NYS Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn) says dumping admissions standards for elite high schools is not the answer to segregation. Responding to Mayor de Blasio’s announced plan to increase Black and Latino enrollment at the city’s top eight specialized high schools, Hikind explained that eliminating admissions tests and lowering enrollment standards is a crime against all students.

“What’s being proposed is grossly unfair,” said Hikind. “Even referring to the current admission process as ‘segregation’ is offensive to the current student body. These students have nothing to be ashamed of for working hard!

“What we have now is a system that treats everyone the same. Students are selected for these elite schools based on theirs merits, not their skin color or cultural background. I agree that every effort should be made to offer all students the same preparatory lessons and tests, but eliminating standards at these schools is not the answer. That’s just reverse discrimination.

“It’s Asian-American students, who currently predominate at the city’s top schools, who will suffer the most from this. That’s unfair. Asian Americans are hard working people who struggle as much as any other group in our city.

“Victimizing those who work hard is not the answer. Damaging top schools is not the answer. But if the ultimate goal is to get rid of ‘elite’ schools, then let’s just get it over with and offer open enrollment.

“And while we’re at it, should we also scrap all standardized testing? The SATs? The Regents exams? Ask yourself this: Do you really want a doctor who went to an open-enrollment medical school operating on you?”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)