Where is District 5? (text)
Where Is District 5?
Lucas, Rev Lawrence E
New York Amsterdam News (1962-1993); Nov 6, 1976; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: New York Amsterdam News
pg. A5
Where·Is District 5?
More than a year and a half ago I resigned from Community School board Dd5 after trying vainly to accomplish what I thought was a mandate from my fellow Harlemites; namely, to do something toward improving education for our children.
Now I’m asked to serve on a temporary board of trustees in that same area after the suspension of the elected school board by Chancellor Irving Anker.
I’m considering it only because of my concern for the children of this community and my not wanting to have to face myself for refusing to try to help in spite of the mess I did not create nor am I certain of any real power to correct it. Moreover, I would do it with great reluctance and apprehension that accepting it may be a bad mistake.
The reasons for the reluctance and apprehension are basically the same as those for the resignation. (Incidentally, my successor, Lloyd Dickens, also resigned for many of the same reasons.) Basically, we use the word “education” in our talking, but the reality is money, jobs, power and prestige, politics. This is true on top, in the middle, and on the bottom. Specifically:
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The law establishing community school boards never intended nor planned for real community rontrol. It simply created a kind of buffer between the real power and a growing vocal minority. The power remained the same simply shifting from time to time the relationship between the polilital-economic-labor-administration forces.
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I expect elected officials to be interested in education in their districts. But, I did not expect educational decisions to be subordinated to their other interests; school board officers, school superintendents, ancillary positions in the district to be decided in political club rooms. Nor did I expect certain politicians to be actively engaged in manipulating board members and selecting positions on the board. The possibility for sellout of the children became more real to the extent that some of the politicians may be too indebted to the United Federation of Teachers.
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I expect that as a union, the U.F.T. must fight to protect and acquire jobs and provide for the best working condition of its membership. But, I did not expect that the U.F.T. would be fielding slates for community school boards, using money and personnel to elect people beholding to itself, and picking board officers at cheap luncheons.
Moreover. when I consider the general membership of the U.F.T. and general membership of the City’s public schools, I hardly suspect that the best interests of the latter would coincide with the best interests of the U.F.T.
Hand Picked
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While having the greatest respect for some board members, it is also true that many came on as handpicked candidates of the U.F.T. and certain politicians or were indebted to politicians for other jbs. Instead of making serious education of our own children utmost priority, we came as part of the system or the American bag.
Education became a poor second at best to contracts, jobs, my man or woman in this job, this program belongs to you or this group and another belongs to you and that group, employment for friends or relatives (qualified or not qualified), cowardice to take a stand for fear of being attacked, ego-tripping or power mania (with great delusion of power) on the part of some, or simply professional “board memberism” (i.e. getting on more boards than one have toes merely for the stipends involved).
Not Stealing
Whatever the charge of mismanagement of funds, I do not believe it has anything to do with out and out stealing. What probably is at issue is the non use of funds as directed perhaps from on high. What criteria the chancellor used for choosing the trustees I do not know. Hopefully the board of trustees will not be expected to be mindless Charley McCarthies who will simply rubber-stamp the wishes of Central Board, U.F.T. and the political and economic interests that be.
I expect that they have chosen people of maturity atid intelligence, educated and interested in the education of children and the development of their minds. It is expected that they will be given all the authority, freedom, and power required for working with the community in order to bring about the direly needed reforms.
Part of Problem
The Harlem community supposedly served by District &65 doesn’t have too much to be proud about in this regard either. Less than 1% of eligible voters vote in any school board election. Of these, many voted on the basis of friendship or worse on the promise, real or imaginary, of jobs or positions.
Many having voted believed that they had done all that could be expected. Community school board meetings are relativey poorly attended. Most of those attending are job seekers, job perservers, revenge seekers, or those possessing some particular axes to grind. School board members if so inclined or big-mouth manipulators could disrupt any meeting with a small group of followers for their particular interests.
P.T.A. officers were often conspicously employed in the district at times making it difficult to distinguish whether it were the children or the jobs that were more important. Most Harlemites would not be caught dead at a school board meeting or P.T.A. meetings of schools where their own children attend. In short, the Harlem Community does not see education as a greater priority than America does as a whole.
This too, is part of a problem of School District d5.
By Rev. Lawrence E. Lucas, Pastor, Resurrection R.C. Church.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.