Question for parents of African American children regarding racial diversity at private schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 18:23, and not the person who has been going back and forth with you. FWIW, I sent my kids to Grace Episcopal, which has great AA representation, so I don't think I'm on the defensive here. But I am wondering about this. What level of AA representation -- 5%, 10%, 20% -- would you say is low enough to justify demanding aid? Also, you dismiss the case of whites at Banneker, but they aren't the majority there or even in DC.

I'm also worried about a sense of entitlement that seems to come through in the demand for aid. Is this based on a reasoning that all whites will treat AAs badly (disagree), or that AA's need a peer group with similar background (agree, but don't think it justifies asking for money).

All I did was suggest a strategic way to reverse the cycle, I am not saying the schools actually do this. However, I see nothing wrong with that approach. If a family applies for financial aid at two schools, and one school gives a lot more money, they are more likely to go to the school that gives more aid. So, if I were in admissions, and I needed to bring in more minorities, I would give more aid. At least initially for some years. Then the school looks more diverse, and more people start to apply.

BTW, I have not met whites at Banneker. If they feel slighted racially, then the problem should be addressed. My point is that it is not the SAME as blacks at an all white school. It is still discrimmination, but different. No one can say which is worse or better, just different, so it is best not to make too many comparisons.

[Anonymous]

I guess I agree, and I guess I see nothing wrong with it either. This discussion makes me a bit uneasy though, and I can't put my finger on why but maybe it will come to me. Perhaps it's the contrast between not being allowed to talk about affirmative action on DCUM, and then this new suggestion that affirmative action be combined with money. (On that particular issue, my stance is that affirmative action is a good thing, and we should be allowed to talk about it, but it is simply wrong/impossible for anybody to assert their kid was denied, or some other kid got in, to a particular school just because of affirmative action.) So when we start to talk about adding money into the mix, well the whole discussion gets even more fraught.... But with that said, if my kids were in a school with low AA representation (which they aren't), I wouldn't be opposed to the school offering money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
All I did was suggest a strategic way to reverse the cycle, I am not saying the schools actually do this. However, I see nothing wrong with that approach. If a family applies for financial aid at two schools, and one school gives a lot more money, they are more likely to go to the school that gives more aid. So, if I were in admissions, and I needed to bring in more minorities, I would give more aid. At least initially for some years. Then the school looks more diverse, and more people start to apply.

BTW, I have not met whites at Banneker. If they feel slighted racially, then the problem should be addressed. My point is that it is not the SAME as blacks at an all white school. It is still discrimmination, but different. No one can say which is worse or better, just different, so it is best not to make too many comparisons.

New poster. I don't know how to explain it such that you understand, but there is something offensive and in general off the mark about your post. Financial aid decisions are and should be based on need, not ethnic or racial identity. From your post, it seems like you are suggesting that schools can increase their minority population by offering more aid to such population -- which suggests that the current pool of minorities seeking admission to independent schools is largely in need of aid and would therefore be incented to attend if given the aid. I am a minority. I have two kids who attend two different "Big 3" schools. We don't receive aid, nor do we qualify for aid. And I find that the many minority families that I know at each of these schools are in the same boat. In fact, the only families that I know for sure who receive aid are majority. My only data points are those in my circle of friends and associates, so I don't claim to be able to generalize across the entire population at these two schools. I am just saying that offering tons of aid is not going to work as a strategy to increase minorities if the minorities applying don't need aid.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the point that financial aid should be based on need. Offering financial aid to wealthy minorities would seem to defeat the purpose. It would also perpetuate a sense (can't say whether it's true) that DC privates prefer wealthy minorities to those from the streets of SE.

[Anonymous]

My ideal (I'm AA) would be a school with an AA contingent large enough to contain students on aid, students not needing aid, cheerleader types, nerd types, jock-types, suburban and urban types. Diversity within diversity. My best friend, who is Asian, is looking at colleges, and wants the same for her DD, after sending her to schools lacking diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the point that financial aid should be based on need. Offering financial aid to wealthy minorities would seem to defeat the purpose. It would also perpetuate a sense (can't say whether it's true) that DC privates prefer wealthy minorities to those from the streets of SE.

If I were making $500 k a year, and my dd got into a school that really wanted her for whatever, be it race, and she got financial aid, I would accept it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
All I did was suggest a strategic way to reverse the cycle, I am not saying the schools actually do this. However, I see nothing wrong with that approach. If a family applies for financial aid at two schools, and one school gives a lot more money, they are more likely to go to the school that gives more aid. So, if I were in admissions, and I needed to bring in more minorities, I would give more aid. At least initially for some years. Then the school looks more diverse, and more people start to apply.

BTW, I have not met whites at Banneker. If they feel slighted racially, then the problem should be addressed. My point is that it is not the SAME as blacks at an all white school. It is still discrimmination, but different. No one can say which is worse or better, just different, so it is best not to make too many comparisons.

New poster. I don't know how to explain it such that you understand, but there is something offensive and in general off the mark about your post. Financial aid decisions are and should be based on need, not ethnic or racial identity. From your post, it seems like you are suggesting that schools can increase their minority population by offering more aid to such population -- which suggests that the current pool of minorities seeking admission to independent schools is largely in need of aid and would therefore be incented to attend if given the aid. I am a minority. I have two kids who attend two different "Big 3" schools. We don't receive aid, nor do we qualify for aid. And I find that the many minority families that I know at each of these schools are in the same boat. In fact, the only families that I know for sure who receive aid are majority. My only data points are those in my circle of friends and associates, so I don't claim to be able to generalize across the entire population at these two schools. I am just saying that offering tons of aid is not going to work as a strategy to increase minorities if the minorities applying don't need aid.[/quote
I am only suggesting aid as a tactic for change. It is one option but there are many others. But a school that has 5 kids of color needs to start working hard now (if they want to change), and MAYBE in 10 years, it will start to look more diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the point that financial aid should be based on need. Offering financial aid to wealthy minorities would seem to defeat the purpose. It would also perpetuate a sense (can't say whether it's true) that DC privates prefer wealthy minorities to those from the streets of SE.

If I were making $500 k a year, and my dd got into a school that really wanted her for whatever, be it race, and she got financial aid, I would accept it.

The question is, would the parents who are contributing to the financial aid pot be up for giving financial aid to people like you making $500/year? I could argue this two ways. No, because you're taking money away from poor SE kids who are also diverse but need the money more than you. Yes, any additional diversity is good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with the point that financial aid should be based on need. Offering financial aid to wealthy minorities would seem to defeat the purpose. It would also perpetuate a sense (can't say whether it's true) that DC privates prefer wealthy minorities to those from the streets of SE.

If I were making $500 k a year, and my dd got into a school that really wanted her for whatever, be it race, and she got financial aid, I would accept it.

The question is, would the parents who are contributing to the financial aid pot be up for giving financial aid to people like you making $500/year? I could argue this two ways. No, because you're taking money away from poor SE kids who are also diverse but need the money more than you. Yes, any additional diversity is good.

BTW, I do not make 500 K.

[Anonymous]

That wasn't exactly the point. The point is that your sense of entitlement is showing. It would seem that any kid in a family that makes 500K a year (OK, not yours) would have enough other advantages in life that they wouldn't need compensation for being one of a few AA kids in a school.

[Anonymous]

In re the earlier Banneker discussion: It might be harder to be a white kid at Banneker than at Wilson but the reality is that whites in this country are still the dominant racial group. Their experience of being a minority might be uncomfortable for them for a bit but it is nothing like it is for African-Americans in US society generally. DD (who is white) attended majority black schools for a couple of years. I figured that the rest of her life she would most likely be in majority white situations -- that she certainly could handle a few years going to majority black schools. But if dd were black I would certainly think twice about sending her to a white school with only a few black kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My ideal (I'm AA) would be a school with an AA contingent large enough to contain students on aid, students not needing aid, cheerleader types, nerd types, jock-types, suburban and urban types. Diversity within diversity. My best friend, who is Asian, is looking at colleges, and wants the same for her DD, after sending her to schools lacking diversity.

Your first 2 sentences are a good description of the AA contingent at STA in the upper school.

[Anonymous]

How about boosting diversity by spending the same money (that you are proposing to give to wealthy AA kids) on a campaign to attract kids from SE Washington, and then offer financial aid to those kids instead.