Changing the culture within the English Department at Gilroy
High School continues to be tough sledding. But there are fresh
signs that common sense and striving for educational excellence
will win the day.
Changing the culture within the English Department at Gilroy High School continues to be tough sledding. But there are fresh signs that common sense and striving for educational excellence will win the day.
Three encouraging news items came out of a meeting Wednesday when the Gilroy School District’s Reading Literature Advisory Group recommended that new textbooks be piloted across all grade levels next year and that the core criteria for literature selection should no longer include diversity as an acid test.
Just as importantly, as Reporter Lori Stuenkel noted in our weekend edition, the meeting attracted the movers and shakers from the district, including Superintendent Edwin Diaz, Trustee Tom Bundros and GHS Principal Bob Bravo. That kind of high-profile attention is merited and will serve to give those in leadership positions a clear understanding of issues and personalities involved. Knowledge is power and, in this case, that knowledge will likely translate into positive change for GHS students. Educated leaders will understand that the English curriculum needs to be retooled and updated.
After all, what is our goal? Isn’t it to provide our high school students with a rock-solid foundation in English literature? And isn’t it clear that the “best practices” way to accomplish this is through a combination of respected anthology-based textbooks and a core reading list that challenges students and is recognized by educators as clearly top-notch.
Sure, some students won’t read Orwell or Virgil or Poe or Shakespeare or Twain. But the answer isn’t to throw up our hands and lower the bar. The answer is to adopt a core reading list that doesn’t sacrifice quality, a list that provides a glorious foundation in English literature and that is a cornerstone for students – including the college bound. Making a challenging curriculum work requires consistent and inspired teaching. And we believe the English teachers at GHS, given a structurally sound curriculum, will flourish and strive to pass on their love of literature.
Moreover, there is no reason that a recognized top-shelf reading list can’t include diverse authors. But diversity should take a back seat to time-tested books that are the foundation of English literature.
Having come this far, it’s important that the job gets finished. In a high school education, time is precious. And there should be no greater priority withing the district than retooling the English curriculum and reading list. By spring, the committee should have core reading lists for all GHS grades ready for comment and approval.
After all, providing an opportunity at GHS to receive a top-shelf education possible is a community goal of the highest order.
