Deep Racism Problems at NCS and STA: Questions/Answers we can't get through admissions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AA parents who are interested in Stalbans for their son should talk to OJ Johnson in Admissions. Stalbans alum who coached and was AD at Wise HS. He understands.

Does he have influence? Is he helpful?

All I'm getting from some pp's is "we don't want your kind here; go to a sjw school if you want your child to even be accepted." I'm hoping that's not a cathedral parent.

I think what people are saying is that, like all schools, the school always wants to improve. I think that they deserve credit for being humbly honest and sincere in those efforts.

That being said, what any parent considering this school should put first and foremost is that it is very very challenging academically- first and foremost it is a college preparatory school. In fact, many grads later comment college was easier academically and that no school afterwards measures up to their experience at Saint Albans.

But many high achieving parents don't apply for their son because they know that for their particular kid they couldn't do the work. There is nothing wrong with that kind of awareness

This high and mighty attitude is what irritates and disgusts most people. STA is a strong school academically, great, but so are a good number of other schools in our area and beyond. STA does not have this market cornered. And just because someone doesn't go to STA doesn't mean they can't handle the work. Not to mention there are plenty of boys at STA who are not academic stars, are they smart sure, but not any more exceptional than hundreds if not thousands of other boys in the DMV. Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

I know boys who went to STA and did not do well after graduation. Some take time off from college or just struggle to adjust and do well. There are also STA grads who matriculate to mediocre colleges at best - the majority do not attend ivies or other tippy top schools like HYSP. That's a misnomer.

[Anonymous]

What exactly would you expect from schools like this, OP?

[Anonymous]

Racism is not the only issue at STA. In very recent history there have been serious issues with racisms, sexism, unwanted sexual comments and advances, anti-semitism, and more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AA parents who are interested in Stalbans for their son should talk to OJ Johnson in Admissions. Stalbans alum who coached and was AD at Wise HS. He understands.

Does he have influence? Is he helpful?

All I'm getting from some pp's is "we don't want your kind here; go to a sjw school if you want your child to even be accepted." I'm hoping that's not a cathedral parent.

I think what people are saying is that, like all schools, the school always wants to improve. I think that they deserve credit for being humbly honest and sincere in those efforts.

That being said, what any parent considering this school should put first and foremost is that it is very very challenging academically- first and foremost it is a college preparatory school. In fact, many grads later comment college was easier academically and that no school afterwards measures up to their experience at Saint Albans.

But many high achieving parents don't apply for their son because they know that for their particular kid they couldn't do the work. There is nothing wrong with that kind of awareness

This high and mighty attitude is what irritates and disgusts most people. STA is a strong school academically, great, but so are a good number of other schools in our area and beyond. STA does not have this market cornered. And just because someone doesn't go to STA doesn't mean they can't handle the work. Not to mention there are plenty of boys at STA who are not academic stars, are they smart sure, but not any more exceptional than hundreds if not thousands of other boys in the DMV. Get over yourself.

I am not the PP. Why are you so upset by a post that points out that STA is very academically challenging? The PP did not say any of the stuff you said. The PP just stated some facts without any malice. It is true that, in terms of academic standards, STA, Sidwell, TJ, and Blair program are at the same level, though with course by course variations. For example, it is very, very hard for a 9th grader at STA to get an A from the English class. The writing standard is much higher than that at TJ. Of course, the standard of some science classes at TJ is much higher than that at STA. Some STA students struggle with homework while some stars still find time to do many other extracurricular activities. Most 9th STA students take geometry, but a few 9th graders take pre-calculus or calculus. Some families do not want their kids to go to TJ, and it is similar with STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Racism is not the only issue at STA. In very recent history there have been serious issues with racisms, sexism, unwanted sexual comments and advances, anti-semitism, and more.

Just go to a better school then. Boycott the school. So many families try so hard to get to the school. Let those families suffer.

[Anonymous]

STA is the only school in DC that has boarding students, who come from many countries. I know a few international, minority boarding students who like the school very much; they say their classmates are kind and teachers are responsible and great. I also know boarders who had to quit because of various issues. These students are tens of thousands of miles away from their home, living in a dorm in a new country. None of them mention racism as an issue. I just do not understand why those students, who are most vulnerable, do not see so racism everywhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AA parents who are interested in Stalbans for their son should talk to OJ Johnson in Admissions. Stalbans alum who coached and was AD at Wise HS. He understands.

Does he have influence? Is he helpful?

All I'm getting from some pp's is "we don't want your kind here; go to a sjw school if you want your child to even be accepted." I'm hoping that's not a cathedral parent.

I think what people are saying is that, like all schools, the school always wants to improve. I think that they deserve credit for being humbly honest and sincere in those efforts.

That being said, what any parent considering this school should put first and foremost is that it is very very challenging academically- first and foremost it is a college preparatory school. In fact, many grads later comment college was easier academically and that no school afterwards measures up to their experience at Saint Albans.

But many high achieving parents don't apply for their son because they know that for their particular kid they couldn't do the work. There is nothing wrong with that kind of awareness

Why would you want college to be easier than high school? That sounds backwards and I don’t really get the point of it.

[Anonymous]

I think the point is that it's grads are extremely well prepared to do college work in terms of self disciplined study habits, organization...that they write very well.

Part of our process as a family during the college application process was that we asked recent grads how the transition to college went. For our son, we asked this of recent grads who matriculated at Stanford, Georgia Tech, Yale, U of Chicago and MIT. Their responses were universally, " I felt prepared" and " it was not as hard as I had anticipated" or " it was very manageable"

I've also have work colleagues who ask about where our kids attend and then respond with a story to the effect of " Oh, yeah my room mate in college went there and.. WOW... was that kid organized ". Adults hiring have also commented that STA grads have very strong public speaking skills. The lifelong friendships comment is the one that seems to rise to the top the most.

Certainly the new Headmaster is genuinely dedicated to improving the degree to which every student feels welcome. His humility shows that.

Its an excellent school and I guess in some unhappy circles that attracts envy, but for many families the high academic standards and the emphasis on character education is something they are very pleased with. Best of luck to your family in your search.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:AA parents who are interested in Stalbans for their son should talk to OJ Johnson in Admissions. Stalbans alum who coached and was AD at Wise HS. He understands.

Does he have influence? Is he helpful?

All I'm getting from some pp's is "we don't want your kind here; go to a sjw school if you want your child to even be accepted." I'm hoping that's not a cathedral parent.

I think what people are saying is that, like all schools, the school always wants to improve. I think that they deserve credit for being humbly honest and sincere in those efforts.

That being said, what any parent considering this school should put first and foremost is that it is very very challenging academically- first and foremost it is a college preparatory school. In fact, many grads later comment college was easier academically and that no school afterwards measures up to their experience at Saint Albans.

But many high achieving parents don't apply for their son because they know that for their particular kid they couldn't do the work. There is nothing wrong with that kind of awareness

This high and mighty attitude is what irritates and disgusts most people. STA is a strong school academically, great, but so are a good number of other schools in our area and beyond. STA does not have this market cornered. And just because someone doesn't go to STA doesn't mean they can't handle the work. Not to mention there are plenty of boys at STA who are not academic stars, are they smart sure, but not any more exceptional than hundreds if not thousands of other boys in the DMV. Get over yourself.

+1.

Also in the context of this thread, it kind of seems like the poster who is so impressed with the "rigor" of the school is suggesting that children of color couldn't keep up. It's a pretty strong implication. At best, the comment is very tone deaf.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the point is that it's grads are extremely well prepared to do college work in terms of self disciplined study habits, organization...that they write very well.

Part of our process as a family during the college application process was that we asked recent grads how the transition to college went. For our son, we asked this of recent grads who matriculated at Stanford, Georgia Tech, Yale, U of Chicago and MIT. Their responses were universally, " I felt prepared" and " it was not as hard as I had anticipated" or " it was very manageable"

I've also have work colleagues who ask about where our kids attend and then respond with a story to the effect of " Oh, yeah my room mate in college went there and.. WOW... was that kid organized ". Adults hiring have also commented that STA grads have very strong public speaking skills. The lifelong friendships comment is the one that seems to rise to the top the most.

Certainly the new Headmaster is genuinely dedicated to improving the degree to which every student feels welcome. His humility shows that.

Its an excellent school and I guess in some unhappy circles that attracts envy, but for many families the high academic standards and the emphasis on character education is something they are very pleased with. Best of luck to your family in your search.

Love you how you "snuck in" the part that diverse families asking about the atmosphere at the cathedral schools is just a product of good old fashioned jealousy. Real cute.

[Anonymous]

I went to grad school with a few sta grads. Pp's are correct that they were hard-working, good public speakers, and engaged students. No need to be so snug about it though. If it really is a good school, you don't have to post things that are both smug and insecure all at once.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Racism is not the only issue at STA. In very recent history there have been serious issues with racisms, sexism, unwanted sexual comments and advances, anti-semitism, and more.

An essay- for grown ups- about the simultaneous attraction to the main social group/ desire to join, be welcome and assimilate VS the need to defensively objectify those same social groups, and by extension, institutions perceived as mainstream elite for their great sin of... of.. well, you on your own setting them as the standard in your mind: [url]https://www.salon.com/2013/03/06/is_shiksa_an_insult_partner/

In my opinion, stereotyping a whole group of people perceived as different is a very primitive human base instinct. It can be educated against, but that is the slow way...akin to how a limestone mountain forms over eons. society has come a long way since the 50's, but not through diversity training in the work place. I'd say that is just a by product - not the work itself.

To me, it seems if you want to lift everyone do it through bringing back high employment levels, US based investment in manufacturing at home, high living wage, get rid of gun/ drug culture and replace it with high paying infrastructure jobs in the cities and better educational systems for everyone- public and private. Fix That and the social discourse will follow.

Discourse at a few elite private schools is just safe talk in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

An essay- for grown ups- about the simultaneous attraction to the main social group/ desire to join, be welcome and assimilate VS the need to defensively objectify those same social groups, and by extension, institutions perceived as mainstream elite for their great sin of... of.. well, you on your own setting them as the standard in your mind: https://www.salon.com/2013/03/06/is_shiksa_an_insult_partner/

In my opinion, stereotyping a whole group of people perceived as different is a very primitive human base instinct. It can be educated against, but that is the slow way...akin to how a limestone mountain forms over eons. society has come a long way since the 50's, but not through diversity training in the work place. I'd say that is just a by product - not the work itself.

To me, it seems if you want to lift everyone do it through bringing back high employment levels, US based investment in manufacturing at home, high living wage, get rid of gun/ drug culture and replace it with high paying infrastructure jobs in the cities and better educational systems for everyone- public and private. Fix That and the social discourse will follow.

Discourse at a few elite private schools is just safe talk in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the question to ask is what IS the best place to send a biracial boy? It seems that every private on this board has had issues. Is there one that has been a better experience? I also saw an interesting report that Black boys who attended Catholic tended to have better outcomes later in life. Not advocating that at all but made me wonder why that might be the case. Was not what I would have expected.