Problems In Ann Arbor Public Schools May Grow In 1971

Deepening racial rifts and a financial squeeze - along with disciplinary and overcrowding problems- plagued the Ann Arbor Public Schools in 1970. Indications are the year 1971 will see a continuation of those same headaches with a couple more ingredients thrown in- ligion and sex. Proposal C, the anti-parochiaid amendment which was approved by Michigan voters in November, is expected to hit state parochial schols, particulary Catholic ones, hard. And money woes may very well force the closing in 1971 of local Catholic schools. St. Thomas school pastor Msgr. Vincent Howard thinks the closing of his school ay next June is inevitable, nd if it does close soon, many of its 784 pupils are expected to enroll in the Ann Arbor Public Schools next September. All of this, of course, means additional pupils in an alreadyJ overcrowded Ann Arbor school system. Tvvo junior highs- Slauson and Forsythe- are on split shifts this year, and the school district already has more than 80 portable classrooms. Scarlett Junior High Principal Joseph A. Vachon said this fall he expects his school will have to go on split shifts in the f all of 1971, although no such decisión has yet ben made. And Schcol Supt. W. Scott Westerman Jr. has reeatedly predicted split shifts at Pioneer and Huron High Schools by 1973-74. The year 1971 will also undoubtedly see escalating pressure from local women to inate sex discrimination in the Ann Arbor Public Schools. School Supt. Westerman in November asked his staff to ex amine any discriminatory prac tices based on sex in the public schools. He asked, for example whether "sex prerequisites are communicated for enrolling in certain courses." He added "Does the content of our cur riculum imply limited vocationa opportunities for women? Are boys excluded from cheerlead er squads, host(ess) clubs, ele mentary library aide programs? Are girls discouraged from be coming members of tennis teams, presidents of students councils, members of elementary safety patrol squads? Many community women answer a resounding "yes" to these questions, especially those concerning girls and women. And they are expected to press the administraticn and (allmale) Board of Education to stop this alleged discrimination. The racial tensions which publicly exploded twice at Pioneer High School in 1970 and which are evident through regular incidents at many of Ann Arbor's schools at its school board meetings can be expected to continue-and likely increase- in 1971. Black students at Pioneer High School presented a list of eight demands in February of 1970, many of which the black students feel have not been fulfilled. Dissatisfaction with action on the demands, along with unhappiness over black staff recruitment procedures, led to the trashing of the Pioneer High building on Sept. 30 by a group of students, causing $5,000 worth of damage. (Black students say white students were also involved in the vandalism. The administra tion says they have no proo of this.) The black students at Pioneer say the school continúes to be basically racist, and they have repeatedly asked the schoo board to "act on our demands as fast ' as you can because things are getting rougher." No trashing or large, public protests involving black stu dents occurred at Huron High in 1970, nor at the city's four junior highs. But students and staff say racial tensions in many of the buildings are high, nonetheless. And there is evidence that white backlash is also increasing in the schools, making for more tensions. In short, the situation is far from rosy. Resolving these knotty problems will be far from easy, and will require a concerted effort by both the black and white communities. If a three-mill renewal for school operations is defeated by the electorate on Feb. 15, budget cuts similar to the $1.7 million sliced from the budget this jast summer may again face ;he school board. A bonding election also is likey to face school district voters, jrobably in June. School ofïcials hope to recoup at least some of the losses suffered in June of 1970 when a $36 million onding issue for school construction and renovation was decisively defeated. If another bonding issue also bites the dust, school officials say the overcrowding problems will get even worse. Discipline in the Ann Arbor Public Schools also worries a lot of people. The black community alls the new policy adopted in September racist, and has asked that it be suspended and rewritten with the black community participating. Many other parents in the school district, however, continually urge that the discipline policy be strictly administered. That argument will likely continue in 1971. There remain, of c o u r s e, many good things about the Ann Arbor School System. Long considered an excellent system for the average and above-average student, the public schools continued that reputation in 1970 as 29 Pioneer and Huron High seniors were named semifinalists in the 1970-71 National Merit Scholarship competition. Pioneer High was also called "one of the better high schools of America" last spring by the accreditation committee of the North Central Association. The committee also said Pioneer "could easily be the best (high school) in the state." The group visited Pioneer in March. And numerous awards of varous kinds were won by Ann ArDor teachers and students in 1970. But the worrisome problems which will likely face the Ann Arbor Public Schools in 1971- some new, others old- seem io take precedence in many people's minds. These may be too pessimisüc predictions, of course. Bonding and millage issues may pass by a landslide, thus precluding budget cuts and more over=rowding; the parochial schools may remain open despite ProDosal C, and thus not put more 5f a burden on the public chools; the racial strain may ibate. But that may be wishful hinking.