This past Sunday, the Atlanta Journal Constitution’s “@issue” section led off with a lengthy excerpt from a book by Jonathan Kozol entitled “Down with middle schools.” Though much of what he says is not applicable to the TAS experience, some of his comments strongly resonated with me. Kozol is opposed to the idea of separate “middle schools,” arguing that they should be incorporated into an upper level elementary school “so that we can exploit the attachments we have formed with children since they were in kindergarten or in first and second grades as barriers against [an] early loss of innocence.” Kozol goes on to point out that middle school-aged students could serve as mentors and team leaders to younger students, helping those younger students while “reinforcing their own competence . . . .” If this sounds familiar, it should. The middle school’s existence, structure, and philosophy is based in large part on these very concepts. What Kozol does not discuss is that having a middle school is an integral part of the entire TAS community, as much as is the Pre-K. Younger students form meaningful relationships with the “big kids,” the “big kids” are able to learn the importance of being role models, and teachers and parents are able to engage in dialogue on a wide variety of issues with a common base of departure. It is my belief that growing into a TAS high school is the next natural step. Community does not end with middle school, and high school students would add to the cross-age germination that currently exists. Furthermore, high school students are in need of a protective, caring, and nurturing environment that prepares them for college and independence. There has been a great deal of interest expressed over the past two years in exploring the creation of a TAS high school. Please join in the discussion, even if it is to express concerns.
