Hartford High School
faces loss of accreditation

school board members stunned

HARTFORD, CT - A team of evaluators from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges has recommended that Hartford Public High School, the nation's second oldest public high school, loose its accreditation. The recommendation was made after the team of experienced educators made an on-site review of the school over a period of four days last October.

Among the reasons given for the decision to rescind accreditation were inadequate facilities, inadequate policies and programs to ensure a safe and secure environment, lack of appropriate funding, and the total inadequacy of the library media center. Problems were also found with the curriculum, evaluation of teachers, enforcement of rules and discipline and a high dropout rate. The evaluators added that "instability" in the central administration and the school board's own tendency to micro manage the school's day-to-day affairs were "serious problems."

Board members claimed surprise at the announcement despite having read a preliminary report in January which was devastatingly negative. In a meeting held after the final report was made public, some 200 parents and students denounced the board and many demanded board members resign.

Herman LaFontaine, Hartford school's superintendent during the 1980s and a parent of students attending Hartford schools, including Hartford Public High, scolded the members for their inaction and inability to focus on the problem at hand.

"I am shocked that anybody on this board could say that they didn't know this problem was going to occur. Don't tell me you haven't heard. For three years we have been talking about roaches, rats and everything else at Hartford High, blasted LaFontaine.

The audience also reminded board members that back in October the evaluation team arranged a meeting with the board members and only two of the nine members showed up. Interim Superintendent Nicholas LaRosa called criticism of that incident a "bum rap." He said the visiting team's meeting was scheduled for 3 p.m. on the day of the vice-presidential debate in Hartford. He said he asked the team to reschedule, but was turned down.

At stake in all this is the ability of current and future graduating classes to go on to the better colleges and universities. accreditation from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges is the "Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval" in New England education circles and carries with it a good deal of weight at admissions offices throughout the country. No other organization in the New England states offers accreditation for public schools.