School closure leaves many up in arms as community wants input

After receiving a grade of “F” on Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s schools progress report, it was announced earlier this month that Far Rockaway High School is slated to close.
Bloomberg released grades for 1,224 public schools in New York City on November 6. Of the 50 schools that failed, some have been selected for closure. On Wednesday, December 5, Far Rockaway High School was added to the list.
“Once I saw the failing grade, I knew that change would have to occur, but that change happening so fast is a different story,” Councilmember James Sanders remarked.
The current 870 students at Far Rockaway High School will be permitted to finish up their education at the institution, meaning that this year’s freshmen will be able to graduate from the school if they so choose.
During the next four years, however, no new classes will be admitted, and multiple smaller schools will be created in the existing building.
The Department of Education (DOE) has already accepted 135 proposals for the new schools — at least one in Far Rockaway set to open next fall — and will announce its selection in February 2008.
The Far Rockaway school has had low enrollment for the past five years and received low state test performance scores compared to other schools.
“It’s difficult for people to hear that a school which has been an institution in their community for so long is failing, but ultimately we want good high schools for kids,” said Melody Meyers, spokesperson for the DOE. “Far Rockaway High School hasn’t been meeting DOE standards for years.”
However, many people believe the DOE criteria for shutdown is unfair.
“People need to know how each school is doing and what it can do better,” said Councilmember John Liu. “Unfortunately the DOE’s new report card on schools is severely flawed. When a school receives a poor grade, the community that desires improvements will simply focus their efforts even more into exam preparation and not real educational achievement.”
“We will put everything on the table; explore all options,” said Sanders. “This could be a positive change if there is real community engagement involved.”
Sanders remained optimistic when a parent meeting was hosted by the DOE on Monday, December 10.
It was one of a series that the DOE will hold to get parent and community participation.
However, at the meeting community members became quickly frustrated with the DOE’s top-down handling of the session.
“The meeting was certainly interesting,” Sanders said. “A lot of it had to do with people reacting to the non-inclusive leadership style that the DOE is infamous for.”
The DOE said that its District Leadership Teams, consisting of PTA members, community education council members, politicians and leaders of community organizations, will be holding workshops open to the general public.
“I urge the DOE to work with elected officials and take a genuine approach for real community involvement,” said Sanders. “The process is problematic. We have to liberate this process by grabbing it as parents and community members in order to avert the horrors that are happening to our children.”
The next DOE workshop will be held on Tuesday, December 18 at P.S.104. It is open to the public.