Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-11-21
School Track Plan
Is Hit as Harmful
Board Member
Says 1t Leads
To Dropouts
By THOMAS F. DIMOND
Star Staff Writer

The District public schools
track program for ability
grouping was described by a
Board Of Education member
yesterday as a form of segrega-
ton which develops a class
society"
In a three-page statement
which she read to the board,
DR.. Euphemia L. Haynes said
the track system is creating
undesirable attitudes among
children and encouraging Drop
outs.
THE determinism hidden in
the track program is now
bringing forth its ugly fruit"
DR.. Haynes declared.
The track program was in
troduced into the high schools
by School Supt. Carl F. Hansen
in 1856, and subsequently was
extended downward into the
e lem entary and secondary
schools.
Slow learners, bright stu
dents and children of normal
intelligence are taught separ-
ately, with the curriculum de-
signed to suit the ability Of
each group.
/ Lists Reactions
i DR.. Haynes said the system is
harmful to all three groups be-
cause it fosters overconfidence,
a better than thou" attitude,
and feelings of inadequacy, de-
pending on the group.
\ Instead of intelligent chill
dren assisting and inspiring
poor students, personal gain is
everywhere the objective" DR..
Haynes said.
THE track program empha-
sizes differences and provides
for the development of a class
society rather than a demo-
cratic society" she asserted.
THE development Of special
i abilities must play a secondary
: role to the development of a
e wholesome citizenry."
d Psychologists repeatedly
: have pointed out the lack OF
validity of intelligence quo
- tients and reading scores as the
basis for ability grouping, DR.
Haynes said.
Under the track program,
past experience and man-made
predictions determine the fu-
ture Of the child by restricting
!, his opportunity for furthe r
: growth and development" she
said.
I'VE have attempted to esta-
blish a system Of education
segregated on the basis Of po-
tential expectancy. The picture
, it presents seems to be very
like one which might have re-
. suited from division on the
basis of socio-economic level or
on the basis of race"
The board took no action on
: DR.. Haynes charges, but DR..
Mordecai w. johnson thanked
her for raising the matter. I'VE
! ought to have periodic reports
on the functioning of the track
: program" DR.. johnson said.
In another matter yesterday,
DR.. Hansen suggested a confer
ence to find a remedy for DR..
Johnson's complaint that board
rules don't prescribe a specific
examination for tt mporary
teacher applicants.
DR.. Johnson's criticism of the
method of selecting applicants
touched off a lively debate,
during which he accused board
president Wesley S. Williams of
being a "tyrant."
The system was all right, DR..
Johnson said, las long as we
had only a few Temporary
teachers. But now we face a
situation in which the body of
temporary teachers has come
to be something short of so per
cent of all teachers"
Armistice Suggested
When Mr.. Williams cut DR..
Johnson off as he tried to
speak on the matter a second
time, DR.. johnson turned on
the board president. The pow
er to rule is not the power to
quash sincere discussion, but to
facilitate it." DR.. Johnson said.
II respectfully suggest that you
have become tyrant."
After the question apparent
lily was resolved by DR.. Hansen's
proposal, board member West
A. Hamilton suggested the two
plenipotentiaries sign an ar
mistice.