Why do teens self-segregate along racial lines ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol, sounds like a question from someone who's definitely not a POC. I'm Asian and my best friends are Asian (from different countries). In school there was one other Asian person in my grade, and that person became my best friend. I never actively chose friends based on race, but that's just how it shook out.

Turns out, people tend to hang out with people they have stuff in common with and understand parts of your culture. It's nice to be around people who understand how you grew up differently and don't have to explain yourself all the time.

No, you are not. Asians are not URMs and are not allowed to apply for scholarships, programs, summer camps, etc. , reserved for minorities who are underrepresented.

Huh? (Of course, Asians are not considered URMs, even though they are minorities.). Not sure what you are disagreeing about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

DP but it doesn't make it wrong either. Forcing them to mix is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Adults should model and encourage kids to be friendly and inclusive.

For example, teachers, coaches and camp counselors can randomly pair teens for some activities and scouts can give extra points to kids who reach out to kids who don't look like them.

Small steps to end the distance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

DP but it doesn't make it wrong either. Forcing them to mix is wrong.

It’s a red flag for sure. Not associating with any other race than your own is not healthy or admirable in any way no matter what your excuse is. It’s wrong to discriminate based on skin color.

[Anonymous]

Demoncrats created DEI and have ruined America.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

DP but it doesn't make it wrong either. Forcing them to mix is wrong.

It’s a red flag for sure. Not associating with any other race than your own is not healthy or admirable in any way no matter what your excuse is. It’s wrong to discriminate based on skin color.

Doesn’t it depend on who is doing the self-segregating? My sense is that it’s not okay for white kids to self-segregate and exclude but it is okay for Black kids to do so.

I think it goes back to the idea that Black kids need a “safe space” but white kids do not.

(Though personally I would understand if white kids DO need a safe space to be with white kids… 10 years ago, I’d say that is crazy but today, people are so aggressive with the race stuff, I would understand if everyone, all races, want to segregate MORE than they did 10 years ago).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

DP but it doesn't make it wrong either. Forcing them to mix is wrong.

It’s a red flag for sure. Not associating with any other race than your own is not healthy or admirable in any way no matter what your excuse is. It’s wrong to discriminate based on skin color.

Doesn’t it depend on who is doing the self-segregating? My sense is that it’s not okay for white kids to self-segregate and exclude but it is okay for Black kids to do so.

I think it goes back to the idea that Black kids need a “safe space” but white kids do not.

(Though personally I would understand if white kids DO need a safe space to be with white kids… 10 years ago, I’d say that is crazy but today, people are so aggressive with the race stuff, I would understand if everyone, all races, want to segregate MORE than they did 10 years ago).

I think what you are missing here is that White kids are generally surrounded by plenty of other White kids so their culture (you know, talking "white", styling their hair "white" (e.g. straight), engaging in activities that are predominantly done by white people in their communities -whether it be swimming, lacrosse, hunting) is constantly being validated. The notion it's not okay for White kids to hang out with other White kids is bizarre. Of course it's okay! It's the norm in our culture. And when Black and Asian kids hang out with them, the White kids are not expected to adjust their behavior beyond not being explicitly racist.

Black kids and other POC often are in settings where their cultures are not validated and the racism they experience is not acknowledged. Spending time with other kids that share their culture and experiences of racism is extremely helpful and in some cases a matter of survival.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Demoncrats created DEI and have ruined America.

Sorry you want to keep living in the lie that the United States is a meritocracy that doesn't "see race"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

DP but it doesn't make it wrong either. Forcing them to mix is wrong.

It’s a red flag for sure. Not associating with any other race than your own is not healthy or admirable in any way no matter what your excuse is. It’s wrong to discriminate based on skin color.

Doesn’t it depend on who is doing the self-segregating? My sense is that it’s not okay for white kids to self-segregate and exclude but it is okay for Black kids to do so.

I think it goes back to the idea that Black kids need a “safe space” but white kids do not.

(Though personally I would understand if white kids DO need a safe space to be with white kids… 10 years ago, I’d say that is crazy but today, people are so aggressive with the race stuff, I would understand if everyone, all races, want to segregate MORE than they did 10 years ago).

I think what you are missing here is that White kids are generally surrounded by plenty of other White kids so their culture (you know, talking "white", styling their hair "white" (e.g. straight), engaging in activities that are predominantly done by white people in their communities -whether it be swimming, lacrosse, hunting) is constantly being validated. The notion it's not okay for White kids to hang out with other White kids is bizarre. Of course it's okay! It's the norm in our culture. And when Black and Asian kids hang out with them, the White kids are not expected to adjust their behavior beyond not being explicitly racist.

Black kids and other POC often are in settings where their cultures are not validated and the racism they experience is not acknowledged. Spending time with other kids that share their culture and experiences of racism is extremely helpful and in some cases a matter of survival.

Styling hair is not part of White culture. I don’t know anyone who hunts but all races swim. Lacrosse is a Canadian sport and Americans have taken it up. It’s not their culture. Black kids have American Black culture that they’ve created. It has nothing to do with ancestors from Africa. A lot of Latinos have traditions from their old country because they are typically more recent immigrants and they still speak their native language.

When it comes to black and white Americans whose families have been here for a long time I think the word culture is overused and misused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

DP but it doesn't make it wrong either. Forcing them to mix is wrong.

It’s a red flag for sure. Not associating with any other race than your own is not healthy or admirable in any way no matter what your excuse is. It’s wrong to discriminate based on skin color.

You sound obsessed and are viewing it the wrong way, in a negative way.
You should reflect on that as it probably affects those around you negatively as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

DP but it doesn't make it wrong either. Forcing them to mix is wrong.

It’s a red flag for sure. Not associating with any other race than your own is not healthy or admirable in any way no matter what your excuse is. It’s wrong to discriminate based on skin color.

Doesn’t it depend on who is doing the self-segregating? My sense is that it’s not okay for white kids to self-segregate and exclude but it is okay for Black kids to do so.

Wow, just wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol, sounds like a question from someone who's definitely not a POC. I'm Asian and my best friends are Asian (from different countries). In school there was one other Asian person in my grade, and that person became my best friend. I never actively chose friends based on race, but that's just how it shook out.

Turns out, people tend to hang out with people they have stuff in common with and understand parts of your culture. It's nice to be around people who understand how you grew up differently and don't have to explain yourself all the time.

No, you are not. Asians are not URMs and are not allowed to apply for scholarships, programs, summer camps, etc. , reserved for minorities who are underrepresented.

Huh? (Of course, Asians are not considered URMs, even though they are minorities.). Not sure what you are disagreeing about?

Asians are excluded from programs set aside exclusively for minorities who are URMs because Asians benefit from unearned Asian privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Spent a week this Summer at a teens’ coed summer camp and noticed this happening. The African-American kids in particular seemed to really self-segregate and only sit with AA kids during mealtimes.

Our troop is about 40% white, equal amount Asian/Indian, with a few Latinx and AA kids. But at summer camp 2025, they all just seemed to separate this way.

Why are kids still doing this in 2025? Any suggestions to stop it?

The same reasons adults do.

Sure, but that doesn’t make it ok; don’t you agree ?

DP but it doesn't make it wrong either. Forcing them to mix is wrong.

It’s a red flag for sure. Not associating with any other race than your own is not healthy or admirable in any way no matter what your excuse is. It’s wrong to discriminate based on skin color.

You sound obsessed and are viewing it the wrong way, in a negative way.
You should reflect on that as it probably affects those around you negatively as well.

Well yes I am viewing the idea that kids should segregate based on skin color as a negative thing. I am confident that my values are based on morality, empathy and kindness and since you haven’t made any counterpoints then I guess I will carry on as normal.