Perspective | Duke Ellington teens resist DCPS, fear losing school ‘to bureaucracy’

It’s a crown jewel of D.C.’s instructional system, private and non-private.

However in a story ripe for any joke about forms — oh, what alum Dave Chappelle might do with this — the D.C. Public Faculty system is making an attempt to soak up this little gem into its giant and lumbering community.

One of many individuals signing a petition to “Save Duke Ellington” stated merely this in regards to the distinctive, dynamic establishment: “We can’t afford to lose the college to forms.”

“Security and operations,” have been among the many first phrases that Colleges Chancellor Lewis Ferebee used when explaining the motion to me. The college is a hybrid — run partly as a public college and a bit of like a nonprofit, with its personal board, management and fundraising system.

It’s uncommon, but it surely’s labored for practically half a century.

The scholars need nothing to do with the general public faculties that lots of them fled.

And they’re talking out — it’s an artwork college, in fact they’re. They’re making TikToks, posting petitions and writing opinions. They’re planning a large protest this week, they’re sharing poignant tales in regards to the college’s affect on their lives.

Many really feel like Trinity Marshall, who wrote alongside her signature on a petition that “duke saved my life.”

I’ve been making an attempt to remain out of it. That sophomore within the Nike industrial is my son’s buddy and classmate — they’re each college students within the theater division. And years earlier than I had children, I used to be one of many non-accredited professionals locally who labored with the scholars, advising their college newspaper. (I’ll always remember the scholars’ highly effective tackle the primary day a steel detector was put in at an entrance. They have been offended on the college, and despondent about the specter of college violence.)

The college (known as DESA) was based in 1974 by Peggy Cooper Cafritz, a philanthropist, educator and former head of the D.C. Faculty Board, and Mike Malone, a pacesetter within the D.C. theater scene. It operated as a free, public college out there to any D.C. child, so long as they handed auditions. It’s robust to get into, and hard to complete.

The youngsters have common, rigorous educational lessons (my son’s doing battle with chemistry and AP historical past this yr) in a regulation college day taught by accredited DCPS academics.

However at 3 p.m., they alter into their arts block uniforms and head into what they name the “second day,” with a full slate of arts lessons. This isn’t extracurricular stage stuff. It’s a difficult, conservatory-level curriculum.

The parents who educate these lessons are a part of why the college is in DCPS’s sights. They’re unregulated, unaccredited. And they’re a part of what makes it so particular. A latest Fordham College examine of the college defined it:

“ … DESA’s choice of its college leaders and artwork academics required that they have been professionals within the arts neighborhood. This issue tremendously contributed to the sustainability of the college and the acceleration of studying within the arts,” the examine stated.

Ferebee informed me he understands the significance of that.

“I do need to reiterate that we’re dedicated to the integrity and the standard of the humanities program,” he stated, earlier than one other spherical of negotiations between DESA and the college system on Monday. “It’s one thing I’m very happy with, it’s a phenomenal arts program, and you already know we need to see it proceed.”

Principal Sandi Logan isn’t so positive.

“We don’t have a transparent plan from DCPS about what the transition would appear to be,” Logan informed the Washington Informer.

“We don’t have proof of arts schooling investments. Arts academics throughout the general public faculties are speaking in regards to the stage of arts programming reducing yearly,” she stated. “The executive construction must help our arts academics. We’d like help for twin instruction and infrastructure.”

However these arts academics aren’t essentially accredited academics. There have been allegations previously few years of sexual assault and one was charged with sexual abuse of a minor. That pushed DCPS into takeover mode. Washington disaster administration eclipsing D.C.’s soul.

Let’s be clear. Any abuse of a minor is a horrible scenario. However it’s not distinctive to this college and there’s no strategy to show a unique forms would have prevented this.

In 2019, a report discovered sexual abusers amongst academics at Washington’s most elite, non-public faculties: St. Albans, Nationwide Cathedral and Beauvoir. The previous rowing coach at Walt Whitman — the distinguished and beloved public college in Bethesda that people fleeing the town with their children come to — simply pleaded responsible this yr to sexually abusing children.

There may be additionally a problem of pay. Whereas DCPS pays the accredited, core academics a wage comparable (although a lot much less in some circumstances) to these in different faculties, the humanities academics get meager compensation, most of which is allotted by the D.C. Council or generated by means of fundraising (oh, the college fundraisers).

The college and DCPS are nonetheless in negotiations. Each side appear to love a pathway to licensing for the humanities academics that received’t restrict entry to an skilled and storied school by imposing mundane certification necessities that may permit extra strong pay and higher documentation of who’s educating.

“The college does properly academically, it does very properly arts-wise,” stated D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D-At Massive), who in contrast a DCPS plan to the Chinese language takeover of Taiwan. “That neighborhood must be nurtured and supported.”