Fundamental school plan has critics

Pinellas' superintendent says making the new Thurgood Marshall Middle a fundamental school will attract a mix of students immediately.

By KELLY RYAN GILMER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published May 2, 2002

LARGO -- Superintendent Howard Hinesley is recommending that a new St. Petersburg middle school open as a fundamental program, despite concerns that it will exclude families who can't meet the strict requirements.

In a memo to the School Board, Hinesley said Thurgood Marshall Middle, scheduled to open in 2003, should be just like Southside and Coachman fundamental middle schools. Those schools require parent involvement and have stringent discipline policies.

The only difference: Thurgood Marshall would draw students from the southern third of the county, while the other two schools are open to all students.

A community advisory group had recommended that Thurgood Marshall offer a science and technology career focus.

But Hinesley, who has rarely departed from a recommendation by this group, said it could take years for a thematic program to draw a mix of white and African-American families.

Fundamentals have "a proven history of attracting both African-American and white students from the get-go," Hinesley said. "That is simply it."

Marsha Carter, a member of the advisory committee, supports fundamental schools but was disappointed with Hinesley's recommendation.

"What makes a fundamental school work is that the faculty and parents come together and agree that's what they want," Carter said. "It must come from the bottom up, not from the top down."

The school district is building Thurgood Marshall and two elementary schools in St. Petersburg as part of a settlement with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. The legal defense fund sued the district in 1964 for discriminating against black students.

African-American student enrollment will be capped at 42 percent at every school through 2006-2007. As ratios ease and eventually go away, the schools offer a new opportunity for black students to go to school closer to home.

Beginning in fall 2003, the district will end its system of assigning students to schools based on their home address. The district is divided into areas, and students will apply to attend their top choices.

Schools are supposed to offer special programs to attract families, which will make their choices this fall for the 2003-2004 school year.

Hinesley is recommending that the new Sanderlin Elementary School work toward a "primary International Baccalaureate" program. He is recommending that Jamerson Elementary School offer a math and engineering focus.

School Board members will consider the recommendations at 1 p.m. Tuesday at district headquarters, 301 Fourth St. SW in Largo.

The elementary recommendations are unlikely to generate as much debate as the middle school issue.

Board members have questioned how the primary IB program would work but seemed supportive after hearing that it would be a liberal arts program with foreign language instruction. It would have no entrance requirements.

Board member Linda Lerner agrees that fundamental schools are popular -- as of Feb. 1, 517 names were on waiting lists for Coachman and Southside.

But other programs are popular, too. In fact, more students are on a waiting list for an arts and communications magnet program than for fundamental schools.

Lerner said she can't support a fundamental program where students could be kicked out for violating rules and be sent to another school.

"I want to be sure that all kids are welcome in that school," Lerner said. "Some kids and parents can't adhere to that contract."

But board member Tom Todd, who consistently advocates for fundamental schools, believes all parents can find time to meet the fundamental contract.

"If you look at our waiting lists," Todd said, "it makes all the sense in the world."

Mendee Ligon, whose daughter attends Bay Vista Fundamental Elementary School, isn't convinced another fundamental middle school is needed.

"Everybody is focusing on fundamental and magnets and themes," Ligon said, "and everybody is losing sight of the need for traditional schools."

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