Monday, September 10, 2012

Burke Middle/ High: Becoming a Basket Case

On the seventh day of classes this year, enrollment at Burke Middle/High stood at 467.

Harvey Gantt, Burke High graduate and former mayor of Charlotte, originally designed the new campus for 1800. While changes in configuration have brought the capacity closer to 1300, even at that number enrollment is a joke. And the school sits prominently on the state's list of failing schools.

How did this once proud high school reach this nadir? It didn't happen overnight. Parents in District 20 deserve better. Will the Charleston County School District ever provide the leadership to climb out of this abyss? Why is the NAACP so quiet?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mr. Cannon just got the big contract. Three years, right? Enough said.

FB said...

Burke High School has gone from just over 1,100 students in 2005 to less than 470 in just over 7 years. Downtown Charleston hasn't lost students, but it has lost the quality that was once found in its public schools. Can anyone really blame the parents for pulling their children out of schools that have been allowed to become dropout factories? Don't blame the community, either. They haven't been allowed to be in the discussion unless they represent an approved special interest. The fault rests with school district leaders and their failure to address the problem where it begins. You can't wait until the 9th grade to start teaching students to read.

Anonymous said...

What is the current enrollment at North Charleston High School?