Miseducation
New York City is home to the nation’s most segregated school system, a fact that surprises those who think of the Big Apple as a progressive beacon. Deep inequities exist at every level of the NYC school system.
And who better to report on these issues than the students who experience them firsthand? Grab a pen and get ready to take notes. Our student reporters are taking you to school.
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Episode 5: The Movement
A young activist from the Bronx attempts to integrate the city's public school system.
Extra Credit: Noah
On this Extra Credit, we spend 10 more minutes in Noah's world. He talks about role models, gangs, and old friendships.
Episode 4: Who Needs Integration?
Many education leaders say: Sure, integration would be nice, but we should focus instead on equal resources. What do students think?
Episode 3: White Kids
In the 1954 Brown v. Board ruling that outlawed school segregation, did the Court miss an opportunity? One of the researchers essential to the case thought so. Sixty-three years later, you can hear the consequences of that missed chance in the stories of three Harlem teens talking about encounters with white peers.
Analysis: The 'Diversity' Plan
The city's new school diversity plan is the policy equivalent of a last-minute gift delivered sans wrapping paper or card. The question now among integration advocates: can we at least return it?
Episode 2: Noah Goes to High School
With Noah as a guide, we delve into New York City's "open choice" high school admissions process, which leads to hundreds of low-performing schools at the expense of a few stellar ones. Along the way, hear what Noah has to say about the neighborhood of East New York, his high school teachers & peers, segregation, and why he wants to learn to build a house.
Episode 1: Listen to Noah
The season kicks off with the story of Noah, a high school student from Brooklyn whose experiences provide a personal look into New York City's segregated school system. Part One tracks Noah's journey from a predominantly white elementary school to a nearly 100% non-white middle school.