Panelists Debate Boston Schools' Future

Panelists in last night's forum on Boston public schools discussed problems within the system's infrastructure and encouraged students to volunteer their time in the community.

About 40 people attended the panel discussion, "The Future of the Boston Public School System: Options and Planning," sponsored by the Black Students Association (BSA).

"The goal of the panel is basically to educate people. I think we get here [to Harvard] and a lot of people forget how hard it was to learn the basics. We wanted to remind people of that," said the BSA's Social and Political Action Chair, Nicole K. Sherwood '00, who coordinated the conference.

The six panelists included prominent figures from the Boston public school system as well as Graduate School of Education (GSE) administrators.

"Virtually every person has the mental ability to learn what we have to teach," said Roxbury Community College President Grace C. Brown at the start of the forum.

Moderator Millie Blackman posed a series of questions to the panel; the one which garnered the most lengthy and passionate responses regarded problems and reforms within the Boston public school system.

"Boston schools for many years were warehouses for students, and in many ways, they still are," said Peggy Kemp, the director of school partnerships at the GSE.

"Teachers became accustomed to not teaching, but to being jail wardens--they've been doing that for years," she said.

One of the strengths of the Boston program, however, is that "Boston is also encouraging trying to do things different ways," Kemp said.

"I don't think the [main problems] are insurmountable," said Deputy Superintendent of Boston Public Schools Janice Jackson.

Jackson, along with Boston Public Schools Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant, launched an educational reform program in 1993.

The simplified theory of their reform program was "whoever you get [in your classroom] on Monday is who will achieve in your classroom," she said.

"It doesn't matter where they start; our responsibility is where they end up," Jackson said.

Panelist Afrah D. Richmond '98, who is the director of the Academy Homes after-school program, gave her theory on what the Boston public schools should do.

"Our kids are the best and the brightest Academy Homes has to offer...but most of them are severely behind," she said.

"If the Boston school system, from the top down, starts expecting more of the kids, I think they will definitely rise to the challenge," she said.

Panelists also urged the audience to volunteer in the public schools.

"We think it's important that we have as many people coming into the Boston school system as possible," Jackson said. "[African-American and Latino] kids tutoring at schools gives hope to not only the teachers, but the children."

"I think you can help demystify schooling....Service now and service later--African-American people have always known that it's very important for us to give back," she continued.

Other panelists agreed with Jackson's remarks.

"If there was just one adult with small groups of kids, the kids could really learn," said Hannah Schneeberg, a Boston public school teacher.

"Come in to the schools," said Kemp, and gave examples of the capacities in which students can work, including working in a lab or starting a student newspaper.

"There's sort of a perception that black Harvard students do not volunteer," Richmond said, but pointed out that although black students may "avoid" Phillips Brooks House Association, many are involved in other public service programs.