Broward School Board's Diversity Committee Site Visitation Report at Hallandale High School and the abominable conditions they found

Last week when I knew that I'd be posting here the two public notices about the public meeting on Tuesday night in Hollywood and Thursday morning at Broward Schools HQ, I already had a copy of the Broward School Board's Diversity Committee Site Visitation Report at Hallandale High School and the abominable conditions they found.

I had a copy because I have a friend on the committee and had asked her to send me a copy of the final report once it had already been publicly distributed to the Broward School Board and the acting-Principal at Hallandale High, Anthony Dorsett, and other interested parties.

I decided not to post the information then, or even with the story on Friday night regarding the statewide Grand Jury, because I wanted to make sure that everyone would see this eye-opening report on its own demerits and just let the facts sink in a bit.

Here is the cover letter that was sent to them from my friend Catherine, who besides serving as Co-Chair of the Broward Schools Diversity Committee that checked-out the school, is also on the Hallandale Education Advisory Committee, and an appointee to the county's Commission on Women's Status.

The Site Visitation SubCommittee of the Diversity Committee has finalized the attached summary report on Hallandale HS

Attached is a courtesy copy, for your information and review.

Our SV SubComm. was very disappointed that after 10 years since the CCC lawsuit settlement, the Hallandale HS facility is still one of the worst that we've seen in all of our site visits in the past two years. Ms. Ernestine Price, one of the original plaintiffs, was visibly upset and she said she could not sleep that night and called a school board member at 4:00 am.

In our last (2/3/11) Diversity Committee meeting, the lawyers from the CCC lawsuit updated our Diversity Committee members. They, visited Hallandale HS about three weeks ago and took 300 pictures of bad facility conditions, themselves. Discussion about the lack of progress in the innercity schools took place, and Hallandale HS was at the top of the list.

We are all aware of the moratoriums on projects due to budget constraints. However, issues like the lack of a working lab for AP science, which would prevent those students from competing and succeeding in their AP exams, is clearly not acceptable.

By copy of this email, I'm requesting Mayor Cooper, City Manager Antonio, and the commissioners to see if they can provide additional support to these issues, perhaps thru the CRA budget? Also, I am requesting the community leaders of Hallandale and my Hallandale EAC members to see if there's anything we can do to assist with these issues, with the proviso that we're concurrently researching what can and can't be done under the Broward Schools' rules/policies.

Because Hallandale HS has made great progress academically within the past two years, it is critical that the students and hard-working staff are not required to work in such bad conditions. There is a YouTube video by Boyd Anderson students talking about how their new cafeteria made them feel like a whole new person, filled each student with pride...a person deserving, which motivated him/her to do better. Facilities makes a direct impact on a student's self-esteem. We all need to do better for our most challenged children.

Catherine Kim Owens

My friend and fellow Hallandale Beach civic activist Michael Butler of Change Hallandale Beach already has posted the entire report and pertinent photos on his site, along with some comments of his own, so I have that link here for you to read along with the report:
HallandaleHighSchoolSiteVisitReport

Change Hallandale Beach website is at: http://www.changehallandale.com/

Hallandale High School info: http://www.browardschools.com/schoolsplash1/schoolsplash.asp?infoid=0403

HHS website: http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/hallandalehigh/