On Elitism

Stuyvesant, Bronx Science, and Brooklyn Tech are not diverse enough. Now there is a movement to either eliminate the performance standards and exams or eliminate the schools.The elite free public schools are called "undemocratic". Sadly, superior ability is not distributed on a democratic basis. Those schools are radically democratic and here is why. Any person who passes the exam, no matter how poor, no matter the color of their skin,can graduate and compete with kids from the elite private schools. Poor talented students will have no competitive educational opportunities in New York City if these schools are destroyed in order to save them for diversity. The city should focus on equality of opportunity to study not equality of outcome of acceptance if we are concerned with diversity and want to maintain the quality of these schools. Provide more test prep for free in under-represented neighborhoods, help kids who do not have good parental supports to get to the test centers. Do not set quotas.

Brooklyn Technical High School is a proud and historic institution in the heart of Brooklyn, New York City. The school has been recognized for its academic rigor and has provided opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds to receive a top-notch education. In recent years, however, there has been a growing movement to eliminate performance standards and exams, particularly in elite public schools like Brooklyn Technical High School.

One of the arguments made by those advocating for the elimination of performance standards is that these schools are undemocratic, as superior ability is not distributed on a democratic basis. However, this overlooks the fact that public schools are not meant to be democratic in the sense of equal distribution of abilities. Rather, they are meant to provide equal opportunity to study and strive for excellence. If we eliminate performance standards, poor talented students will have no competitive educational opportunities in New York City, and this would be a great loss to the city's future.

The real issue at hand is not the distribution of abilities but the lack of equal opportunity to study. It is not fair that some students have access to resources and support that others do not. To address this, we must provide more test prep for free in under-represented neighbourhoods, and help kids who do not have good parental support to get to the test centers. This will ensure that all students have a fair chance to succeed, regardless of their background.

Setting quotas is not the answer to creating a diverse student body. Quotas do not ensure quality education, as they do not take into account the individual abilities and potential of each student. Instead, we should focus on providing equal opportunities to all students, regardless of their background. This means providing resources and support to help students who are struggling, and encouraging students who are excelling to continue to do so.

The elimination of performance standards and exams at elite public schools like Brooklyn Technical High School is not the answer to addressing the issues of inequality and lack of opportunity in education. Instead, we must focus on providing equal opportunities to all students and ensuring that they have access to the resources and support they need to succeed. By doing so, we can ensure that all students, regardless of their background, have the chance to receive a quality education and contribute to the future success of New York City.