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Emmanuel Kostakis is the principal of a Junior High School in Harlem, in a run-down neighbourhood with drug and unemployment problems and block after block of uninhabited buildings. 10% of the students are Asian, 70% are Hispanic and 20% are Black.
1. How long have you been principal of this school ?
Since the very beginning. Twelve years ago there was nothing here, just an empty building that used to be a High School with such a terrible reputation that the City decided to close it down.
"What a great opportunity", I thought, "to set up something different!" And we did. We started from scratch and made such a good school that it has attracted students from all over the city, which is really amazing for a school situated in central Harlem!
2. Is Harlem really so different from the rest of the city?
It's a world apart. Even though you're living in Manhattan, downtown Manhattan is such a different and inaccessible world! A world with so many things kids here just don't have that they feel a lot of anger and frustration.
3. How do they show this anger?
They fight. Fighting is part of their culture. Even parents say "Don't hesitate to hit if you feel threatened". I've seen so many fights start because someone just looked at someone else. Sometimes it's not even a prolonged stare, just a glance. There can also be fights because someone has bumped accidentally into someone else in a crowded corridor. You get touched, you have to touch back.
4. You mean you can't lose face?
Absolutely! For instance when another kid threatens you –they call it 'dissing', which means disrespecting – you have to show that you're tougher and not afraid. That's why they fight. It's the only way they know to resolve their conflicts. They don't listen, they react.
5. Does everyone react this way?
Just about. The key thing here is that practically all students want to belong to their group. For example, being good in school – getting A's – is 'acting white' and being traitors to their culture. So even bright students may sometimes feel trapped.
6. But your school is a magnet school today. How did you manage?
We concentrated on what the kids lack most in this part of the city: science and technology. We specialized in these subjects and now we have an excellent reputation – for safety as well. We have zero tolerance for weapons, drugs (including cigarettes) or fighting.
Any student who breaks the rule gets an automatic suspension.
7. And has all of this paid off?
Definitely. Even though the problems we have are difficult, there are very few drop-outs. Many of our students have continued their studies and many of them can say "I've come a long way !". |