Diversity is a ‘class’ action
Students rip admission policies
Students at an elite high school in Midtown walked out of class Monday as part of what they called a “strike for integration.”
The walkout occurred at Beacon High School on W. 44th St., a highly selective liberal arts school with a long history of academic excellence, and where 45% of students are white, compared with about 15% in city schools overall.
Hundreds of students marched in front of the building and chanted “Hey, hey, ho, ho, segregation has go to go,” and “End Jim Crow,” as they carried signs that said “Student Voice is great but we prefer adult action.”
The students blocked off a block of W. 44th St. during the half-hour walkout in freezing rain.
The protest was part of a student-led push for greater diversity at city schools and the end to selective admissions high school admissions practices that concentrate the highest academic achievers in a handful of schools.
Beacon freshman Manuel Gomez said he walked out to signal that students across the city should get access to the kinds of resources available at Beacon, where there’s a black box theater, dance and art studios, and a film lab.
“It’s 2019. We went through so much change, all these people fought for us and we’re still fighting for students of color. A school like Beacon, we want it to be for everyone,” Gomez said.
Students from the group Teens Take Charge say they’ll continue organizing the Monday walkouts until Mayor de Blasio and schools Chancellor Richard Carranza put an end to the high school screens.
Students said they were marked as absent by teachers for participating in the morning walkout.
They returned to class after spending one period outside in protest.