fbpx
  • Latest
  • Trending
  • All
  • Opinions
  • Features
  • Letters
  • Videos
  • Editorials
  • Columns
Rennie Ramracha

Education Reform in Trinidad and N.Y.C. Department of Education

March 1, 2022
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Chinese Undermining Guyanese Business and Truckers; Cause of Concern for USA

June 1, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

India Delegation Visit to Guyana was to reach out against Terror; Guyana and world must stand against Terror

June 1, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

PPP most organized party for Sept 1 Elections in Guyana

May 31, 2025
ADVERTISEMENT
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

PPP heading for Thumping Majority in Guyana

May 31, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Guyana & Caricom Must unquestionably support India in battle against Terror

May 26, 2025
Remembering Aunty Betty of Port Mourant, Guyana

Remembering Aunty Betty of Port Mourant, Guyana

May 23, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Do Guyana Governments respond to Objective, fair, balanced editorials? The attack on Hindus and Hinduism in Guyana

May 21, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Guyana must Seek American Assistance to deter Venezuela’s Aggression & Halt May 25 Election

May 21, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Exxon, Liability, and Guyana’s Growth

May 21, 2025
Dool Hanomansingh

Why the Hindu community remains weak despite personal achievements?

May 17, 2025
English rendering of PM’s interaction with the brave air warriors and soldiers at the Adampur Air Base

English rendering of PM’s interaction with the brave air warriors and soldiers at the Adampur Air Base

May 17, 2025
Ashook-Ramsaran

THE INDIAN DIASPORA COUNCIL CONVENES CONFERENCE SESSION AT ST. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY

May 17, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Condition
Sunday, June 1, 2025
  • Login
Indo Caribbean Diaspora News
  • Home
  • Columns
    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Chinese Undermining Guyanese Business and Truckers; Cause of Concern for USA

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    India Delegation Visit to Guyana was to reach out against Terror; Guyana and world must stand against Terror

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    PPP most organized party for Sept 1 Elections in Guyana

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    PPP heading for Thumping Majority in Guyana

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Guyana & Caricom Must unquestionably support India in battle against Terror

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Do Guyana Governments respond to Objective, fair, balanced editorials? The attack on Hindus and Hinduism in Guyana

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Guyana must Seek American Assistance to deter Venezuela’s Aggression & Halt May 25 Election

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Indian Caribbean Diaspora Support Surgical Strikes against terrorists; backs PM Modi’s tough response

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Will Azruddin and Glenn Team up in Guyana?

    Dr. Jerry Jailall

    The Adrianna “scrapehead” riots must be a wake-up call to Indo-Guyanese as we race towards the 2025 elections

  • Letters
    Guyana Rohee’s mocking of Illegal Guyanese & Green Card Holders in America

    Guyana Rohee’s mocking of Illegal Guyanese & Green Card Holders in America

    Charles Sugrim

    Authenticating Dr Bisram’s Poll in Guyana

    Gary Griffith

    United We Stand, Divided We Fall

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    Democrats More Dangerous to Dragon Gas than Republicans

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    Who Really Lost in the Junior Sammy Matter in Trinidad?

    Jai Lall

    A challenge to become the rainbow in Leonora’s cloud

    Rabindra-Moonan

    The opposition UNC led by Kamla Persad Bissessar has gone into meltdown mode.

    Jai Lall

    Residents of Leonora, Guyana are ashamed and embarrassed

    Kamla Persad Bissessar

    Trinidad & Tobago REPUBLIC DAY MESSAGE 2024 OF LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    Crime has reached a high level in Trinidad and Tobago

  • Community News
    Remembering Aunty Betty of Port Mourant, Guyana

    Remembering Aunty Betty of Port Mourant, Guyana

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Exxon, Liability, and Guyana’s Growth

    English rendering of PM’s interaction with the brave air warriors and soldiers at the Adampur Air Base

    English rendering of PM’s interaction with the brave air warriors and soldiers at the Adampur Air Base

    Indian-Caribbeans Observe Hanuman Birth Anniversary

    Indian-Caribbeans Observe Hanuman Birth Anniversary

    Ram Navami 2023 Observed

    Indo Caribbean Americans Observed 2025 Ram Naumi or Navami

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Gowtam Maharaj: “Phagwa is much more than gulal and abeer; it is building family love and strong communities.”

    Queens Boro President hosts 2025 Holi (Phagwah) Celebration

    Queens Boro President hosts 2025 Holi (Phagwah) Celebration

    Indian-Caribbean Americans in 2025 Phagwah (Holi) Spirit

    Indian-Caribbean Americans in 2025 Phagwah (Holi) Spirit

    Indo-Caribbeans Spellbound by the Maha Kumbh in India

    Indo-Caribbeans Spellbound by the Maha Kumbh in India

    Indo-Caribbean New Yorkers Observe Shivratri

    Indo-Caribbean New Yorkers Observe Shivratri

  • Editorials
    cliff-rajkumar

    VANISHING FOOTPRINTS

    Kamla Persad Bissessar

    Trinidad and Tobago OPPOSITION LEADER addresses TOWN HALL MEETING ON EDUCATION IN SAN FERNANDO WEST

    Jai Lall

    Guyana Leonora’s villagers are inseparable

    Dr. Vishnu Bisram

    Indo-Caribbean to speak on India’s Soft Power in Delhi

    Jai Lall

    Empty vessels make the most noise – politics in Guyana

    Ashook-Ramsaran

    In Commemoration of the 23rd Anniversary

    Kamla Persad Bissessar

    Hope for UNC of Trinidad?

    Ravi Balgobin Maharaj

    Is there No Other Musical Instrument Indigenous to T&T?

    Guyana-map

    October 2024 Hindu Conference bring back memories of Humiliation of Indians in Guyana

    Jai Lall

    Is Kamala Harris the “Trump” card for the Democrats?

  • Opinions
    Dool Hanomansingh

    Why the Hindu community remains weak despite personal achievements?

    Leyland-Chitlall-Roopnaraine

    A CHILD’S DEATH PLUNGES A COUNTRY INTO CRISIS

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Pakistan has always been a puppet nation

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Never too late for Dinesh to redeem himself!

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Bhadase and Sat were successful in so many ways

    Dool Hanomansingh

    The UNC is a Bullet Train Today

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Why is the EU Grant for Ex-Cane Farmers Not Paid?

    Dool Hanomansingh

    PNM hates Poor Black People

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Why whites are fleeing South Africa?

    Dool Hanomansingh

    Crime and the Hindu Community

  • Videos
    Dool-Hanomansingh-003

    US Congress woman Tulsi Gabbard condemns the ongoing genocide of Hindus and other minorities

    Geeta-Vaahini

    Geeta Vaahini, President of the  Hindu Prachaar Kendra speaks on the social significance of Ganga Dhara Festival.

    Geeta-Vaahini

    Geeta Vaahini, President of the Hindu Prachaar Kendra speaks on the Hindu view of the environment.

    swami-brahmadeo

    Swami Brahmadeo – Hindus are top CEOs and Medics in North America and Europe

    Gowtam-Maharaj

    Gowtam Maharaj, a farmer of Barrackpore, South Trinidad, shares his challenges being a farmer.

    BAMBOO #1 Flooding – Frustrated Residents

    BAMBOO #1 Flooding – Frustrated Residents

    NATIONAL-LOTUS-THEATRE

    NATIONAL LOTUS THEATRE – Performance of Niyantran

    radica-jairam

    Story of RADICA JAIRAM from Orange Valley

    fisherman-trinidad

    Families of Orange Valley felt neglected by PNM Government

    Dr Subramanian Swamy

    Dr Subramanian Swamy – Dharma Rising London April 2015

  • Features
    ravi-ratiram

    Trinidad MP Ravi Ratiram Condemns Government’s Failures Amidst Rising Crime in Central Trinidad and Calls for Immediate Action to Protect Citizens

    Pandit Ramdular Singh

    Pandit Ramdular Singh on Guyana’s Dharmic Sabha

    Vassan Ramracha

    PNM bent on Africanizing Trinidad

    Baldeo_Chanderpaul-3

    West Indian cricketers must strive to emulate Shiv Chanderpaul of Guyana

    Jai Lall

    Who in Guyana will ever buy the PNC/AFC/APNU “honesty, integrity and decency” pitch again?

    cliff-rajkumar

    Non Indians Embracing Sanathan Dharma

    Mr. Rudranath Indarsingh

    INDARSINGH ON RELOCATION OF PRINCES TOWN FIRE OFFICERS

    Vassan Ramracha

    TRIBAL AFRICANS DO NOT CONDONE INTERRACIAL MARRIAGES

    Jai Lall

    Guyana President Ali and Cabinet Ministers Engaged West Coast Supporters

    Dr Jerry Jailall

    PPP Government responds quickly to changing “Negro” on Government forms, will they also add “Indian” to Arrival Day?

No Result
View All Result
Indo Caribbean Diaspora News
No Result
View All Result

Education Reform in Trinidad and N.Y.C. Department of Education

by Rennie Ramracha
March 1, 2022
in Columns, Community News, Opinions, Uncategorized
0
Rennie Ramracha

Rennie Ramracha

0
SHARES
5
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Let’s look comparatively at reforms in NYC, and learn from the mistakes of NYC, and implications for reforms in Trinidad.
In the 1960’s there were demands for school reform, because of the low performance of black students. With the best of intentions and motivations, while ‘travelling’ in the wrong direction, the Social Democrats, Socialists, Black Nationalists, White Leftists, and Progressives proceeded to dismantle and make structural changes to the education system. Specialized schools (Trinidad’s Equivalents-Presentation College, St Mary’s, Naparima, and QRC) and programs for the “Gifted and Talented” students were abolished. Schools for the emotionally unstable and slow learners were established. The general population now had to attend “Community Based Schools” in the immediate local area/neighborhood. The “Ghetto” kids were now attending schools in their neighborhoods. The academically “Gifted and Talented,” the violent, and the indiscipline were now attending the same schools.

Now the parents, who took their precious time to sit every night and engage their kids academically, were sending their children to schools with students who were bullies. The neglectful parents, who seldom supervised their kids, sometimes would encourage their kids to openly be disrespectful to the teachers and engage in fights with other students. The “Leftist Progressive Political Agenda” theorized that if you put a tough low performing student in the same class, he would learn from the well behaved high performing students. They wanted all the students to exhibit “equality and sameness,” even at the expense of high academics. The above education theory may have had some limited success, if the teacher had authority in the classroom.

These theories were “imported” from the white suburbs. They ignored the fact that middle class parents spend daily quality time with their kids going over homework. The education theorists ignored the fact that Ghetto parents don’t spend adequate time grooming their kids on correct behavior and academics, on a daily basis. Together with other reforms, the authority of teachers was reduced, in practical terms, to non-existent. The “reigning psychology’ of the day was now labeling all: forms discipline; adults; teachers; traditional codes of conduct and discipline as potentially harsh to the psychological wellbeing of children. In other words, order and discipline went through the window. Inappropriate behaviors were now the norms in New York City schools. The bullies ruled the classroom or consumed most of the teacher’s time. The high performing students were neglected, not by willful acts of the teachers, but because school time ‘ran’ out. In the name of “sameness and equality,” it’s almost like all the students were grounded under my mothers’ “Sil and Lora,” and came out with the “consistency and sameness” of mango chutney. These “Chutney Students,” could not pass an exam, even if they were allowed to copy from the textbook. I could testify to the above, because as a former New York City Teacher, I am writing out of personal experience.

In the 60’s, the slow decline of the overall education performance, and discipline of New York City students began. New York City’s students went from being academically the best to the worst. The BLACK MIDDLE CLASS began to pull their kids out of the city’s public school system. Literally, the Middle-Class Blacks ran out of the city to live in the WHITE SUBURBS. The education quality in New York City fell so low that by the 80’s, the department of education began to re-establish specialized “Magnet Schools” to attract students who were ‘Gifted and Talented.” These “Magnet Schools” are open to all high performing students. These “Magnet Schools” were successful in attracting “Gifted and Talented” students. New York City’s education began to improve.

When I was teaching in New York City, with few exceptions, most of my fellow non-white teachers were not living in the city. They were “Paycheck New Yorkers,” but suburban dwellers in very WHITE NEIGHBORHODDS. For the most part, the New York City teachers know that the “Progressive Legislation of the Sixties” destroyed the education of the public schools. One day I was talking to one of my close friends, a black female teacher, and she was supporting the entire fatalistic diatribe about Black Nationalist Progressive Education Reforms, so I naturally thought that her kids were attending the failing schools in the 95% of the city’s public school system. To my surprising consternation, my friend was sending her kids to one of the 5% schools in one of the whitest neighborhoods of New York City. She said in that neighborhood, she knew that the parents do their “due diligence” and spend quality time helping their children with their academics. Thus, making her children’s school a success. After a long friendly talk, she admitted that “GOOD PARENTING is the MAIN REASON for CHILDREN’S HIGH ACADEMIC SCORES, not “BULLSHIT REFORMS.” By the way, my friend lives in a Jewish neighborhood, which is one of the most expensive, upper income areas in New York City. Traditionally, Jews were the highest academic performers in America.

Today, the Asians (Hindus, Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese) are becoming the face of ACADEMIC SUCCESS in American schools. Again, ASIAN PARENTING is the KEY to ACADEMIC SUCCESS. We could: introduce all the leftist reforms, spend large sums of money; Moan and Groan; but if parents don’t do their job of encouraging academics among their kids, reforms will fail. Similarly, in Trinidad and the rest of the Caribbean, some students are excelling, because they are doing the necessary hard work for academic performance, with the support of their parents. Look, we have a choice, as with all things in life, we must put the necessary efforts in the tasks that are necessary to accomplish our goals. I remember from elementary to graduate school; I spent many “sleepless months studying” throughout my school years. When my friends were partying in Brooklyn and enjoying life to the fullest, while I was locked up in the library doing research. There were times I would be studying or writing school Page 3).

papers, I would be so immersed in my academic work, the entire night would pass, and when I look out the window, the time would be 7:00 am, and my friends would be returning from an all “Night out Partying and Bar Hopping.” When my friends were failing, both Whites and Blacks, they accused me of studying too much, I pleaded guilty.

Today in Trinidad, there are those who feel the Indians are excelling academically, while their kids are not doing well. Similarly in New York there are people who are complaining about Asians excelling academically. Instead of complaining, they should do what the Asians are doing i.e. study at the expense of partying. These “Complainers of Doom and Gloom” want to introduce more reforms to replace entry exams to the top “Magnet Schools” with less academic requirements. Most public schools in New York City “graduate” low performing students. If you take across the board, the top 10 students from all the New York Public Schools, they will not equal the high academic scores of the Asians. There are suggestions to take the top 10 students from all New York City Public Schools and let these students into the “Magnet Schools.” Another requirement is to allow low performing students entry into “Magnet Schools,” based on “personality.”
There are similar recommendations being proposed in Trinidad. These reformers want to attack the Indians by destroying academic requirements for entry into excellent schools. Let’s remember, the reason why each nation creates and maintains “Top Schools” was to fill the need to create a class of brilliant students, who will rank internationally as the best: engineers; doctors; biologists; chemists; architects, and physicists etc. These are the kinds of students, who could take any nation forward in terms industrial development. China, in the last 20 years, has excelled by having brilliant students. Today, China is challenging the “Western World” in “Science and Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Computer Sciences etc.”

If Trinidad, the other TRIGUSH (Trinidad, Guyana, Surinam) nations, and New York, or any other country wants to excel, they must create “Magnet or Specialized Schools” to create a brilliant class of students to take their nations into the modern industrial world. Anything we do in this world; we have to put effort into it. In Trinidad, at the time the Maha Sabha schools were being built, the Roman Catholic schools were considered the best. The Maha Sabha schools were denigrated as “Cowshed Schools.” Today, these same Maha Sabha schools are “out-performing” most other schools. Why should we destroy our top performing schools, just to please an uninformed and possibly a racist agenda? We need to implement programs to raise the scores of students, who have low academic performance. In New York, have a Black friend from St Lucia, she owns a few properties. Her friends are amazed that she owns that many properties. The woman put her efforts into investing in real estate. Today she is successful. No one should begrudge her. “EFFORT and HARD WORK paid off for her.

REMEMBER, we cannot LEGISLATE INTELLIGENCE. Only through HARDWORK and SACRIFICE can our children develop a high I.Q. The same holds through for any of life’s endeavor, regardless of whether it is success in real estate or education. As the late Sat Maharaj said you can either beat pan or beat books. Your child could either jump for higher education or jump for basketball hoops.

RENNIE RAMESH RAMRACHA.

Facebook Comments Box
Tags: Department of EducationeducationGuyanaGuyaneseindo-caribbeanIndo-GuyaneseNYCRennie RamrachaTrinidadTrinidad and Tobago
ShareTweetShare
ADVERTISEMENT
Rennie Ramracha

Rennie Ramracha

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Dr. Jerry Jailall

The Adrianna “scrapehead” riots must be a wake-up call to Indo-Guyanese as we race towards the 2025 elections

May 10, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

PPP heading for Thumping Majority in Guyana

May 31, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Guyana & Caricom Must unquestionably support India in battle against Terror

May 26, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Guyana January 2025 poll puts PPP in lead against a struggling opposition with opportunity for new parties

February 25, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

Chinese Undermining Guyanese Business and Truckers; Cause of Concern for USA

June 1, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

India Delegation Visit to Guyana was to reach out against Terror; Guyana and world must stand against Terror

June 1, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

PPP most organized party for Sept 1 Elections in Guyana

May 31, 2025
Dr. Vishnu Bisram

PPP heading for Thumping Majority in Guyana

May 31, 2025

The most important world news and events of the day.

Get ICDN daily newsletter on your inbox.

ADVERTISEMENT
Indo Caribbean Diaspora News

© 2024 Indo-Caribbean Diaspora News. All rights Reserved

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Condition

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Columns
  • Letters
  • Community News
  • Opinions
  • Videos
  • Features
  • Editorials

© 2024 Indo-Caribbean Diaspora News. All rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In