Silva Magnet High students demand schedule be changed back, principal relents

Hundreds of parents and students from Silva Magnet and Jefferson High schools who were outraged over this year’s change from block to traditional scheduling met with El Paso Independent School District administrators Monday night.

It all started Friday when some Silva students attempted to walk out and thenparents signed a petition Sunday.

Administrators responded by having a meeting on Monday to address the issue. Silva students ended up getting back their block schedules, but it didn’t come without a fight and after giving EPISD administration a piece of their mind.

“I came to Silva to be a doctor, not a teacher’s assistant and now I’m being put into an entrepreneurial class!” said one Silva student.

They’re upset that Principal Fred Rojas changed their schedule this year, from block to traditional, transitioning Silva students from four 1 1/2 hour classes a day, to eight 45-minute periods.

“We don’t have enough time in 45 minutes to absorb our lessons. Being a science-based school, we don’t have to time to do the most basic labs, already cutting out discussion time and peer evaluation time,” said Silva student Sophia Lugo.

Rojas says the schedule change would provide more face time with teachers and students.

“There were several reasons (for the schedule change) … the daily contact that is given by a traditional schedule and the needs of our different schools,” Rojas said.

Silva students told ABC-7 they specifically go to the school for its higher level courses. They said the quality of their education is diminished by combining courses, bigger class sizes, and subjects taught at Jefferson High.

These comments from concerned Silva parents and students quickly caused commotion among their Jefferson High counterparts.

“They’re making us seem like to the community like we’re some dumb people,” said one Jefferson student.

After more than hour of heated Q&A, Rojas relented, and said he would go back to the block schedule. He said the block schedule will resume in three weeks.

Silva students walked away satisfied, Jefferson students felt slightly scorned, and administrators stressed. Within three weeks, they’ll have to switch thousands of schedules manually.