Battle of Bushwick: Valedictorian v Board of Ed

[maren]

Go, Tiffany!

SPEECH COSTS GRAD: VALEDICTORIAN WHO RIPPED SCHOOL DENIED DIPLOMA

By Joe Williams, New York Daily News, 6/26/04

The valedictorian of a Brooklyn high school was escorted out of the building and denied her diploma yesterday because she trashed the school in a scorching graduation speech.  The school says it won't give Tiffany Schley her sheepskin until she says she's sorry - but the 17-year-old is unrepentant.

"I was speaking for my peers," Tiffany told the Daily News. "We've been living with this for four years."

A top student who's going to Smith College on a full scholarship this fall, Schley was brutally honest about the High School of Legal Studies during Thursday's graduation ceremonies in Bushwick.

Among her gripes: The school has had four principals in four years, overcrowded classes, a shortage of textbooks and other basic materials, unqualified teachers, unstable staffing and uncaring administrators who refused to meet with students to discuss the school's problems.

"They always want to keep the problems hush-hush, but what goes on in this school is real," said Tiffany, who was also the editor of the school newspaper, yearbook chairwoman and a member of the student council.

One teacher who attended the graduation said the audience was shocked by the speech.  "The administration was very nervous, but the students were definitely in support of her," the teacher said.

When Schley came to school yesterday to pick up her diploma with the rest of her classmates, she and her mother were told they had been disrespectful and were escorted out of the building.

Her mom, Felicia Schley, was furious at the way she and her daughter were treated and remains proud of Tiffany. "She busted her behind to get there, she kept it clean and she was honest," her mother said. "Sometimes the truth hurts."

Principal Albert Vazquez could not be reached for comment.

"We feel that her schoolmates are deserving of an apology," said Education Department spokesman Stephen Morello. "It was a celebratory day for all of them."

Felicia Schley said she will meet with school officials next week but said students were applauding her daughter's words.

Legal Studies is one of three small schools that in 1996 was carved out of Eastern District High School in an attempt to fix that school's struggles with violence and academic failure.

Some teachers at the school supported the administration's decision, but others felt the punishment went a bit too far. "We live through this struggle day in and day out, and she was just using her voice to talk about it on her end," one teacher said.

DIPLOMA FOR TEEN: ED BIGS CAVE AFTER SPEECH By Veronika Belenkaya, Helen Peterson and Tracy Connor, New York Daily News, 6/27/04

The Brooklyn valedictorian denied a diploma for criticizing her high school in a graduation speech is getting her sheepskin after all.

After insisting Tiffany Schley, 17, apologize for her brutal honesty, education officials relented last night and said she can pick up the certificate tomorrow.  "Our position is that while she should have handled the matter differently, she will receive her diploma," Education Department spokesman Stephen Morello said. "We'll also ask her if she'll come in and meet with regional district officials about our concerns and her concerns about the school."

The reversal came after the Daily News exposed Tiffany's plight, unleashing a flood of phone calls from supporters and lawyers willing to help.

"I got calls from teachers and from some people that I don't even know," the feisty teen said. "They said, 'I support you' and 'Stand your ground.' It made me feel proud."

After hearing of the officials' change of heart, Tiffany said, "It's very nice. I'm grateful for those who stood by me and for the support the Daily News has given me."

Administrators at the High School of Legal Studies in Bushwick were infuriated by Tiffany's address to the senior class, in which she spoke about overcrowding, lack of textbooks and unqualified teachers. When she went to pick up her diploma on Friday, officials refused to hand it over, threw her out of the building and demanded an apology.

Tiffany said she had originally planned to give a motivational speech, focusing on her struggle to overcome a lisp with the help of her mother, Felicia. But when she realized how many of her fellow classmates were not graduating, "at the last minute, I just started typing," she said.

Before the ceremony, she submitted her speech to an assistant principal, as required, but he rewrote it and gave it back to her on graduation day, she said. "He typed over it and had me glorifying the school," she said.

She stuck with her first speech, but couldn't finish giving it because the assistant principal cut the microphone - before she got to her positive comments about the school.

Friends and neighbors said they are solidly behind the teen, who is headed to Smith College on a full scholarship. "I think that she spoke the truth. That is why they are mad," said pal Terri Perry, 16.

BLOOMY BLASTS DIPLOMA 'BOZO' by Lisa L. Colangelo, Warren Woodberry Jr. and Alison Gendar, New York Daily News, 6/28/04

The "bozo" who withheld a diploma from a Brooklyn valedictorian after the teen publicly slammed her high school made a grade-A goof, Mayor Bloomberg said yesterday.

"What bozo tried to hold back a diploma in a country where freedom of speech is so prized? I don't know," Bloomberg fumed. "Fortunately, the chancellor, when he heard about it, overruled it," the mayor said. "They should have given her a diploma. C'mon, let's get on with it."

High School of Legal Studies valedictorian Tiffany Schley was refused her diploma Friday after she painted a blistering picture of what was wrong with the Bushwick school in her graduation speech.

Education officials were demanding an apology for the gutsy 17-year-old's brutal honesty. It was only after the Daily News exposed Tiffany's plight that officials agreed to give the college-bound graduate her diploma today.

That's not to say they're making it easy.

Despite the mayor's tough talk, Tiffany said yesterday no one has told her when or where she can pick up the certificate. "I don't know where to go because nobody's contacted me," she said.

The grad - who is headed to Smith College in the fall on a full scholarship - wondered whether the offer of a diploma was real, or simply "a ploy" to quiet the groundswell of public outrage. Tiffany said she has gotten calls of support from across thecountry for speaking candidly about what she sees as her alma mater's shortcomings: overcrowded classrooms, a lack of textbooks and unqualified teachers.

"Somebody called me from California - an ethics teacher - and he asked if he could use my story. And another woman from Florida called" after reading of her battle in the Daily News, she said. "They were saying it's about time somebody spoke up," said Tiffany, who was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" and "School Politician" by her classmates. "It makes me feel proud," she added.

Education Department officials did not return a call for comment yesterday.

Meanwhile, Tiffany, who plans to study law and psychology at Smith, has hired a lawyer. She said her mother was humiliated by school security officials when the two went to the high school Friday seeking Tiffany's diploma.

__________

Edit regarding thread title: I know that technically there IS no "Board of Ed" in NYC anymore -- it's now the "Education Dept" -- but I liked the rhythm better, and the echo of "Brown v. Board of Education."

Edited June 28, 2004 by maren

[maren]

If this should be moved to politics -- will someone tell me how to do it??? Thanks!

[PHILLYQ]

I've been following this story also, Maren- at least the Mayor understands something here. Deny the diploma because you don't like what she said?! Who's running the show at her school, Bush/Cheney?

[7/4]

Rock on Tiffany!

[Alec]

Speak truth to power!

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Hmmm - is this the same mayor who unceremoniously booted people who were about to vote against one of his plans? The idea of squelching dissent and punishing non-team-players seems to be right in line with his approach.

Mike

[neveronfriday]

I've also been closely following this story.

Sometimes I wish - although things are a whole lot better here - that our students here in Germany would have the guts to do what Tiffany did. Somehow our educational system is teaching too many kids to put up with what's wrong or shut up. Dissatisfaction with the system is rampant, but it's only talked about behind closed doors (or on the political plain, on which it is watered down to easily consumable [empty] slogans for the public).

And, our current government isn't actually helping one single bit with its completely erratic policy which is aimed at curing the symptoms and not the disease.

Cheers!

[couw]

And, our current government isn't actually helping one single bit with its completely erratic policy which is aimed at curing the symptoms and not the disease.

ah yes, but that's THE biggest disease of German politics anyhow (and has been for ages). At least this government had *tried* to make some big changes. Frustrating really how partisan politics seems to have taken centre stage without regard for content or necessity of proposals for change.

[PHILLYQ]

Hmmm - is this the same mayor who unceremoniously booted people who were about to vote against one of his plans? The idea of squelching dissent and punishing non-team-players seems to be right in line with his approach.

Mike

Absolutely right on that score(Packing the panel on his educational policy), but in this particular instance Bloomberg was on the right side.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Exactly - my point was only that his position on "equal time for opposing views" has flip-flopped. Or at least it's a matter of grand hypocrisy. "When I do it, that's one thing, but when YOU do it, that's another."

Mike

[chris olivarez]

It was pretty much a no brainer, she put in the time,did the work,earned the diploma-it's hers. THe powers that be heard someone speak the truth and they couldn't handle it. End of story!!!