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[ArticleMedia]
Thursday, September 24, 2009
By Zach Prince
Next time you’re walking through the halls, take out that National Geographic, and compare notes. What do you see? What’s different? Why? If you’ve ever been to a public school you will realize that Shelton is not an accurate cross-section of the population, not that it claims to be. It can’t be when we only cater to those with learning differences, but Shelton isn’t even an accurate depiction of the learning different portion. You don’t even have to know the percentage to realize that most of the students at our school are white. Just walk around the halls and look around. So what are we missing without as many minorities as other schools? American culture is a rich blend of other cultures. We learn about these cultures in class, but we never get to experience them first-hand. Learning about these cultures is good, but it’s no substitute for seeing them first hand, which will better allow us to function in this great melting pot of a nation.
So why is it that Shelton is so preposterously pale? In simple terms, the answer is money. The services that Shelton provides are extremely costly, and a student can only be accepted if he has been tested for a learning difference, which is also very expensive. In addition we have computers and all sorts of conveniences that other schools simply don’t have. Frankly, quite a people who are less well-off just don’t have the money for tuition as well as the other expenses that Shelton demands, and many of the people in this vast group are minority members.
I am by no means suggesting anything like Affirmative Action. That would be as bad as outright denying minorities admittance. After all, the problem isn’t just diversity, It’s money. The lack of diversity in the student body is a symptom of a problem that causes other symptoms that can be even more destructive, not to our school, but to society as a whole, denial of a specialized education to those who need it. Money isn’t the root of all evil; the lack of it is.
So now that we’ve identified the underlying problem, how can we fix it? How can a non-profit organization that is already strapped for cash make allowances for the members of society who have the same problem? How can we solve this puzzle without denying spots to the children of the rich, who may be just as in need of help, or favoring one race over another? Minority scholarships won’t work, because they favor… well… minorities. The answer is more money put into scholarships for the poverty stricken. Not just those people you meet here who live in seven room houses, but people who live in small apartments.
So, where would the money come from? Well, we get grants for other things all the time. The administration should advertise that grants for scholarships for those of low income are near the top of our list as far as donations go. We do have the capacity to increase diversity by allowing more people to have a good education. This school was built to help as many learning different people as possible, from all walks of life, so I urge the administration, please, make it top priority to make the amazing services that this school provides financially available to as many people as possible. We’ll all be culturally richer as a result.
A note from Joyce Pickering, Executive Director of Shelton: "We raise money constantly from individuals and foundations for financial aid so that students who cannot afford Shelton may be able to attend. This year we gave over $380,000 in financial aid. We could have given twice that much if we had it to give. In addition, we offer our Shelton Scholars Program on Saturday and in Summer to help students who cannot attend Shelton but need help and offer workshops and training for any private or public school that wants to help students with Learning Differences."
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