"If the city goes ahead as planned, Brooklyn's Paul Robeson High School will close in June, never to reopen and with nothing to take its place. All this week, NY1's Lindsey Christ is taking a behind the scenes look at the school's challenges, its successes and its failures.
Fifteen minutes into Mr. Jacobs' second period U.S. history class, he's the only one in the room. Ten minutes later, two students sit at their desks. By the end of the period, there are five. His roster for the class has more than 30 names. At Paul Robeson High School, teachers say simply getting students into the classrooms may be their biggest challenge.
'It's kind of like if you walk in and out of a movie, you don't know what is going on. A lot of kids have that kind of attendance in school. They're called LTAs -- long term absences. And then when they come back, you are like 'Yeah you're back!' but the kid is lost because he hasn't been here,' said Paul Robeson High School teacher Larry Jacobs."
Fifteen minutes into Mr. Jacobs' second period U.S. history class, he's the only one in the room. Ten minutes later, two students sit at their desks. By the end of the period, there are five. His roster for the class has more than 30 names. At Paul Robeson High School, teachers say simply getting students into the classrooms may be their biggest challenge.
'It's kind of like if you walk in and out of a movie, you don't know what is going on. A lot of kids have that kind of attendance in school. They're called LTAs -- long term absences. And then when they come back, you are like 'Yeah you're back!' but the kid is lost because he hasn't been here,' said Paul Robeson High School teacher Larry Jacobs."