Anna interviewed a bunch of graduating students in our school slated for closure. The kids talk about their hopes and also the obstacles they confronted in high school. I'm quite confident this story could be repeated all across the nation. There are consequences on real life people when school officials starve a school of resources. These kids succeeded in spite of what was done to them by the New York City DOE.
Please read and comment.
Also, we totally support the lawsuit that has been filed by the UFT, NAACP and others like State Senator Tony Avella to save our schools.
This is a powerful testament to the students and teachers at Jamaica HS! We have heard from so many passionate and articulate students over the course of the year, and they are all to be cemmended and admired for continuing the struggle against many odds and a mayor who doesn't give a d___ bout whether these kids succeed or not. The good things that are happening at Jamaica and the possibilities, if given the resources, needs to get out to more press, Kudos to the Queens Chronicle for highlighting these wonderful young people and the staff at Jamaica who are fighting an uphill battle.. The best to all of you in the struggle for public education.
ReplyDeletegreat article; please post your appreciation for James Eterno and the other teacher/warriors at Jamaica and other closing schools at our FB page at
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/notes/class-size-matters/thank-a-teacher-warrior/10150191145132260
Wow! I am honored to see how much importance and attention the graduating students of Jamaica High School are receiving! I wasn't expecting any of this and I thank Ms. Anna Gustafson for providing us hard-working students with such a honor. I also want to thank and acknowledge Mr. James Eterno for zealously advocating for us students and staff at Jamaica High School as well. I hope this story can help show the Department of Education - especially Mayor Bloomberg - the potential of the students at Jamaica High School as well as the many other NYC schools being shut down and how the budgetary restrictions and a lack of resources resulting from it is depriving them of the promises this great country provides each and every American who deserves it.
ReplyDeleteShame on the DOE for what they've done to Jamaica. I can't wait until we get rid of this group of idiots. I am a little worried about what the billionaire mayor will do with his money once he's gone. He'll join Bill Gates in producing research that supports the destruction of public education, I'm sure. In the meantime, the kids are alright thanks to the teachers at Jamaica.
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