The Class System

The Pressures of an Education System That Divides Students

Cartoon+by+Chad+Williams

Cartoon by Chad Williams

Editorial

aplus

 It’s the classic tale of the haves and the have nots, but in place of jewels and riches are AP classes and GPAs. At Barnstable High School a class system has emerged within the classroom. This system is not based on socioeconomic status, race or ability, but on the sheer classes that students take. The cause of this divide seems to stem from elementary and middle grades and grow with students into the high school level.

 

Before even entering the eighth grade, students are categorized into classes that will determine their entire high school career. Gateway, a program for “gifted and talented” students that is implemented in elementary school, is also a gateway for creating a divide among students. While it doesn’t hold weight in determining a student’s high school schedule, it does create a level of confidence within students in the program that can be carried into high school.

 

Math classes, in particular, are crucial factors that influence a student’s academic pathway. Once a student is behind in math, he or she is behind for the rest of high school. Math class leveling is determined by MCAS scores and teacher recommendations from the teachers at Barnstable Intermediate School. Recently, 8th grade classes have become leveled, meaning students are given the ability to set the tone for their entire high school career. A student in an honors 8th grade English class is likely to progress into an honors 9th grade English class, while a student in a CP 8th grade English class is likely to progress into a CP 9th grade English class.

 

Once in high school, scheduling lays in the hands of guidance counselors. With nearly 2,000 students and only six guidance counselors, forming a relationship with a counselor can be difficult when a typical student meets with his or her guidance counselor once a year. The scheduling process can be difficult for some students, considering there are a multitude of restrictions placed upon students and counselors when it comes to choosing classes. Last year, students were barred from changing their schedules after the month of March, however, counselors let certain students change their schedules after this time. Requesting teachers is also supposedly prohibited, but students requested and counselors met their demands. But not all counselors bent the rules, which left some students stuck in classes they didn’t want to be in, while classmates easily switched out. This contributes to the divide among students because those with leverage in the guidance department are placed in the “best” classes with the “best” teachers while the students and counselors who follow the rules are left behind.

 

Cartoon by Chad Williams
Cartoon by Chad Williams

In today’s society there seems to be a push to be smart. Nearly everybody at BHS has heard the phrase “AP for all” and has probably adorned a red and plastic bracelet with said phrase emblazoned on it. With an influx of new AP courses available to students in recent years, the push to take higher level courses is evident. One problem with this is that students may be pushed into taking classes that they’re not prepared for or comfortable taking. Once students have established their path in middle school classes, it can be just as difficult to move down a class level as it is to move up one. Class rank and GPA can be determining factors when students choose classes as higher level courses are more heavily weighted than lower level courses when it comes to calculating one’s GPA. Competition among students fosters pressure to take classes that students are not ready for simply because their friends are taking them.

Some of this pressure also comes from parents. Parents either encourage their children to succeed or they don’t. Students with heavily involved parents can often find themselves in classes they don’t belong in simply because their parents called a guidance counselor. Students without heavily involved parents may not receive this push to excel and if placed in a class that’s inappropriate for them, they are most-likely stuck for the rest of the year.

In order to close this divide between the haves and have nots, students need to learn to advocate for themselves. If a class doesn’t feel right, say something. If a level seems too easy or too difficult, say something. While Gateway and math classes are influential in future scheduling, they shouldn’t corrugate scheduling entirely. Establishing more meaningful relationships with counselors is another way to help a wider berth of students excel. Creating more time to meet with a counselor besides the one time a year to choose classes would help students and counselors get to know each other better. While counselors and parents do have leverage in determining a student’s path in high school, the student’s own efforts and voice will determine the student’s level of success

cplus