Classroom request for SY 26-27 - is this a legitimate request?

[Anonymous]

I'd love perspectives on what to write to my son's elementary school principal, as he put out a call for class requests for next academic year (DS will be in 5th grade). I'm the parent who volunteers/donates and has never emailed the principal - I usually go with the flow, but my son asked me to say something.

DS has noticed that, since redistricting two years ago, my son has been the only boy in his class who is not from our neighborhood (i.e., walkable). He feels that this has left him out of neighborhood kid parties/gatherings. For context, DS is white, and his school is 40% white, 30% black, 20% Hispanic, and generally, the black kids are bused in. There are 11 boys in DS's class, and he's the only white boy. There are 3 white girls. 75% of his class is black. The teacher and the teacher's aide are both white.

How do I make my request about neighborhoods without sounding racist? Or am I being racist? Thanks for any insights!

[Anonymous]

Be racist.by that I mean that I would just spit out and say what you mean. I work in a similar school and we usually try not to have anyone of only one gender and race in a class. It is your last year there and just say I would like larlo not to be the only white boy in a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be racist.by that I mean that I would just spit out and say what you mean. I work in a similar school and we usually try not to have anyone of only one gender and race in a class. It is your last year there and just say I would like larlo not to be the only white boy in a class.

Agreed. Why can blacks and others be openly racist but whites can’t? #IQ

[Anonymous]

Thank you both!

[Anonymous]

How does he end up the only white boy (and 1of 3 white kids) in a class where 40% of the school is white? That seems odd.

[Anonymous]

Teacher here. I’d say that you’d like the class to have a balance including by neighborhood, as his neighborhood friends have not been in his room.

[Anonymous]

Does he have 1-2 specific friends to request? "Larlo hasn't been in class with any of his close friends the last couple years. He would really appreciate it if he could be in class with Johnny or Bobby next year."

[Anonymous]

Pick a friend of his from your neighborhood and ask to be in the same class as that other boy. Note that in previous years his classes had no other boy from your neighborhood. Don't mention race directly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pick a friend of his from your neighborhood and ask to be in the same class as that other boy. Note that in previous years his classes had no other boy from your neighborhood. Don't mention race directly.

I think this is the best approach. Just name a specific name of a friend. The principal isn’t going to know what kids are in which neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

How many classes in your kid’s grade? Do you feel like school demographics are similar to the grade demographics? Has your kid had a good year or any specific issues?

[Anonymous]

This is, sadly, what AAP is really for. A way for parents of middle class and white kids to segregate themselves in a more legit way. If you can get him into some kind of advanced something or other, you'll have a better chance of making the request. If not, hate to tell you this, but it's just going to sound racist. It might not be, I get that, but it probably will.