When a public school’s student population becomes overwhelmingly black, more than one critical problem emerges. Not only is the school system subject to federal scrutiny for possible violations of desegregation rules, parents of the students become deeply concerned about the school’s future.
The process of becoming overwhelmingly black is happening at S.D. Spady Elementary School in Delray Beach, and the Palm Beach County School Board is under parental pressure to make new boundary changes or take other steps to make sure the school continues to exist and is racially balanced.
The school is 56 percent black now and is expected to become 70 percent black next year after some students are shifted to a new school. Spady’s enrollment of 618 would be cut nearly in half by next fall under boundary changes recently made, and black parents fear the school soon will be closed.
But a welcome new proposal is at hand and should be put into effect. Schools Superintendent Tom Mills and his staff have devised a plan to make Spady a majority white school by setting up a Montessori program there.
The idea is to establish a magnet school at Spady aimed at enrolling mostly white children who have completed Montessori preschool programs in private schools. At least five private Montessori schools operate in the Delray Beach/ Boca Raton area. Youngsters from those schools would be prime candidates for Spady.
The Montessori classes would be open to anyone in the county. Traditional classes would continue at Spady for students who live within that school’s boundaries.
This pragmatic approach is a promising way to keep Spady alive and racially balanced. There’s no guarantee it will work, but the school system already has Montessori programs at Southboro and South Olive elementary schools in West Palm Beach, so Montessori isn’t new to Palm Beach County public schools.
The Montessori method of schooling began early this century in Italy’s poor neighborhoods. Physician Maria Montessori believed the most effective education should emphasize the concrete over the abstract. Children in Montessori schools learn from specially designed materials such as sandpaper letters and geometric shapes.
The focus is on geography, music, biology, art, language and mathematics, and a major goal is to develop self-confident children. Students usually stay with one teacher for two or three years, and children of different ages are in one classroom.
The first year, Spady would offer Montessori classes in kindergarten and the second grade, with other grades added later. Two hundred students would be sought the first year.
Black parents of Spady students are wary of the plan, wondering if it really will work over the long run. While their caution is understandable, the plan is worthwhile and should receive full support to give it a fair chance to succeed.
