High School Principal Brings Free Laundromat — And Bullying Relief — To Students
With Meghna Chakrabarti
A Newark, New Jersey, high school principal gave bullied kids a way to wash their clothes — and a lot more. Get ready for a lesson on inspiration.
Guest
Akbar Cook, principal at West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey. (@PrincipalAkbar)
Watch on YouTube.
From The Reading List
CBS News: “How a laundry room revolutionized a New Jersey high school” — “‘The big room’ at West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey, is where principal Akbar Cook stores hundreds of donated bottles of laundry detergent, fabric softener and dryer sheets. The big room was a solution to a big problem.
“‘My kids weren’t coming to school,’ he said.
“Some of the students weren’t showing up because they were wearing dirty clothes and getting bullied.
“‘I think we really put the microscope on basic needs of kids. Everyone wants the high test scores, everyone wants them to perform well. But if the kid doesn’t feel confidence in just coming to school, being that person we know they can be, then what are we doing,’ Cook said.
“Today, West Side High School has five commercial grade washing machines and dryers. Deshon Denny and Briana Singleton use them all the time.”
NJ Advance Media/NJ.com: “Students were bullied because of dirty clothes. Washing machines in the locker room will change that.” — “The Facebook picture of Akbar Cook standing in front of washing machines and dryers looked rather odd at West Side High School in Newark.
“Not to Cook, who is the school’s new principal this school year. The appliances are not out of place at all. In fact, he said, they’re needed to remove a barrier that kept students from coming to school when he was vice principal.
“Students couldn’t afford to wash their school uniforms, a financial situation at home that was made worse when they did show up to school.
“Wearing a dirty school uniform opened them up to bullying, teasing and jokes that didn’t end when school was over, Cook said. Students snapped cellphone pictures of a classmate’s dirty collar or stained Khaki pants and posted them to social media.”
The Grio: “Principal Akbar Cook keeps school open Friday nights as safe haven for students” — “Hundreds of teens spend their Friday night inside West Side High School in Newark, New Jersey because it’s a safe, judgement free save haven as part of the Lights On program, launched by Principal Akbar Cook.
“Cook previously made headlines when he put a laundry room at the school after his students were being bullied over their dirty clothes. The move was made possible after he secured a $20,000 grant from PSE&G and with the help of labor from Newark Public Schools, he turn the football team’s locker room into a free, on-campus laundromat, CBS New York reported.
“‘Confidence is a big thing with everyone. To feel that you smell good, look good, I think that goes a long way,’ Cook told the outlet.”
Anna Bauman produced this hour for broadcast.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org. [Copyright 2019 NPR]
