As the new documentary "Waiting for ‘Superman'" — which argues for the need for public school reform in the United States — continues to draw national attention, Medford High School (MHS) seems to be bucking the national trend of student dropouts.
According to a report released in June by Education Week Magazine, an average of three out of 10 students in U.S. public high schools fail to earn a diploma. But MHS boasted a graduation rate of 83.6 percent for the class of 2009, according to Medford High School Guidance Director Frank Howard.
"The top kids [in Medford] can compete with anybody," Howard told the Daily. He argued that the diversity within MHS allows students to gain beneficial exposure to a variety of viewpoints and opinions.
"Students come from very different backgrounds and upbringings," Howard said.
Tufts freshman and MHS graduate Sarah Mason stressed diversity as another one of her alma mater's strong suits.
"People from all backgrounds attend Medford High School, which made for a really fulfilling experience and enhanced class discussions since there were so many perspectives," Mason said. "The one downside may be that Medford High School does not have as many resources as schools in other, more affluent communities have."
A consequence of diversity of academic talent, according to Howard, is that administrators can't necessarily provide the same level of instruction and guidance to each student.
"We meet the needs of the majority and cater to all students," he said.
Graduate student of education Daynel Ingram, who studies education in Medford, explained that being part of a diverse student body also has significant benefits for students.
"They have learned an incredible amount of resilience having experienced insane amounts of adversity," she said. "They have to fill in the gap that the school [doesn't] provide [them] with."
Speaking as a former public school student coming from a low-income background, Ingram added that learning how to overcome such obstacles and face adversity head-on is a skill that is necessary to be successful in college and beyond.
"I think it helps to make them more well-rounded, interacting and being aware of other cultures, races, sexual orientations and socioeconomic levels," she said. Ingram added that, as a result, public schools give their students increased "social capital," or exposure to others who have differing backgrounds, giving them increased tolerance and sensitivity toward others.
As for where MHS graduates matriculate, Howard said, many choose to join the military or enter the workforce immediately after graduation.
"An advantage of public high school is that [we] prepare students to go out into society and the real world," Howard said.
According to Professor of Education David Hammer, the success of the public education system is crucial for America's future.
"We live in a democratic society, and we need a population who can make a decision, who can be informed," Hammer said, adding that public schools haven't been given the public attention they deserve.
"I think that [the public thinks] of teaching and of education in very simplistic ways," Hammer said. "It's a much more subtle and challenging enterprise, and people look for quick, politically expedient answers. I often compare thinking about education today to what people thought about medicine 200 years ago."
