Arthur is a 15-year-old African American currently in 10th grade at the Potter School in Manhattan—a specialized high school. He comes from a rigorous public junior high school in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. After graduating from his public school at the top of his class, he entered Potter in 9th grade. A middle child of a single parent, Arthur spent his first year at Potter involved in basketball and doing community service while maintaining his B/B- average.
In late spring, Arthur had an incident with another student. The basketball coach hears yelling coming from his team members in the locker room. Entering the locker room, the coach finds Arthur and a White student embroiled in a verbal altercation. The coach comes between them and admonishes them to “break it up.” He instructs them to “shake hands and makeup.” While the White student stands before the coach with an expression of disbelief and bewilderment, Arthur is red-faced and on the verge of tears. Reluctantly, Arthur shakes the student’s hand, picks up his gym bag, and leaves. At the end of the school year, no one at Potter has an idea of Arthur’s plans for the summer—neither faculty nor friends.
After summer vacation for his 2nd year, Arthur’s grades drastically declined after returning to school. His homework is often late and of poor quality. He does not participate in class, fails to seek out extra help, and failed major exams for science and math—once his favorite subjects. Since September, his faculty advisor has met with him twice to determine strategies to improve his standing at school. The advisor placed him in mandatory study hall. During study hall, there is no evidence he does his assignments. The faculty advisor left a message on Arthur’s home phone. Arthur’s mother does not return the calls. A month later, one week before the final exams, the advisor calls Arthur’s mother at her job (where she cannot receive personal calls). She tersely informs the advisor that she never received the message. She screams at the advisor, “Arthur is my only saving grace. I have lost my oldest son to the gangs this summer. Arthur’s at your school to protect him, so do your job!” She then rushes the advisor off the phone.
After explaining the previous months to the Dean of Students, the Advisor and the Dean agree to refer the case to the school social worker, informing her that Arthur is at risk of being dismissed from school. After leaving the Dean’s office, the advisor converses with the school social worker and the basketball coach. The coach informs the advisor and school social worker that Arthur has never shown up for any practices this year. The coach also states that Arthur’s friends shared that Arthur’s “not been himself lately.” The advisor informs the coach and social worker that Arthur’s been absent from some of his classes, turning in work very late, if at all. The advisor also informs the coach and social worker that Arthur will fail two significant courses.
The advisor reveals how reluctant Arthur’s mother seems to speak with anyone from the school and does not return phone calls. The advisor says aloud, “He’ll be lucky if he finishes the semester with a D average.” As the advisor leaves, the adults notice Arthur walking away from them. They call his name, but he keeps walking and disappears into the stairwell.
Upon an initial assessment, the school social worker discovered the following:
- Arthur’s 19-year-old brother was killed in a gang fight over the summer.
- Arthur’s father divorced his mother when Arthur was eight years old; the father does not call nor pay child support and has disappeared from Arthur’s life.
- Arthur’s mother works three jobs to support the family – one full-time job as a legal secretary; one full-time job as an evening legal word processor; and a part-time job as a word processor for another legal firm during the 12:00 to 7:00 AM shift on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- Arthur’s 75-year-old maternal grandmother lives across the street from the family. His grandmother helps out daily, and she is the one who brought her daughter and their family to America from Jamaica. The family gained asylum in the United States when Arthur was five years old.
- Two years after the family gained asylum in the U.S., Arthur’s father left the family and never returned.
- Arthur’s youngest sister is as brilliant as Arthur. She has already been selected to attend the Potter Day School. She was born in the United States when Arthur was about six years old.
