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Do DC Privates *really* strive for diversity?
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Anonymous
| PP - do you think their clique exists because they participate in the same afterschool activities or live in the same neighborhood? I haven't seen anything nor heard any anecdotes of lower school kids being aware of their parents or other kids parents incomes...? Maybe at birthday parties, but in the classroom or playground - no.. |
Anonymous
In lower school from 4/5th grade on they began to segregate. My comment was referring to her current upper school experience. |
Anonymous
Sorry didn't completely answer your question. Towards the end of 4th grade, I noticed that the kids were becoming label, car & housing conscious. Many of the wealthier kids would sit in the classroom talking about what they have and where they are going or have been on vacation. I'd ask my dd what she would say while this was going on and she said that she had to toon them out. The lower income kids are not suffering, they feel more comfortable with each other. My dd also noticed during her earlier years that most of her lower income friends share cultural experiences and perceptions. Regardless, she has some wealthier friends that she associates with from time to time. |
Anonymous
oops! Meant to write she "tuned" them out. |
Anonymous
| While I agree completely that independent schools could be doing a better job of embracing diversity of all kinds, I'd like to note that when my son moved from an MCPS middle school to an independent school, he gained a more diverse circle of friends. At his MCPS elementary school, there were very few AA or Latino students, a handful of Asians, and a fairly strong cohort of "international" families, i.e., World Bank, IMF, diplomatic, and recent immigrants from Eastern Europe and former USSR nations. When he moved to our MCPS middle school, there were many more AA and Latino kids, but often they were in the less academically-challenging classes, so he got the message that most of those kids were not very hard-working or bright. In contrast, at his current school, where he's now in high school, he's part of a pretty diverse student body and -- most important -- sees many AA kids excelling academically. He also reports -- and I have observed -- that there's relatively little de facto segregation socially, whether along racial, ethnic or economic lines. To me, the take-home message seems to be: -- we've made some progress as a society, but we have a ways to go still. |
Anonymous
|
Agree, pp. It all depends on where you go to public school. My public school was in a small wealthy white Christian town and when I switched to a private school in a nearby city my class was actually more diverse racially and religiously.
On the other hand, my dc switched from DCPS to private and while her private school is committed to diversity (and doesn't do badly at it for a private), her DCPS experience was broader racially. |
Anonymous
| The asnwer to the question is, yes. Privates do strive for diversity. As long as it's the right kind of diversity. Economic, fine. Race, fine. But they won't go for non-college-educated parents. The big 3 are not looking for kids of air-conditioning repairmen. |
Anonymous
Do you blame the MCPS system for this? And are you saying that private institutions do a better job of focusing on academics? Have you personally noticed a difference in academics or motivation on the part of the private schools? What about class size? Are MCPS classes larger? I basically already know the answers to these questions, PP. What you have to understand is that the few minorities who are in the private schools do indeed come from solid backgrounds - most do. In the public system, there is still a large socioeconomic gap and parental support is not there b/c these parents are often working 2 jobs just to pay the rent. So you're comparing apples and oranges by discussing your son's two experiences. Your last statement says it all. We definitely have a long way to go. |
Anonymous
| 13:36 -- My post didn't imply that MCPS is "to blame" for the challenges that many of its minority students face. I'm actually a big MCPS fan -- my son had a great experience in our MCPS elementary school; so good, in fact, that we chose to send our daughter there as well. My point is that while the independent schools aren't doing a perfect job of fostering diversity, we are pleased that at our son's school he sees and works with AA students who are excelling. His school has succeeded in creating a situation where kids are learning -- every day -- that diversity is a strength, both for individuals, as well as for the community as a whole. |
Anonymous
| My DC just started private, no FA but I recently learned that DC is telling people we're getting FA because DC does not want to be seen as one of the wealthy kids. Go figure. Separately, DC has no idea who some of the parents of some of DC's classmates are. I recognized them at our new family meeting. So it could be worse. |
Anonymous
| PP, what do you mean by recognizing some of the parents? Are these celebrities at your child's school? |
Anonymous
This is almost funny. My DC does receive FA and is part of a clique that I'm not completely sure if all receive FA, don't really care. Great kids! They have certainly created their own support system of sorts. |
Anonymous
Interesting. I can understand an affordability factor for air-conditioning repairmen. But what about owners of air-conditioning repair companies. Are there any such families at the Big 3? |
Anonymous
My DC is at a Big 3 and I've met a parent or two who are blue collar workers. Their children are personable and intelligent and will have a rags to riches tale to share someday. They probably receive FA. |
Anonymous
Your post is beyond offensive and insulting. I sure hope you are not at my DC's school. Idiot!!!! Imagine, personable and intelligent children of blue collar workers. |