students from 11 competing neighborhoods, and gang fights were an
accepted phenomenon as the 11 identified gangs battled for respect. Aca-
demic achievement was pushed to the rear as administrators struggled to
control student behavior. Accepted classroom etiquette included students
sitting on top of the desks and tables while eating, drinking soft drinks, and
laughing loudly as acoustic and electric signals emanated from a multi-
tude of boom-boxes and bounced off vibrating walls.
Student attendance was the lowest in the district, and standardized
test scores were among the lowest. Teacher apathy was at an all-time high.
The school, located on the far eastern boundary of the school district, was
identified by the students as a “throwaway” school; school personnel
yelled and cursed each other and the students. There was little evidence
of teaching and learning except in the magnet hall, where students were
actively engaged in meaningful high-level instruction. The regular school
with its low expectations and the well-ordered magnet school screamed of
the haves and the have-nots located on the same campus of E. L. Furr
High School.
Concerned parents were demanding a change and were more than
willing to assist in any way possible. They requested teachers who believed
in the students and who cared about the students’ futures. They wanted
their students to be required to behave in an appropriate manner and to
be instructed in a way that would ensure they were college-ready. They
wanted the school personnel to behave as professionals and to set an
example for the students. “We are looking for a miracle worker. We are
looking for someone who cares about our kids and who can either change
the folks who are presently here or hire all new people who can get the
job done. This kind of school would not be tolerated on the other side of
town. We hope you are that miracle worker,” they articulated, with hope
in their eyes and voices.
I had intended to remain at Furr for only three months, until a new
principal could be identified to replace the one who had recently retired.
Near the end of my three-month tenure, the superintendent requested
that I continue as principal through the following school year. Although
I had deep concerns about taking on that responsibility at the age of 66,
A “Throwaway” School No More 343