Merit-Based Admissions To Vocational Schools Discriminate Against Racial Minorities, Disabled, Immigrants, and Poor Kids, Massachusetts State Legislators Say

Using grades, attendance, disciplinary record, and interviews to evaluate eighth-graders applying to selective regional vocational high schools discriminates against "students of color," "students with a disability," "English language learners," and "economically disadvantaged students," members of the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus say. Instead, vocational schools ought to make admission random, they told Governor Maura Healey.

Using grades, attendance, disciplinary record, and interviews to evaluate eighth-graders applying to selective regional vocational high schools discriminates against "students of color," "students with a disability," "English language learners," and "economically disadvantaged students," members of the Gateway Cities Legislative Caucus say. Instead, vocational schools ought to make admission random, they told Governor Maura Healey.…