MD public schools are segregated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Why would people so intensely further PG's reputation when they don't even have any experience with PG?

Because people have racist beliefs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Why would people so intensely further PG's reputation when they don't even have any experience with PG?

Because people have racist beliefs.

I think it's because people have racist beliefs and they want to seem right. They want a predominantly AA county to seem like a failure because it proves out their racist beliefs, so they can somehow justify them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with people here that it's about honesty. People need to admit that either 1) they think it's more important for their kids to do to high-performing schools than diverse schools, and they need to own that decision; or 2) they think it's more important for their kids to go to school with all kinds of people than go to a high-performing school, and they need to own that decision. Nobody gets a free pass to say one thing and do another. These are real trade-offs, and people need to be honest enough to admit when they are making them.

Also, I agree that people need to stop bashing schools their children do not attend. Anonymous uninformed advice on this board (and the snowball effect it creates) does affect people's housing and schooling choices.

There is another option though. I believe it is equally important to send my kids to a high-performing school and to have relationships (not go to school) with all kinds of people. For me personally, it is easier for a school to educated my kids at a high level and for me to ensure they have relationships with all kinds of people.

So my kids live in a diverse neighborhood but go to a private school. Also, they are in diverse activities on the weekend/after school.

Also, I would like to add that the 30/30/30 diversity is not diverse in my book. Those 30's need to be broken down. White/Black/Hispanic - can we really be more shallow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From the article:
"Nearly all of the more than 400 schools in Maryland that were 99 percent or 100 percent minority were in Prince George’s or Baltimore City, according to a separate analysis by The Washington Post of federal enrollment data. A handful of schools were in Montgomery and Baltimore counties."

Well, the problem with this article is that the population of PG County and Baltimore City is majority minority. I'm not sure that you can say the schools are segregated. It's more like the schools reflect the local population.

I hate that the article implies something sinister, as if this is by design. It seems to me there is more of an issue of self-segregation on the part of all races.

I would add that I think the statistics about low-income have to do with the fact that the higher income people who live in both of those districts, PG and Baltimore City, tend to send their kids to private schools.

I would also add that I don't think it is true that the underperformance of those schools has to do with financial resources. I believe the amount per-child spent in PG County is the same, if not more, than the per-child amount spent in Montgomery County.

Basically, articles like this I think are somewhat misleading and offer no solutions to the problem of underperforming schools in PG or Baltimore.

This, we live amongst doctors, lawyers and highly educated high earning professionals in PG and they all have their kids in private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the article:
"Nearly all of the more than 400 schools in Maryland that were 99 percent or 100 percent minority were in Prince George’s or Baltimore City, according to a separate analysis by The Washington Post of federal enrollment data. A handful of schools were in Montgomery and Baltimore counties."

Well, the problem with this article is that the population of PG County and Baltimore City is majority minority. I'm not sure that you can say the schools are segregated. It's more like the schools reflect the local population.

I hate that the article implies something sinister, as if this is by design. It seems to me there is more of an issue of self-segregation on the part of all races.

I would add that I think the statistics about low-income have to do with the fact that the higher income people who live in both of those districts, PG and Baltimore City, tend to send their kids to private schools.

I would also add that I don't think it is true that the underperformance of those schools has to do with financial resources. I believe the amount per-child spent in PG County is the same, if not more, than the per-child amount spent in Montgomery County.

Basically, articles like this I think are somewhat misleading and offer no solutions to the problem of underperforming schools in PG or Baltimore.

This, we live amongst doctors, lawyers and highly educated high earning professionals in PG and they all have their kids in private.

And even though I understand why that is the case, it still undermines the idea of public education and equality. And it is a form of segregation, not necessarily by race, but by class. It seems to me that this flies in the face of what we like to say we are about in America -- social mobility and freedom of opportunity. But if even so-called liberal, progressive people are fine with the idea that a good education is something you have to buy, something that really hinges on the means of your parents, then I don't see things improving in this country.

Sure, no one wants to "risk" or "experiment" with their kids, but I feel like people talk the talk, but no one wants to actually invest personally in their ideals. If you really are for equality in education and equal opportunity for all, then you should be against (in theory and practice) this idea that you have to buy your way into a good school system, either by being able to afford a million dollar house in an area that has a good 'public' school (I put 'public' in quotes, because of the fact that the locations that feed to those schools are cost-prohibitive) or by being able to afford private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the 11:29 PP. I am not really familiar with MCPS. I lived in Baltimore City and currently live in PG County. And frankly, my observation is that schools in both Balt. City and PG are going to be majority AA because the population is majority AA. I don't think there are any schools in either of those districts that *aren't* majority AA. That's not bad or good. It's just a plain fact of the population demographics of those districts. So I'm not sure what the point of the article is. Those schools aren't majority minority because of some sinister plan to force segregation.

The issue of how those schools perform is separate and more complicated.

far from complicated

Do your research and note that high FARMs is associated with low performance in "majority minority" schools. We are diverse, and most of the immigrants head to the coasts. So it's only to be expected that our Latino population, for example, would fall in the FARMs category.

Visit Middle America and you'll get a different picture, as there are certainly more poor whites concentrated in certain areas.

I am the minority in my school as a white female. And while it's sad to see segregation - which really is a societal issue, as no one "opts" into being poor - there's no reason to give up on any kid, despite his/her CURRENT level of ability. But many can't seem to wrap their heads around increasing the rigor for kids facing obstacles, choosing instead to coddle and enable.

[Anonymous]

You're a joke, PP.

You're not surrounding your kids with ALL types of people. Your diverse activities probably includes a few minorities who come from upper bracket households.

Try living in a fairly urban setting where your WHITE child is the minority in a high-FARM's school. Now THAT'S showing that you're not a racist. My kids are out of school, but I know many, many whites who live that existence - who are not moving out of the area b/c their children are with a handful of whites in their classrooms.

Your last statement is so ironic that it makes me want to slap you silly!

Anonymous wrote:=]

There is another option though. I believe it is equally important to send my kids to a high-performing school and to have relationships (not go to school) with all kinds of people. For me personally, it is easier for a school to educated my kids at a high level and for me to ensure they have relationships with all kinds of people.

So my kids live in a diverse neighborhood but go to a private school. Also, they are in diverse activities on the weekend/after school.

Also, I would like to add that the 30/30/30 diversity is not diverse in my book. Those 30's need to be broken down. White/Black/Hispanic - can we really be more shallow.

[Anonymous]

But I pay more to live where I do. Which
Gets me schools less diverse which is the whole
Point of paying more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the 11:29 PP. I am not really familiar with MCPS. I lived in Baltimore City and currently live in PG County. And frankly, my observation is that schools in both Balt. City and PG are going to be majority AA because the population is majority AA. I don't think there are any schools in either of those districts that *aren't* majority AA. That's not bad or good. It's just a plain fact of the population demographics of those districts. So I'm not sure what the point of the article is. Those schools aren't majority minority because of some sinister plan to force segregation.

The issue of how those schools perform is separate and more complicated.

far from complicated

Do your research and note that high FARMs is associated with low performance in "majority minority" schools. We are diverse, and most of the immigrants head to the coasts. So it's only to be expected that our Latino population, for example, would fall in the FARMs category.

Visit Middle America and you'll get a different picture, as there are certainly more poor whites concentrated in certain areas.

I am the minority in my school as a white female. And while it's sad to see segregation - which really is a societal issue, as no one "opts" into being poor - there's no reason to give up on any kid, despite his/her CURRENT level of ability. But many can't seem to wrap their heads around increasing the rigor for kids facing obstacles, choosing instead to coddle and enable.

+1

[Anonymous]

This would make an interesting social engineering experiment -

Make sure each school reflect the racial %age of MOCO population. So if it is 30% white, 20% Black, 40% Hispanic and 10% Asian - then each school should have that same %age of each race.

Bus kids to different schools to make this work.

[Anonymous]

Bus kids to different schools to make this work.

Yeah spending 1-1.5 hours each way on a bus is great for K-5 kids. This will be great for working parents who can barely make it to aftercare and home for dinner with enough time for homework and reading.

[Anonymous]

Our elem school in MCPS is diverse and high performing. No its not a 10 but I think an 8 (on greatschools) is not too shabby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/report-half-of-black-students-in-maryland-attend-segregated-schools/2013/04/18/9097c29a-a83e-11e2-8302-3c7e0ea97057_story.html

"More than half of Maryland’s black students attend schools where the vast majority of students are nonwhite and poor, according to a report released Thursday that documents intensifying segregation patterns in the state’s public schools over two decades.

Fifty-four percent of Maryland’s black students were enrolled in schools where at least 90 percent of students were members of racial and ethnic minorities in 2010, up from about a third in 1989."

Might not be cause/effect as you are thinking.

Rather, maybe 54% of communities in Maryland in general are majority-minority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From the article:
"Nearly all of the more than 400 schools in Maryland that were 99 percent or 100 percent minority were in Prince George’s or Baltimore City, according to a separate analysis by The Washington Post of federal enrollment data. A handful of schools were in Montgomery and Baltimore counties."

Well, the problem with this article is that the population of PG County and Baltimore City is majority minority. I'm not sure that you can say the schools are segregated. It's more like the schools reflect the local population.

I hate that the article implies something sinister, as if this is by design. It seems to me there is more of an issue of self-segregation on the part of all races.

I would add that I think the statistics about low-income have to do with the fact that the higher income people who live in both of those districts, PG and Baltimore City, tend to send their kids to private schools.

I would also add that I don't think it is true that the underperformance of those schools has to do with financial resources. I believe the amount per-child spent in PG County is the same, if not more, than the per-child amount spent in Montgomery County.

Basically, articles like this I think are somewhat misleading and offer no solutions to the problem of underperforming schools in PG or Baltimore.

This, we live amongst doctors, lawyers and highly educated high earning professionals in PG and they all have their kids in private.

And even though I understand why that is the case, it still undermines the idea of public education and equality. And it is a form of segregation, not necessarily by race, but by class. It seems to me that this flies in the face of what we like to say we are about in America -- social mobility and freedom of opportunity. But if even so-called liberal, progressive people are fine with the idea that a good education is something you have to buy, something that really hinges on the means of your parents, then I don't see things improving in this country.

Sure, no one wants to "risk" or "experiment" with their kids, but I feel like people talk the talk, but no one wants to actually invest personally in their ideals. If you really are for equality in education and equal opportunity for all, then you should be against (in theory and practice) this idea that you have to buy your way into a good school system, either by being able to afford a million dollar house in an area that has a good 'public' school (I put 'public' in quotes, because of the fact that the locations that feed to those schools are cost-prohibitive) or by being able to afford private school.

I agree with you. This is an issue I struggle with as I look at the next few years.

[Anonymous]

No but it make you feel good to believe that since you can't imagine an adult living in a divers world so you must thrush it upon your children.. I was poor growing up so my friends are either poor or doing a little better. My son's best friend is on FARM. My other sons best friend lives in a HUD house in our neighborhood.

My children are the minority on many occasions, big fricken deal. I don't wear it like a badge of honor like the SS people do.

Shallow is as shallow does. You want to slap ME silly, oh silly girl ... where I grew up, a slap ain't shit, you better come with something stronger thAn that.

Anonymous wrote:You're a joke, PP.

You're not surrounding your kids with ALL types of people. Your diverse activities probably includes a few minorities who come from upper bracket households.

Try living in a fairly urban setting where your WHITE child is the minority in a high-FARM's school. Now THAT'S showing that you're not a racist. My kids are out of school, but I know many, many whites who live that existence - who are not moving out of the area b/c their children are with a handful of whites in their classrooms.

Your last statement is so ironic that it makes me want to slap you silly!

Anonymous wrote:=]

There is another option though. I believe it is equally important to send my kids to a high-performing school and to have relationships (not go to school) with all kinds of people. For me personally, it is easier for a school to educated my kids at a high level and for me to ensure they have relationships with all kinds of people.

So my kids live in a diverse neighborhood but go to a private school. Also, they are in diverse activities on the weekend/after school.

Also, I would like to add that the 30/30/30 diversity is not diverse in my book. Those 30's need to be broken down. White/Black/Hispanic - can we really be more shallow.