“The Only Thing They Got out of This Is Segregation”: TCS Revisited

Abstract

Mercedes grew up in the Dominican Republic and moved to New York City when she was 18 years old. When she came to the United States she learned English, and was accepted into college. Mercedes earned a degree and currently has a part-time professional job. She has two children enrolled at TCS in the kindergarten and fifth grade Gen Ed program. She lives in a rent-stabilized apartment in a building in which “the only people that go to public school are me and the super. Everybody else goes to private because there’s a lot of money in the building.” Mercedes explains that it is really expensive to live in “this neighborhood” and that many Spanish people live in small apartments with their parents.