Pennsylvania school experiments with 'segregation'

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/01/27/pennsylvania.segregation/

Pennsylvania school experiments with 'segregation'
By Monika Plocienniczak

(CNN) -- A Pennsylvania high school says some students are separated by race, gender and language for a few minutes each day in an effort to boost academic scores, raising controversy over the historically contentious issue of segregation in schools.

The initiative is a pilot program intended to capitalize on "enriching students' experiences through mentoring" and is derived from school research "that shows grouping black students by gender with a strong role model can help boost their academic achievement and self esteem," according to a statement from McCaskey East High School in Lancaster. "Educators immediately noticed strong bonds being formed between all students and mentor teachers," the statement said. The junior class at McCaskey East is voluntarily segregated by the students, who organize themselves "by gender, race and/or language," said school spokeswoman Kelly Burkholder.

But some school experts say the experiment is misguided. "When we talk about reducing the achievement gap, do we mean merely reducing the discrepancy of test scores of white students and students of color?" asked education consultant Sam Chaltain. "Or do we mean reducing the predictive impact that things like race, class and gender have on all aspects of student engagement, performance and learning?"

The school's principal defended the policy. "One of the things we said when we did this was, 'Let's look at the data, let's not run from it. Let's confront it and see what we can do about it,'" said school principal Bill Jimenez. "In visiting the classrooms, I saw students planning their path for success after graduation." But while McCaskey East students are "segregated" for six minutes each day and 20 minutes twice a month, some say other school systems in the country appear to be reverting to real segregation...

I don't feel there is any racism or sexism behind the idea. It is done to have students feel more confortable and to boost their self-esteem and self-image.

I would never agree with segregation, but breaking out into small groups for 6 or 20 minutes with people the student can more easily relate to, and with a person that is seen as a role model could be beneficial. I think it should be given a fair and open minded chance.

Toss a coin? Or do they spend 50% of their time with the "black group" and 50% of their time with the "white group"? Or is this a "one drop of black blood" kind of test?

I'm surprised that some DUers support schools examining the color of their students' skin to decide which class to place them in.