PCUE statement at the rally on Sept. 8

PCUE Statement
Graduation for All
September 8, 2009

Hello Everyone,
Thank you for coming to this rally and being a part of this great event. My name is Milagros Delacruz. I am a mother of a child in Dickinson High school. I am also a member of Parents and Communities United for Education -- SEOC.

We are here today to highlight the urgent call to improve the academic performance of our high schools so that all our youth successfully graduate from high school, go to college, or continue a career track that will get them a meaningful job with living wages.

We are alarmed by the continuing failure of our high schools in providing our youth a quality education. When our youth are underserved by our school district, our communities also suffer from its consequences. When our children fail to graduate, if they are black or Latinos, they have a 50/50 chance to end up in the prison system. We cannot lose even one child to violence and prison system. We won’t take it any more!

Here is why we are out here to day and organizing for change in Jersey City:
• Under No Child Left Behind, four out of six high schools in Jersey City are failing our children.
• In 2008, more than 450 youth dropped out of high schools.
• In 2008, one out of every four seniors did not graduate from high school. And many of those who did, it took them five or even six years to get their high school diploma.
• One out of every three graduates, in 2008, received their diploma not by passing the High School Proficiency Assessment or HSPA, which is the standard test for graduation, but through an alternative means
• Many graduates are not ready for college, work or even able to fill out a job application

• Many youth end up out of school, whether graduating or dropping out, and see no future to look forward to

Our youth are bright and smart. They are ready to learn no matter who they are and what background they come from. Yet, our school system lacks the ability to engage them, keep them interested and focused on their education. Inadequate and half-hazard academic support programs in our high schools is holding them back, preventing them from excelling, and crippling the lives of far too many of them. When they face emotional challenges, there is little or no support at all to assist them through their difficulties.

As parents we understand we have a role to play in our children’s education. We know our children do well when we are involved. That is why we are organizing. Our presence here today speaks for itself. But lack of respect for parents’ concerns, unwelcoming school environment, and denigrating attitudes hold back many parents from engaging in their children’s school. Dealing with schools often becomes a frustrating and unpleasant experience for many parents.

We have gathered here not only to point out to the problems and challenges but also to be positive and provide solutions. Without bold and innovative actions our high school performance is poised to deteriorate in the face of new higher standard graduation requirements mandated by the state.

We call on the Jersey City Board of Education and the School District Superintendent Dr. Charles Epps, to seriously consider and implement proposals in PCUE’s high school campaign platform. We are calling on district officials to build genuine partnership with parents and the community, to provide effective student support programs, to support our teachers and school staff, and to upgrade computer technology labs and make them accessible to all students.

In particular, we want six specific improvements for our youth:

(1) A Tutoring center, with after school hours, in each high school so that it can assist students, who are falling though the cracks, to catch up and move forward.

(2) We want Guidance Counselors to have a more intensive face to face quarterly meeting with students during accessible, after school hours. Such support can help our students to have individualized learning plan, develop goals, stay on track, and prepare for college or seek other meaningful career.

(3) We are asking for scholarship fund specifically to assist undocumented immigrant children planning to go to college. Far too many of our Latino and other recent immigrant students cannot go to college because they cannot afford to pay two or three times more in tuition fee than their classmates.

(4) We want our school district to truly listen to us as parents and allow us to annually evaluate our children’s school. We want them to include our evaluation in any efforts to improve our high schools.

(5) We want an annual one-page school report card that shows us how our high schools are doing in educating our children.

(6) Finally, we want all communication to be in the languages spoken at home by parents. Jersey City’s public school children come from homes where dozens of languages are spoken. Unless the School District makes a serious effort to get the information to parents in languages they can understand, the chances for parent support are greatly weakened.

Today is just the beginning of our Campaign for Graduation for All Jersey City youth. We thank you for coming out today to stand with us. We ask you to sign up with us for a step by step Campaign to win these important changes for our youth.

Remember, one by one, the longest march is won! We will win! Si se puede!

Thank you!