Disappointed with lack of diversity at a top school

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is NPS one of those "second-tier" schools. We went to a school tour and it's almost all white.

But Burke is not.
When dd's first yearbook came home, I actually went through and looked class by class because I was concerned about this. Of course, sometimes it's impossible to tell just by looking at people what their race and ethnicity is so this was not a particularly rigorous approach. (And forget figuring out class background.) But based on looking through the yearbook, it appears that the middle school is very diverse. Curiously enough, the classes looked less and less diverse as they progressed from freshman to senior year -- don't know why that is. But it was certainly more diverse than I had been expecting.

[Anonymous]

This is an extraordinary discussion. I dont know where the OP went but I have to assert a heart "BRAVO" to everything she said. No question the school where we attend is a good one. But there is also no question that it is, in terms of race, the school and its families are not diverse. This is a fact. Pure and simple.

The reasons underlying this statistic can be debated but I was also sadly disappointed by the lack of racial and ethnic diversity at the school. In assessing this debate, we have to be mindful of our history in this area. Many of these private schools we all so idolize really took off in terms of popularity after desegregation-- where white families were horrified at sending their kids to racially diverse schools. Im sure these feelings no longer persist but one wonders to what extent these underlying belief structures still persist and linger in the minds (consciously or subconsciously) in the psyche of some parents, administrators and admissions folks. After attending private schools here, my older children all went to Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts for high school--hands down a more formidable academic powerhouse than any of the so-called Big Three in DC. Yet, in contrast with these private schools here, they were genuinely diverse and committed to the ideal of a meritocratic model. Diversity works and should be encouraged. Schools like Andover and Exeter prove it. Our Big Three should move away from the backward, archaic views of the Old South and its Daughters of the Confedracy Tea Party model and move, instead, to one that is more similar to the New England model of an Andover, an Exeter, or a St Paul--a true BIG THREE that everyone in the whole country, and perhaps the whole world, would agree are worthy of that title. Something are purported and privincial BIG THREE here in DC fall woefully short of.

[Anonymous]

"Our Big Three should move away from the backward, archaic views of the Old South and its Daughters of the Confedracy Tea Party model and move, instead, to one that is more similar to the New England model of an Andover, an Exeter, or a St Paul--a true BIG THREE that everyone in the whole country, and perhaps the whole world, would agree are worthy of that title. Something are purported and privincial BIG THREE here in DC fall woefully short of."

BRAVO INDEED! As an alumni of Exter, I totally agree. Andover and Exeter are titans compared to all this weeny tweenty whining by the supposed BIG THREE in DC. Lets be honest folks, outside of Maryland and Virginia and NW DC, nobody has ever heard of these schools. I have worked all over the world and I can guarantee that people in London have heard of Andover and Exeter; nobody cares or knows about Sidwell or NCS or GDS. Sidwell-- whats that???

To the prior post, this is an awesome reality check. And thanks for the history lesson, well put indeed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is an extraordinary discussion. I dont know where the OP went but I have to assert a heart "BRAVO" to everything she said. No question the school where we attend is a good one. But there is also no question that it is, in terms of race, the school and its families are not diverse. This is a fact. Pure and simple.

The reasons underlying this statistic can be debated but I was also sadly disappointed by the lack of racial and ethnic diversity at the school. In assessing this debate, we have to be mindful of our history in this area. Many of these private schools we all so idolize really took off in terms of popularity after desegregation-- where white families were horrified at sending their kids to racially diverse schools. Im sure these feelings no longer persist but one wonders to what extent these underlying belief structures still persist and linger in the minds (consciously or subconsciously) in the psyche of some parents, administrators and admissions folks. After attending private schools here, my older children all went to Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts for high school--hands down a more formidable academic powerhouse than any of the so-called Big Three in DC. Yet, in contrast with these private schools here, they were genuinely diverse and committed to the ideal of a meritocratic model. Diversity works and should be encouraged. Schools like Andover and Exeter prove it. Our Big Three should move away from the backward, archaic views of the Old South and its Daughters of the Confedracy Tea Party model and move, instead, to one that is more similar to the New England model of an Andover, an Exeter, or a St Paul--a true BIG THREE that everyone in the whole country, and perhaps the whole world, would agree are worthy of that title. Something are purported and privincial BIG THREE here in DC fall woefully short of.

I agree. I went to a private school in Massachusetts. It was genuinely diverse, and the school reached out to racially diverse and financially disadvantaged students. I visited many private schools in D.C. for my child and was very disappointed. There is no comparison.

[Anonymous]

You forget one big detail, 11:35. Andover, Exeter, Deerfield, Choate et al are all boarding schools. Thus, their ability to draw students from all over the world and therefore a bigger pond with more possible diverse students. Only St. Albans here is boarding (and partial at that).

The other schools are solely dependent upon an applicant pool which lives in this region within a reasonable drive. That cuts down on the pool of qualifying students significantly, don't you think? It's a whole lot easier to have a diverse student body when the kids actually live on campus and don't have to depend upon transportation or long commutes for a non-boarding school.

And your comment about how some schools really took off in popularity after desegregation is really off the mark. I can't speak for all of them, but Burgundy Farm, Potomac and GDS were among the first to embrace diversity and their popularity took off because of it.

[Anonymous]

Diversity works when you are a very prestigious school, with a national pool of wealthy students. The challenge is to make it work in a context where pools are inherently local. The best hope is when high-quality education is free -- e.g. TJ -- and when it gets allocated on the basis of achievement rather than wealth. But TJ starts at HS so if wealth has already left worked in ways that handicap smart kids from families with fewer resources, then you have to work backwards (i.e. start younger) to get diversity.

Unless a great deal has changed since I went to college, Andover and Exeter are bastions of the rich. St Paul's did/does? summer programs for smart middle class NH/NE kids, but during the regular school year, their students were more distinguished by their wealth than their brains.

[Anonymous]

I have to agree as well. We sent our kids to a New England prep school and there really is no comparison in terms of academics, opportunities, eduction and intellect. Also, the diversity is tremendous. Inded, the diversity is an educational experience in and of itself. There were people from all over the world at this school.

Only issue is whether your child has the maturity to deal with that level of independence and freedom at that age.

PS

Love that comment about the Daughters of the Confederacy Tea Party. Funniest post ever. Never thought about it like that, but it captures the essence of several of the social functions at our supposed BIG THREE school perfectly. just PERFECTLY. Im going to have to share it with some of our friends who have a similar sense of humor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Oh please. Do you know why Exeter and Andover can afford to be "devoted to the meritocratic ideal"? Because (1) those schools have endowments to rival many, if not most, colleges and thus can be liberal with the financial aid to cover their $50K/year per student cost; and
(2) Those schools also have as their alumni scions of legendary American fortunes (we're talking 19th century robber baron fortunes---not just the "normal" millionaire fortunes sprinkled throughout the Big 3.) So they can let in one or two of those legacies a year and be assured of maintaining the endowment mentioned above.

Most of the New England privates reknowned for academic prowess (and now apparently for diversity) have been around for hundreds of years. So they got a teensy little head start.

[Anonymous]

RE schools that embraced diversity early. GDS was founded on that premise and one advantage that gives it a couple generations later is that there's less of a tension between legacy admits and diversity admits than there is at historically-white schools. GDS's alumns (and the children of those alums) are racially diverse -- as is the faculty and staff (whose children are also priority admits).

Which doesn't mean that diversity is a slam-dunk. It just gives them a strong foundation to build on as they work to include other groups that historically weren't part of their school.

[Anonymous]

11:46 is absolutely on the mark! Even though some schools like GDS and Sidewell have always been progressive and embraced diversity, it is all lip service. They talk the talk, but dont walk the walk. They are not diverse. 11:46 is right, the facts speak for themselves. As for the desegregation point, 11:46 is absolutely correct again. Even though GDS and Sidwell may have embraced diversity, the reason underlying their popularity in the minds of the parents who applied in the 1960s and early 1970s was one that was, lets just say, not morally worthy of the Sidwell motto. Even to this day, I have to agree there is a certain Daughters of the Confederacy Tea Party mentality at these places and I, for one, hate that. Maybe we should look at Andover and Exeter too. Never thought about it but its a good idea.

[Anonymous]

And the downside of being diverse from the beginning is that, in most cases, it means your beginning was post-WW2. And you have the endowment to show for it, LOL!

[Anonymous]

Is it true that places like Andover and Exeter really are so much better academically? have better financial aid? and more diversity? Sounds pretty darn good if it is. Maybe we should all scrap the BIG THREE and the Daughters of the Confederacy tea parties at these schools and go to Andover! Looked at their web site of alumni and its pretty impressive-- JOhn Quincy Adams, Samuel Morse (inventor of Morse Code), Oliver Wendell Holmes, John Kennedy Jr., JP Morgan, Humphrey Bogart, Bill Belichick, Frederick Law Olmstead, Peter Sellars, Benjamin Spock, Henry Stimson, Jogme Wangchuck (king of Bhutan), Ming Tsai (the chef), and like a doen winners of the nobel prize and members of congress

[Anonymous]

Other than 11:51 and 11:53, the rest of you blame the entire region of DC, the people who live here and the schools for not creating enough diversity. A little high and mighty, isn't it?

The simple truth is that wealthy families always have more resources. And the DC region is the wealthiest section of this country. To offer greater diversity, schools have to have more money for scholarships yet also keep tuition costs down.

Quotas are no longer a valid way of increasing diversity. Schools then have to find qualified diverse students who usually come from less-affluent areas and often do not receive the level of quality education that would allow them to thrive in a private school.

Then, you've also got some of the best public school systems in the country including Fairfax. Those offer huge competition. Many, many minority families move to Fairfax County just so they can take advantage of the no-tuition top - tier schools. The DC area offers more resources for students than any other part of the country.

For many diverse students, they do not live close at all to the school. It means a significant change for the entire family as often the child needs to catch a 6AM bus in order to get to school by 8AM. They often do not get home until dinnertime. And many schools can no longer afford to have a bus line as demand is few and expense is great.

No consideration at all has been given to the fact that many of these students simply do not want to attend school with kids that are so very different from them. Many do not want to be one of the few AAs or other minority with potentially limited friendships and going to school in a region that does not facilitate playdates because of distance.

I will mention that at our fairly diverse school, we had a potluck dinner the other year. 6 new AA families. Despite the fact that all said they would come, none of them showed up. I had a discussion with our AD, also an AA. She said this did not surprise her. She then cited a number of factors that essentially said they had many reasons for not wanting to socialize with the rest of us and putting an emphasis upon their own neighborhood where their social life tends to sit.

Those of us who are privileged to grow up with such nice resources tend to assume that everyone should want what we have and want to be with us. Sorry to disappoint many of you.......

[Anonymous]

For all the educational utopia mentioned that happens in boarding schools in New England, you should also know that many of the afore-mentioned schools rather resemble NYC Prep complete with non-caring and distant parents who shuttle them off there to get them out of the way. I went to school with many of them.

The dirty little secret is the huge drug problems they have as kids rush to spend their inheritances. Drug dealers are known to wait outside the school gates for their underage clients.

No such thing as a perfect school so please stop saying that your school is the best. There is, however, a perfect school for each child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that places like Andover and Exeter really are so much better academically? .... Looked at their web site of alumni and its pretty impressive-- John Quincy Adams,

Sounds like BS. JQA may have attended one of the Phillips Academies for a brief period, but he wasn't educated there in any real sense. He spent most of his teens (e.g. from age 11 on) in Europe. When he was 17 or 18 his parents somewhat reluctantly decided to send him to Harvard, not for the education (which they thought would be better in Europe), but so that his cohort would get to know him and he could assume his proper rank in American society rather than be seen as an outsider.