KIDS page 25
he said. 'They learned what my
wife likes to refer to as 'survival
skills' — learning their way
around a very large, 3,000-student
school ... fending for themselves,
living in a community that's quite
different from suburban commu-
nities ... My older two [sons] have
gone on to do quite well at the Uni-
versity of Michigan and in their
professional lives."
In addition to the survival
skills, Mr. Schenk speaks highly
of the academics. "I wondered how
[my sons] would do vis a vis a sub-
urban education, and I've found
that they had exposure to more
programs, advanced placement
courses and extra-curricular ac-
tivities than they would have in
most suburban schools," he said.
"Like most other schools, [Cass
has] some outstanding teachers
and others that you would prefer
the kids not have."
Congregation Beth Achim
member Mark Sperling is one of
Cass's vice principals and sends
his children to Golightly Educa-
tional Center, an elementary
school of choice in Detroit. An ed-
ucator who is himself a product of
Detroit Public Schools, Sperling
became an administrator with the
school system three years ago and
moved his family from Farming-
ton Hills to Detroit's University
District, just south of Seven Mile
Road between Woodward and Liv-
ernois.
Not only is Sperling pleased
with his children's experience at
Golightly, but he says the school
is actually more academically
challenging than the Farmington
Hills schools his children attend-
ed. They have homework every
night, science and math projects
and opportunities that didn't seem
to be available where they were
before. Their standardized test
scores are better. As a dad, I'm
very pleased. As a school admin-
istrator, I'm delighted."
Sperling's 13-year-old daugh-
ter, Meredith, echoes his enthu-
siasm but points out that
the transition to the
school where she will be
an eighth grader was not
easy. Meredith was re-
peatedly beaten up by
three other girls during
her first few weeks of
school, but two of her at-
tackers have become her
friends and one has
transferred to another
school. While she had
been picked on by
other girls in Farm-
ington Hills, Go-
lightly was the first
place Meredith was
physically attacked.
Being Jewish was
a challenge at first,
says Meredith, but
she feels it is no
longer a problem
now that her class-
mates know her bet-
ter. "At first, people
had been hearing
stuff [about Judaism]
and kept asking me questions
about it, but now I don't have
many problems with that. Other
kids like learning about Judaism,
and the teachers come to me when
they want to know about things
like the holidays. I try my best to
explain — it doesn't bother me."
In addition to her initial social
adjustment, Meredith found her-
self struggling with academics. "At
first, it was really hard and I'm
still having some trouble adjust-
ing," she said. "I was not used to
[large] class sizes and the cur-
riculum.
"In Farmington, we had much
school, the Academy of the Amer-
icas.
His mother, Robin Gillis, likes
the school's Spanish language im-
mersion program and proximity
to her family's home in southwest
Detroit. Although they live in a
Latino and Catholic community,
Gillis — a member of Congrega-
tion Tchiyah — says it is impor-
tant to her that
PHOTOS BY DANIEL LIPPITT
Zachary receives a re-
ligious education This
summer he is meeting
other Jewish kids at
Camp Tamarack.
Gillis says she
takes it upon herself
to ensure that
Zachary's classmates
and teachers under:
stand his religious dif-
ferences. "I inform
teachers at the begin-
ning of the school year
that he's Jewish and
doesn't celebrate East-
Above: Jeffrey Schenk graduated from
er and Christmas,"
Cass Tech in June.
she said. "I offer
around Chanukah
Left: Robin Gillis with son, Zachary
time to come in to class
Beebe, who attends the Academy of the
and share our culture
Americas in southwest Detroit.
less homework ... and
less math, so I'm way
behind everyone [at
Golightly]. I'm still
getting used to the
idea of homework."
While most Jewish students in
Detroit Public Schools are among
the few non-black students in the
school, 10-year-old Zachary Beebe
is one of the few non-Latino stu-
dents and the only Jew in his
"I think it's good
that there are Jews in the city,
good that other kids are learning
about Jewish culture. It's impor-
tant for people to learn that not
everyone thinks the way they do
and prays the way they do."
Although Gillis likes Zachary's
school, she is critical of the Detroit
Public Schools administration,
which doesn't always seem to sep-
arate church and state. "School
board meetings start with a
`Praise Jesus' kind of prayer," she
said, but she added there was no
praying at her son's school.
Levels of satisfaction among
Jewish students vary depending
on which school they attend.
While families with children at
Cass Tech, Golightly and the
Academy of the Americas seem to
be pleased, students interviewed
at Renaissance High — a school
of choice second to Cass in degree
of competitiveness — are far more
critical.
Patricia Becker, a member of
Birmingham Temple, said her
daughter, Julie, — a 1992 Re-
naissance grad — found high
school completely unchallenging.
And 15-year-old Jordan Magid-
son, who is going into her sopho-
more year, is also displeased with
Renaissance.
"A lot of grades are based on
how much a teacher likes you,"
she said. "I feel like rm not learn-
ing much."
Magidson , who has made Jew-
ish friends through her family's
involvement with Temple Emanu-
El and Workmen's Circle, hopes
to transfer to a private or subur-
ban school next year, one with a
larger Jewish community.
"I'm the only Jewish kid that I
know of [at Renaissance] ... It's
kind of awkward. I feel put on the
spot. One time my English teacher
was like, Well you're Jewish, tell
us about your religion' People ask
me weird questions ... I have had
experiences where kids think the
Jewish star is the devil star ...
Some kids have thought Jews
worship the devil. That gets kind
of upsetting." ❑
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