immigrant/minority parents - does a school's student demographics affect your decision?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
At the charter schools, specialized DCPS, and a couple of high schools (Wilson, Walls), there is a balance of diversity and excellence. But these are the standouts.

And it's not because DC is the worst place on the planet, really. Everywhere I've ever lived in the U.S.-- with the exception of Cambridge, MA-- had similar issues.

We wanted a balance of diversity and high performance and bought in boundaries for Oyster. The housing prices there are very high and there are hundreds of kids on the OOB wait list. It's tough out there; I hope that the charter movement and school reforms will generate more and better choices.

Truthfully, most of the charter schools are not just majority minority but rather 99% minority. Having said that, there are several notable standout charter schools that have achieved a racial balance among AA, Asian, Caucasian, & Hispanic students that the rest of DC could only dream of. I thought I walked into a Benetton photo shoot. It was such a pleasure to tour those schools, it gave me real faith in a generation of children who'd grow up making judgments on the content of character, not the color of skin. (We could use a lot more of those schools!)

[Anonymous]

AA parent here. We chose diversity over academics. I would be lying if I said finances weren't also an issue ... the house in the "diverse" area was cheaper, although we could have afforded a house in the other neighborhood. In making this decision, we were looking more at high school though than the lower grades. I think times have improved, but I'm willing to bet that it can still be tough for a minority teen in a predominantly white environment. I'm more willing to risk the lower academics (that are still pretty good) than to risk the social/emotional ramifications of a painful experience as a teen. I think lower academics, to the extent it is a barrier, will be an easier one to overcome. This was just based on my own relatively happy experience in DCPS and comparing it to some friends that went the private school route. I also wanted our children to have more experience with economic diversity, and they wouldn't have gotten that going to the schools with the better academic reputations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AA parent here. We chose diversity over academics. I would be lying if I said finances weren't also an issue ... the house in the "diverse" area was cheaper, although we could have afforded a house in the other neighborhood. In making this decision, we were looking more at high school though than the lower grades. I think times have improved, but I'm willing to bet that it can still be tough for a minority teen in a predominantly white environment. I'm more willing to risk the lower academics (that are still pretty good) than to risk the social/emotional ramifications of a painful experience as a teen. I think lower academics, to the extent it is a barrier, will be an easier one to overcome. This was just based on my own relatively happy experience in DCPS and comparing it to some friends that went the private school route. I also wanted our children to have more experience with economic diversity, and they wouldn't have gotten that going to the schools with the better academic reputations.

I have an AA daughter who is about to graduate from a predominately white private in DC. Besides her initial concern about the dating scene and developing confidence in advocating for her grades, I wouldn't describe her overall experience as tough. She's received an exceptional education, has a diverse group of friends, and has developed into a very poised, young woman who is eager to start her college career.

[Anonymous]

I would love to even find a school that has even a moderate Arab population. But quality of education trumps that every time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:AA parent here. We chose diversity over academics. I would be lying if I said finances weren't also an issue ... the house in the "diverse" area was cheaper, although we could have afforded a house in the other neighborhood. In making this decision, we were looking more at high school though than the lower grades. I think times have improved, but I'm willing to bet that it can still be tough for a minority teen in a predominantly white environment. I'm more willing to risk the lower academics (that are still pretty good) than to risk the social/emotional ramifications of a painful experience as a teen. I think lower academics, to the extent it is a barrier, will be an easier one to overcome. This was just based on my own relatively happy experience in DCPS and comparing it to some friends that went the private school route. I also wanted our children to have more experience with economic diversity, and they wouldn't have gotten that going to the schools with the better academic reputations.

I'm an earlier poster who would choose academics over diversity (at least I think I would). My high school was considered one of the "bad schools" in my MD county and I do agree to an extent, that lower academics is a barrier that one can overcome. But, I'm wondering if your local high school is diverse throughout the academic ability levels. Are minority students succeeding as well as their white counterparts in this school? My fear in choosing a school with diverse (on paper) numbers is that my child may still be one of the few AA's in her classes and potentially ostracized by other AA children in the school. I still remember the hurt of being told I was "acting white" or wasn't "down" simply because I spoke correct English and got good grades. I don't want DD to experience such nonsense.

It really sucks that we even have to choose between academics and diverstiy...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AA parent here. We chose diversity over academics. I would be lying if I said finances weren't also an issue ... the house in the "diverse" area was cheaper, although we could have afforded a house in the other neighborhood. In making this decision, we were looking more at high school though than the lower grades. I think times have improved, but I'm willing to bet that it can still be tough for a minority teen in a predominantly white environment. I'm more willing to risk the lower academics (that are still pretty good) than to risk the social/emotional ramifications of a painful experience as a teen. I think lower academics, to the extent it is a barrier, will be an easier one to overcome. This was just based on my own relatively happy experience in DCPS and comparing it to some friends that went the private school route. I also wanted our children to have more experience with economic diversity, and they wouldn't have gotten that going to the schools with the better academic reputations.

I'm an earlier poster who would choose academics over diversity (at least I think I would). My high school was considered one of the "bad schools" in my MD county and I do agree to an extent, that lower academics is a barrier that one can overcome. But, I'm wondering if your local high school is diverse throughout the academic ability levels. Are minority students succeeding as well as their white counterparts in this school? My fear in choosing a school with diverse (on paper) numbers is that my child may still be one of the few AA's in her classes and potentially ostracized by other AA children in the school. I still remember the hurt of being told I was "acting white" or wasn't "down" simply because I spoke correct English and got good grades. I don't want DD to experience such nonsense.

It really sucks that we even have to choose between academics and diverstiy...

So true. My sole motivation for removing my dd out of public to private was that she was getting taunted for being smart and talking "white." Her coping mechanism was to shut down, it was just too heart breaking for me to witness my child's self-esteem and potential being snuffed out like that. We didn't know what to expect socially at private school, we came in more focused on the academics. The transition was virtually flawless. She had no problem making friends and fitting in.

I suppose, we did take a risk, for us, it was a risk worth taking.

[Anonymous]

As a white person...

I don't think I could send my child to a 99% black or Hispanic school... unless the academics were just downright amazing. (I know a school that literally only has eight white students in the entire school... and there are over 500 kids in the school...)

But if I could find a school with great academics as well asdiversity, I would send my child there. (75% of something is not diversity... I don't care if it's white, black, hispanic, Asian, what.)

A good school has a good mix of students (no more than 60% of a certain type/race), good academics (math, science, English, history, foreign language), arts (music/art/drama), and athletics (daily PE or after school sports).

But if my decision is between a poor performing white school and a great performing Hispanic school... I'll go with the Hispanic school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a white person...

I don't think I could send my child to a 99% black or Hispanic school... unless the academics were just downright amazing. (I know a school that literally only has eight white students in the entire school... and there are over 500 kids in the school...)

But if I could find a school with great academics as well asdiversity, I would send my child there. (75% of something is not diversity... I don't care if it's white, black, hispanic, Asian, what.)

A good school has a good mix of students (no more than 60% of a certain type/race), good academics (math, science, English, history, foreign language), arts (music/art/drama), and athletics (daily PE or after school sports).

But if my decision is between a poor performing white school and a great performing Hispanic school... I'll go with the Hispanic school.

What about the great performing black school?

[Anonymous]

(there are some great posts on this thread. thanks all!)

Minority/mixed family mom product of white public schools here with a few cents. Some may flame me, but at kindergarte/elementary it's early enough to go with environment over academics at age 5 IMHO. Finding a challenging academic school or out of class enrichment is much easier than finding a community you feel comfortable in and where your child will feel welcome every day.

If diversity ends at the classroom door and your child returns to an all-white neighborhood, then consider moving homes before moving schools.

Good luck OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:(there are some great posts on this thread. thanks all!)

Minority/mixed family mom product of white public schools here with a few cents. Some may flame me, but at kindergarte/elementary it's early enough to go with environment over academics at age 5 IMHO. Finding a challenging academic school or out of class enrichment is much easier than finding a community you feel comfortable in and where your child will feel welcome every day.

If diversity ends at the classroom door and your child returns to an all-white neighborhood, then consider moving homes before moving schools.

Good luck OP!

My husband, half black half white, was pressured to join the 'black union' in college. When he said no, he was a race traitor. It's hard to judge a person's culture and self-identity by 'appearance'. At some point we need to think of diversity beyond skin color--to language, economics, values. You may be in a different 'category' than the surface one in which people want to put you. Demographically, it is hard in DC to find schools public or private that have that amazing, rich mix where there is a little something for all... If I find a school here whose demographics reflect the basic cultural and economic mix of the US I feel ecstatically happy--(and I have in a great DC charter). However, this school is not representative of most US communities,or even DC communities--the way we live here in DC is often culturally, ethnically or economically segregated. If we are asking our schools to be different from how we live, we must be willing to put our own kids in. They are the diversity we hope to see happen.

[Anonymous]

OP consider Takoma Park, Rockville, Silver Spring or Arlington. Good diversity with good academics.

[Anonymous]

just a quick comment - if all minorities gravitates toward already diverse schools then the 'white' schools would never be diversify. the schools will continue to be segregated, like a PP said.

[Anonymous]

My DD is half white, half hispanic and although she's only 12 months old, my husband and I have given much thought to this issue, but within a much larger context than just schools. We have chosen to live in an area of DC that is very diverse (in every sense of the word - culturally, racially, economically, socially, age, etc, etc) because we want DD to see and know others who are similar and different than her. We will also chose a school that offers diversity, even if it means it's not a top school academically. For us, diversity and all the learning that goes with it (working with others who speak different languages, work & learning styles that are different due to culture, cultural and racial expectations or 'rules', etc etc) are an important part of learning in school. We hope to find a school that helps develop a well rounded child, which for us means academically, socially, and emotionally.

[Anonymous]

we are both immigrants and minority, and live in an apartment on the border between rockville and bethesda. Most of the people are foreign visitors to NIH, and so are very diverse and yet share some common academic background. The school is great, and so I think it is possible to find a place that is diverse and has a very good school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:(there are some great posts on this thread. thanks all!)

Minority/mixed family mom product of white public schools here with a few cents. Some may flame me, but at kindergarte/elementary it's early enough to go with environment over academics at age 5 IMHO. Finding a challenging academic school or out of class enrichment is much easier than finding a community you feel comfortable in and where your child will feel welcome every day.

If diversity ends at the classroom door and your child returns to an all-white neighborhood, then consider moving homes before moving schools.

Good luck OP!

My husband, half black half white, was pressured to join the 'black union' in college. When he said no, he was a race traitor. It's hard to judge a person's culture and self-identity by 'appearance'. At some point we need to think of diversity beyond skin color--to language, economics, values. You may be in a different 'category' than the surface one in which people want to put you. Demographically, it is hard in DC to find schools public or private that have that amazing, rich mix where there is a little something for all... If I find a school here whose demographics reflect the basic cultural and economic mix of the US I feel ecstatically happy--(and I have in a great DC charter). However, this school is not representative of most US communities,or even DC communities--the way we live here in DC is often culturally, ethnically or economically segregated. If we are asking our schools to be different from how we live, we must be willing to put our own kids in. They are the diversity we hope to see happen.

This is why we live in Arlington. Apart from the schools at the northern end of the county, which are scarily almost all-white, the rest of the schools really do provide a great mix of kids and great academics.