Racial issues in DCPS for mixed race kids

[Anonymous]

OP, unless your biracial child self identifies as AA, they will have a rough time in DCPS. A biracial child who culturally identifies as AA will be more accepted in DCPS. However, a biracial child who identifies as white or either biracial will cause a stir. Do yourself a favor by choosing a private or a parochial school if you stay in DC. If you choose Montgomery County, then look into Rosemary Hills and Rock Creek Forest. The schools in Silver Spring and Rockville are more diverse than DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As this thread has demonstrated, this can be a sensitive issue. A lot of the sensitivity among African Americans comes from their particular history, in which those mixed race blacks who were able to "pass" for white did so to escape racism and oppression. Sometimes these individuals were seen as simply trying to get by and have a better life and more opportunities. Others effectively crossed over into white society and never looked back, and cut off their black relatives. I think this is where the resentment comes from historically--the denial, in some cases, of one's black ancestry in an attempt to be accepted in white society during the Jim Crow era.

Take this reporter, for instance, in a relatively recent instance of "passing"--he left New Orleans and moved to Greenwich Village, and ceased contact w/his black/Creole relatives. He married a white woman, and only right before he died did his daughter find out his "secret" (i.e., that he was part black). I read his daughter's account of how she then reached out to her black/Creole relatives, whom she previously didn't know existed. Really quite interesting.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatole_Broyard

Forgot to mention Philip Roth's "The Human Stain" and Danzy Senna's "Caucasia" as fictional accounts that wrestle with passing and related issues.

I'd add to that the movie, "Skin," based on the true story of a dark-skinned child of white parents in South Africa. Interesting perspective from another culture with its own brand of racism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, unless your biracial child self identifies as AA, they will have a rough time in DCPS. A biracial child who culturally identifies as AA will be more accepted in DCPS. However, a biracial child who identifies as white or either biracial will cause a stir. Do yourself a favor by choosing a private or a parochial school if you stay in DC. If you choose Montgomery County, then look into Rosemary Hills and Rock Creek Forest. The schools in Silver Spring and Rockville are more diverse than DCPS.

OPs child will not be biracial. OP is biracial. Her child, who is 1/4 Black will most likely have predominant, if not all, Caucasian features and skin tone. OPs child will look and be perceived as the white child s/he is.

[Anonymous]

^This. I'm MGM. My kids look/ are perceived as white. Nobody bothers us. Just be kind to others and not make a bi deal of it. You'd be surprised how people will not care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am a multigenerational mixed (MGM) person if I read these last few post correctly. I look white and come from MGM parents. My mother looks complete white and dad looks biracial. I rarely see another person such as myself, so I thought I'd offer my perspective. I personally identify as biracial because I was raised to do so.

I grew up in a majority AA neighborhood as well as my parents. In that environment I was constantly harassed for my appearance and found people did not accept my simple answer if I said I was black and I found that people rejected me if I answered that I was biracial. Anyways, I decided to go with biracial because it's accurate- I'm 61% European (British Isles and France), 15% Asiatic (Probably Native American), and 24% African (most likely Senegal and Nigeria).

Even still I hear from AA people and some biracial people born of parents from two different races that I'm not biracial. I understand the AAs that do this. It's in their best interest to keep their numbers up which can only be done by forcing the black label on as many people as possible. But, it saddens me when biracial people do it. It reflects the hatred espoused by AA and white racists. I think what this thread has shown is that people from mixed backgrounds are demanding their voices. They're demanding them from the oppression of white supremacist, racist AAs and, in my case, other biracials. I believe the solution is that biracial people are left alone to just be who they are. You don't have to agree with them, but you don't get to define them. They don't need you and can do it for themselves. Also, while many AAs come from mixed backgrounds, that is know reason to disenfranchise MGM with a more obviously mixed ethnicity. Their experiences are not the same as African Americans. I know few AAs of majority African ancestry who have people asking them everyday if they're white or black. It may happen, but I've never seen or heard of it.

Lastly, when I was in Latin America and West Africa i claimed white, which it was insisted I was in those areas. Americans get caught up in being some type of authority on race categories, which stems from a deeply hateful racist past and egocentrism. You'll never get a valid perspective from that.

I encourage people to get DNA tests, which are a game changer IMO. It feels validating to know exactly what I am and it helps to challenge the racism that forces MGMs to be classified as black. We have a right to our heritage too- black, white and whatever else.

All racial categories are invented by man, we are all part of the human race. 24% this that and the other is all nonsense. DNA does not support the racial categorization that we use everyday to classify people and is constantly changing. ""The concept of race has no genetic or scientific basis." Clearly much of what we think as racial markers are social and cultural markers, "Hispanic" as a racial classification group is a clear example of this.

If you go back and read ALL these posts, they are so sad, it's so sad that adults are bickering and arguing about something that is non-existent, teach your children to define themselves as "human" and the world will all be a better place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a multigenerational mixed (MGM) person if I read these last few post correctly. I look white and come from MGM parents. My mother looks complete white and dad looks biracial. I rarely see another person such as myself, so I thought I'd offer my perspective. I personally identify as biracial because I was raised to do so.

I grew up in a majority AA neighborhood as well as my parents. In that environment I was constantly harassed for my appearance and found people did not accept my simple answer if I said I was black and I found that people rejected me if I answered that I was biracial. Anyways, I decided to go with biracial because it's accurate- I'm 61% European (British Isles and France), 15% Asiatic (Probably Native American), and 24% African (most likely Senegal and Nigeria).

Even still I hear from AA people and some biracial people born of parents from two different races that I'm not biracial. I understand the AAs that do this. It's in their best interest to keep their numbers up which can only be done by forcing the black label on as many people as possible. But, it saddens me when biracial people do it. It reflects the hatred espoused by AA and white racists. I think what this thread has shown is that people from mixed backgrounds are demanding their voices. They're demanding them from the oppression of white supremacist, racist AAs and, in my case, other biracials. I believe the solution is that biracial people are left alone to just be who they are. You don't have to agree with them, but you don't get to define them. They don't need you and can do it for themselves. Also, while many AAs come from mixed backgrounds, that is know reason to disenfranchise MGM with a more obviously mixed ethnicity. Their experiences are not the same as African Americans. I know few AAs of majority African ancestry who have people asking them everyday if they're white or black. It may happen, but I've never seen or heard of it.

Lastly, when I was in Latin America and West Africa i claimed white, which it was insisted I was in those areas. Americans get caught up in being some type of authority on race categories, which stems from a deeply hateful racist past and egocentrism. You'll never get a valid perspective from that.

I encourage people to get DNA tests, which are a game changer IMO. It feels validating to know exactly what I am and it helps to challenge the racism that forces MGMs to be classified as black. We have a right to our heritage too- black, white and whatever else.

All racial categories are invented by man, we are all part of the human race. 24% this that and the other is all nonsense. DNA does not support the racial categorization that we use everyday to classify people and is constantly changing. ""The concept of race has no genetic or scientific basis." Clearly much of what we think as racial markers are social and cultural markers, "Hispanic" as a racial classification group is a clear example of this.

If you go back and read ALL these posts, they are so sad, it's so sad that adults are bickering and arguing about something that is non-existent, teach your children to define themselves as "human" and the world will all be a better place.

Your post sounds like a very familiar "just forget about race! It's all made up!" dismissive refrain that I've heard so many times before by people (often white) who just don't want to do the difficult work of thinking of how racial categories (yes, it's socially constructed! We know!) affect people's lived experiences. Look, I'd like to get to a wonderful post-racial place too but I think we get there by TALKING openly about these categories and the history and challenging them and if sometimes that sounds like bickering then it might.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a multigenerational mixed (MGM) person if I read these last few post correctly. I look white and come from MGM parents. My mother looks complete white and dad looks biracial. I rarely see another person such as myself, so I thought I'd offer my perspective. I personally identify as biracial because I was raised to do so.

I grew up in a majority AA neighborhood as well as my parents. In that environment I was constantly harassed for my appearance and found people did not accept my simple answer if I said I was black and I found that people rejected me if I answered that I was biracial. Anyways, I decided to go with biracial because it's accurate- I'm 61% European (British Isles and France), 15% Asiatic (Probably Native American), and 24% African (most likely Senegal and Nigeria).

Even still I hear from AA people and some biracial people born of parents from two different races that I'm not biracial. I understand the AAs that do this. It's in their best interest to keep their numbers up which can only be done by forcing the black label on as many people as possible. But, it saddens me when biracial people do it. It reflects the hatred espoused by AA and white racists. I think what this thread has shown is that people from mixed backgrounds are demanding their voices. They're demanding them from the oppression of white supremacist, racist AAs and, in my case, other biracials. I believe the solution is that biracial people are left alone to just be who they are. You don't have to agree with them, but you don't get to define them. They don't need you and can do it for themselves. Also, while many AAs come from mixed backgrounds, that is know reason to disenfranchise MGM with a more obviously mixed ethnicity. Their experiences are not the same as African Americans. I know few AAs of majority African ancestry who have people asking them everyday if they're white or black. It may happen, but I've never seen or heard of it.

Lastly, when I was in Latin America and West Africa i claimed white, which it was insisted I was in those areas. Americans get caught up in being some type of authority on race categories, which stems from a deeply hateful racist past and egocentrism. You'll never get a valid perspective from that.

I encourage people to get DNA tests, which are a game changer IMO. It feels validating to know exactly what I am and it helps to challenge the racism that forces MGMs to be classified as black. We have a right to our heritage too- black, white and whatever else.

All racial categories are invented by man, we are all part of the human race. 24% this that and the other is all nonsense. DNA does not support the racial categorization that we use everyday to classify people and is constantly changing. ""The concept of race has no genetic or scientific basis." Clearly much of what we think as racial markers are social and cultural markers, "Hispanic" as a racial classification group is a clear example of this.

If you go back and read ALL these posts, they are so sad, it's so sad that adults are bickering and arguing about something that is non-existent, teach your children to define themselves as "human" and the world will all be a better place.

Yes, yes--we all know that race is a social construction. However, the concept of race has VERY real consequences and effects. If you could travel back in time to ask a person who was lynched for the "crime" of being black, I'm sure he/she would tell you that race is as real as the difference between life and death.

I wish that I could live in your world of make-believe, unicorns and glitter. Sadly, I do not. I live in the real world where the color of your skin and other "markers" still have a disproportionate effect on ones life experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, unless your biracial child self identifies as AA, they will have a rough time in DCPS. A biracial child who culturally identifies as AA will be more accepted in DCPS. However, a biracial child who identifies as white or either biracial will cause a stir. Do yourself a favor by choosing a private or a parochial school if you stay in DC. If you choose Montgomery County, then look into Rosemary Hills and Rock Creek Forest. The schools in Silver Spring and Rockville are more diverse than DCPS.

I'm sorry to hear that your child's school sucks, but please speak for yourself. My biracial (black/white) child attends Oyster (DCPS) and he has never had a problem being accepted by anyone at school. He identifies as biracial, and will tell anyone who inquires about his heritage. Based on casual observation, the majority of children (of African descent) at Oyster are either biracial or Afro-Hispanic. Believe me, anyone at Oyster who openly ostracizes a biracial child because that child claims his/her biracial identity would quickly become a social pariah.

[Anonymous]

^ Oyster is an outlier because of its location, high attendance by people with high SES and its Hispanic population. The schools that are problematic are majority AA with AA administrators and student body.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ Oyster is an outlier because of its location, high attendance by people with high SES and its Hispanic population. The schools that are problematic are majority AA with AA administrators and student body.

I agree Oyster might be an outlier, so is Eaton, so is Hearst. But saying all of DCPS is a problem actually misses the point that there are a handful of schools where parents have through lottery and commuting and like-minded parents in particular cachements been able to develop very diverse open minded schools where a bi-racial child would not stand out, would likely be challenged and would have lower likelihood of a teacher not challenging them.

My guess is that there are few more than what I have named above. If you attend one shout it out, these schools are actually one of the interesting and valuable examples of when real estate does not define destiny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ Oyster is an outlier because of its location, high attendance by people with high SES and its Hispanic population. The schools that are problematic are majority AA with AA administrators and student body.

I would have thought that AA administrators were a positive influence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I would not recommend raising a biracial child in the area. Too much baggage. Really, biracials just want to be left alone. This thread illustrates that may not be possible. Sad for 2015.

So, where is this utopia where I should raise my biracial children? I grew up in Los Angeles (the U.S.' unofficial biracial Mecca), and all of the issues discussed on this thread were present in LA. There is no perfect place to raise a biracial child.

Stay away from ungentrified DC and PG County. Too many one-drop perpetuators. You could try NoVa. More tolerant of biracials on the one hand, but you'll deal with more sophisticated racists in whites, Persians, etc... No where is perfect. Also, the comments about the passing bs are dumb. If I'm walking my white-appearing ass down the street and people assume im white that's on them. I'm not passing. I'm minding my own damn bidniss. It's not my job to make sure people know I'm part AA. They have yet to pay a bill of mine.

I would actually recommend PG county schools, yes they might be perceived as black...but can still be recognized as "mixed race' I grew up in PG county schools and we had lots of mixed race kids...we looked at them as black but still didn't deny their heritage. Also the original poster question was about schools and the treatment of kids. I think this is where PG county schools excel more than Moco or Nova. Your child wont have to face "low expectations" from teachers or face being treated any differently mostly because the school system itself is Majority black. The whole "acting white" issue is a NON issue in PG county schools and doesn't exist. I would know I went to PG county schools my whole life. We have bad black kids, nerdy black kids, teachers pets, etc....the term "acting white" for high achieving kids Does not exist...I grew up in LANDOVER! LOL. You have tag centers like Glenarden Woods, and Heather hills in bowie that are no. 2 & 3 in the state when it comes to MSA testing and one is 71 percent black the other 66 percent....A lot of the issues that parents in this thread are complaining about are non issues in PG county

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I would not recommend raising a biracial child in the area. Too much baggage. Really, biracials just want to be left alone. This thread illustrates that may not be possible. Sad for 2015.

So, where is this utopia where I should raise my biracial children? I grew up in Los Angeles (the U.S.' unofficial biracial Mecca), and all of the issues discussed on this thread were present in LA. There is no perfect place to raise a biracial child.

Stay away from ungentrified DC and PG County. Too many one-drop perpetuators. You could try NoVa. More tolerant of biracials on the one hand, but you'll deal with more sophisticated racists in whites, Persians, etc... No where is perfect. Also, the comments about the passing bs are dumb. If I'm walking my white-appearing ass down the street and people assume im white that's on them. I'm not passing. I'm minding my own damn bidniss. It's not my job to make sure people know I'm part AA. They have yet to pay a bill of mine.

I would actually recommend PG county schools, yes they might be perceived as black...but can still be recognized as "mixed race' I grew up in PG county schools and we had lots of mixed race kids...we looked at them as black but still didn't deny their heritage. Also the original poster question was about schools and the treatment of kids. I think this is where PG county schools excel more than Moco or Nova. Your child wont have to face "low expectations" from teachers or face being treated any differently mostly because the school system itself is Majority black. The whole "acting white" issue is a NON issue in PG county schools and doesn't exist. I would know I went to PG county schools my whole life. We have bad black kids, nerdy black kids, teachers pets, etc....the term "acting white" for high achieving kids Does not exist...I grew up in LANDOVER! LOL. You have tag centers like Glenarden Woods, and Heather hills in bowie that are no. 2 & 3 in the state when it comes to MSA testing and one is 71 percent black the other 66 percent....A lot of the issues that parents in this thread are complaining about are non issues in PG county

I'm sorry, but you're no authority on PG County schools. This is the last place you want to send a biracial child who identifies as such. You, yourself, just said that they are viewed as black, but you don't deny their heritage. That's contradictory! You can't simultaneously respect someone's background and view them differently than their background. This environment is purely poison for the child being raised biracial. They'll be ostracized by the majority trying to indoctrinate them with the "one drop" nonsense. Not to mention, PG County schools are awful, which is why we call it Ward 9 in DC. Are schools are full of PG Countians residency cheating their way into our schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Oyster is an outlier because of its location, high attendance by people with high SES and its Hispanic population. The schools that are problematic are majority AA with AA administrators and student body.

I would have thought that AA administrators were a positive influence.

In Shangri-La perhaps, but we're talking about PG County- Land of Keep Up With Old School Jones's. You're kid will be looked at like they have two heads if they don't fall in lockstep with Jim Crow rules about race and ethnicity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ Oyster is an outlier because of its location, high attendance by people with high SES and its Hispanic population. The schools that are problematic are majority AA with AA administrators and student body.

I would have thought that AA administrators were a positive influence.

In Shangri-La perhaps, but we're talking about PG County- Land of Keep Up With Old School Jones's. You're kid will be looked at like they have two heads if they don't fall in lockstep with Jim Crow rules about race and ethnicity.

Oh, I didn't realize you were talking about PG County but I know exactly what you mean.