Racism / Classism on DCurbanmom trolls or true?

[Anonymous]

I don't believe the poster referring to unprepared students had race in mind when s/he made that point.

But it's hard not to notice the circular argument going on here about Banneker. If you're measuring a school by test scores, it's got the highest on myschooldc.org. Way better than Latin or Basis. The streets around it are teeming with white people with its closest Metro surrounded by million dollar homes and stores that sell luxury goods, so safety shouldn't be any more of a concern than it is in Tenleytown, Gallery Place or Manor Park. Kids have to test in and can get kicked out, so it's definitely got rigor.

And yet. You'll get every argument in the book to support consensus that it's a substandard school, though there's no indication it is.

There's some pretty angry emotion being thrown around at the mere hint of racism. But no understanding at all that someone could be offended that the race of a school's student body devalues it.

Again, not calling anyone a racist because I don't think the participants in this thread are. I'm just sayin.

[Anonymous]

Re Banneker. My white high school kid has ADHD and some learning differences that require accommodations.

DC considered and toured both SWW and Banneker vs staying at BASIS. He decided not to enroll because of the risk of being kicked out of either. Both schools have virtually no students with IEPs. Our IB high school is Coolidge -- so we just didn't want to risk a bad semester / report card that would land DC at the IB school.

So I beg to differ that every white family rejects Banneker just bc of race. I think we are a corner case, but they do exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe the poster referring to unprepared students had race in mind when s/he made that point.

But it's hard not to notice the circular argument going on here about Banneker. If you're measuring a school by test scores, it's got the highest on myschooldc.org. Way better than Latin or Basis. The streets around it are teeming with white people with its closest Metro surrounded by million dollar homes and stores that sell luxury goods, so safety shouldn't be any more of a concern than it is in Tenleytown, Gallery Place or Manor Park. Kids have to test in and can get kicked out, so it's definitely got rigor.

And yet. You'll get every argument in the book to support consensus that it's a substandard school, though there's no indication it is.

There's some pretty angry emotion being thrown around at the mere hint of racism. But no understanding at all that someone could be offended that the race of a school's student body devalues it.

Again, not calling anyone a racist because I don't think the participants in this thread are. I'm just sayin.

I haven't commented on Banneker before, but here's what I think: I completely understand that it would be offending to suggest that the race of a school's student body devalues it in any way. I haven't read all the Banneker comments so I'm not sure if that's been said. What I do understand though is not wanting your high schooler to be in a 1% racial minority. I'm ok with that for preschool, but in high school I think it might feel quite isolating. And yes, I do realize that blacks and other minorities often have to deal with that situation (although many would also choose not to), but that doesn't mean I have to choose it for my child. Does that make me a racist? I don't think so. It's certainly a form of white privilege to be able to avoid this situation, but it's not a racist sentiment.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:If you want to claim that "unprepared students" is really some code word for poor and brown children, then please provide me the correct words to describe students who are unprepared.

We're talking about DC hon. We KNOW you are referring to black kids.

You know? You sound like a racist. Try opening your mind for once, you bigot.

um what? so you expect me to think you are NOT referring to black kids when you say "unprepares"?

The fact that "unpreparedness" and race tend to be correlated in DC and the kids the PP has in mind are therefore likely to be black doesn't make her a racist. She is not concerned about having these kids in her kid's class BECAUSE of their race, which is the only thing that would make her a racist.

That's really the fundamental logical error in all of these posts.

the issue is she assumes all black kids are "unprepared," and that she wants to segregate her kid from the "unprepared" kids, as well as direct resources away from the "unprepared kids." It very much is racist. "I don't have anything against black people -- they are all just so "unprepared"!

Where did she say that??? She didn't, it's something you read into her posts because of YOUR bias.

explain my bias, please?

Not before you answer my question.

not playing your stupid games. just move to Virginia and self-segregate already.

I'm not playing games, I'm trying to get you to offer a substantiated argument. As you demonstrate, your bias is to assume that every white person who agrees with the PP's views of wanting mostly "prepared" kids in their kid's class thinks that ALL black kids are unprepared and therefore doesn't want any racial diversity in their kid's school and needs to move to Virginia. That's your racist bias right there. You still haven't pointed out where anyone actually said that black kids per se are unprepared. All I've seen is YOU arguing that talking about "unprepared" kids equals talking about black kids because of the DC demographics. If that were indeed the case, it still doesn't make the PPs racist, because they are not taking issue with the unprepared kids' race, but with their unpreparedness.

+1

are you seriously still trying to argue that "unprepared" is not a dog whistle for "black" in DC? do you seriously not listen when people tell you their bright, prepared students are "unprepared" due to the color of their skin? furthermore, do you deny the consitent strain of commentary on dcum equating "unprepared" with "worthless"? do you think your kids needs as a "prepared" student deserve the immediate and specialized attention of DCPS? Are you even minimally familiar with the concepts of disparate impact racial discrimination?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to claim that "unprepared students" is really some code word for poor and brown children, then please provide me the correct words to describe students who are unprepared.

We're talking about DC hon. We KNOW you are referring to black kids.

You know? You sound like a racist. Try opening your mind for once, you bigot.

um what? so you expect me to think you are NOT referring to black kids when you say "unprepares"?

The fact that "unpreparedness" and race tend to be correlated in DC and the kids the PP has in mind are therefore likely to be black doesn't make her a racist. She is not concerned about having these kids in her kid's class BECAUSE of their race, which is the only thing that would make her a racist.

That's really the fundamental logical error in all of these posts.

the issue is she assumes all black kids are "unprepared," and that she wants to segregate her kid from the "unprepared" kids, as well as direct resources away from the "unprepared kids." It very much is racist. "I don't have anything against black people -- they are all just so "unprepared"!

Where did she say that??? She didn't, it's something you read into her posts because of YOUR bias.

explain my bias, please?

Not before you answer my question.

not playing your stupid games. just move to Virginia and self-segregate already.

I'm not playing games, I'm trying to get you to offer a substantiated argument. As you demonstrate, your bias is to assume that every white person who agrees with the PP's views of wanting mostly "prepared" kids in their kid's class thinks that ALL black kids are unprepared and therefore doesn't want any racial diversity in their kid's school and needs to move to Virginia. That's your racist bias right there. You still haven't pointed out where anyone actually said that black kids per se are unprepared. All I've seen is YOU arguing that talking about "unprepared" kids equals talking about black kids because of the DC demographics. If that were indeed the case, it still doesn't make the PPs racist, because they are not taking issue with the unprepared kids' race, but with their unpreparedness.

+1

are you seriously still trying to argue that "unprepared" is not a dog whistle for "black" in DC? do you seriously not listen when people tell you their bright, prepared students are "unprepared" due to the color of their skin? furthermore, do you deny the consitent strain of commentary on dcum equating "unprepared" with "worthless"? do you think your kids needs as a "prepared" student deserve the immediate and specialized attention of DCPS? Are you even minimally familiar with the concepts of disparate impact racial discrimination?

Yes. It's gross how people here discount the experience of some racial groups.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to claim that "unprepared students" is really some code word for poor and brown children, then please provide me the correct words to describe students who are unprepared.

We're talking about DC hon. We KNOW you are referring to black kids.

You know? You sound like a racist. Try opening your mind for once, you bigot.

um what? so you expect me to think you are NOT referring to black kids when you say "unprepares"?

The fact that "unpreparedness" and race tend to be correlated in DC and the kids the PP has in mind are therefore likely to be black doesn't make her a racist. She is not concerned about having these kids in her kid's class BECAUSE of their race, which is the only thing that would make her a racist.

That's really the fundamental logical error in all of these posts.

the issue is she assumes all black kids are "unprepared," and that she wants to segregate her kid from the "unprepared" kids, as well as direct resources away from the "unprepared kids." It very much is racist. "I don't have anything against black people -- they are all just so "unprepared"!

Where did she say that??? She didn't, it's something you read into her posts because of YOUR bias.

explain my bias, please?

Not before you answer my question.

not playing your stupid games. just move to Virginia and self-segregate already.

I'm not playing games, I'm trying to get you to offer a substantiated argument. As you demonstrate, your bias is to assume that every white person who agrees with the PP's views of wanting mostly "prepared" kids in their kid's class thinks that ALL black kids are unprepared and therefore doesn't want any racial diversity in their kid's school and needs to move to Virginia. That's your racist bias right there. You still haven't pointed out where anyone actually said that black kids per se are unprepared. All I've seen is YOU arguing that talking about "unprepared" kids equals talking about black kids because of the DC demographics. If that were indeed the case, it still doesn't make the PPs racist, because they are not taking issue with the unprepared kids' race, but with their unpreparedness.

+1

are you seriously still trying to argue that "unprepared" is not a dog whistle for "black" in DC? do you seriously not listen when people tell you their bright, prepared students are "unprepared" due to the color of their skin? furthermore, do you deny the consitent strain of commentary on dcum equating "unprepared" with "worthless"? do you think your kids needs as a "prepared" student deserve the immediate and specialized attention of DCPS? Are you even minimally familiar with the concepts of disparate impact racial discrimination?

Yes. It's gross how people here discount the experience of some racial groups.

The PP's post was not about the experience of any racial group. Learn to read.

[Anonymous]

Jimmy Carter grew up in the deep deep South but his playmates, until puberty, were all black. Many of us had similar experiences and have real relationships with black people as a result. I don't see any white kids from comfortable families experiencing this now, absolutely none. Flame all you want about the inequality of these relationships. That was far better than the much more racist segregation that I now see all around me. I have no idea how to fix it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jimmy Carter grew up in the deep deep South but his playmates, until puberty, were all black. Many of us had similar experiences and have real relationships with black people as a result. I don't see any white kids from comfortable families experiencing this now, absolutely none. Flame all you want about the inequality of these relationships. That was far better than the much more racist segregation that I now see all around me. I have no idea how to fix it.

Enforce birth control until these people graduate college

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jimmy Carter grew up in the deep deep South but his playmates, until puberty, were all black. Many of us had similar experiences and have real relationships with black people as a result. I don't see any white kids from comfortable families experiencing this now, absolutely none. Flame all you want about the inequality of these relationships. That was far better than the much more racist segregation that I now see all around me. I have no idea how to fix it.

Enforce birth control until these people graduate college

And I bet someone will read this response and still argue to the death that this place isn't racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to claim that "unprepared students" is really some code word for poor and brown children, then please provide me the correct words to describe students who are unprepared.

We're talking about DC hon. We KNOW you are referring to black kids.

You know? You sound like a racist. Try opening your mind for once, you bigot.

um what? so you expect me to think you are NOT referring to black kids when you say "unprepares"?

The fact that "unpreparedness" and race tend to be correlated in DC and the kids the PP has in mind are therefore likely to be black doesn't make her a racist. She is not concerned about having these kids in her kid's class BECAUSE of their race, which is the only thing that would make her a racist.

That's really the fundamental logical error in all of these posts.

the issue is she assumes all black kids are "unprepared," and that she wants to segregate her kid from the "unprepared" kids, as well as direct resources away from the "unprepared kids." It very much is racist. "I don't have anything against black people -- they are all just so "unprepared"!

Where did she say that??? She didn't, it's something you read into her posts because of YOUR bias.

explain my bias, please?

Not before you answer my question.

not playing your stupid games. just move to Virginia and self-segregate already.

I'm not playing games, I'm trying to get you to offer a substantiated argument. As you demonstrate, your bias is to assume that every white person who agrees with the PP's views of wanting mostly "prepared" kids in their kid's class thinks that ALL black kids are unprepared and therefore doesn't want any racial diversity in their kid's school and needs to move to Virginia. That's your racist bias right there. You still haven't pointed out where anyone actually said that black kids per se are unprepared. All I've seen is YOU arguing that talking about "unprepared" kids equals talking about black kids because of the DC demographics. If that were indeed the case, it still doesn't make the PPs racist, because they are not taking issue with the unprepared kids' race, but with their unpreparedness.

+1

are you seriously still trying to argue that "unprepared" is not a dog whistle for "black" in DC? do you seriously not listen when people tell you their bright, prepared students are "unprepared" due to the color of their skin? furthermore, do you deny the consitent strain of commentary on dcum equating "unprepared" with "worthless"? do you think your kids needs as a "prepared" student deserve the immediate and specialized attention of DCPS? Are you even minimally familiar with the concepts of disparate impact racial discrimination?

Yes. It's gross how people here discount the experience of some racial groups.

The PP's post was not about the experience of any racial group. Learn to read.

no. you don't have a fucking clue about race and racism and how inequality plays out in the US today. You think racism means putting on a white hood and calling people the n-word. so you put up an MLK quote in your gentrifier front yard, pat yourself on the back, and refuse to send your white child to school with the neighborhood kids. you're fucking the WORST and the reason I sometimes thing black ppl would seriously be better off voting republican because "liberal" whites truly don't give a shit and will kick anyone in the way of their kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to claim that "unprepared students" is really some code word for poor and brown children, then please provide me the correct words to describe students who are unprepared.

We're talking about DC hon. We KNOW you are referring to black kids.

You know? You sound like a racist. Try opening your mind for once, you bigot.

um what? so you expect me to think you are NOT referring to black kids when you say "unprepares"?

The fact that "unpreparedness" and race tend to be correlated in DC and the kids the PP has in mind are therefore likely to be black doesn't make her a racist. She is not concerned about having these kids in her kid's class BECAUSE of their race, which is the only thing that would make her a racist.

That's really the fundamental logical error in all of these posts.

the issue is she assumes all black kids are "unprepared," and that she wants to segregate her kid from the "unprepared" kids, as well as direct resources away from the "unprepared kids." It very much is racist. "I don't have anything against black people -- they are all just so "unprepared"!

Where did she say that??? She didn't, it's something you read into her posts because of YOUR bias.

explain my bias, please?

Not before you answer my question.

not playing your stupid games. just move to Virginia and self-segregate already.

I'm not playing games, I'm trying to get you to offer a substantiated argument. As you demonstrate, your bias is to assume that every white person who agrees with the PP's views of wanting mostly "prepared" kids in their kid's class thinks that ALL black kids are unprepared and therefore doesn't want any racial diversity in their kid's school and needs to move to Virginia. That's your racist bias right there. You still haven't pointed out where anyone actually said that black kids per se are unprepared. All I've seen is YOU arguing that talking about "unprepared" kids equals talking about black kids because of the DC demographics. If that were indeed the case, it still doesn't make the PPs racist, because they are not taking issue with the unprepared kids' race, but with their unpreparedness.

+1

are you seriously still trying to argue that "unprepared" is not a dog whistle for "black" in DC? do you seriously not listen when people tell you their bright, prepared students are "unprepared" due to the color of their skin? furthermore, do you deny the consitent strain of commentary on dcum equating "unprepared" with "worthless"? do you think your kids needs as a "prepared" student deserve the immediate and specialized attention of DCPS? Are you even minimally familiar with the concepts of disparate impact racial discrimination?

Yes. It's gross how people here discount the experience of some racial groups.

The PP's post was not about the experience of any racial group. Learn to read.

no. you don't have a fucking clue about race and racism and how inequality plays out in the US today. You think racism means putting on a white hood and calling people the n-word. so you put up an MLK quote in your gentrifier front yard, pat yourself on the back, and refuse to send your white child to school with the neighborhood kids. you're fucking the WORST and the reason I sometimes thing black ppl would seriously be better off voting republican because "liberal" whites truly don't give a shit and will kick anyone in the way of their kid.

Thank you! +1 million.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't believe the poster referring to unprepared students had race in mind when s/he made that point.

But it's hard not to notice the circular argument going on here about Banneker. If you're measuring a school by test scores, it's got the highest on myschooldc.org. Way better than Latin or Basis. The streets around it are teeming with white people with its closest Metro surrounded by million dollar homes and stores that sell luxury goods, so safety shouldn't be any more of a concern than it is in Tenleytown, Gallery Place or Manor Park. Kids have to test in and can get kicked out, so it's definitely got rigor.

And yet. You'll get every argument in the book to support consensus that it's a substandard school, though there's no indication it is.

There's some pretty angry emotion being thrown around at the mere hint of racism. But no understanding at all that someone could be offended that the race of a school's student body devalues it.

Again, not calling anyone a racist because I don't think the participants in this thread are. I'm just sayin.

I haven't commented on Banneker before, but here's what I think: I completely understand that it would be offending to suggest that the race of a school's student body devalues it in any way. I haven't read all the Banneker comments so I'm not sure if that's been said. What I do understand though is not wanting your high schooler to be in a 1% racial minority. I'm ok with that for preschool, but in high school I think it might feel quite isolating. And yes, I do realize that blacks and other minorities often have to deal with that situation (although many would also choose not to), but that doesn't mean I have to choose it for my child. Does that make me a racist? I don't think so. It's certainly a form of white privilege to be able to avoid this situation, but it's not a racist sentiment.

PP here. The thing is, everyone knows that's the reason you wouldn't consider Banneker. There were countless pairs of hands out there itching to type +1.

But the other and much more salient thing is the denial of racism as a central meme in our considerations, discussions, politics and policies concerning schools. As some kind poster suggested way up thread, it would be huge step forward if everyone could +1 that undeniable fact.

It certainly doesn't help when some anonymous person confronts your decisions as racist when that's what's not on your mind or in your heart. But it also doesn't help that the most populous threads in the DC Schools forum revolve around race. You talk about what might be quite isolating for your high schooler. I'm thinking about what will certainly be psychically destructive to mine. I can't send him to school with copies of his parents' degrees, the deed to our house and photos of our family vacation in Mallorca. How much time do I have before he realizes and absorbs what this culture that I've placed him in really thinks of him?

You can understand, but that's not your problem, right? As long as you know you're not racist and you get a chance to make that clear when or if the question arises, what more can anyone expect of you?

I don't have an answer for that, but I think just realizing and admitting that we do live in a racist culture would be a start in the right direction. Racism is on display in the DC Schools forum. Accept that these are not trolls, they're your friends and neighbors.

Because the sad and frustrating and most realistic thing is, things don't change in our society until white people decide they should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to claim that "unprepared students" is really some code word for poor and brown children, then please provide me the correct words to describe students who are unprepared.

We're talking about DC hon. We KNOW you are referring to black kids.

You know? You sound like a racist. Try opening your mind for once, you bigot.

um what? so you expect me to think you are NOT referring to black kids when you say "unprepares"?

The fact that "unpreparedness" and race tend to be correlated in DC and the kids the PP has in mind are therefore likely to be black doesn't make her a racist. She is not concerned about having these kids in her kid's class BECAUSE of their race, which is the only thing that would make her a racist.

That's really the fundamental logical error in all of these posts.

the issue is she assumes all black kids are "unprepared," and that she wants to segregate her kid from the "unprepared" kids, as well as direct resources away from the "unprepared kids." It very much is racist. "I don't have anything against black people -- they are all just so "unprepared"!

Where did she say that??? She didn't, it's something you read into her posts because of YOUR bias.

explain my bias, please?

Not before you answer my question.

not playing your stupid games. just move to Virginia and self-segregate already.

I'm not playing games, I'm trying to get you to offer a substantiated argument. As you demonstrate, your bias is to assume that every white person who agrees with the PP's views of wanting mostly "prepared" kids in their kid's class thinks that ALL black kids are unprepared and therefore doesn't want any racial diversity in their kid's school and needs to move to Virginia. That's your racist bias right there. You still haven't pointed out where anyone actually said that black kids per se are unprepared. All I've seen is YOU arguing that talking about "unprepared" kids equals talking about black kids because of the DC demographics. If that were indeed the case, it still doesn't make the PPs racist, because they are not taking issue with the unprepared kids' race, but with their unpreparedness.

+1

are you seriously still trying to argue that "unprepared" is not a dog whistle for "black" in DC? do you seriously not listen when people tell you their bright, prepared students are "unprepared" due to the color of their skin? furthermore, do you deny the consitent strain of commentary on dcum equating "unprepared" with "worthless"? do you think your kids needs as a "prepared" student deserve the immediate and specialized attention of DCPS? Are you even minimally familiar with the concepts of disparate impact racial discrimination?

Yes. It's gross how people here discount the experience of some racial groups.

The PP's post was not about the experience of any racial group. Learn to read.

no. you don't have a fucking clue about race and racism and how inequality plays out in the US today. You think racism means putting on a white hood and calling people the n-word. so you put up an MLK quote in your gentrifier front yard, pat yourself on the back, and refuse to send your white child to school with the neighborhood kids. you're fucking the WORST and the reason I sometimes thing black ppl would seriously be better off voting republican because "liberal" whites truly don't give a shit and will kick anyone in the way of their kid.

Thank you! +1 million.

I'll assume that you don't really have a goal with your post and are just venting, because you are seriously not helping your cause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jimmy Carter grew up in the deep deep South but his playmates, until puberty, were all black. Many of us had similar experiences and have real relationships with black people as a result. I don't see any white kids from comfortable families experiencing this now, absolutely none. Flame all you want about the inequality of these relationships. That was far better than the much more racist segregation that I now see all around me. I have no idea how to fix it.

Enforce birth control until these people graduate college

And I bet someone will read this response and still argue to the death that this place isn't racist.

That person is. No all DCUM is. Not all white people in DC are. Not all white people in the world are. Some black people are.

[Anonymous]

Some black people on this thread seem to be.