bilingual school system rose out of the effort of Anthony Alvarado so late since New York City is multicultural and the El Barrio had begun expanding in the early 1950s.
Interesting, community tensions played a huge role in the chaotic educational reform during this time periods. Alvardo had an activist background in the New York City school system that he used to introduce changes to the education that included introducing a ”
rigorous educational climate to the district, bringing in a “traditional framework” to help develop an articulated and comprehensive reading program, .and introduce “some kind of experimentation” that would be rigorous but provide “other ways of educating kids successfully” to the district.
Alvardo actively tried to introduce diversity in the educational reform he was enacting. He knew district politics played a role in the type of leaders that were being appointed so he actively tried to reduce the appointment of such leaders through time delays, and compromises. He also made sure to appoint teacher leaders in the school bilingual and alternative schools that he advocated and ensured that most were not a part of the larger UFT.He made sure that his authority was the highest in their appointments and their leadership in the alternative schools. He ensured that he was enacting diversity in the schools through his own methods by appointing teacher(especially female) that he believed agreed with his mission. I feel that if he had less interference from other political and educational groups in the district who had conflicting interests, he would have successfully enacted the policy of diversified schools beyond his original mission. However, an alternative group such as the UFT had their own concerns that they wanted to have addressed in the new educational reform that Alvardo was bringing, and well as keep the hard-earned job protections that they earned.
The problem that occurred during this time was that both groups served a similar interest( the children).however, they had different goals of how why wanted to serve eth chairmen, and what benefits they wanted. I feel that if one group that complete control, they would have achieved more success in their efforts, without the hindrance from the other groups in the same educational sphere
Thanks for this, Kash. I think you are responding to Heather Lewis’ chapter on the legacy of Ocean Hill-Brownsville struggle over schools that we discussed last week. Heather was trying to consider what benefits decentralization brought to education in segregated communities like East Harlem and Bedford-Stuyvesant. What do you think?