Schools

Letter to the Editor: Should Rye Neck High School Students Be Charged Summer School Tuition?

The letter to the editor below was written by community activist and author of An Other's Mind, Luis Quiros. The views expressed do not necessarily represent those of Patch Media.

It is practice that political decisions always validate that the only “right” decisions are the ones made between those equal in power. I often state in my classrooms, panel discussions and articles that “logic” is an oppressor’s top weapon and an oppressed neighborhood’s worst challenge, or at least among the worst. This mindset is easily learned and employed to justify actions taken but that most heavily affect people. The challenges for the oppressed become a nightmare they cannot combat against the power’s “logic” that these decisions are made for the “good” of the majority; this is sadly also employed in our educational system and justifies it as making decisions to secure a sound and basic education which we are legally required to provide. However, how do we guarantee that our legal obligation is met under this unequal paradigm? My experiences in Westchester and the dangers of its “logic” mode are further described in my book An Other’s Mind

It is not enough to point out the services provided under Special Education if it indicates a disproportionate enrollment of communities of color simply to propagandize that students are receiving “unique attention” yet ultimately cannot access advanced placement courses. Furthermore, that “unique attention” is taken away when most needed, during the college process where the referral is only to the local Westchester Community College. This method has been studied and proven to produce cohorts that will never graduate with an Associate’s Degree. 

In my experiences with poor communities in this neighborhood, brown, black or white, I have always been uncomfortable with the practice of charging Rye Neck High School students, who “require” summer school to be charged a very heavy price for tuition, especially when their own school does not offer any summer session courses. The amount charged is also outrageous (beginning at $340). 

The explanation I was given by the Rye Neck High School principal is that summer school is optional and, as such, a family for whom it may be a challenge to pay the fee, the “choice” is to repeat the course during the regular school year. That “logic” provides more support to furthering the establishment of a community of “second class citizens” than one that embraces a commitment to education and equality. Furthermore, I am not speaking about students from a really different and tax and political or mayoral controlled-based communities such as the neighboring New Rochelle or Harrison districts; ours are districts included in the same geographical, economic and political systems and whose residents interact with each other as neighbors. Why must another obstacle be placed on poor communities to access just our “basic” education. For the wealthy, “keeping up” to the middle or higher class structures is not an obstacle, they seek any needed remediation for their children elsewhere. Thus, the “blame” for the “need” of a summer school program is placed on the poor who are most in need of support, academically and otherwise.
Now you have an economic and psychosocial challenge. 

We need a lot more transparency regarding the policy of charging summer school fees to Rye Neck students as “out of district." Does Rye Neck receive any portion of that fee? Why isn’t Rye Neck advocating for “no tuition” for its students when Mamaroneck School District students do not pay tuition? 

As an advocate who has recognized for over 50 years that not-for-profits are profitable (the “income” and benefits come with other names) and who love supporting the status quo in order to keep receiving donations from people content with safeguarding property values (as they themselves are promised upward mobility), though not nearly educated to work with those being served, I have taken up the challenge to have this policy investigated. This practice aligns itself with double taxation, excessive penalties, and is among the highest form of vitalizing racial discrimination and enacting participatory repression (How much more time must be spend at work rather than with our children and in our neighborhood in the name of a “reputable” education for our children?). For the rich, the positivity in poverty must have limits or we remain at the mercy of “logic” not inclusive of our experience and input. 

While I take on this policy, my family has incurred the cost of summer school tuition for some students. Understanding the burden of paying these fees comes from having lived through the struggle myself in this community for over 30 years, and yet the policies and mindset remain the same. 

Please stop this insanity and abuse by reimbursing all of the tuition received from Rye Neck families for at least the last two summer school years. I am willing to meet with both school boards to discuss this further and resolve these issues. 


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