Fogg Magnet High School Case Study

Throughout the two high school visits, the reoccurring theme of history and its role in the formation and development of public schools was reflected in both schools’ visions and goals. Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School was formed due to the integration of Pearl High School, a school that was majorly African American, with Cohn High School, which was majorly Caucasian, in 1896 (“Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School”). Additionally, Hume-Fogg Magnet High School is the junction of Hume High School and Fogg High School in 1912 (“Hume-Fogg Magnet High School”). Both of these mergences relate to the ruling in the Oliver Brown v. Board of Education case (1954), stating that “federal courts were to ‘enter such orders and decrees consistent with this opinion as are necessary and proper to admit to public schools on a racially nondiscriminatory basis with all deliberate speed the parties to these cases’” …show more content…
Pearl-Cohn Magnet High School ranked the lowest of the Metro Nashville Schools in average ACT scores, but ranked the highest for percentage of students that need free and reduced priced lunches (Obrahta and Grey). On the other hand, Hume-Fogg ranked the highest in average ACT scores, but the lowest in free and reduced priced meals (Obrahta and Grey). This suggests a connection between economic background and education, because clearly the students with the least financial backing are in turn performing less successfully in school. Even further, Pearl-Cohn is 90% African American, suggesting a segregated and severely unbalanced public education (“Pearl-Cohn Entertainment Magnet High School”). On the other hand, Hume-Fogg is 60% white (“Hume-Fogg Magnet High School”). Going into the school visits with this knowledge helped set the precedent for what to expect regarding the segregation and separation of the two high