Once proud Middleton High muddles on.
MaryEllen Elia, the superintendent of Hillsborough County Public Schools, has been weighing in lately, pointing out that negative media are missing what’s good about the school. And that Middleton will be getting a new principal and, according to some involved alumni, a “fresh start.” Again.
But there’s still that embarrassing track record of six consecutive “D” grades from the state of Florida. There’s also the high-profile, high-pressure matter of trying to return Middleton to its former glory as a black community jewel during the racist crucible that was the Jim Crow era. And obviously throwing money at the new Middleton hasn’t helped.
In a recent op-ed piece in both local dailies, Elia said that “the school’s (2002) rebirth is a point of pride for our school district and community.” That statement needs parsing and revising.
Frankly, enough of the nostalgia. THIS Middleton is not THAT Middleton. What Elia and the alums of the old Middleton, the one that closed under a federal desegregation order in 1971, should do is make the case in no uncertain terms that this incarnation has to earn the right to be called Middleton — and not Muddleton. Enough of those 75th anniversary references. That’s a farce. An academic imposter is not entitled to that lineage and continuity. This year was the 38th anniversary of those memorable first 37 years.
The point is to make “point of pride” relevant by going back to what made THAT Middleton successful. It’s no secret. It was the collective efforts of an entire community. Of neighbors, of merchants, of preachers, of teachers, of parents, of students. It was a time when teachers and parents were on the same side. When accountability was a “given” – not a directive. When doing well in school was a way out — not a way of “acting white.” When students didn’t think academic achievement was uncool, but droopy drawers the height of hip.
“Point of pride?” Look no further than the first African-American president, whose recent words to the NAACP should be mounted in every Middleton classroom. “…No one has written your destiny for you. Your destiny is in your hands, you cannot forget that…No excuses. No excuses…”
And that includes parents, who used to come in married pairs at one time. “We can’t tell our kids to do well in school and fail to support them when they get home,” said Obama. “You can’t just contract out parenting.”
In Middleton’s case, education notably moves on multiple levels. It’s about living up to a proud tradition forged under the duress and iniquity of segregation. It’s about taking advantage of opportunities, including an impressive East Tampa campus rich in resources, inherent in the post-Brown vs. Board era. And it’s about finally earning those points of pride.