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Imani Institute

Description: Deborah Wang reports that 86 African American students attend the Imani Institute, a private school where students learn about their African heritage. Interview with institute director Ozzie Edwards, who says that parental involvement is key to a child's academic success. He adds that the students learn to be proud of their heritage. The school is housed temporarily in the Elliot Street Congregational Church. Many students formerly attended Boston public schools and area Catholic schools. Interview with President of the Parents' Council, Sadiki Kambon, who says that many African American students are not receiving a good education in the public schools. The Imani Institute needs to raise additional funds in order to make it past its first year.
1:00:11: Visual: Footage of four young African American female students stepping out of a car onto a sidewalk. The girls are dressed in school uniforms. Shots of students in uniforms gathered outside of the Elliot Congregational Church in Roxbury. Shot of an African American boy looking out of a window of the building. Deborah Wang reports that the Imani Institute is not a traditional parochial school. V: Footage of African American schoolchildren gathered in an auditorium. The students sing "Lift Every Voice." Shots of individual schoolchildren. Wang reports that a school assembly is held each morning; that each class has a Swahili name. Wang notes that the students recite a pledge about their African past. V: Footage of the schoolchildren at the assembly saying together, "We are the African people." Wang reports that there are 86 African American students at the Imani Institute; that the students learn about their African heritage. V: Shots of Imani students standing in a classroom; of students sitting in an assembly; of individual schoolchildren. Footage of Ozzie Edwards (Director, Imani Institute) saying that the school gives students a sense of pride about their heritage. Shot of a handwritten sign for the fourth grade class known as "Anika." Footage of an African American female teacher working with students in a classroom; of students working at desks. Wang reports that many of the educational concepts behind the Imani Institute date back to the 1960s; that these educational concepts are becoming more popular with parents. Wang notes that many parents believe that public schools are in crisis. V: Footage of Edwards saying that there are problems with the education of African American children. Edwards says that African American children are not achieving the level of education of other groups. Wang reports that many Imani students are former students of the Boston Public Schools; that some are former students of the African American Catholic school St. Francis de Sales. Wang notes that the St. Francis de Sales school closed over the summer. V: Shot of the exterior of the former St. Francis de Sales school building. Shot of an African American female teacher with young students in a classroom. The students sit in a circle on the floor. Shots of the students. Wang reports that parents of students at the Imani Institute have insisted on having input on the education provided by the school. V: Footage of Sadiki Kambon (President, Parents' Council) saying that many parents decided that the Imani Institute was the best place for their children; that the public schools are not providing a good education. Footage of Edwards saying that parental background and involvement are critical to a child's success in school. Edward says that parents need to be interested in their child's education; that parents do not have to be well educated. Shots of older students in a classroom with an African American male teacher. Shots of the teacher and the students. Wang reports that the school has no permanent home; that the school is housed temporarily in the Elliot Congregational Church. Wang notes that the Imani Institute must raise an additional $60,000 in order to make it past the first year. V: Shots of Imani students leaving the morning assembly.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 09/12/1989

Minority failure rate

Description: David Boeri reports that the Massachusetts Advocacy Center released statistics indicating that the student failure rate in the Boston Public Schools has increased by 24 percent. Boeri notes that school officials have raised promotion standards but that students are unprepared. Boeri interviews Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) and Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) about the failure rate in the schools. Wheelock says that the schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Wheelock says that non-promotion will cause an increase in the drop-out rate. She adds that schools must provide remedial services for at-risk students. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. Schwartz admits that schools need to do more to help at-risk students. Boeri analyzes that failure statistics for African American and Latino students. Boeri's report is accompanied by footage of students exiting a school and by footage of students in a classroom.
1:00:16: Visual: Shot of a memo from the Massachusetts Advocacy Center. David Boeri reports the Massachusetts Advocacy Center has released troubling statistics about the Boston Public Schools. V: Shot of students in a classroom. A white male teacher stands at the front of the classroom. Boeri reports that the group found that one of every six middle school students was kept back last year; that one out of every eight middle school students was kept back three years ago. Boeri notes that the failure rate has increased by 24 percent. Boeri reports that the largest increase in the failure rate took place among Latino students. Boeri reports that the number of failing African American students is not out of proportion with the student population. Boeri notes that the number of failing African American students is vastly out of proportion with the student population at some schools. Boeri reports that African Americans made up 78% of the failing students at the Wheatley Middle School; that the school's African American population is 58%. Boeri says that Anne Wheelock (Massachusetts Advocacy Center) believes that the failure rate stems from low expectations, racial climate, and staff composition. V: Shot of students of diverse races exiting a school. Shot of the exterior of the Phillis Wheatley Middle School. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed by Boeri. Wheelock says that something must be changed in schools which hold back a disproportionately high number of African American students. Wheelock says that schools must create a climate which allows all students to succeed. Boeri asks why the failure rate has increased. Wheelock says that present promotion policies have imposed tougher standards on students without increasing additional services. Footage of Robert Schwartz (Director, Boston Compact) being interviewed by Boeri. Schwartz says that a high school diploma must signify a minimum amount of achievement on the part of students. Schwartz says that students must be promoted for achievement instead of "time served." Boeri says that school officials raised standards; that some students are not prepared. V: Shots of white female students in a classroom. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed. Wheelock says that non-promotion has a huge effect on the drop-out rate. Wheelock says that a recent study shows that being held back one grade increases a student's chances of dropping out by over 40%. Wheelock says that the study shows that being held back two grade increases a student's chances of dropping out by 90%. Footage of Schwartz being interviewed by Boeri. Schwartz says that the drop-out rate could be decreased if the schools promoted all students regardless of performance. Shwartz says that the schools are not performing their jobs if students are promoted regardless of perfomance. Boeri remarks that it is irresponsible to raise standards without preparing students. Schwartz says that there is a possibility that the schools have not done enough for at-risk students. Footage of Wheelock being interviewed. Wheelock says that students should be promoted with remediation and special attention. Wheelock says that the best teachers should be working with at-risk students.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/20/1986

Nativity Prep School

Description: Alexandra Marks reports that Barry Hynes is preparing to open Nativity Prep School in Roxbury. The Archdiocese of Boston has provided facilities for the school, and tuition is $10 per month. Interview with Barbara Robinson about her inability to afford other private schools, which she wants to do because she doesn't think the Boston Public Schools are doing enough. Interviews with Hynes and Father Bill Cullen, the principal of the school. Hynes says that the school is modeled after a small Jesuit school in New York City. Cullen says that the school will work together with parents to educate their children. Interviews with teachers Calvin Moore and John Riley about the school. Marks reports that Nativity Prep will accept thirty male students aged eleven to thirteen. Marks' report is accompanied by footage of staff cleaning up the building in preparation for the school year.
1:00:15: Visual: Footage of Michael Robinson (age eleven) and two other boys playing basketball on an outdoor court. Alexandra Marks reports that Michael Robinson was born in Roxbury; that his adoptive mother is trying to provide a good education for him. V: Footage of Barbara Robinson (mother of Michael Robinson) being interviewed. Barbara Robinson says that she wants her son to go to a school where he will be encouraged. Shot of Michael Robinson and another boy walking on the sidewalk as they play with a basketball. Marks reports that Barbara Robinson is not impressed with the Boston Public Schools; that the Boston Public Schools have a dropout rate of 40%. Marks reports that Barbara Robinson cannot afford tuition at most private schools. V: Footage of Barbara Robinson being interviewed by Marks. Robinson says that she cannot afford to pay $1600 per year for one child. Marks reports that Barry Hynes (school organizer) is organizing a prep school which will open a few blocks from the Robinsons' home. Marks notes that Hynes has a staff of seven people; that Hynes will charge a tuition of $10 per month. V: Shot of Hynes speaking on the telephone in his office. Shot of a member of Hynes' staff cleaning the woodwork in a classroom. Footage of Hynes being interviewed in his office. Hynes says that the school will have a strict code of conduct; that the school will challenge students academically. Shots of Hynes' staff moving furniture in a classroom. Marks reports that the school will be called Nativity Prep School; that the school is modeled after a small Jesuit school in New York City. Marks notes that Hynes is a retired businessman; that Hynes taught in the New York City Jesuit school for one year. V: Shot of a staff member vacuuming the floor of a classroom. Footage of Hynes being interviewed in his office. Hynes says that he liked the prep school where he taught in New York City; that he will use that school as a model. Shot of a staff member cleaning a wax floor. Marks reports that the school opens tomorrow; that the school will open in the building where the St. Francis de Sales school was once located. Marks notes that the Archdiocese of Boston offered the space to Hynes when they heard his idea. V: Footage of Hynes being interviewed in his office. Hynes says that the building is well equipped and in good shape. Shot of staff members moving a large cabinet in a classroom. Marks reports that the school staff receives a stipend of $200 per week. Marks notes that Hynes met Calvin Moore (teacher) while playing golf. Marks adds that Moore is a graduate of Harvard Law School. V: Footage of Moore being interviewed. Moores says that he wants these kids to grow up and have successful lives. Shot of John Riley (teacher) mopping the floor in a classroom. Marks reports that Riley is a business consultant; that Riley has a masters degree from the Wharton School of Business. V: Footage of Riley being interviewed. Riley says that he has been fortunate; that he wants to give something back to society. Footage of Father Bill Cullen (Principal, Nativity Prep School) in a classroom. Cullen decides where to hang a clock in the classroom. A female staff member assists him. Marks reports that Cullen is the principal; that Cullen is responsible for choosing the first thirty boys to enter the school. Marks notes that the school will accept male students aged eleven to thirteen. V: Footage of Cullen being interviewed. Cullen says that he is looking for parents with a desire to educate their children. Cullen says that the school must work together with parents in order to educate children. Shot of Moore, Cullen, and a female staff member moving furniture in a classroom. Marks reports that the school has raised only half of its operating funds for the year; that the school needs to raise $100,000. V: Footage of Cullen saying that the school and its staff must take a "leap of faith." Cullen says that the school will deal with problems as they arise. Marks reports that Barbara Robinson has great hopes for the school. V: Footage of Robinson being interviewed by Marks. Shot of Barbara Robinson in tears. Robinson says that she cannot keep herself together. Shot of Michael Robinson.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 09/05/1990

Panel on stop and search

Description: Rudolph Pierce, Mickey Roache and others hold forum with students at Humphrey Center on "stop and search" tactics by Boston police. Rebecca Rollins reports that Boston lawyers and police officials participated in a forum with students at Madison Park High School. Rollins notes that the topic of the forum was gang activity and the Boston Police Department's stop-and-search procedures. Rollins notes that students and community members have complained about unreasonable stop-and-search procedures by police offiicers. Rollins' report includes footage from the forum. Panelists include Rudolph Pierce (Boston Bar Association), Joan Stanley (Colette Manoil Law Offices) and Francis "Mickey" Roache (Police Commissioner, City of Boston). Pierce says that police have the right to stop a person if there is reasonable suspicion of guilt. Dennis Jean (senior, Madison Park High School) talks about his experiences with police officers who have stopped him. Candido Brown (junior, Madison Park High School) asks why police should be able to search him if he is innocent. Roache tells students that the police department is obliged to protect the rights of citizens. Rollins reports that the forum will help to improve communication between youth and police. Rollins' report includes footage of police officers arresting an African American man. This tape includes additional footage of the forum at Madison Park High School.
1:00:10: Visual: Footage of Rudolph Pierce (Boston Bar Association) speaking at a Madison Park High School. Pierce talks about gang members in Boston. Footage of Joan Stanley (Colette Manoil Law Offices) speaking at the press conference. Stanley says that neighborhood residents are fed up with the activities of some gang members. Rebecca Rollins reports that Boston lawyers and police officials talked about gang activity with students at Madison Park High School. Rollins notes that the lawyers and police officials read fictional scenarios about confrontations between gangs and police. Rollins reports that lawyers and police officials met with students to discuss their differences over the Boston Police Department's stop-and search procedures. V: Shots of the students in the audience at Madison Park High School; of an African American female student addressing the panel of lawyers and police officials. Shot of Francis "Mickey" Roache (Police Commissioner, City of Boston) addressing the students. Footage of a white police officer arresting an African American man. The police officer puts handcuffs on the man, who stands next to a red sports car. Footage of Pierce addressing the students. Pierce says that a police officer has the right to stop and frisk someone if they have reasonable suspicions about the person. Pierce says that the "reasonable suspicion" must be based on facts. Footage of Dennis Jean (senior, Madison Park High School) saying that he and his friends would be stopped and searched almost every day by police. Pierce says that police officers once forced him to drop his pants in public. Pierce says that police officers force people to remove their sneakers; that his friends have had their money stolen by police officers. Pierce says that police officers harass people when they stop to search them. Footage of Roache addressing the students. Roache says that the police often want to act on information that they receive. Roache says that police officers are obliged to protect the rights of citizens. Shots of students in the audience; of the lawyers and police officials at the front of the room. Rollins reports that Roache told students that he investigates every complaint about the improper treatment of citizens at the hands of police officers. Rollins notes that students and police officials cannot agree on what constitutes "improper treatment." V: Shot of two white police officers searching a young African American male on the street. Shot of the lawyers and police officials on the panel at Madison Park High School. Footage of Candido Brown (junior, Madison Park High School) addressing the panel. Brown asks the panel why police officers should be allowed to bother him when he is not doing anything. The students applaud. Shot of a white official addressing the students. Rollins reports that the forum may not resolve the stop-and-search controversy; that the forum will improve communication between youth and police. V: Shots of students at the forum. Footage of Jean saying that the police should be investigating "gang territory." Jean says that police know where the gangs are and what the gangs wear. Jean says that he is not wearing any gang insignia.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 05/08/1990

Roxbury High School

Description: Footage of the exterior of Roxbury High School on Greenville Street and footage of students in an English class at Roxbury High School. Pam Bullard interviews Roxbury High School students Domingo Rivera, Ramon Alicea, Crystal Roach, Mark Benjamin, and Chiman Lee about their experiences at Roxbury High School. The students talk about academic programs at the school, their college plans, the atmosphere at the school, and extracurricular activities and sports programs at the school. All of the students speak highly of Charles Ray (Headmaster, Roxbury High School). Footage of Ray greeting students in the hall as they change classes.
1:00:07: Visual: Shots of the exterior of Roxbury High School on Greenville Street. Shots of the plaster statues at the entrance of the school. One of the statues has a cigarette stuck in its mouth. A male student enters the school. Shots of the houses on Greenville Street. 1:02:24: V: African American and white students sit in a classroom at Roxbury High School. A white female teacher talks to them about a book. She asks one of the students to read a paragraph. An African American male student reads from the book. The teacher asks the students questions about the passsage from the book. Shots of the students in the classroom. The students look at their books. The teacher and the students continue to discuss the book. Shots of the students seated at their desks. 1:06:50: V: Pam Bullard interviews a group of Roxbury High School students in a classroom. The students tell Bullard their names: Domingo Rivera, Ramon Alicea, Crystal Roach and Mark Benjamin. Bullard asks the students questions about Roxbury High School. Roach says that she is an the college program and has an internship at State Street Bank. Roach talks about her internship at the bank. Roach says that she would like to go to college and hopes for a scholarship. Alicea says that he is in the college program and is involved in the Upward Bound Program. Alicea talks about the Upward Bound Program; he says that the Upward Bound Program is helping him prepare his college applications. Alicea says that he plays for the football team. Rivera says that he is also in the college program and is involved in the Upward Bound Program. Rivera says that he has taken an English class through the Upward Bound Program. Rivera says that he does not know where he wants to go to college. Benjamin says that he is also in the college program. He says that he wants to major in sciences when he goes to college. Bullard asks Benjamin if he likes the school. Benjamin says that he likes the school. He adds that the majority of the students get along well at the school. 1:11:41: V: Bullard interviews Chiman Lee (Roxbury High School student); Lee has joined the group in the classroom. Lee says that he has recently moved to Boston and has been at Roxbury High School for six months. Lee says that he likes the teachers and students at the school. Lee adds that he is enrolled in the bilingual program. Bullard asks Roach what she likes about the school. Roach says that the teachers are helpful; that everyone gets along well. Roach says that she attended Charlestown High School for one week; that she transferred to Roxbury High School because she did not like Charlestown High School. Roach says that she likes Charles Ray (Headmaster, Roxbury High School) and the teachers at Roxbury High School. Roach says that Ray is helpful and friendly. Benjamin agrees that Ray is concerned about the students at the school. Benjamin talks about how much he likes going to school at Roxbury High School. He adds that the teachers are eager to help the students with their problems. Bullard asks about extracurricular activities at the school. Roach talks about the sports program and the annual Fall Festival at the school. Benjamin says that the sports teams would be better if all of the students participated. He talks about the football and basketball teams. Benjamin says that basketball is the most popular sport. Bullard asks Rivera about the baseball team. Rivera says that the baseball field is not very close to the school. He adds that it is inconvenient for some students to get to the field after school. Alicea says that the football team will be good this year. Bullard closes the interview. 1:17:38: V: The WGBH camera crew films Charles Ray as he greets students in the hallway of Roxbury High School. Ray greets most of the students by name. Some of the students wave and strike poses for the camera. Many students pass Ray in the hallway as they change classrooms. Some students stop to retrieve books from lockers in the hallway. Ray speaks to a teacher about the bilingual program at the school. Ray jokes with the students and urges them to go to their classrooms.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 09/13/1978

Timilty Middle School

Description: Hope Kelly reviews the history of school desegregation in Boston. She notes that many critics cite the absence of middle-class and white students as a reason for the continued failure of the Boston Public Schools. She focuses on the Timilty Middle School in Boston, a magnet school with successful reading and math programs for its students. Kelly interviews teacher William Moran and principle Shirley Gonsalves about the school and its programs. Moran says that the students are successful. He adds that many come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Gonsalves talks about the benefits of school desegregation. Kelly reports that the Timilty School was named a National School of Excellence in 1989. Following the edited story is additional b-roll footage of students and teachers in classrooms at the Timilty School.
1:00:07: Visual: Shot of a school bus door closing. Shots of a school bus outside of the Timilty Middle School; of students on the bus; of white and African American students exiting the Timilty Middle School; of students boarding a bus outside of the school. Shots of African American and white students in a hallway of the school. Hope Kelly reports that busing for school desegregation began seventeen years ago in Boston; that busing was viewed as a way to bring equal opportunity to all students. Kelly notes that busing drove many middle-class white and African American parents away from the school system. Kelly reports that critics cite a lack of middle-class students as a reason for the continued failure of Boston Public Schools. V: Footage of William Moran (Timilty School) being interviewed. Moran says that all students can learn. Kelly reports that Moran grew up in the South End and Roxbury; that Moran attended Boston Public Schools and went to college. V: Shots of Moran walking through a corridor in the Timilty School; of Moran speaking to three students in the doorway of a classroom. Kelly reports that Moran is the seventh-grade coordinator at the Timilty Middle School; that Moran attended the Timilty School twenty years ago. Kelly reports that the Timilty Middle School ranks first city-wide in reading; that the Timilty Middle School is second city-wide in mathematics. Kelly notes that the students at the Timilty School do not come from advantaged backgrounds. V: Shots of a white teacher teaching students of diverse races in a well decorated classroom. Shots of the students in the classroom. Footage of Moran saying that students at the Timilty School low-income families; that many of the students live in housing projects. Moran says that the students come from disadvantaged neighborhoods across the city; that the school is a city-wide school. Kelly reports that most of the students at the Timilty School are non-white and poor. V: Shots of students walking in a corridor of the Timilty School. Footage of Shirley Gonsalves (Timilty School) being interviewed by Kelly. Gonsalves says that race and class are not the determining factors among the school's students. Gonsalves says that the school can do nothing about the relative poverty of its students. Kelly reports that Gonsalves is the assistant principal at the Timilty School; that she has worked in the Boston Public School System for seventeen years. V: Shot of Gonsalves walking through a corridor and up a set of stairs with a student. Kelly reports that Gonsalves began teaching in Boston during the first year of school desegregation. V: Footage of Gonsalves being interviewed. Gonsalves says that she grew up in the rural South where busing was used to maintain segregated schools. Gonsalves says that she rode a bus to school from the age of six to the age of eighteen. Shots of students walking in a corridor at the Timilty School. Kelly reports that there are low numbers of white students in the Boston Public School System; that 11% of students at the Timilty School are white. Kelly reports that Gonsalves believes that school integration has been a success. V: Shots of a white student entering a classroom at the Timilty School; of a white teacher standing with two African American students in a hallway. Footage of Gonsalves being interviewed by Kelly. Gonsalves says that students attended schools in their own neighborhoods with students of their own race before school integration. Gonsalves says that students were not exposed to other students of different backgrounds and from different neighborhoods. Gonsalves says that students need to learn about people of different backgrounds. Shots of a white teacher teaching to a class of middle school students; of an African American male student sitting at a desk in the classroom. Shots of other students in classrooms; of an African American female student writing on a chalkboard; of an African American boy reading a book at his desk. Shot of the white teacher teaching to students in the classroom. Kelly reports that the Timilty School is a magnet school; that classes are smaller at the Timilty School; that the schoolday at the Timilty School is 1.5 hours longer on four of five days per week. Kelly reports that the waiting list to enter the sixth grade class at the Timilty School had 200 names. Kelly reports that the Timilty School was named a National School of Excellence in 1989. V: Shot of Gonsalves and a student walking in the corridor.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 03/22/1991