Elite Public High Schools in New York City Drawing Few Minorities

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Most minorities with academic shortfalls have untold stories to tell if anyone will listen. Keeping that aside, a lot of these high school learners will do great if placed under same condition like their white counterparts. The problem that lies in bringing these minorities at par are twofold; we have school leaders that talk long talk that are not backed by genuine action, secondly, too much emphasis is placed on generalized curriculum without consideration of cultural deficits and social inequities. Until we resolve these issues the erosion will continue.

Chuck Asoluka of NJ 11:32AM June 07, 2011

A school should indeed be reflective of the city itself, but more importantly, it should maintain its high level of excellence and education. If minority kids do not meet the requirement to get into the school, then they shouldn't be granted admission. It's as simple as that. There's already enough affirmative action. It's not the school's fault that these kids are lazy bums. Don't blame it on their poor upbringing either. These minority kids can readily borrow an SHSAT workbook from any library and use that to study. When there's a will, there's a way.

Jack of NY 10:28PM February 22, 2010

I think it's hysterical how how the Asians commenting on this blog do not recognize that they themselves are in fact considered a minority. Sorry but if you're not white than you are considered a minority. Are you not taught that in the specialized school you got accepted to? And let's not blame everything on parents. They may play their part but our public schools are lacking in so many ways that it does not give anyone Asian or any other minority a chance to suceed when all that is cared about is a standardized test.
Tell me do these specialized schools actually teach you how to write a coherent research paper or is it all just theory and memorization?

lyla of NY 6:08PM October 11, 2009

Lol.... your lack of test prep is probably why you're at York (which no one has ever heard of) instead of Stuyvesant or Bronx Science.

Alum of NY 9:44AM June 18, 2009

I'm in Queens high school for the sciences at York College, which is one of the specialized high schools in NYC right now, and I didn't study for the SHSATs.
I think that the people that actually TRY to prep for this test actually...FAIL....no offense to them, i guess.
By the way, I'm asian. i think that there's more asians because that's how most of us were raised up: to get good grades, go to an ivy league college, etcetc. If not....we get a beating.

Amanda of NY 11:47PM June 10, 2009

Let the grades speak not color. Whoever does the best deserves to get in. It should not be the fault of a smart white or Asian child that minority numbers are low. If they score higher they deserve the spot. If kids were getting in with low scores compared to higher scores for a minority than it would be a crime

Lee of NY 2:39PM February 23, 2009

How can i start this school to finish my diploma to get into the best jobs in New York

Kathy Charlery of NY 9:13AM February 23, 2009

Its funny why I wrote that because I didn't study for the shsat ;]

above of NY 6:12PM February 09, 2009

I go to stuyvesant high right now and I think that all of these politicians should not involve politics or questions about race in schools especially the specialized high schools. Stuy is two thirds asians because they are very dilligent and good workers. They spend time and work hard to get results and they often do. The SHSAT is a nonbiased test accepting the top scorers and if the asians and Jewish students can study and work fairly to getting in on their own why can't minorities? All the poloiticians affirmitive action policies are so stupid and I'm surprised that it's legal. I like what Mr.Teitel said sometime before that the gifted and talented students are underrepresented. Please don't stick people who don't try hard into this school by the color of their skin because that won't be fait to the students who got here fairly or the students that got through by politicians. Don't do them or us a disservice by putting unworthy people in the school and keep the shsat which shows real meritocracy. I encourage minorities to try harder and get in on their own skills. You may call me a racist fine do what you want but I think (along with the students in my school that I have a valid pont).

Abraham Rabinowitz of NY 6:06PM February 09, 2009

Bronx High School of Science was a miserable place to go to school. As a white kid, I had so few people to hang with. The 70% of the school that was Asian stuck together. Everyone else was an outsider. Everyone worked like horses, probably driven by the chinese/asian work ethic. But the school is a decidely unintellectual place. You had to achieve high grades by working, working and working and mimicking ideas given by teachers and memorizing facts. Real thought and innovation was not valued. The school administration promotes conformity as does the Asian student body.
So others who are not in this school should consider themselves lucky.

Bronx High School of Science gradaute of NY 9:52PM January 24, 2009