Sunday, January 14, 2024

Let's make sure we know what we're modeling ourselves on, please

 I once again and more than once this week found myself ranting about the Boston Globe (more on that to come). The first time was an editorial of January 8, which held up Worcester Tech's admission in a piece that argued that the state should move vocational schools towards lottery admission. 

Setting aside for the purposes of this post the larger question of vocational admission (I'd sum up my view as A) we're discussing the wrong thing and B) continuing to ignore how segregated our school districts are), I do think the piece gives readers the impression that Worcester Tech has an open lottery system for admission for ninth graders.

It does not. 

Pages 5 & 6 of the Teaching, Learning, and Student Support subcommittee agenda of November 14 of last year outlines Worcester Tech's admission policy. It is not an open lottery system; students are ranked by number of absences and what is called "discipline and safety" in setting those from whom the lottery will pull. Students must be "eligible" for the lottery. 

If we're going to hold things up as models, let's please describe them correctly. 

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