From the New York Times are Michael Bob. Today, Newly knowing hundred students have been offered admission to New York City is most need public Highschool just seven of those students are black. It's Tuesday April set hi build a plausible, I'm an outer borough working dad. I'm proud public school apparent in twenty thirteen buildable as you know, I'm currently serving as New York City Public advocate and I'm running to be. Your mayor runs Fur New York City mayor right now we're living a tale of two cities, one whether rich, keep growing richer while middle class, New Yorker struggle and nearly

varsity lives at or near the poverty line. On this promise that he's going to vanquish in a quality in every part of city life, without a dramatic change of direction, generations to come will see New York as live more than a playground for the rich and his number one priority. Each and every child dessert a future that isn't limited by their zip code. It's tackle decades of inequities that have been built in to America's largest public school system. The answers to fix the entire system. He wants to end a system in which there is an understanding that there is good schools and bad school. We have to work from the assumption that we will save every child that we will reach every child, that no system is actually working unless every child has opportunity and really what he's talking about here is the fact that middle class whites

I have often gone to the court on quote good schools, the most funding, the best resources, the highest quality teachers and low income. Black and hispanic students have gone to schools with the poorest performance and the least resources for decades and more secure covers educate, in view of all the educators and Rome. I hope you're gonna be proud of this next one. We those five years then to deposit Charlie, we sat the all time record for graduation rate in New York City is trying to get the rest. The city and blew the wrath of the country to pay attention to inequality in this massive public school system number was less than fifty percent not long ago in this town, before we had mayoral control of education and which created real accountability, and then a few weeks ago on that of those, does

urban admissions numbers in New York City Elite, public high schools. A new report is intensifying the debate of racial spare eighty only and pull of black and latino students are getting into some of New York cities. Elite high schools, compared with other ethnic group, sees number come out. Only seven black students were offered admission to Stuyvesant high schools, freshmen class of eight hundred and ninety five students and the numbers are similar for other elite schools that use entrance exams to determine who gets in New York City isthmus elite. Public Highschool out of nine hundred seats- only seven were offered to black students less than one percent admissions. That's right and it's actually getting worse than is it Stuyvesant are not a surprise last year term and thirteen the year before that percentage of black and hispanic students that these schools

has gone down year after year, and now we ve basically reached rock bottom is abysmal. This is it's an atrocity was happening in terms of education is absolutely abhorrent and unacceptable. So many people were asked how could we have allowed this to happen and now to the latest scandal rocking the halls of academia? Just as we ve been talking about with the college admission scandal, fifty people have been charged in a nationwide admission, scam, many of them well do parents trying to get their kids into some of the highest profile schools in the country Harvard systematically raised the bar for Asian Americans in systematically lowers for whites african american affirmative action case at Harvard whether or not you support affirmative action. I think it's important time to be critical of Harvard and to look at how ferment of action all seas have impact at or discriminated against, asian american communities, and this number

went into the centre of that storm, and so what are these a leap of schools you referring to in New York that have admitted so few black stones? So they were created at the beginning of the nineteen hundreds, and the idea was that these schools would offer students who could have never afforded a fancy private school. The same rigorous academics and extracurricular errors and resources- their wealthier. More privileged counterparts get the idea was that you didn't have to be any one son, your parents, enough to give a donation. This was a meritocracy and the meritocracy was based on the idea that you passed one test and you got it. So a single test is all you need to give them a single test and getting into these schools at this point so and then twenty and thirty than forty is the schools were mostly attended by immigrants from all over Europe. Jewish immigrants, in particular,

and these students are going on to win Nobel prizes in physics and chemistry, become famous author, then writers and academics and the schools are really seen as the way out of poverty really this golden ticket? So over the years these schools really become household names in New York City you ve Stiva than high school, you ve Bronx High School of science. You ve Brooklyn technical school and they seem to be working the way they were designed to work. All we want is equal education, that's all equal educate, but in the nineteen sixty is in New York City as school segregation became the biggest boiling point in the city what an education will decide to come up with. A comprehensive plan was sitting right, spoon, desegregation them, blackened hispanic, educators.

Parents were beginning to wonder why their kids Warren. Heading into these mythology, Ized schools, and they were wondering. Can we change something about this admissions process, to help our kids get into these schools and have their own path into the middle class? And that's where things started to get really contentious. So there was the veto: The plan to say can we think about a different way to offer kids admission beyond this one standardized test, and there was this immediate Backlash-

from the alumni of the schools from the leaders of the schools to say our schools are under threat and we need to do something to protect them? What happens so these groups, who want to keep the test, rushed up to Albany our capital, our capital and they lobby, politicians to make the test a law and just a few months after this debate begins in the spring of nineteen. Seventy one and Albany a law is passed only way to get in is by taking the test and that's been our system ever since, and what becomes of these schools once this single test admission system is codified in Bilbao, further stature only grows, they continue to churn out generally extremely accomplished alumni, but now that this task as part of the state law there's this growing obsession with this exam. How do you

for them to get your way out of poverty. So, as the years go on, we see this enormous rise in an industry to prepare for this test. And then in the nineteen. Seventy. If, as we see this new wave of immigration from Asia, where there is a very strong culture, that tests can determine future a lot of asian immigrants say we want these schools to propel our kids out of the poverty we found ourselves. Then after we came to America and they succeed, they did so. The schools in the day, good sense have become, instead of mostly why and jewish, mostly asian American, but the percentage of blackened hispanic students has only shrunk and that's where we are

community and those statistics. What one is that we are, they had, how do they reflect the city's actual population, so these elite schools are about sixty percent asian American. The city school system as a whole is about fifteen percent asian American. While these elite schools are about ten percent blackened hispanic but the system is seventy percent blackened hispanic. I was how do we explain these number? Why aren't black and hispanic public school kids getting into these elites course? So this is really complicated, but it all starts with the fact that a lot of these blackened hispanic students dont know these schools exist in the first place and they deaf. We don't know test exists that they have to prepare for, and how can it be that they don't know you just a few minutes ago said that this

he's kind of obsessed with the tests, so in some schools that are really underperforming. I have just heard from students that this is not a top priority zone. Fifth grade my Peter? She pulled me to the side issues like hey. Have you heard about discords called Stuyvesant? You have to take a test called it as much as eighty per some of them. It was this one teacher who tat them on the shoulder and said you're doing really whelmed school. You should think about these. The leap public school that she recommended right by the baron, so I can start studying for it and then that's how I knew about it. And I had didn't say to me all of the kids at my mostly black or mostly his fan mental score smart, but I'm the only one who got tapped on the shoulder, but the rest of my peers did not know about the specialised high schools or Stiva or any of the schools or the US each as eighty untold eighth grade one month before the task, and that

shows just how uneven just the knowledge of this system really is throughout the city. Do so. I took the tests, I think, like a handful of, like other students in my great took the tests, but since I have been the only one for paying for, I was only one who got in so it's just like. You can't aim for something. If you dont know it exists and like that, like, however asian Students- but you spoken too, when we were explained, their awareness of the test. So I have spoken to many asian american graduates of these elite schools who said from the earliest age. They can remember their parents and their teachers were encouraging them to study and prepare for this task. I think that most of the pressure I feel is this from myself. My parents are just there to support me and the weak, the

missions, letters would come out everybody in their community in Chinatown, in flushing, in asian american neighborhoods. All across near thirty, this is all anybody was talking about. So there's this awareness, peace, and then we get a preparation for the test. This test is really hard. It really helps kids to prep for it and some kids particularly way an asian american students will prep four months, if not years. How do you prefer years? Protest like us? There are summer academy, all the way through middle school, where students are taking practice test every single day, five days a week hours a day, and I assume that the constitution amount of money right. So does all that suggest that this has a lot to do with income, so it's really much more complicated than that New York City schools are overwhelmingly attended by poor students, but poverty doesn't mean:

same thing for every student and in every neighbourhood there are low income asian american students, whose parents have said they scraped together every last dollar, four tests prep, but there are also poorest dude, and black latino neighborhoods, for whom the test is not this be all end all, and so, with in this basically impoverished school district. We have some really different. Realities on the ground is massacres. In certain, for example, asian communities in New York City, that this test is just known and people are talking about it and they are preparing for it. You almost can't of on the subject of the test, whereas in other communities, black latino communities. That may not be the case

Whatever reason absolutely unremembered, these schools were created to find the diamonds in the rough. The kids, who needed a push into a better life, and one big concern here, is that black and hispanic students who are brilliant would do wonderfully at these schools. Don't even know that their an option for them that actually feel like a pretty solvable problem. Why not just Tell everybody in New York City public middle schools make it mandatory, they have to know about the test and they have to take the test. How much has that been seen as part of a solution to the problem? So the city trying for decades, first under mayor, Michael Bloomberg, now under billboards YO to raise awareness and to provide actually free tests prep for kids, who would have problems, affording it but I found that, even when all of those things technically go right, they'll show up to test bribed day. One take a practice test and realise that

has this quizzing them on concepts. They ve never learned they. I would that be the case for some students, more than others dead there arriving at a test as all new concepts. So this gets back to this huge question of quality. There is huge discrepancy in quality among these hundreds of middle schools in New York City, so in some schools you may be taking an advanced geometry chorus and in some schools you might be really still on the basics. So when you shop and take this practice test, it can be a really harsh dose of reality. For some of these kids, I do not understand why we give eighth graders, ninth and tenth grade math, eleventh great math, etc, and I spoke to some students who had an experience like that. But then also

The amount of pressure of vat examined is like insane, is one test and is also so quickly pace like you have to go in. Knowing what to do. You can't win a sense this test to get into these elite high schools. They may Will he be assessing how good your middle school was exactly like. It's just its mind, boggling to me that we think that in that task is like a good way of measuring and Greece. Not. So, for all these reasons, we have to make a major change make sure the very best high schools are open to every new Yorker. The mayor, built by the I who ran on this platform of tackling inequality is basely thing times that God change

time for a change time for a change it's time for a much more radical solution. The test has to go, scrap it altogether and replaced it with a system that would automatically give seats to the top students that every city middle school and the impact of that change should be that the schools, racial and ethnic make up would be transformed overnight. How much the schools that are now about ten percent blackened hispanic would become about forty five percent blackening black. That's because most middle schools in New York City are mostly blackened Hispanics. If you take the best students in every single middle school, asked what these elite schools are. Gonna look like these schools will get better when they reflect all of New York City. The mayor thing, because so much towns is being locked out right now, so much talent is being missed because of a broken.

System. Not only is it clear that this task is missing some of the brightest blackened hispanic given the system, but that diversity is in and of itself a value and something that will make bees beloved schools even better and stronger, because beauty intelligence and strength comes in all shapes and sizes, all colors all genders. You told us earlier that when this test was challenged for decades ago there was an incredible amount of pushed back. So what is the reaction this time to the bloodiest plan to get rid of it, though, I have never seen such a vitriolic reaction to propose lot of city hall, a group of protesters gather in front of me works City Hall chanted. They marched hundreds of them most of Brooklyn Bridge the City Hall.

Are parents and these goals worthing. This proposal would all but destroy these actually I doubt that once the doors open who is who we are- There is going to make a different system which school you get into. Everyone has an opportunity to sign up to take that as a step forward and sign up. Then you have for the challenge. If you did it, then you didn't want to be challenged: they would water down their academic and they would lead him kids, who simply can't cut it at the expense of kids who are facing this test that they revere not a cry? We should not be punished for several decades for better education, and then you have Asia can families who feel that the mayor's discriminating against land

This solution is gonna, be borne solely on the backs of defence. She poor asian families to Asian Exclusion ACT of two thousand eighteen. I don't know it sounds it sounds like you could. What people are basically saying as hey the schools to Asian, they would lose half of their feet in this system. Under the mayor's plants, blast shows little bias It showed implicit bias when he said. Oh, Probably sound. Well, we can afford to doing that sounds like a racist statement to me and they know the history of these schools. They know these schools were belts to propel immigrant and poor kids out of poverty. Parents decided to put their money for that test. It's not rich people that are taking these courses more immigrants during their resources in region and their thing. What about we're immigrants we need these

was the plan to eliminate the specialised Highschool admissions test will not move forward as of this year, but it could be put to a vote in the future and losing our seats would be a profound locked in, that's, really really really felt painful for these parents. I mean given those numbers, this Human from asian american families would seem to be quite compelling. Right. Why should some kids, who are clearly bright eye with east. These tests lose their seats in the name of diversifying the entire schools absolutely, but the flip side of this, as I think we need to recognise that the best public high school in the city doesnt, seem to me to be diverse in order for us to consider at the best the best- and I think for fifty years in this city we ve said

irrigation is simply a fact of life, and there is not much we can do about that and I think right now, in New York City. We are in this really intense moment of reckoning with whether that's really true and whether that's gonna change and its visa led schools better in the moon. All of that shift offices make him. You wonder what these elite public schools are actually like for the students who attend them. What is it that makes them so special? So what I hear over and over again from alumni from students, is that it's all about the other kids there's this. Magical quality in these schools of your around. All the kids who want to study is harder, you do who love math and English an environmental science as much as you do, and it's this really safe place for smart kids, it's cool to be smart there and that can feel really really special or because the question is,

if you change the admissions process in the name of that diversity does that magic you just described of being in these schools, surrounded by only the best who have a this test. Does that go away? Somehow, I think, that's the fear I think the argument against that is. Could these schools change but actually become something better? Could these schools become more vibrant, more special, If they were more diverse and if they looked more like the city in which all these kids live a k and has put his here ever, I think, like I'm, curious about This very small number of black and hispanic students at these schools have these you about being deemed the best and the brightest, but also about being such tiny minority there. That's now.

The centre of this big debate. I wanted to say the conversation by just asking how you reacted to the news this week that the day after this number three now I went down to Stuyvesant and I spent a late afternoon in the park next to the school, with a group of nine blackened Hispanics, and we spent a long time talking about what it's like for them. Surgery Addis When I saw the number I was angry and I think my first reaction was anger, because I've seen a lot of people putting in effort in time to try and remedy the discrepancies in our school system. I heard a lot of

pain and anguish. About that number. I've been told that deal may resent honest. I wasn't was because I'm black, even of a test, is uneven factor that in the task of even factor in evil that so aggressively perverse Mises issues, because these are your children. So people get angry these fine. You waited demonize Unifil. If I you in a way that makes you alien and of course not only is discouraging and eliminating, but it makes you feel like. Maybe you don't deserve response, even though I know that I work just as hard as every other sophomore in my class together this high school- and I was talking to one of these students who remember that his mom said to him you're, going to be one of the only black students at the school year.

Have to put on your armor. Every deck is like like. Obviously, it's not us versus that, like I think it's important sailor gets not us versus it's, not us versus them. It's very true that in this circumstance, black and la next immunities and Asia communities have been pitted against each other, and I think what is so important for people to realise is that when we have a more presented the school system, when we have a school system in which everyone has equal opportunity that benefits all of us like that benefits us collectively as a society- and I also just saw anything in this time- we spend together this really profound sense of come robbery that gotten themselves their Stuyvesant together. As a group. Am I too thank you very much. Thank you

so far more quickly, I so much trouble believing that of all of the top students in your city who are able to change the world and were able to perform the bass in this really rigorous environmental. Only seven of them are black right like like that, I'd like to me, it's just raw will be re back. This pod cast is supported by a trade trading, isn't for everyone, but he trade is whether it saving for a rainy day or you retirement. Each trade has you covered. They can help. You check financial off your list and with a team of professionals, giving you support. When you need it, you can be confident that your money is working hard for you get more than just trading with ease

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