and
Inequity
in
Hoboken’s
Schools
is
Failing
our
Children
Summary
The
collective
and
pervasive
failure
of
the
Hoboken
Public
School
District
to
provide
a
quality
and
equitable
education
to
Black,
Brown,
and
low-‐income
students
is
harming
student
outcomes.
The
inability
to
unlock
the
human
potential
of
all
children,
regardless
of
their
color
or
economic
status,
is
what
is
at
issue
here.
There
are
clear
patterns
of
discrimination
and
negligence
when
it
comes
to
providing
a
trusted
learning
environment
that
supports
the
basic
tenants
of
a
child’s
right
to
a
quality
education,
under
the
law.
These
patterns
of
discrimination
include:
racial
tracking,
segregating
schools
at
the
elementary
school
level,
limiting
access
to
pre-‐k
3-‐4
programs
and
advanced
classes,
programs,
and
instruction,
subjection
to
harsher
discipline
practices,
raising
rates
of
classification
and
home
instruction,
and
intentionally
marginalizing
parents
and
employees
of
color
via
ruinous
hierarchies.
The
combination
creates
an
atmosphere
that
demoralizes
Black
and
low-‐income
children
and
separates
children
of
color
from
their
white
peers.
All
of
these
mechanisms
serve
to
trap,
stigmatize
and
stereotype
these
children
by
the
third
grade.
These
mischaracterizations
rob
them
of
their
dignity
by
implying
they
are
incapable
of
learning
at
the
same
level
(or
beyond)
as
their
white
peers,
leaving
the
impression
that
they
have
no
real
potential
to
contribute
to
society
in
a
positive
and
purposeful
way.
This
devastating
fiction
about
Black
and
low-‐income
students
is
used
to
justify
various
forms
of
segregation
and
exclusionary
practices
perpetuated
by
Board
of
Education
directives,
the
Superintendent,
other
Senior
Level
Administrators
and
many
of
the
teachers.
Rather
than
ensuring
all
children
have
having
a
fair
and
equal
chance
to
advance,
Hoboken
is
intentionally
and
willfully
preventing
that
outcome.
Hoboken’s
Report
Card
According
to
the
The
State
of
New
Jersey
District
report
Hoboken
Public
School
District
has
a
racial
achievement
gap
that
is
three
times
greater
than
the
state
average.
In
2016/17,
Hoboken
school’s
achievement
percentage
for
Black
students
was
12.9%
versus
62.5%
for
White
students.
This
compares
poorly
to
the
statewide
average
achievement
gap
of
35%
for
Blacks:
63%
for
Whites.
Great
Schools,
a
non-‐profit
organization
that
is
a
resource
guide
for
parents,
rates
Hoboken
Public
School
District
a
2
out
of
10
for
equity
and
student
progress
(10
is
the
highest
score).
Stanford
University
Center
for
Education
Policy
Analysis
ranked
Hoboken
Public
School
District
in
the
13th
percentile
for
growth
rates.
According
to
Stanford
results,
disadvantaged
students
attending
Hoboken
Public
Schools
lose
a
year
of
growth
from
3rd-‐8th
grade.
Lastly,
the
State
of
New
Jersey
Department
of
Education
gave
every
public
school,
including
charter
schools
a
grade.
Connors
Elementary
School,
which
has
the
highest
concentration
of
Black,
Latino,
and
low-‐income
students
received
a
grade
of
7
out
of
100
compared
to
Calabro,
which
received
a
grade
of
84
out
of
100,
and
Wallace
Elementary
which
received
a
grade
of
37
out
of
100.
Hoboken
Middle
received
a
score
of
8
out
of
100
and
Hoboken
High
School
received
a
score
of
22
out
of
100.
The
Middle
School
has
a
population
of
approximately
200
students
of
which
25%
of
the
total
population
is
African-‐American.
Hoboken
High
School
has
an
African-‐American
population
of
approximately
24%
with
a
total
population
of
445
students.
Additionally,
Hoboken
Public
School
District
has
failed
its
QSAC
scores
for
the
7th
year
in
a
row
in
Instruction
and
Programming
according
to
the
State
of
New
Jersey
Department
of
Education.
Through
various
policies
and
initiatives
spearheaded
by
the
Board
of
Education
and
the
Superintendent
of
Schools,
the
district
is
experiencing
an
accelerated
rate
of
white-‐washing,
which
is
a
byproduct
of
the
leaderships’
goal
to
attract
more
white
students
into
the
school
system.
This
is
a
flawed
strategy,
because
the
emphasis
is
on
flipping
the
student
population,
and
not
addressing
the
underlying
issues
of
the
school
district’s
inability
to
dramatically
improve
its
overall
academic
performance,
close
the
achievement
gaps,
and
ensure
students
are
college-‐
and
career-‐ready.
The
Hoboken
Public
School
Districts
continued
underperformance
is
evident
in
its
low
proficiency
and
college
readiness
scores,
seventh
straight
year
of
failing
QSAC
in
instruction
and
programming,
low
District
Factor
Group
ranking,
and
low
and/failing
scores
displayed
in
several
third
party
assessments.
These
outcomes
are
a
direct
result
of
the
racial
divides
and
the
intentional
social
engineering
of
the
racial
achievement
gap.
Conclusion
In
conclusion,
the
Hoboken
Public
School
district
is
comprised
of
a
diverse
student
body
that
is
extremely
bright
and
imbued
with
the
capacity
to
learn
and
grow
and
become
productive
members
of
the
community
and
citizens
of
the
world.
Clearly,
the
only
thing
that
is
keeping
most
of
them
from
achieving
many
of
their
own
personal
goals
of
pursuing
and
achieving
a
quality
education,
and
a
sturdy
foundation
for
the
future
in
this
competitive
world,
is
a
school
system
that
believes
all
children
can
learn,
regardless
of
the
color
of
their
skin
or
their
financial
circumstances.
The
pattern
of
discrimination
can
be
demonstrated
in
processes,
attitudes,
opinions,
biases,
and
behaviors
in
the
schools
and
evident
in
the
Hoboken
Board
Education’s
decision-‐making,
priorities,
pedagogy,
and
its
blatant
disregard
and
retaliatory
nature
towards
the
financially-‐
impoverished
students,
parents,
grandparents,
guardians,
and
employees.
The
continued
marginalization
of
children
disproportionately
damages
Black
and
low-‐income
children.
The
current
leadership,
structure,
ideology,
and
culture
of
the
Hoboken
Public
School
system
is
chronically
ill,
extremely
debilitating,
and
destructive
to
the
enjoyment
of
learning
and
to
the
holistic
human
development
and
spirit
of
the
children.
January
–
March
2018
Description
of
systematic
dysfunction
in
Hoboken’s
School
System
Limited
Access
to
Pre-‐K3
Pre-‐K4
The
cycle
first
begins
with
limited
access
and
spots
for
low
income
families
of
color
to
Pre-‐K3
and
Pre-‐
K4
programs.
Despite
Hoboken
being
a
former
Abbott
District
very
few
families
of
low
income
children
of
color
gain
access
to
free
Pre-‐K
in
the
District.
Abbott
Districts
were
created
in
1985
as
a
result
of
the
first
ruling
of
Abbott
v.
Burke,
a
case
filed
by
the
Education
Law
Center.
The
ruling
asserted
that
public
primary
and
secondary
education
in
poor
communities
throughout
the
state
was
unconstitutionally
substandard.
There
were
28
Districts,
including
Hoboken.
Due
to
gentrification,
Hoboken
Public
School
District
is
no
longer
considered
an
Abbott
District
but
because
of
the
high
Free
and
Reduced
Lunch
student
population,
the
district
still
receives
some
Abbott
funding
to
pay
for
free
Pre-‐K
programs
for
all
students.
However,
many
low
income
families
of
color
have
been
disproportionately
pushed
out
of
spots
for
free
Pre-‐K
programs
for
a
more
gentrified
wealthier
student
population,
placing
low
income
children
of
color
at
a
disadvantage.
Low
income
children
of
color
are
starting
2
years
behind
their
Pre-‐ K3
Pre-‐4
counterparts
and
as
a
result
they
are
often
penalized
in
Kindergarten
for
not
possessing
pro-‐
social
and
emotional
skills
and
lacking
the
building
blocks
needed
for
reading,
writing,
and
math.
The
lack
of
thoughtful
consideration
to
this
dynamic
subjects
many
of
these
children
to
harsh
discipline
that
removes
them
from
the
classroom
and
establishes
a
record
of
behavioral
issues
that
is
used
against
the
child
for
the
duration
of
his/her
time
in
the
Hoboken
Public
School
District.
Other
byproducts
of
this
record
are
significantly
decreased
time
in
instruction,
a
fast
track
to
classification,
and
admittance
only
to
the
segregated
predominately
Black
and
Latino
and
high
poverty
elementary
school,
Connors
Elementary.
Example:
A
Hoboken
Housing
Authority
Mother
sent
her
two
children
to
Connors
Elementary
School.
The
mother’s
six
year
old
wears
her
hair
natural
(Afro
and
Wild)
to
school.
The
child’s
kindergarten
teacher
thought
the
child’s
hair
looked
unruly
and
tried
to
comb
the
child’s
hair.
According
to
the
school,
the
child
caused
an
‘emotional
disturbance’
and
an
‘unsafe’
learning
environment.
The
school
demanded
the
mother
remove
her
child
from
the
premises.
The
mother
refused
being
that
she
was
at
work
and
felt
the
teacher
was
out
of
line
and
hurt
her
child
by
trying
to
comb
through
the
child’s
hair.
The
school
called
a
police
officer
to
speak
to
the
mother.
The
officer
threatened
to
put
the
child
in
the
back
of
the
police
car
and
take
the
child
to
the
emergency
room.
The
mother
got
scared
and
left
her
job
to
pick
her
child
up.
This
same
mother
has
an
8
year
old
the
school
kicked
out
of
school
a
few
days
later.
They
felt
this
child
was
too
rambunctious
to
be
in
class
and
placed
the
child
on
home
instruction.
For
days
a
teacher
would
not
come
to
the
home
to
provide
her
child
a
lesson
claiming
they
were
too
scared
to
go
to
the
“projects.”
After
the
mother
pleaded,
complained,
and
then
threatened
a
lawsuit,
the
school
agreed
to
let
both
children
back
into
school
if
the
mother
agreed
to
have
them
classified.
Being
that
the
mother
works
a
full
time
job
and
could
not
afford
to
be
home
with
her
6
and
8
year
old
waiting
for
home
instruction
that
may
or
may
not
happen,
the
mother
agreed
to
have
her
children
classified.
The
classified
her
son
with
Bi-‐Polar
Disorder
and
she
is
waiting
to
hear
about
her
daughter’s
classification.
There
are
countless
of
stories
like
this
where
the
lack
of
cultural
competence,
pre-‐k3
and
pre-‐k4
access,
discipline,
and
classifications
come
together
to
the
detriment
of
low
income
students
of
color.
Classification-‐
Aside
from
countless
of
stories
of
low
income
parents
being
forced
to
classify
their
child,
the
district
does
not
provide
any
support
to
low
income
students
with
IEP’s.
Hoboken
Public
School
District
has
a
shortage
of
paraprofessionals
and
substitute
teachers,
specifically
for
Connors
Elementary,
the
Middle
School,
and
the
High
School.
Classified
students
are
entitled
to
special
services
and
considerations
such
as
one-‐on-‐one
support,
extended
time
for
test
taking,
resource
teachers,
etc.
And
if
a
child
is
classified
for
special
education
they
are
suppose
to
be
classified.
Example:
A
black
boy
was
placed
in
special
education
in
the
3rd
grade.
Hoboken
Public
School
District
never
classified
him.
Special
education
classes
typically
contain
students
with
severe
learning
difficulties,
behavioral
problems,
and
physical
disabilities.
This
young
man
graduates
Hoboken
High
School
and
begins
taking
courses
at
Hudson
County
Community
College.
The
young
man
is
placed
in
all
remedial
classes.
He
has
now
failed
remedial
English
twice.
This
young
man
has
been
placed
on
academic
probation
and
is
on
the
verge
of
flunking
out.
During
his
appeal
hearing
the
young
man
and
his
mother
try
to
explain
to
the
Appeal
Committee
that
the
young
man
was
placed
in
special
education
but
the
district
never
classified
him
and
as
a
result
he
is
entitled
to
special
consideration,
support,
and
services.
The
Appeal
Committee
told
the
mother
that
if
she
has
him
classified
they
will
reinstate
her
son
and
provide
him
with
the
services
and
support
classified
students
will
receive.
The
mother
resides
in
public
housing
and
cannot
afford
to
pay
for
her
son
to
be
classified.
Racial
Tracking-‐
Hoboken
Public
School
District
uses
a
common
method
called
leveling
to
separate
students
based
on
ability.
A
disproportionate
amount
of
low
income
students
of
color
attend
the
racially
segregated
Connors
Elementary
School
and
are
tracked
into
levels
3,
4,
and
5
classes
by
3rd
grade.
Additionally,
Wallace
Elementary
uses
leveling
to
create
racially
segregated
classrooms.
This
disqualifies
students
of
color
from
accessing
more
advanced
academic
instruction
and
programs
found
on
levels
1
and
2.
This
tracking
system
really
begins
to
take
form
in
the
Middle
School.
The
current
8th
grade
does
not
have
a
Black
student
in
Gifted
and
Talented
(Level
1)
and
there
is
only
one
Black
student
in
Honors
(Level
2).
Levels
1
and
2
are
the
only
levels
that
give
students
the
best
chance
of
becoming
college
ready
and
passing
AP
level
coursework
and
tests.
Levels
1
and
2
contain
the
only
coursework
that
qualifies
for
the
admissions
process
for
the
County
Magnet
Schools
because
the
academic
program
includes
Algebra
I.
Levels
3,
4,
and
5
never
mix
in
the
Middle
School
and
in
the
High
School
the
levels
only
come
together
in
elective
courses.
Students
in
levels
3-‐5
never
have
the
opportunity
to
take
any
core
classes
with
students
in
Levels
1
and
2
after
6th
grade.
The
primary
purpose
for
creating
Gifted
and
Talented
and
an
Honors
track
was
to
attract
and
retain
the
more
gentrified
wealthier
student
population.
There
is
limited
space
in
Honors
and/or
Gifted
and
Talented
classes
and
low
income
students
of
color
who
meet
the
academic
requirements
have
been
tracked
down
into
level
3
classes
to
make
room
for
their
white
peers.
Example:
Last
year
three
7th
grade
Black
and
Latino
girls
from
the
Hoboken
Housing
Authority
were
placed
into
the
Honors
program.
Several
white
parents
complained
about
their
child
not
having
a
spot
in
the
Honor’s
program
because
it
would
disqualify
their
child
from
applying
to
the
County
Magnet
School
System
and
other
private
schools.
The
three
7th
grade
girls
were
tracked
out
of
the
Honor’s
Program
in
to
Level
3
to
make
room
for
these
children.
Also
there
are
at
least
two
Afro-‐Latino
students
that
were
admitted
to
the
Gifted
and
Talented
Program
but
have
been
tracked
to
Level
3
classes
instead
of
the
Honors
Program.
Discipline-‐
Low
Income
students
are
harshly
disciplined
for
minor
infractions.
These
minor
infractions
are
well
documented
and
recorded
throughout
the
course
of
the
child’s
time
in
the
district.
Low
income
students
of
color
are
constantly
receiving
punishments
based
on
something
they
did
in
elementary
school.
This
leads
to
repeated
removal
from
instruction
time
and
school.
The
district
uses
“Homeschooling”
as
a
method
to
remove
students
from
school
without
expelling
them.
The
district
also
uses
the
Hoboken
Police
Department
to
manage
discipline
issues
concerning
students
of
color.
Examples:
Two
7th
grade
girls
have
a
physical
confrontation.
One
of
the
girls
has
a
crush
on
the
other
girl.
Both
girls
are
openly
gay
and
reside
in
subsidized
housing.
The
one
girl
misunderstands
the
flirting
gestures
of
the
other
girl
and
believes
she
is
being
mocked.
The
girls
argue
and
then
begin
wrestling.
The
altercation
lasted
for
a
very
short
period
of
time
but
instead
of
the
administrators
and
disciplinarians
sitting
down
with
both
girls,
they
call
the
police.
The
police
interview
both
girls
without
a
parent
or
guardian
or
a
school
administrator
present.
They
were
threatened
with
assault
charges
and
time
in
juvenile
detention.
Two
5th
graders,
a
boy
and
a
girl,
have
a
confrontation
during
recess.
The
boy
was
trying
to
get
the
girls
attention
and
he
inadvertently
ran
into
the
girl.
He
knocked
her
over
onto
another
boy
who
was
injured
in
the
collision.
In
attempt
to
show
the
boy
how
upset
she
was
by
the
incident,
she
shook
her
Snapple
juice
onto
the
boy
who
ran
her
over.
The
boy
was
upset
and
embarrassed
and
stormed
out
of
the
gym.
The
school
decided
to
suspend
both
children
over
the
incident.
The
girl
did
not
have
a
record
of
behavior
but
the
school
felt
that
embarrassing
the
boy
was
an
offense
worthy
of
suspension.
The
boy
was
suspended
for
three
days
because
he
had
a
record
of
behavioral
issues.
That
same
5th
grade
boy
was
later
in
an
incident
with
a
substitute
teacher.
The
substitute
was
having
trouble
gaining
control
of
the
class.
The
teacher
kept
asking
the
boy
to
sit
down
and
stop
talking.
The
boy
would
do
it
for
a
little
and
then
begin
standing
up
to
talk
to
his
classmates.
The
substitute
then
walked
over
to
the
boy,
grabbed
him,
and
then
tried
to
force
him
to
sit
down
in
his
chair.
The
boy
grew
very
upset
and
yelled
at
the
teacher
for
putting
his
hands
on
him.
The
boy
storms
out
of
the
classroom.
The
school
not
only
suspends
the
boy
but
they
place
him
on
homeschool
for
3
months.
The
claimed
he
created
an
“unsafe’
learning
environment.
During
that
time
on
home
school,
the
boy
received
one
lesson
per
week
for
1
hour
for
three
months.
Homeschool-‐
The
Hoboken
Public
School
District
use
homeschooling
to
remove
students
they
have
written
off
from
the
school
district.
These
kids
are
often
low
income
students
of
color
who
have
been
classified
since
3rd
grade
with
established
records
of
discipline.
Many
of
these
students
are
underperforming
academically
because
they
were
racially
tracked
into
lower
level
classes,
missed
a
lot
of
instruction
over
the
years,
and
building
leaders
do
not
want
to
figure
out
ways
to
re-‐engage
students
like
this.
This
practices
allows
the
district
to
kick
students
out
without
counting
them
in
the
expulsion,
standardize
test
scores,
or
dropout
rates.
The
State
of
New
Jersey
does
not
regulate
this
program
thus
making
it
easy
for
school
districts
to
use
it
without
penalty.
Inequitable
Funding-‐
The
Hoboken
Public
School
District
receives
additional
funding
from
the
State
of
New
Jersey
for
its
Free
and
Reduced
Lunch
population
and
for
students
who
have
been
classified.
The
Federal
Government
also
provides
additional
funding
called
Title
I
funding,
for
districts
with
high
population
of
students
receiving
Free
or
Reduced
Lunch.
Despite
this
fact,
the
Hoboken
Public
School
District
has
chosen
to
invest
these
resources
in
providing
opportunities
that
many
low
income
students
of
color
have
either
been
tracked
or
classified
out
of.
This
is
part
of
why
our
student
progress
and
growth
rates
are
underperforming.
In
the
past
6
months,
the
district
has
added
more
AP
courses,
college
enrichment
programs,
STEAM
programs,
etc.
that
require
pre-‐ requisite
courses
of
Levels
1
and
2,
teacher
recommendations,
and
entrance
exams.