Newsweek Names Booker T Washington Top Public School

Newsweek Magazine has named Tulsa's Booker T. Washington High School as one of the nation's top public schools. The recognition comes as a community task force prepares to study Booker T's

Thursday, March 9th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

Newsweek Magazine has named Tulsa's Booker T. Washington High School as one of the nation's top public schools. The recognition comes as a community task force prepares to study Booker T's admission policies as they relate to race.

As a magnet program formed in 1973 to help with the integration of Tulsa Public Schools, Booker T. Washington is required to maintain a strict 50-50 racial quota. However, recent federal court rulings in Boston and North Carolina struck down admissions based on race and gender. Superintendent John Thompson ordered a task force to study the school's admissions policies to assure fairness to all students.
"I would not get excited at all about what changes might be recommended," said Tulsa Public Schools assistant superintendent Dr. Laverne Wimberly. "Because the changes that will be made, I'm sure will be made in the best interests of the community and the whole city that we serve."

Wimberly heads a task force that will examine all issues relating to Tulsa's magnet programs. She says the random selection process used for admission to Thoreau will be considered for Booker T as well. "So the options would be to modify our selection process, our recruitment process, maintain it, or just explore other ways we might do that to make sure we're attracting the students who want to come to Booker T." she said.
Former Booker T. Washington coach and alumnus Ed Lacy said, "If there is a change, there may be a situation where there would not be as many black students who would be admitted."

Task force member Lacy believes most north Tulsans want the school's admission policies to remain the same. He hopes the district can reach an agreement that satisfies most everyone, including the courts. "I don't think everybody's going to be satisfied," he said. "Because of the nature of the school, all of the students want to get in there and of course, all of them can't get in there."

Booker T. Washington students that we spoke with say they don't want to lose the diversity and tradition that define their school. "Without the 50-50 mix, it won't be so equal," said student Terri Okoto Ghaide. "It will be more of one group or another group, and we won't be able to mix as well as we do now." Booker T student Liz Varmecky agrees. "I think that's why a lot of people that attend the school now. If it the mix is changed one way or another, they probably will not want to attend after the changes."

However, Wimberly says the task force will be sensitive to all issues being raised, and will make recommendations by July first.

Newsweek ranked Booker T. Washington number 435 on a list of 472 public high schools. The ranking is based on the number of advanced placement and international baccalaureate tests taken by all students in 1999, divided by the number of graduating seniors. Washington faculty and students said they were proud to make the list.

The school offers several A-P courses and the city's only International Baccalaureate program, which is a rigorous honors program.