Browse Primary Sources
III-"Stepping Back: Still a Stranger In Their Midst" - Vivian S. Toy - Milwaukee Joural
"The new principal at St. Francis High School stands in the lobby at the front of the stairs before school, after school and between classes. . .. "
Milwaukee Journal 1986-10-28
II-"Stepping Back: Class Notes" - Vivian S. Toy - Milwaukee Journal
"It's three minutes before English class starts, and the boy is in a panic. He has forgotten to read the assigned lines in 'Beowulf,' and he hasn't answered the questions."He turns to a friend for help, and she's glad to give him the answers. Sure enough, he's called on in class, but he has the answer. As the teacher turns to something else, the boy breathes a sigh of relief and whispers a "thanks" over his shoulder to his friend. . . . "
Milwaukee Journal 1986-10-27
IVA-Sidebar: "Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-19
IIC-Sidebar: "Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-17
IV-"Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
". . . Most of the kids tell me that they knew I didn't fit in. I ask what it was that gave me away. "'You wore your jacket collar turned up,' someone says. 'No one has done that since the '80s!' "'You wore the right clothes, but in the wrong way," another girl says. "Too formal. You weren't bummie enough.' . . . "'You throw your head back when you laugh," someone else says. 'You're too confident, too self-assured.' "There are things that you learn in life after high school, I decide as I listen, that mark you permanently. No makeup or jewelry, no Gap jeans or baggy T-shirts can hide the sculpting that experience gives you. . . . "
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-19
IIA-"Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
". . . The kids discuss sex with a degree of frankness and sophistication that would do Dr. Ruth proud. "Out of a group of seven seniors, it is established that three are virgins. They high-five each other, and everyone else agrees that they respect virginity as a choice. . . . "
San Francisco Chronicle Tuesday, November 17, 1992
IIB-Sidebar: "Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-17
IA-Sidebar: "Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-16
IC-Sidebar: "Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-16
IB-Sidebar-"Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
"As The Chronicle continued to report on the growing crisis in the public schools and the crippling effect of the budget cuts on education, we realized that in September, thousands of nameless, faceless students would struggle to learn in crowded, ill-equipped classrooms with teachers who were in danger of losing their jobs. "We decided that readers needed to understand just how dramatically the budget crisis affects the kids. "But it would be difficult. Classroom visitors would be greeted by proud teachers putting on their best stiff-upper-lip performances, shy students and administrators complaining loudly. "Either way, I would never be sure I was seeing the unvarnished truth and readers would not get the accurate picture they needed to see. George Washington High School Principal Al Vidal agreed . . . "
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-16
IIIA-"Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-19
III-"Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-18
II-"Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
"Someone threw a dead rat in a chow mein carton into Mr. Gregg's American democracy class today. "Mr. Gregg confesses that he wanted to scream, but didn't. "Later he uses the incident as an example of the importance of ''intention'' in the judicial system. . . . "
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-17
I-"Undercover Student" - Shann Nix - San Francisco Chronicle
". . . The principal, Al Vidal, is an imposing bulldog of a man with a kind face, creased by his long battle against discouraging odds. Teachers tell me later that Vidal is an exceptional administrator, loyal to his staff members and his school, determined to keep all of Washington's programs alive despite the fact that he has only $35.60 to spend on each student each year for books, supplies, everything except salaries. "A single textbook costs an average of $30. "The only person in the building besides Vidal who knows my secret is guidance counselor Linda Plack, a slender blonde with a sympathetic air and Susan Sarandon eyes. She arranges my schedule -- English Lit., American democracy, drama, auto shop, French 3 and art history. I would have liked to take P.E., but the tennis class is full and the weights class conflicts with English. No math -- I told my boss she isn't paying me enough to take trigonometry. "Erica, a petite, soft-spoken girl with shoulder-length dark hair, shows up to give me a tour. I try to make conversation as she points out the library ("It's usually closed") the cafeteria ('No one goes there') and the bathrooms ('Don't go in if you can help it'). . . . "
San Francisco Chronicle 1992-11-16
Letters to the editor
We cannot blame the "undercover" reporter, Leslie Linthicum, for her misrepresentation of the overall populus of Eldorado. How much can we expect a new student with an out-of-style- hairdo, big nerdish glasses, and her hair with very premature grayness to learn from her peers in a week and a half. Dan Schwed Eldorado Student
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-18
Eldorado principal speaks about "Undercover Student"
John Andrews: First of all in response to the article itself, what do you think about it?Robert Daugherty: I guess maybe we should feel fortunate that Eldorado was chosen in a sense. Also Eldorado just did win the state basketball championship. I think that has to be addressed also.
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-17
Text of Eldorado statement on 'Undercover Student'
A school is really only a series of relationships based on trust. Fracturing that trust affects students, parents, teachers, the school district and even the public image of the city. Tribune reporter Leslie Linthicum has threatened the fragile web of human relationships which is Eldorado High School.
Albuquerque Tribune Thursday, March 17, 1983
APS board rates school series as positive
Four members of the Albuquerque Board of Education reacted positively to The Tribune's "Undercover Student" series and said they hope it will stimulate changes in Albuquerque Public Schools. But board President Meg O'Keefe said last week's series presented an unrealistic and biased view of an APS high school because Tribune Reporter Leslie Linthicum based her articles on only 11 days at Eldorado High School and only took "fluff" courses.
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-17
'Undercover Student' lessons to be learned
First it should be pointed out that The Tribune does not consider the series the definitive work on the inside of Albuquerque schools. We see it as no more or less than a two-week slice of life inside a big high school.
Albuquerque Tribune Tuesday, March 15, 1983
Reaction to "Undercover Student": "Why EHS?" - Leslie Linthicum - Albuquerque Tribune
"Reaction to The Tribune's "Undercover Student" series came swiftly and with startling intensity last week. Although the series didn't actually start until Tuesday, my telephone began ringing Monday night, after an introductory article was published. And it seldom stopped after that."
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-14
V-"Serious Students Persevere, Others Talk of Rock, Partying" - Leslie Linthicum - Albuquerque Tribune
"Rock and roll, parties and friends are topics of high interest at Eldorado High School. Book learning, to many students, is not."
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-12
Student protest interrupts school day
A student assembly at Eldorado High School this morning turned into a sit-down demonstration over the social factions that have divided the school for years.
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-11
IV-"There's more to EHS than the '3 Rs'" - Leslie Linthicum - Albuquerque Tribune
In Human Development class, well-tailored Kathryn Meloy stirred boys and girls alike with the topic of child care and feeding. Prompted by a worksheet that asked, "What would you serve a 3-year-old child at a mid-morning snack?" students launched a lively discussion of the dangers of junk food.Many of the youths strongly opposed feeding children refined sugar, point to evidence linking sugar to hyperactivity. Juice, graham crackers and fruit were the top snack choices. The "practical arts" are emphasized in Albuquerque Public Schools these days,
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-11
III-"Building 'walls'" - Leslie Linthicum - Albuquerque Tribune
"If you've got $7 and 15 minutes, you can buy 10 "hits" of low-grade "speed" and one or two pipe bowls of marijuana at Eldorado High School.And once you've "scored," it's easy to find a secure place to get high.
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-10
II-"Nap time at EHS" - Leslie Linthicum - Albuquerque Tribune
Filmstrips have become the teacher's best friend and the student's anesthetic."I'm sick of seeing these Mickey Mouse films that don't tell us anything we don't already know," complained a freckled blonde after the second filmstrip in as many days in Independent Living class.
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-09
I-"High School Revisited" - Leslie Linthicum - Albuquerque Tribune
From Editor's note: "During January, 24-year-old reporter Leslie Linthicum spent 11 days posing as a student at Eldorado High School. This is the first in a week-long series of articles relating to her experiences."
Albuquerque Tribune 1983-03-08