Do you think Shepherd Elementary will become/is becoming more diverse?

[Anonymous]

As more families with young children move into the Shepherd Park neighborhood, and as more IB families are considering attending Shepherd Elementary, do you think that the school will start to become more diverse? Based on its academic trajectory, Shepherd looks like a school that is already good and increasingly getting better, and I would like to seriously consider it as an option for our DC (we moved to the neighborhood not long after school began this past August). My only hesitation is the concern that the demographics of the school show a rather non-diverse environment, although I don't know how that breaks out by grade level. I wasn't originally concerned that DC might be an "only" in class (DC is white/Asian), but a recent conversation has me questioning my stance.

A good college friend was visiting this weekend, and as I was telling her about the school, she looked at the DCPS profile for the school and noticed the not-very-diverse demographics (79% black, 9% Hispanic/Latino, 4% white, 0% Asian, 8% multiple races). My friend, who is black, grew up in a very white town and was the only black child in her grade all throughout elementary school. She said that while she never experienced outright racism or overt exclusion, she always felt somewhat at a remove from the other kids, and felt increasingly alienated as she moved from K through the 6th grade. Occasional mean or insensitive comments were directed towards her, and she thinks that she was excluded from some social things because of being black. Based on our conversation, she obviously still feels some hurt from this experience and wonders what it would have been like to grow up in a more diverse school, not feeling like such an outsider. Obviously everybody's experiences are their own, but she told me to consider taking her experiences into account while deciding about DC's school.

I have absolutely no problem with DC being a minority in class, but I can definitely see why it would be more comfortable to not be a minority of just one or two. Based on several Shepherd open houses that I attended, it seems like a very diverse group is interested in the early childhood program. Do any current Shepherd parents or potential parents have insight? DC would be entering kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Probably not much any time soon. Shepherd is really unique for a few reasons.

The neighborhood has a lot of middle to upper middle class blacks (these are a lot of the 79% AA kids) which is unusual for DC proper. It also has a lot of Jewish families who walk to synagogues nearby and live there for religious community and proximity. They will probably not send their kids to Shepherd because many prefer religious school.

I suppose if the families who choose private or charter change their minds you may see a bump in white enrollment, but in the end, that's not all that many kids in boundary.

Perhaps you'll see changes from OOB early childhood kids staying, because they come from all over the city?

FWIW, our child is an "only" and does just fine. I'm sure there will be questions and potentially uncomfortable issues as she ages, but for the first few years it's been just fine.

It's a great school (that we do not attend).

[Anonymous]

I think Shepherd is one of the best bets in the District for the following reasons:

Competitive test scores with peer schools on other side of park
Better social economic diversity
Equal truancy, suspension, attendance rates as other high performing schools.

Parents that chose to send their kids to Shepherd value eduction as much as anywhere else. The fact that the test schools are solid AND there is diversity make it more attractive to many families who don't want to raise their kids in the bubble of upper NW where the schools are predominantly white.

[Anonymous]

Hello neighbor. Honest question. Would you have the same hesitation to send your kid to Janney or Lafayette that has the same makeup but switch black and white? Not being snarky, just an honest question.

To answer your question, I don't agree with PP. The school has already changed immensely. The first PK3 class that opened this year was made of 100% neighborhood kids that reflect the neighborhood demos. I would also say that last year's PK and K were similar.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Shepherd is one of the best bets in the District for the following reasons:

Competitive test scores with peer schools on other side of park
Better social economic diversity
Equal truancy, suspension, attendance rates as other high performing schools.

Parents that chose to send their kids to Shepherd value eduction as much as anywhere else. The fact that the test schools are solid AND there is diversity make it more attractive to many families who don't want to raise their kids in the bubble of upper NW where the schools are predominantly white.

Forgot about the IB

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think Shepherd is one of the best bets in the District for the following reasons:

Competitive test scores with peer schools on other side of park
Better social economic diversity
Equal truancy, suspension, attendance rates as other high performing schools.

Parents that chose to send their kids to Shepherd value eduction as much as anywhere else. The fact that the test schools are solid AND there is diversity make it more attractive to many families who don't want to raise their kids in the bubble of upper NW where the schools are predominantly white.

This. Especially when you account for the higher low income % tha Shepherd has. It really is a great school. Friends in the neighborhood that now go to Deal have many friends and Deal and say the community is very welcoming.

[Anonymous]

Aren't the WOTP schools actually more diverse than Shepherd?

The JKLM's are only around 70% Caucasian, Shepherd is around 80% AA. Not saying either is better or worse, just saying it is not accurate that Shepherd is more diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't the WOTP schools actually more diverse than Shepherd?

The JKLM's are only around 70% Caucasian, Shepherd is around 80% AA. Not saying either is better or worse, just saying it is not accurate that Shepherd is more diverse.

Yes, yes they are, based on any number of measures in which "Diversity" does not equal "Black." In DC, many people still think in this outmoded way. The PP was but one example.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't the WOTP schools actually more diverse than Shepherd?

The JKLM's are only around 70% Caucasian, Shepherd is around 80% AA. Not saying either is better or worse, just saying it is not accurate that Shepherd is more diverse.

I would assume though the that lower grades are much much less diverse than this as most are not taking OOB students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren't the WOTP schools actually more diverse than Shepherd?

The JKLM's are only around 70% Caucasian, Shepherd is around 80% AA. Not saying either is better or worse, just saying it is not accurate that Shepherd is more diverse.

Yes, JKLM is slightly more diverse, but by a slight margin. I didn't mean "more diverse", I mean as an AA parent that would send my kid to Lafayette (that is a larger school and chances that there would be more than 1 AA kid in his class are slim) is about the same experience. Lafayette is 73% white, 11% black, 6% hispanic, 7% multi. Shepherd is 79% black, 4% white, 9% hispanic, 8% multi. Based on my interaction with dozens of neighborhood kids, I would say the lower grades are a lot closer to 50/50. Also, not sure if anyone cares, but there are a lot of AA kids that are adopted by same sex and/or white families. It really is a great school. OP, now that the weather is getting better, spend some time talking to parents at the playground after school. You'll be able to spot the kids my their uniforms. The parents are super welcoming and eager to share their experiences.

[Anonymous]

Just because someone is brown or black, doesn't mean they aren't diverse.

[Anonymous]

The way "diverse" is used on DCUM is truly comical. Please just say what you mean.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just because someone is brown or black, doesn't mean they aren't diverse.

An individual cannot be diverse! They are what they are, for better or worse... once again, diversity does not equal AA!!!

[Anonymous]

They mean black. That's what they [posters, don't get your panties in a bunch] always mean, especially in context to "Upper NW is so not diverse" or "JKLM is not diverse."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello neighbor. Honest question. Would you have the same hesitation to send your kid to Janney or Lafayette that has the same makeup but switch black and white? Not being snarky, just an honest question.

To answer your question, I don't agree with PP. The school has already changed immensely. The first PK3 class that opened this year was made of 100% neighborhood kids that reflect the neighborhood demos. I would also say that last year's PK and K were similar.

OP here. This is a very fair question. DC currently is in a class that is so ridiculously diverse that it looks like a Benetton ad. It looks like something out of central casting. I don't think I would feel too comfortable putting DC into a class that was all (or almost all) white. We have always lived EoTP, and I think that the diversity of many of the neighborhoods, including SP, is one of the great strengths of the area. I would really like a school that reflects that. To answer your question, if we're speaking honestly here, and I was forced to choose between an all-white or an all-black class for DC, I would choose all white. DC looks pretty white, despite being half Asian, and it would be easier to fit in.