My name is Hayley and I was fully educated in the New Rochelle public school system. I attended Daniel Webster Magnet School (K-5), Albert Leonard Middle School (6-8), and graduated New Rochelle Highschool in  2014. Believe it or not, my parents actually decided to move from Los Angeles to New Rochelle in hope I would receive a stellar education. I did get one, just not in the way they had in mind. I would have to say my scholastic experience was underwhelming. What was more memorable was my profound exposure to the harsh inequalities inherent in the public school system.

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It wasn’t until highschool when I truly noticed how diverse the City of New Rochelle was. I say highschool because ALMS was predominantly white- which comes as no surprise considering its location. I realized, in fact, I belonged to the minority of the student body at NRHS as a white student. This didn’t bother me in the slightest. What did bother me was the disparity between the vibrantly diverse community of New Rochelle that I knew, and the fact that the faces in my accelerated classes were predominantly white.

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It’s important especially now, more than ever, to critically examine the systematic prejudices that force so many students to the back burner in the New Rochelle public school system. This absolutely should not be the case. I firmly believe all students should have equal opportunities regardless of their background in any capacity. New Rochelle needs to do better for the future of its children.

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Hayley Freeman 

NRHS Class of 2014