Alina Yu

Period B3

13 October 2016

School Opportunities

Word Count: 818

Proven Wrong with Pride

CHS transfer student confirms the high status the school has built today

Tomi Taiwo, transfer student and junior, first came to this school at the beginning of this

school year after transferring from Homestead High School. As a transfer student, she said she

saw differences between her old school and CHS immediately.

Taiwo said, Carmel is definitely bigger. Homestead had about 2,500 students, which is

half the size of CHS. Carmels facility is also nicer, which reflects a better status. Also, Carmel is

more wealthy than a lot of places, and Homestead is one of those places.

It is those differences in affluence that may have motivated Connecticut Supreme Court

Judge Thomas G. Moukawsher in his 90-page ruling in early September, which order far-

reaching changes in public education in his state, including creating a more equal and rational

system for distributing money in state funds to local schools. The judge identified many uneven

balances in the United States education system, which might be detrimental to student learning,

one being the different levels of wealth schools have.

But while those disparities in affluence may exist, according to Principal John Williams,

this imbalance of wealth can often be misinterpreted as the fault of schools and students directly.

However, thats not necessarily the case and this perception can be misleading.
 Williams said in Indiana, a state funding formula is used for public schools, including

CHS. The state has the responsibility over public education and, thus, the responsibility to fund

and support schools all over Indiana. Using this funding formula, the state determines the money

school districts need individually by demographics and performance. The reality, according to

Williams, is that Carmel Clay Schools is one of the lowest-funded districts in Indiana.

I certainly understand that schools that have more poverty in their community have

greater needs that cost money; maybe they need more social workers or need lower student-to-

teacher ratios, Williams said. But at the same time, a lot of our costs are fixed. Our dollar

doesnt spend any more than their dollar does.

According to Roger McMichael, superintendent for business affairs of Carmel Clay

Schools, the funding formula for public schools depends on how many students go to a school

district, and then each student is assigned a specific dollar amount. For Carmel Clay Schools, the

current funding per student is around $5,100 per year; the district is funded near the bottom of

the dollars per student, McMichael said.

Now on this view (of a rich community means a rich school), people need to keep in

mind that the funding the district recieves is from the state. The funding formula doesnt have

any relation to the community (in terms of funding) besides the money gained for the number of

children in defined poverty from the state, McMichael said. And a lot of people (who believe

this view) dont know that we are one of the lowest funded schools in Indiana.

Knowing Carmels school district funding, Williams also said schools reflect their

communities. While many funds are given by the state, he said it is the community that helps

influence school decisions and needs. This concept could be seen when CHS renovated its

separate facilities into a single building back in 1999.

 Williams said, (Many renovations were done) because we have one school, (which was

a decision made by the community). It is an efficient way to operate. If you have one school, you

can have really nice things like a weight room, because if we were two schools or three schools,

then you would have to buy two weight rooms or three football stadiums.

Taiwo said having only one high school is a beneficial quality about Carmel. She said the

Homestead community wasnt as big as Carmel. At CHS, she said students can make more

connections with people they wouldnt normally have connections with because all students are

in one high school and thus student ties are more centralized.

Without the wealth, you wouldnt have the money to fund the programs, but the school

(and community) has to decide to implement them, so without the decisions they wouldve never

came to pass, Taiwo said.

Still the perception of wealth comes with its own concerns.

Student body president Mike Pitz said it is a shame people believe this perspective

outside and inside of Carmel because CHS has down-to-earth people and great educational

opportunities and clubs that want to make a difference in the world.

Probably four (of the five days) here, Im wearing something with Carmel on it because

Im proud to be in this community, Pitz said. Im beyond proud to be a part of this school and

all of the opportunities that it offers. When you are attacked, you do have to stand up with pride.

(People) have to just better their school because that is what got us to this point (of excellence).