Guest Viewpoint: What a 'good school' really looks like

10/14/03 -- Our schools are becoming more diverse every year. Or are they? Actually, although our nation's school-age population is becoming increasingly diverse, there is an alarming trend toward resegregation of our schools, according to the Harvard Civil Rights Project.

There are a number of factors driving this resegregation, but one is the familiar "white flight" out of neighborhoods as diversity changes the neighborhood and the school.

All parents want a "good school" for their children. While our nation talks about celebrating diversity, the truth is our society still defines a good school as a predominantly white middle-class school.

Most parents -- even minority parents -- think their children will get the best education in the classic white suburban school with high standardized test scores. And so, if they have the luxury of moving, most parents look for a neighborhood school in the idealized Ozzie and Harriet tradition, never looking beyond the most basic statistics.

Contrary to the prevailing myths, however, diverse schools can provide the type of strong academic environment that parents seek. In fact, a school rich in racial, ethnic, and economic diversity can provide advantages only dreamed of in a homogeneous environment.

Many parents, including white parents like myself, have seen firsthand the unique benefits of a diverse student body, and we would never want to limit our children's world to those who look and think like they do.

I watched my children grow exponentially both academically and socially when they attended Annandale High School in Fairfax County, Va., with students from more than 85 nations and wide-ranging economic levels.

And I watched children from many different backgrounds succeed in the challenging and supportive environment.

When I explored beyond my own local experience, I found the same enthusiasm echoed over and over again as I interviewed education leaders, teachers, parents, and students from diverse schools around the country for my book.

Learning comes alive in diverse classrooms when wisdom is shared not only by competent teachers and textbooks, but also by fellow students with life experiences and cultures that illuminate whole new worlds. As elementary teacher Kate Andreatta from Binghamton, N.Y., told me, "nothing is more interesting to students than each other."

With a teacher who encourages all students to speak their minds and respectfully listen to others, discussions in diverse classrooms are dynamic and challenging, fostering critical thinking skills.

Students in these schools learn there is a range of perspectives on issues, motivating them to study and thoughtfully define their own views.

Chemistry teacher Tom Pratuch described an "aha!" moment for his class during a lively discussion on the rights of animals used in testing food additives and cosmetics. A student who had recently fled starvation in Africa asked in sincere puzzlement, "What are 'animal rights'? Animals are food."

The other students, most of whom had never known an empty dinner plate or worked on a farm, stopped to consider the issue from an entirely new perspective.

Students in diverse schools learn how to work in collaborative groups, gaining a comfort level with people who are different. They develop the skills to identify individual strengths so they can work together to solve problems.

Language arts teacher Trish Tripepi said she was amazed at the growth of the students of varying cultures and skills who took part in the Electronic Media Academy at James Logan High in Union City, Calif.

"Innate talents were discovered," she says. "Race, cultural differences, and 'intelligence' were no longer an issue. What mattered most was working together to create a project of which every member could be proud."

Students in diverse classrooms are much more accepting of differences of all types. Dangerous stereotypes break down as students study, play ball, and just talk with one another.

"When I went to college, other Palestinian girls couldn't believe that I had friends who were Jewish, but then I introduced them to my high school friends and we all started talking," said Jamilah Alzer, an Annandale High graduate.

Many college professors agree that diverse K-12 schools provide a particularly enriching environment.

Contrary to the myth that predominantly white public or private schools prepare students best for college, professors at some of our nation's top colleges -- Smith, Harvard, and the University of Virginia to name just a few -- tell me that students from diverse public schools are far better able to grasp the important issues of the day. They think deeper. They question more.

It's time for our society to move beyond myths and stereotypes and broaden the definition of a "good school." Yes, a good school should have high achievement, and standardized tests are one important measure of that achievement. But if the schoolwide test scores are all we look at, we get a skewed picture of a school's merit.

Every teacher in a vibrant diverse school can recount the striking contributions of students from ethnic and racial minorities, who in turn inspire new insights from others in the class.

While some students in diverse schools do require extra academic support, it is unfair and untrue to simply see these students as "resource suckers" who detract from the education of other students, when they bring so many resources to the classroom.

Of course, a diverse school isn't always a good school. To reap the benefits, diverse schools require strong leaders who genuinely believe that diversity is a strength. They also must foster a school climate based on respect for each individual student and family.

The education leaders must continually strive for equity of opportunity for all, breaking down barriers to student achievement -- whether that means helping students believe in their own capacity to achieve, connecting with hard-to-reach parents, or collaborating with community members to build both a strong school and strong community.

When there is a belief that every child can succeed and a commitment to making that happen, test scores do rise. And they rise for everyone.

When it all comes together -- a student body that is diverse racially, ethnically, and economically; courageous and committed education leaders; an enthusiastic faculty; a supportive community -- magic happens. A vibrant diverse school benefits everyone's children, and it can be a beacon for building a strong diverse community beyond the school walls.

The experience of being part of a thriving diverse school can't be bought or measured on standardized tests. Our diverse high school enriched not only the lives of my two children, but my husband and myself as well. Its lessons guide our lives every day. Could there be any better definition of a "good school"?

Eileen Gale Kugler is the author of Debunking the Middle-class Myth: Why Diverse Schools are Good for All Kids.