From: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin)
Subject: Re: Magnet schools
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 00:01:45 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering, Maryversity von Uniland, College Park
Originator: clin@state.eng.umd.edu


In article <1993Jan11.214632.10024@wam.umd.edu>, kckbxr@next05pg2.wam.umd.edu (Robin of Locksley) writes:
[some stuff deleted]
>educationally advanced (in some cases, doesn't have the *right* contacts)  
>and unable to get into the schools preferred, they are sent to a regular  
>school in their district or busing neighborhood.  This automatically  
>creates a sense of elitism and tends to block the progress of the school  
>system.  When two particular groups of students are separated (smarter v.  
>not-as-smart) discrimination exists.  This tends to create violence in  
>neighborhoods and in the school system.  Now, many will disagree with me.   
>Well, I live in a neighborhood nearby ERHS (science & tech) and,  
>basically, on its busing border.  There is constantly conflict between the    
>nearby (three high schools within 2-3 miles) high schools.  In addition,  
>there is conflict between the students from different neighborhood groups  
>that are bused into the area to attend different schools.  In result,  
>fights break out and neighborhoods look bad.  

    If we can't better schools for everyone (which I suppose would be
the ideal), then at least having some schools that are good is better 
than having none that are good, even at the risk of elitism.   The downside
is that there will be those who are either jealous (though that may be replaced
by hatred), but at least there's something to be jealous of that might be
worthy.   It gets people to think more about the quality of education, and
if they want something similar, then they should demand it.   Otherwise, people
may become passive, and not really care about education, because they are given
what's offered.

    Let me give you a sort of analogy.   Cable tv is pretty much a monopoly.
You get what you are given.   There's no way to say, I want MultiVision when
I am getting Atlantic Cable without moving.   So, I basically live with what
I have, and there's no option.   When you create a magnet school, essentially
you are getting students that want to work at studying (or have parents who
want them to).   In such an environment, the school can offer material at
a faster pace, and push more, knowing that many of the students will
be cooperative.   It's my feeling that some schools have lots of problems,
not for lack of teachers who are good (though some places, this happens), but
for lack of student enthusiasm.   So, places like Harvard may not have superior
teaching (and it probably doesn't), but what it does have is better students,
and so they can teach at a faster pace, knowing that students will keep up.
Magnet schools will not make a good student out of you (unless it's by peer
pressure).   Instead, they offer to students that are willing to keep up
the kinds of challenges they might be missing out on.

    Of course, my preference would be that all schools be good.   However,
it's the quality of the students that has a more profound influence than
the quality of education (though that is also a part of it).

>etc.) than during a part of a specific "school".  This system creates a  
>system of elitism and a system of failure.  Why else do people quit  
>school, commit crimes, and choose not to follow rules & regulations than  
>through a lack of motivation?  When certain schools are labelled as  
>"magnet" or "special" schools, the schools that aren't are treated as  
>ordinary or less-than-ordinary and the students are the ones who suffer.   
>When education suffers, society suffers as well. 

   Even without magnet schools, I would still expect people to quit
school, drop out, and commit crimes.   The schools that aren't magnet
schools should not treat the students that attend poorly.   But, these
magnet schools should provide the incentive that working at education
should mean something.   I think it would also be a good idea to have
schools at non-traditional hours, but would these students who dropped
out be motivated to go to them?   Personally, (though I have no expertise
to say so), these schools help more than they hurt.   remove them, and
you would still face similar problems.   Keep them, and some students at
least have the chance to fulfill their potential which might not have
otherwise come about.   It's somewhat capitalistic.  In capitalistic nations,
certain people get to be rich, while others remain poor.   In a more socialist
nation, it's more likely that everyone remains poor.   In a capitalist society,
there's bound to be jealousy because of wealth, but socialist societies may
lack motivation because there's no incentive to be better.

--
Charles Lin
clin@eng.umd.edu