Heart of Coatesville

 

Students lie at the heart of the district - it exists to educate, mold, and shape them into adults. So it’s critical that we be open to hearing what students want to tell us about their experiences - whether positive or constructive. With no student newspaper or media, there has been no outlet for these student voices before we started publishing them on our blog. In fact, we have been honored and excited by the number of students who have stepped up and asked to voluntarily share their stories. 

We are disappointed that some people try to misconstrue this as using children, as Mrs. Wuertz stated at the June board meeting. Quite the opposite is true: Empowering students is one of our goals. We believe this too should be a goal of the District collectively, beginning with the School Board (most members of which want to hear from our students,) continuing to the Superintendent, and beyond especially because this is evidence of achieving the mission of the district. Further, it is critical for us to listen to the students who see the changes and situations in school on a daily basis. Karizma Washington (2019 graduate) who reached out to share her story, was clear in her position: “Thank you for the opportunity. I believe that things are in dire need of change and it all starts with the administration.”

The entirety of my life has been spent residing within the very limited and confined streets of Coatesville. From a person who built upon the foundation of an unsteady home, the city of Coatesville shaped me through its culture, socialism, and history. There is such a ridiculed version of the city that always resonates within my mind, just as many others. However, the city is filled with endless opportunities for empowerment by mentors, leadership, diversity, and commendmentship. Although the community support of Coatesville students and staff is compassionate, the actual core of the district is one of cold, disheartened stone. Thus, to sit here and say I never hated waking up and going to school is a lie.

As a whole, the people of Coatesville are considerably unaware of this, especially the people that are supposed to be at the center of Coatesville’s so-called greatness. As a generation of Coatesvillian’s, we all want to be the warrior without seeing what’s under the armor. As a city and school, the attention to sports, prom, homecoming, and other high profile high school events are more appreciated than that of the social and cultural issues that are prevalent within our school walls. There is so much wasted time, nonrelative curriculum, and overly justified policies that have nothing to do with helping students actually succeed. Instead of study halls and time for extra assistance, we have 30 minute periods of lunchtime, an unused 35 minute period for advisory and a very, very non-present office staff.

Not addressing these controversial conflicts do not prepare us for our future but prevent us from the reality of what is contained in it. To reference, the words of Jimmy Carter, “We are of course a nation of differences. Those differences don’t make us weak. They’re the source of our strength.” In order for our unequally represented stereotypes and misunderstandings of our city to be changed, we must confront the negatives and not hide them with our obvious accomplishments. We need to be aware of the need for change and realize the great city we do have with respect, kindness, and expediency.  From the schools very own mission statement:

”The mission of the Coatesville Area School District, rich in diversity and committed to excellence, is to create innovative educational experiences which are funded by the taxpayers, supported by the community, delivered by dedicated teachers and administrators, to ensure all students will become responsible, contributing global citizens”.

Our current system actually contradicts the mission itself.

The Coatesville Area Senior High School is the heart and life of Coatesville -no doubt about that- but it is because of the students and many of the teachers. There are so many overlooked students who are working in the same excellence as the majority, but not utilizing school's resources is what makes us unsuccessful. The diversity is present within the population of students, but our academics must improve. Sixty percent for passing is only failing students and allowing us to not challenge our intellect or ability.

The classroom environments are shaky and can even become controversial because of the underlying effect the district has on the school. Overall, we celebrate our concept of achieving and creating much-needed leaders, influencers, and motivators. We commend and celebrate our athletes, student council, student government, clubs and organizations, teachers, and support all of our local events.  However, the district creates students fighting directly against it with these same praised accomplishments as the very issue. The administration deprives students of color and any student of the lesser caliber the access to truthful insightful help or gain in the fruition to the transition to society. The very opposite of what really goes on within the halls, classrooms, and offices of the high school is exactly what the district is responsible for. The administration does not witness the actual events that occur in the school nor do they see to it that the consequences are issued to help students.

It is essential that we have policies, codes, teachers, and principals, guidance counselors who can have an educational relationship with students' economic or demographic background that we can put in place that guarantees the success of students individually and not just of the school as a collective.

The more we present our school with factors of how great our students are in one light, we dim the light of others. I believe in the diverse atmosphere we have here and the relationships we have with our teachers. From the relativity of just being at Coatesville we all are in fact a family that correlates itself back to who we originally wanted to be.

When my student peers and I organized the protest against the mandate of the administration with reaction to racial tension two years ago, the community at Coatesville was one that was almost indescribable. The family that I am referring to consist only of the teachers supportive of that situation, the community, and fellow students.

There is a dark entity of control that exists within the administration. Instead of consoling unguided teenagers and lost minds, the administration discards them. They reprimand us into boxes of shame and convince us that we are indeed the problem and need discipline. Instead of holding places where peace, knowledge, and understanding can be held, unnecessary security guards are added and curriculum isn't modified hindering students from understanding the true value of what we are learning and acquiring in the classroom. As a visual learner, I disliked the fact that for CPM I had to sit in a group of four and ask my peers what to do. When we had no idea what to do, it was such a waste of time. We need the school and everyone within it to understand that yes we are Coatesville, but we are all different and the opportunity for our differences need to be recognized, sought after, and solidified into a working solution.

We all have tension and we all have pain. The fact of the matter is we need a united district with a desire for growth that can spark change. With everything that my high school career has provided, I've made much-needed evaluations and experiences. I think that everyone’s story is one that has been told once before, yet we all have different perspectives. That is why to me everything, not only academically, but socially and politically is a critical part of the forming of students of Coatesville. Coatesville must get it right!

Written By:  Karizma Washington