By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Friday, January 3, 1992
The Record (New Jersey) | 5 Star | NEWS | Page B01
Most of the students at Northern Highlands Regional High School spent Thursday in the auditorium instead of in classes, protesting the Board of Education’s plan to add an extra period to their school day.
Student Council President Hal Rudnick said the proposal to lengthen the school day by 47 minutes, starting in September, was put forward without seeking student input.
“We never find out when issues are going to be voted on, and the Board of Education seems to decide issues without student representation at the meetings,” Rudnick said, speaking above the din as the hundreds of students talked excitedly in the auditorium.
School Superintendent David K. Garrahan said he initially considered having teachers force the students back to classes. He reconsidered and talked to the students for about an hour. The students were allowed to go to the cafeteria for lunch, and Garrahan said they would not be disciplined.
Teachers remained in their classrooms, teaching students who chose not to participate.
Principal Jack Mintzer said more than half the school’s 690 students took part in the protest. He disagreed with students estimate of about 600 protesters.
School officials have said the proposal which would raise the required course load from five to six courses per semester, plus physical education would allow students to take more elective courses and enhance the quality of their education. Students said the change would simply mean more work and deny them time to concentrate on courses needed for college.
“Implementing this proposal will result in a decrease in the level of education,” said Shari Poller, 17.
The proposal, which is expected to come up for a final vote by the board on Jan. 13, would begin the school day at 7:30 a.m. and end it at 2:40 p.m.; the current school day is 8 a.m. to 2:23 p.m. Students said they were planning to show up en masse at the meeting.
The school, which is in Allendale, serves students from Allendale and Upper Saddle River.
Board of Education President James Ryan Jr. said students were involved in the proposal from its inception two years ago.
“I have a great deal of respect for most of our students, but I don’t think they understand that, perhaps, this decision is the culmination of a long process and that every constituency at the school was involved,” Ryan said.
Garrahan charged that teachers prompted the protest by directly involving students in contract negotiations through a series of job actions starting in the fall.
“And that is very sad and very unprofessional,” Garrahan said. “That was the first volley, so to speak, when they decided not to write letters of recommendation for students going to college.”
Garrahan said teachers told students that the eight-period day would mean more homework and a decline in grades, which would hurt their chances of admission to college.
David Valazzi, 15, who mounted a petition drive to rescind the proposal after attending a Board of Education meeting in December, said Garrahan’s charge is an insult to the students.
“That is so ridiculous,” said Vallazi, who said he collected 430 signatures. “What motivated me was that I attended one board meeting and I saw the impact it would have on the school. That made me start the petition drive.”
Teachers also vehemently deny they influenced the students.
They refrained from involving the students in the negotiations, said Inger Foerster, vice president of the teachers union. When the teachers declared a temporary moratorium on writing college recommendation letters last fall, it was to bring the issue of the eight-period day to the attention of the community, she said.
Mintzer said he was saddened by the students action Thursday, but he said that perhaps the Board of Education needs to listen to them.
“I just hate for the school to be torn up about something like this,” Mintzer said. “I’ve always believed this: It takes two things, two ingredients, to make a successful high school. It’s very simple. You need good students and good faculty. Those two groups have to be listened to.”
Ryan said the longer day is necessary, in spite of its controversy.
“People have to stop and think what is good for our country and what is good for education,” Ryan said. “Our high school is one of the best in the country, but you can’t stay that way by standing still. If you want to maintain a premier position, you have to keep advancing.”
Caption: PHOTO – CARMINE GALASSO / THE RECORD – Northern Highlands students gathered in the auditorium Thursday.
ID: 17365024 | Copyright © 1992, The Record (New Jersey)