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Students Stage Walkout At Bronx Science

Submitted by yet another former student, Jan 17, 2008 10:36

As a recent graduate of Bronx Science who was not an anti-Reidy extremist, I think I can testify to both positions. While Reidy may have been a decent, or "competent" manager, her policies forced both teachers and students to teach and learn with robotic methods focused on rote memorization, rather than exploring and discovering things for themselves. While one exception to this may have been science labs, there are many students at Bronx Science who excelled in and preferred the humanities! The superior treatment given to students of science and math and the unequal treatment given to students of arts and humanities is abominable! English and History can not be learned through do nows and aims and memorizing of formulas as math and science sometimes can be. Additionally, students who did not excel in science and math (for example, a student who did not take calc their senior year) were treated as if they were inferior and lower level classes such as precalc did not have teacher up to par with higher maths, making things harder for students who were already struggling. Finally, the lack of support of the arts at Science was also pathetic. Reidy requested scenes and lines cut from some great American musicals and plays. She wanted to remove "Too Darn Hot" from Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate, and even had the students rewrite the ending to this year's fall drama, "And Then There Were None," as well as rewrite many lines in other shows over the past few years because they were "not appropriate" for high schoolers. By the way Reidy, this is ILLEGAL! Besides, many students are already engaged in "inappropriate" or unsafe behaviors... and yet health is not offered until junior year...? Finally, as others have mentioned, many of the schools most brilliant teachers have left their positions at science, most of them "voluntarily," because they disliked her policies.

Anyway, my apologies for the rant, but I hope it has shed some light on why current students might have participated in a walk out. And nothing against Reidy personally, she is a very sweet woman and can be very personable.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
By no means was Stanley Blumenstein a great principal, but every time I go back and every time I read... [MORE]	Sad alum	Jan 27, 2008 12:09
As a recent graduate, I was at Bronx Science before and after Reidy's entrance, and I have to say that... [MORE]	2004 graduate	Jan 23, 2008 23:43
Mr. Schorr's comments are illustrative of the problems we face at Bronx Science. There is constant judging of kids, constant... [MORE]	current parent	Jan 22, 2008 21:40
There are, in a sense, two kinds of students at Bronx Science. Most are so intellectually committed and emotionally... [MORE]	Fredric Schorr	Jan 22, 2008 10:31
For you to honestly say this about the students at bronx science in incredible. We are all bright articulate individuals... [MORE]	current student	Jan 30, 2008 17:43
Whether or not the pretext of a teacher's firing was true, the real cause of this was, as the aricle... [MORE]	Deposed Presdent	Jan 19, 2008 11:51
remember how much everyone liked science when blumenstein was principal? i wish you kids could have known the bronx science... [MORE]	'03	Jan 18, 2008 11:39
Keep in mind this all could have been avoided if former Chancellor Harold Levy had not strong-armed William Stark away... [MORE]	Class of 2004	Jan 18, 2008 02:10
im glad the walk out finally happened, i rmbr students were talking about doing it back then, but i guess... [MORE]	class of 04	Jan 18, 2008 00:42
As the originator of the "No Quack" campaign against Ms. Reidy in 2005 I take issue with her claiming she... [MORE]	Dr Bob Drake	Jan 17, 2008 16:02
In must concur with Dr. Drake. Although I was never taught by him, in my time at Science, I was... [MORE]	04 Science Grad	Jan 18, 2008 13:37
but she is a horrible principal who has ruined everything that was unique or fun about Bronx Science.She has pushed... [MORE]	ext. 155	Jan 17, 2008 14:41
"Dr." Reidy...HA! In 1983, I had her for bio. Because of a shift in some class and schedules for others,... [MORE]	Former Student from 1983	Jan 17, 2008 13:05
I've kept in touch with students at Bronx Science for the past 5 or 6 years, and I've been hearing... [MORE]	an alumnus	Jan 17, 2008 12:02
I graduated from Bronx Science in 2002. I am now an English Teacher in Washington, DC. I can understand the... [MORE]	Ms. V	Jan 17, 2008 11:48
As a recent graduate of Bronx Science who was not an anti-Reidy extremist, I think I can testify to both...	yet another former student	Jan 17, 2008 10:36
Essentially what we were protesting were the unfair policies and regulations that have been placed upon us in the past... [MORE]	current student	Jan 16, 2008 22:32
I am currently a freshman of Bronx Science. I was there of the protest since I just happened to have... [MORE]	Student (Current Freshman)	Jan 17, 2008 22:51
I was a senior the year she became principal. The school used to be a lax environment where students were... [MORE]	another former student	Jan 16, 2008 20:57
The rally STARTED as a protest against the perceived firing of a teacher but many more people showed up to... [MORE]	A-3	Jan 16, 2008 18:51
The last few years has seen a "push" by the Department of Education" to make principals true managers of their... [MORE]	Ronald Stolfi	Jan 16, 2008 15:13
Ronald, As an alumni, I would think that a principal of a great institution with its proud history demands "outstanding" leader... [MORE]	Myong Jin Kim '82	Jan 17, 2008 11:49
I find it curious that 'competent' management would result in disengagement of staff and an uproar by the student body.... [MORE]	Eli Beckerman	Jan 17, 2008 12:35
From the moment she was an interim principal the students and faculty have been completely dissatisfied by her. There were... [MORE]	former student	Jan 16, 2008 10:35

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