SWS - You are only invited if you’re Black

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you so angry that black families are coming together to support each other? Is this hurting your child? Do you feel like you are lacking support? I know it sounds snarky, but I'm asking seriously.

+1! This is an affinity space for Black families to get to know each other. It’s not about exclusion of other races. Honestly, if you are not from a minority group (race, religion or ethnicity), I guess you just don’t get it.

—POC (not Black).

I'm a member of a minority group, and I would never have phrased an email this way, nor would I have sent it school-wide like this. Why not just announce that there are affinity groups, distribute the contact person for each group school wide, and let interested people contact the person on their own? That way you are connecting, but not making others feel excluded.

This is like making a school-wide birthday party announcement, but making it clear that only people who identify as friends of Larla can attend.

You are comparing children with adults. This is not the same.

[Anonymous]

Genuine question - do you have the same gut emotional reaction if you replace Black with LGBTQ+ for the same email?

i.e., if it read:

...we are excited to invite all families of children who identify as LGBTQ+ to the upcoming LGBTQ+ Family Social.


This special event is designed to celebrate and embrace the rich tapestry of our school community, specifically focusing on families with children who identify as LGBTQ+. It's an opportunity to come together and to strengthen connections and support among those of us raising LGBTQ+ children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Genuine question - do you have the same gut emotional reaction if you replace Black with LGBTQ+ for the same email?

i.e., if it read:

...we are excited to invite all families of children who identify as LGBTQ+ to the upcoming LGBTQ+ Family Social.


This special event is designed to celebrate and embrace the rich tapestry of our school community, specifically focusing on families with children who identify as LGBTQ+. It's an opportunity to come together and to strengthen connections and support among those of us raising LGBTQ+ children.

DP. But yes I would. I would be fine if it was parents organizing but not a school funded initiative

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genuine question - do you have the same gut emotional reaction if you replace Black with LGBTQ+ for the same email?

i.e., if it read:

...we are excited to invite all families of children who identify as LGBTQ+ to the upcoming LGBTQ+ Family Social.


This special event is designed to celebrate and embrace the rich tapestry of our school community, specifically focusing on families with children who identify as LGBTQ+. It's an opportunity to come together and to strengthen connections and support among those of us raising LGBTQ+ children.

DP. But yes I would. I would be fine if it was parents organizing but not a school funded initiative

OK, but the email came from the parents on the parent run committees.... it didn't come from school administration. So it IS parent organized. So... ?

[Anonymous]

I thought affinity groups were normal and non-objectionable in 2023. What am I missing? Should they have said “and allies”?

[Anonymous]

If you want go, just 'identify" as such. Says so right in the invite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genuine question - do you have the same gut emotional reaction if you replace Black with LGBTQ+ for the same email?

i.e., if it read:

...we are excited to invite all families of children who identify as LGBTQ+ to the upcoming LGBTQ+ Family Social.


This special event is designed to celebrate and embrace the rich tapestry of our school community, specifically focusing on families with children who identify as LGBTQ+. It's an opportunity to come together and to strengthen connections and support among those of us raising LGBTQ+ children.

DP. But yes I would. I would be fine if it was parents organizing but not a school funded initiative

We are different people... I just honestly couldn't give a rats arse, TBH. I'd read it and think "oh, that one doesn't apply to me" and frankly, "ooh, at least I don't need to go to this school event, yay!" and that's about my entire reaction to that email.

[Anonymous]

The announcement doesn't say anything about white people not being invited (unless I missed it?). It says the talks plan on focusing on a certain group. Anybody is welcome to come and participate as long as they are on topic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Genuine question - do you have the same gut emotional reaction if you replace Black with LGBTQ+ for the same email?

i.e., if it read:

...we are excited to invite all families of children who identify as LGBTQ+ to the upcoming LGBTQ+ Family Social.


This special event is designed to celebrate and embrace the rich tapestry of our school community, specifically focusing on families with children who identify as LGBTQ+. It's an opportunity to come together and to strengthen connections and support among those of us raising LGBTQ+ children.

DP. But yes I would. I would be fine if it was parents organizing but not a school funded initiative

Are you not ok with school groups for students who identify as a particular culture, religion, LGBTQ+, school groups for girls only then? Or which groups are you ok with and which ones not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you want go, just 'identify" as such. Says so right in the invite.

Just coming to say that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought affinity groups were normal and non-objectionable in 2023. What am I missing? Should they have said “and allies”?

Right? We have these at my job and I don't feel left out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: The announcement doesn't say anything about white people not being invited (unless I missed it?). It says the talks plan on focusing on a certain group. Anybody is welcome to come and participate as long as they are on topic.

Correct, it doesn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: The announcement doesn't say anything about white people not being invited (unless I missed it?). It says the talks plan on focusing on a certain group. Anybody is welcome to come and participate as long as they are on topic.

“We are excited to invite all families of children who identify as black…”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This does sound strange, tbh. People who identify as Black and/or of African descent can be really different groups?? Do people of white South African descent count here?

There is a large Ethiopian community in DC. It is likely for those families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: The announcement doesn't say anything about white people not being invited (unless I missed it?). It says the talks plan on focusing on a certain group. Anybody is welcome to come and participate as long as they are on topic.

Correct, it doesn't.

It does. It doesn’t say “whites are NOT invited”, but it says they are excited to invite “all families of children who identify as black.” If your child doesn’t identify as Black, you are not invited.