A Great Divide: Townview Magnet Center

As the clock strikes 9:15 and everyone finally begins to settle into their classes, the daily morning announcements for Townview begin. However, for the past few weeks, there has been something new that aired over the speakers. The “Townview Creed” emphasizes the uniqueness and community of Townview Magnet Center while simultaneously highlighting the differences between each school. Above all, it puts our building’s unity in the spotlight. 

“One building, six schools,

Six schools, one Townview” 

      Nevertheless, some students still feel as if there is some division between the six schools. Law Magnet senior, Aditya Peri, put it best: “We aren’t really six schools working together, we are just six schools sharing a building.” Aditya is a big fan of the Law Magnet, “What is my least favorite thing about the Law Magnet? I mean we even have sports. I don’t have a least favorite thing. I love everything about the law magnet. We are one big happy family” and he even has many friendships with kids from the other schools  “I’m constantly talking to kids from those other schools and I participate in their events!” but he still feels as if there is some division across Townview. He says, “The division is mainly between TAG and SEM and the school building since the rest of the schools tend to mingle with one another but not those two schools.” 

      Aditya is not the only student who feels this way. Natalie Munoz, a senior at the School of Health Professions, says, “We don’t have a lot of school-wide events. Each school has its own thing. For example, there’s like a specific hallway that’s a circle and just full of Health classrooms. Whatever goes on in that hallway is just known by the school of health.” Additionally, she doesn’t think the Townview Creed accurately depicts our school, “I mean, we aren’t one Townview when two of our schools are separate from everyone else. I’d understand if everyone shared their core classes. But how are we one Townview when two schools have no idea what’s going on with the others?” She feels as if each school could learn from the others. “I think we would really do well in Link Crew. A lot of our Health kids are very introverted. We are more secluded, unlike the Law kids. Having a mentor would really help them.” She definitely believes that the division should be addressed and there should be some type of effort for it to be fixed, “I’m against totally isolating. What is the point of 6 schools in one building if you don’t even see some of these kids? Townview is the most diverse place any of us is going to be in right now, and we should take advantage of it.”

      A 12th grader in the smallest townview school, ESSM, Jaide Crawford also addressed this division. She talked about the importance of finding a solution. She said, “It needs to be fixed, but it is something that needs to be started freshman year. Because once you’ve already been at the school for longer, it’s harder to change your mindset.” Still, she tries her best to talk to people outside her own school and thinks positively of the Townview creed, “It’s giving college because that’s how it is. Each campus has different schools depending on their major. At the end of the day, not everyone is the same.”  Carlos Sarmiento, an SEM senior, also likes the ending of the creed, “It’s super true. There are wildly different cultures in terms of people, academics, etc. Indeed, it all comes together in one townview. Even though a huge proportion of Townview doesn’t live in Oakcliff, we just learn so much about the culture. We are people who want to achieve things and challenge ourselves.”

      Despite this, Carlos is still very aware that some seclusion exists within our school. He says, “I notice a little bit of seclusion. Not in me personally, but I notice it in a lot of underclassmen and in people who are a little bit more reserved. Generally, SEM students are eager to interact with students from other schools. I don’t think the seclusion is voluntary; we are just not given those opportunities.” He explains why this may be, “As an SEM freshman, you don’t have classes without sem people. You don’t get non-SEM classes until your sophomore year. I’ve spent more of my elective in art and music stuff, so that’s allowed me to interact with non SEM kids. But others just decide to take an SEM elective. For underclassmen, it’s very difficult to get involved with other sem kids if you’re not involved with things like art. Freshmen just aren’t pushed enough to get involved.” 

      Valery Valdivia, a senior in TAG, has some firsthand experience with this seclusion: “I really only talk to like six people outside of TAG. I’m on the announcements, so I see some people there. It’s just every once in a while.” She explains, “I feel secluded all the time. If I didn’t try to talk to other people, I wouldn’t have to. We would never cross paths. It’s like you have to put more effort into talking to kids from other schools; it doesn’t come naturally.” This is something Valery feels should be fixed, “Some kids don’t talk to anybody that doesn’t go to tag. I feel like there is a stigma to having friends in different schools. There should be more community Townview things that people could go to. Tag kids are not associating themselves with being in Townview; they are only associating themselves with being in TAG.” 

      Like the other students, SBM senior Aaron Compean believes that planning more school-wide events could aid with this issue. He says, “Why don’t we have a combined social area, or let’s have an event that joins all the schools together. People don’t tend to stay for after-school events, so maybe we could have an event during school. Like how the EBD has some events during lunches. Something to unite the schools and spark a connection.” He feels as if, currently, the schools are not very united, “Have you ever heard the saying ‘there is always a duo in a trio?’ I think it’s like that, but with duos. SBM and Law, ESSM and Health, SEM and TAG.  It’s more like three groups of two rather than one group of six.” 

“One building six schools,

Six schools, one Townview.” 

      Even though the amount of division lies in the perspective of each Townview student, the fact that there is at least some division is undeniable. The way Townview is structured allows for uniqueness and individuality, but we must not forget that we all have something in common. The sharing of one building perfectly sets up the stage to promote diversity, and we should take advantage of that.