HD Cooke

[Anonymous]

Is it just me or have you noticed recently that when you disagree with something someone of another race believes in you're automatically labeled a "racist"? Can it just be that you don't want your kid to feel ostracized without being a racist? Good God!

[Anonymous]

Hi OP: My child was the only white child in a pre k setting for two years. (a charter) We switched to a much more diverse charter for many reasons, but in part because of her status as "the diversity" in her school. To those who say young children don't notice it--they Do! In our experience, it bordered on neutral to negative to have her be the only white child. She would ask about it, wonder why, and comment on her status as different. That is not to say however that she didn't have many friends or that the other children made her feel unwelcome. Its just the nature of children observing differences pretty acutely at this age. If the school had a reputation for academic excellence we might have stayed, but it was more middle ground. Is it racist to want your child to be surrounded by a variety of backgrounds (including his/her own)? I don't know the specifics at Cooke, only that its not a silly concern to wonder about social issues for your child...

[Anonymous]

PP here again:
To the poster who believes the original poster is racist. As you point out, blacks are often the only ones in all sorts of situations--especially the higher you get up the power ladder. I agree that blacks are just expected to tough it out and deal....as adults. But I disagree that being the only one in a school setting is a good idea for a black, white, hispanic, or asian child. I also know that many high achieving black children have to be in this situation, but wouldn't it be better if they were in a more diverse environment where there were multiple blacks versus a status as THE ONE? If you had two choices: 1) to send your child to a high acheiving all white school or 2) send your child to a high achieving diverse school where she or he would share a common background with at least some other children,
What would you choose?
The OP is asking about a school that doesn't yet have a reputation for excellence, so I think its a safe assumption like many other DCPS schools that the parents with means (including minority parents) got out and haven't come back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP who called the OP a racist and I stand by it. Look, maybe you've never thought about it, but black people (including my kids) are frequently the ONLY minority in many situations. I'm a well-educated professional, and so are most of my friends, and if you asked ANY of them, they could give you plenty of examples where they were the only minority in a given situation. And we're expected to deal with it. But of course, you've never had to think about that, because you're used to being in the majority. Not so comfortable when the situation is reversed, is it? Look, I'm sure you'll do whatever you perceive is best for your child, but don't fool yourself -- your biases speak loud and clear. Especially the juxtaposition of the quality of the school with the skin color of the students.

So it's okay for you to dislike being the only minority in a given situation, but it's not okay for the OP or for her pre-schooler? If she dislikes being the only minority it's because she's racist? Can you clarify what that makes you, exactly? Would it be a racist? Or a hypocrite?

[Anonymous]

NP here. I have no idea with OP is a racist but I understand the bitterness of the critical pp. It's usually pretty easy for white people to avoid being in the minority so I can see why it would bother people who can't avoid it most of the time. I think one shouldn't automatically assume OP is a racist but I understand feeling angry about the situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP who called the OP a racist and I stand by it. Look, maybe you've never thought about it, but black people (including my kids) are frequently the ONLY minority in many situations. I'm a well-educated professional, and so are most of my friends, and if you asked ANY of them, they could give you plenty of examples where they were the only minority in a given situation. And we're expected to deal with it. But of course, you've never had to think about that, because you're used to being in the majority. Not so comfortable when the situation is reversed, is it? Look, I'm sure you'll do whatever you perceive is best for your child, but don't fool yourself -- your biases speak loud and clear. Especially the juxtaposition of the quality of the school with the skin color of the students.

I'm the OP and I'm struggling with the difference between putting my opinion of you in writing, and merely framing a response. I might not succeed in my high-minded goal.

"Maybe I've never thought about it, but..." Wow. Do you even listen to yourself? Much less anyone else? You say you're a well-educated professional, but I'm curious about the rigors of your profession vis-a-vis critical thinking skills.

I chose to live in Washington DC (in the heart of the District thank you, not some exclusive enclave in upper NW - not that there's anything wrong with that). I came here as a "minority" and am fine with it. Indeed I have enjoyed it. I have grown as a person being, for example, the token white girl in my book group. And even after marrying and having a child (when staying in DC vs. moving to the burbs is one possible test of one's commitment to diversity) I'm not sorry to be here. So I can't help but wonder what failure of imagination leads you to believe I've never thought about - much less encountered - minority status? Not that this is any of your business. The point is that Yes Sherlock, not only have I figured out that: A) black people (including your kids) are frequently the minority in many situations, but also that B) dealing with it is hard. Do you resent me from learning this lesson either via personal experience or from the poignant experiences of my friends? Or did you think the only person on this thread with a thoughtful perspective is you? Clearly it never occured to you that anybody else could possibly be reflective.

For the record, I think I had the basics of that lesson figured out back in 8th grade when I read "The Bluest Eye" but good for you for whatever innate personal confidence (or chip on your shoulder) allows you to believe that you're actually educating us all, especially me.

I cannot fathom the deficit of personal character which allows you to resent being the only minority in WHATEVER situation (a circumstance which, for the record, I personally believe to be regrettable, and have never at any time wished on you or anyone else) and therefore leads you to be desirous of inflicting that same discomfort on my 3 year old. I do however, thank you, for codifying to me in your two brief posts what a bad idea it would be for me to allow her to be the "one and only" at that school.

You have indeed been more helpful than you know, though perhaps not in the way that you intended.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, OP. Why don't you just come out and say "There are too many black people at this school! Where are all the white people?"

You're exaggerating. It's not good for there to be a one-and-only in the class or the school, whether it's race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, OP. Why don't you just come out and say "There are too many black people at this school! Where are all the white people?"

Such a high horse you're on. Obviously you haven't been to the school, you're just jumping in with an ill-informed opinion and assumption of racism. Nice.

Listen, there is more than one pre-K class and the Principal couldn't give any assurance that my child wouldn't be the ONLY caucasian girl. We're not talking about 15% or even 5%. Maybe that's not a big deal to you, but I'm curious to know how many situations you've signed your children up for to be the ONLY member of their racial/ethnic background. All day. Every day.

I'm guessing none. But feel free to criticise me for wanting my child to blend in a little more.

Blacks, Asians and Latinos are used to being the only in many situations, including but not excluding classroom situations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me or have you noticed recently that when you disagree with something someone of another race believes in you're automatically labeled a "racist"? Can it just be that you don't want your kid to feel ostracized without being a racist? Good God!

OH Please. If it walks and quacks like a duck it is a duck. Just because someone calls it out for what it is, does not make it otherwise different. The OP basically said that there were too, too many dark faces in the classroom. She had heard good things about the school until she arrived and realized that there were not enough pale faces to be seen. All of a sudden the school no longer appears to live up to the reputation and she does not want her daughter around all those darkies. What does she think it is going to rub off. Please, PP if you could take off your blinders and be honest with yourself and the OP, you could only reach the same conclusion as any rational person. Oh BTW--I happen to share the same pigmentation as OP and yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just me or have you noticed recently that when you disagree with something someone of another race believes in you're automatically labeled a "racist"? Can it just be that you don't want your kid to feel ostracized without being a racist? Good God!

OH Please. If it walks and quacks like a duck it is a duck. Just because someone calls it out for what it is, does not make it otherwise different. The OP basically said that there were too, too many dark faces in the classroom. She had heard good things about the school until she arrived and realized that there were not enough pale faces to be seen. All of a sudden the school no longer appears to live up to the reputation and she does not want her daughter around all those darkies. What does she think it is going to rub off. Please, PP if you could take off your blinders and be honest with yourself and the OP, you could only reach the same conclusion as any rational person. Oh BTW--I happen to share the same pigmentation as OP and yourself.

So you've eagerly signed your child up to be the only child of pallor in her elementary class? No?! I thought not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot fathom the deficit of personal character which allows you to resent being the only minority in WHATEVER situation (a circumstance which, for the record, I personally believe to be regrettable, and have never at any time wished on you or anyone else) and therefore leads you to be desirous of inflicting that same discomfort on my 3 year old. I do however, thank you, for codifying to me in your two brief posts what a bad idea it would be for me to allow her to be the "one and only" at that school.

You have indeed been more helpful than you know, though perhaps not in the way that you intended.

Game. Set. Match.

[Anonymous]

I don't think OP is being racist. She expected more white students. What is racist about that? I don't follow OP on the credentials. Many elementary school teachers do not have a Masters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm pretty sure that neighborhood is a little more than 5% - 7% caucasian. So where are the local kids going to school?

According to DCPS stats, Cooke is more than 50% Latino, so guess that answers the question of where the "locals" are going.

OP, curious as to how much time you spent there when you "visited" and formed your opinion? As to diversity, the city doesn't track multi-racials. So some of those kids who look "brown" may have white family members. Same goes for kids who look white at Apple Tree in Columbia Heights. (Assume you mean that campus because other Apple Tree's are mostly black, no?)

Come October it will be interesting to see what the real enrollment numbers are at Cooke and elsewhere.

Good luck getting into Cap City, OP. Sounds like that's the only setting east of the Park that would satisfy you.

[Anonymous]

OP is just trying to stir up anti-HD Cooke posts. She is probably the same person who kept saying the IB program had been canceled. I have no child at the school yet, but I know at least 10 families that are sending their kids to PK or PS and those families are "diverse" for the school; I'm not sure they'd all be classified as "white" but their diversity is in that they are middle class economically, which would be new for the school. And, certainly a number of them are "white" (or "whitish"), so I really doubt the OP actually went to the school and saw no white children in the PK/PS classes.

[Anonymous]

Wow. Now this starts to get weird.

16:48, not sure why you feel the need to conflate "white" and "middle-class" (in this of all cities!) but how do you possibly think you're helping?

And I don't think I even want to know what "whitish" is! I think it's one thing to want your children to have friends who look like them. I think it's something entirely different to put "whitish" forward as aspirational!