To settle desegregation lawsuits over the past several decades, the City of Hartford agreed to create "magnet schools" -- public schools with enriched programs. Students are supposed to be chosen by lottery. Capital Prep is the leading magnet school in Hartford, both academically and athletically.
Wonder why their academic rankings were the highest and why they won state championships in football and girl's basketball? There is an easy answer. A recent investigative report by the Hartford Courant and a governmental audit discovered that about one third of Capital Prep's students bypassed the lottery and were admitted based on their high academic or athletic ability.
Hmm... again, I think our education system is going the same way!
ReplyDeleteThe high school here that both of my kids graduated from in the 90's has suffered because of this very practice and its a shame. Once some of the highest performing students starting going elsewhere, it was like a domino effect with the rest leaving too and then the best teachers followed. What used to be a great school is now a shell of its former self.
ReplyDeleteMagnet schools were suppose to help inner city schools' declining quality and increasing racial segregation. Sounds like Capital Prep found a way to scam the system. Theoretically good academic programs were suppose to draw gifted students to these schools from all over the city. The building does look like a school from the 1930s. My grade school looked much the same style, but without the green lawns.
ReplyDeleteThat does sound like a scam on the system.
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