As an incoming freshman who has just finished a Camp Stuy crash-course on Stuyvesant, you probably think you have Stuy figured out.
However, you’re not ready to walk these halls just yet. There are many deeper conflicts and ongoing struggles rooted beneath the foundation of this ten-story building. This guide aims to inform you of the issues that have been affecting students over the last few years, many of which frequently make our headlines.
Recently, Stuyvesant has undergone many substantive changes. While the Student Union (SU)—our student government—is not as popular or as strong an advocate for students as it once was, it is still responsible for planning dances, college trips and funding student clubs and pubs. It is located behind the senior bar, which is a traditional hang out exclusively for seniors, on the second floor along with The Spectator and Big Sib offices.
In the past few years, the SU engaged in contentious negotiations with the school administration over the right to choose the Coordinator of Student Affairs (COSA), the faculty advisor and advocate for the SU. Principal Stanley Teitel ultimately chose health teacher Lisa Weinwurm and physical education teacher Peter Bologna despite the students’ request to ignore the regulations and renew the term of social studies teacher and then-COSA Matthew Polazzo.
Last year, the repercussions of Teitel’s decision were evident—several SU members were unwilling to cooperate with the new COSAs and infighting brought productivity to a stand-still. Fortunately, the relationship between Weinwurm and the students involved in the student government improved substantially over the course of the year. SU President Jamila Ma and Vice President James Kim, who were elected in June, will pick up where the former SU representatives left off.
In the last few years, the administration has curtailed privileges previously granted to students. Students were once able to leave school premises for free periods as well as lunch. Teitel barred students from leaving during free periods, citing Department of Education regulations. Last year, when the SU found no legal stipulation against it, Teitel claimed it was technically unfeasible.
Further administrative policies have restricted students to using only the first, second and fifth floors during free periods. The administration has also been a strong proponent of increasing security, installing 32 cameras on various floors of the school and expanding the use of ID scanners. The scanners have been mandatory for all students to use for school attendance by scanning in the morning since Thursday, March 30, 2006. Now, students must scan in and out during lunch starting this year.
However, many of the privileges that Stuy students take for granted are not typical of the average New York City public school, as many of the new security measures are standard throughout the public school system.
Along with ID scanners, the administration has put an end to the Stuy tradition of students choosing their own lockers. Students are now required to register their assigned locker online and buy their lock from the school for 11 dollars. This will allow administrators to know which lockers are being used by which students.
Teitel implemented this system to prevent theft and detect illegal contraband in student lockers. Students will be held responsible for any illegal materials found in the locker for which they are registered, even if the contraband found is not theirs. The administration will be able to open suspicious lockers without notifying students.
The SU has worked with the administration to initiate a trial program in order to allow juniors to choose their lockers through the Stuyvesant website. Should this system work, it may be expanded in future years to allow all students to choose their lockers.