by LORA JOBE
To choose or not to choose: Is that the question? Apparently, that is not the only question the citizens of Memphis have concerning the school boardās new open-enrollment policy. For whatever reasons, the policy has been misconstrued and misinterpreted, when in reality it is a progressive policy that will be good for students and parents in Memphis.
These are the facts:
(1) The optional programs will remain intact, as they are currently. Students will adhere to the various admission requirements as always. The students in the optional program already enjoy "choice," as they "choose" what program to attend based on entrance requirements and available space. No optional spots will be taken away.
(2) The hardship transfer will be eliminated. Currently, if students desire to attend a school other than their designated schools, the parents/guardians describe their "hardship," or reasons they are desirous of change, to the Pupil Services Division at the Board of Education. The Division of Pupil Services then determines if these requests can be honored or refused. These are judgments based on degrees of hardship expressed, space availability, and any other extenuating circumstances. The open-enrollment policy would eliminate the need for parents to "plead their case" or have a "good reason" to transfer. If space is available, the student may transfer.
(3) We have many good schools in Memphis. The perception that children will flock to a few desirable schools is erroneous! The Board of Education could never enact an open-enrollment policy unless we had absolute confidence that all our schools were excellent or on the road to excellence.
There is one fact in education that has been demonstrated worldwide: When parents are involved in their childrenās educaton, the children achieve at higher levels. Educators are constantly looking for ways to involve parents. School choice is a way to empower parents, which will, in turn, result in higher-quality education.
The Board of Education embraces many policies, strategies, and programs to guarantee quality education for the children of Memphis. However, not every program touches every child. For example: Title I programs and money benefit schools with a certain percentage poverty population; New American Schools (NAS) models use various learning styles; the Division of Mental Health provides intervention for children with short- and long-term behavior problems. These programs cannot be considered "unfair" or "ineffective" because they do not touch every child individually. While open enrollment may not overtly touch every child, it will provide parents a choice option. Staying in oneās assigned school is still a "choice," as is choosing a nonassigned school based on available space.
There is a lot of lip service being given to the issue of transportation. The fact is that most people prefer to have their children attend a school near their home or near their work. So while in theory it may be difficult to travel across town, most people would not "choose" a school way across town, even if they had a car or a school bus, because of the time involved in transportation.
Another concern is schools developing "super-sports" teams and recruiting. Any child choosing a new school would be ineligible to play sports for a year after the transfer. No serious athlete would be willing to lay off a year of playing his/her sport. That there may be some wrinkles to iron out should not be an impediment to implementing school choice.
The approved policy states we will "transition toward open enrollment in 1997-98." To make progress, we must have a progressive mindset, and open enrollment is just one strategy as we move toward excellence in every Memphis city school.
The economic elite of Memphis have always had choice, and usually they have chosen private education for their children. NEWSFLASH: Yes, Virginia, economically impoverished parents care about their children and will usually do everything they possibly can to better their childrenās lives, including providing quality education. School choice gives everyone an elite option. (Lora Jobe is a first-term member of the Board of Education, representing District 5.)