Earlier this week, it was reported in a new study, it showed that public schools in Boston and Springfield were among the most racially segregated in the nation. The Northeastern University report found that of the 100 large metropolitan area school systems it examined, Springfield ranked second behind Los Angeles for the most segregated for Latino students, while Boston ranked fourth in the same category. When it came to the segregation of black students, Springfield was ninth and Boston was 28th (masslive.com). This is a sad report to see as Springfield has a huge diverse population. Unfortunately when the city decided to move to neighborhood boundary schools, it put this report in motion.
As Springfield does have a very diverse population, its neighborhoods are not as diverse. It is seen though the city, from Sixteen Acres, which is predominantly white to the Mason Square area, which is the predominantly African American area of the City. The North End of the city is where the predominant Hispanic population is. As you can just see from how the city is broken up, going to the boundary schools quickly puts the structure of segregation in motion.
My issue with this boundary school system is that the majority of the underperforming schools are located in the minority sections of Springfield, MA. These schools are not adequately equipped and the teachers have less to work with than other schools in the “so called better areas” of the city. Our children are not only separated by race but also with educational tools. If you ever get the chance to compare the schools in these various areas, you would be disgusted that our children are even attending these schools.
Some children in the “better” schools have computers, their own books and learning centers equipped to help them do better. Other schools barely have enough paper to survive through the entire school year. These drastic differences in our school system is a shame as we see more and more school moving to the underperforming status each year.
As a former teacher, I truly understand the pain that these teachers and Principal’s deal with on a daily basis. I was once told that most passionate teachers leave after three years because of the stress of the job and the lack of support that they get from their administration. In the Springfield Public School system, many teachers left because of the lack of receiving the proper pay raises. Simple cost of living raise’s to survive. That was the main reason that I had to leave the system. I love and miss being a teacher but I have found my niche as an author to continue to strengthen our children’s education.
I believe that it is time that we start to look at our children’s education on both levels: #1 In the classroom; #2 Outside of the classroom. For #1, giving our children equal opportunity to succeed, no matter what school they are at. I do not and will not agree with neighborhood boundary schools until each school is given the equal amount of recourses. As for #2, our children live in a very diverse neighborhood and not allowing them to experience the diversity that they have is a cultural disgrace.
I grew up in the Springfield Public Schools when there were no boundary schools and had a melting pot of friends. I was able to grow up without seeing color as an issue. Our children cannot fully get a true education without experiencing cultural difference. THAT’S WHY WE HAVE PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!! We need to rethink thinks and stop worrying about MCAS Scores. Strengthen our schools by supporting them with diversity and proper equipment. Springfield should NEVER be on this list.
