No matter which side of the argument one is on, reports that the de Blasio Administration is reportedly using the city’s gifted and talented (G&T) programs as a bargaining chip in attempts to get rid of the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), is a slap in the face to communities of color.
According to the website, Politico, New York City schools Chancellor Richard Carranza did not confirm or deny a report that de Blasio is considering putting gifted and talented programs in all school districts if the state legislature backs his plan to eliminate the test.
De Blasio wants to scrap the test to allow more black and brown students in these schools, which are weighted heavily with Asian Americans and whites.
This has the Asian American community up in arms and rightfully so. They were never allowed to be part of the conversation of the plan to get rid of the test and have one of the highest poverty rates in the city. As often reported through KCP and other outlets, Asian Americans put a lot of stock in these tests and teach their kids the way out is to study for them. That there is no color in math and science. You either know the stuff or you don’t.
Now there are those that argue, that these kids get special tutoring and help to pass these tests, and there is some truth to that. But as KCP has written about, there are also these programs in communities of color and they are successful.
But the biggest detriment to students from communities of color passing these tests is the lack of G&T programs in communities of color. They are the feeder programs, which recognize and nurture the best and brightest minds in communities.
This is an issue I have been covering since my days at Our Time Press, and both City Council Member Robert Cornegy (D-Bedford-Stuyvesant, Northern Crown Heights) and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams had to lobby for several years with the de Blasio Administration to put G&T programs in Bed-Stuy.
So the reports that de Blasio is now saying he will allow G&T programs in districts citywide if lawmakers agree to get rid of the SHSAT is not only bad politics and policy but shows a lack of faith in communities of color to prove that given the feeder programs they can compete with anybody.
And a number of education, civic and clergy leaders agree.
“The mayor can expand G/T programs into low-income communities by himself—today—but instead, he’s pulling a fast one on state lawmakers by telling them he’ll only do it if they bend to his will,” said Rev. Kirsten John Foy, founder and president of the Arc of Justice and Education Equity Campaign.
“The legislature should reject this cynical and politically expedient ploy by the mayor. We must make our education system more equitable, and we do that by making deep, systemic changes—not by political horse trading with our children’s future like Mayor de Blasio proposes,” he added.
