Do you think Shepherd Elementary will become/is becoming more diverse?

[Anonymous]

If the African-American student population is decreasing, isn't the school becoming less diverse?

[Anonymous]

Perhaps the question would be better rephrased as "Is the school population becoming more racially heterogeneous?" to avoid confusion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the African-American student population is decreasing, isn't the school becoming less diverse?

Did you read the thread? 95% black is not diverse. Diverse doesn't equal AA, it means a mix of different races/cultures/SES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably not much any time soon. Shepherd is really unique for a few reasons.

The neighborhood has a lot of middle to upper middle class blacks (these are a lot of the 79% AA kids) which is unusual for DC proper. It also has a lot of Jewish families who walk to synagogues nearby and live there for religious community and proximity. They will probably not send their kids to Shepherd because many prefer religious school.

I suppose if the families who choose private or charter change their minds you may see a bump in white enrollment, but in the end, that's not all that many kids in boundary.

Perhaps you'll see changes from OOB early childhood kids staying, because they come from all over the city?

FWIW, our child is an "only" and does just fine. I'm sure there will be questions and potentially uncomfortable issues as she ages, but for the first few years it's been just fine.

It's a great school (that we do not attend).

What is "DC proper"? It's a funny term. By definition, aren't we talking about Washington, specifically a DC public schools?

DC proper refers to the boundaries of Washington DC, as opposed to the entire metro area. Would you prefer if it says "...which is unusual for Washington DC" or something? I think it's relevant, because there are other neighborhoods like this in the DC area, such as in parts of Bowie, but I can't think of any others with in the city of Washington DC like Shepherd Park/Colonial Village.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're PK parents targeting Shepherd next year.

I'm honestly turned off by Janney (and AU park) due to its disconnect with the city's racial makeup. There's something really odd to me about a kid going to public school in a city that's 50% black and only having 9% of the school's population of that color. We're white, but I want my kid to understand that the world around him is not all like him.

With regards to "diversity," part of the reason we do like Shepherd is that there is true economic diversity in the school (33% FARMS), with a fair portion in the middle-to-high income part of the spectrum. This is an on-going debate here, but I think that level of financial stability leads to more engaged parents, better student performance, better student behavior, and an all-around better educational experience for all of the kids. But its not like it's a school of rich brats.

And I'm honestly turned off by the growing comfort with white loathing on DCUM, often by people who say they're white.

Here are facts:

Janney has 71% of its students whose parents state that the kids are "all 100% white." It has 29% percent of kids whose parents say their kids' skin is not white, and has different pretty colors that are not white: black,, black and white, yellow and white, russet and white, black and yellow, yellow and russet. Whatever.

Sheperd has 80% of its students whose parents state their kids are "all 100% black." It has 20% of children whose skin color does not line up with the 80% dominant color of skin. That's 20% non-dominant pretty colors at Sheperd, compared to 29% non-dominant pretty colors at Janney.

So using facts, which are often inconvenient and uncomfortable in these kinds of breezy, acceptable anti-whte comments, we see that the reviled Janney has more skin tone diversity than Sheperd. You cannot dispute this.

[as an aside, Sheperd is 80% black in a city whose population is about 48% black at this time. Why is that not "imbalanced" for PP? It's only imbalanced when the white piece of the enrollment pie is outsized, but it's not imbalanced when the black piece of the enrollment pie is outsized, as with Sheperd. Correct, PP? ]

So comments like PPs really distill down to, eh, I don't want to be around white folk.

-- a multiracial observer of DCUM protocol. Who is often assumed to be Greek, or maybe Egyptian, but in fact is neither and has a little black and a little white in her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're PK parents targeting Shepherd next year.

I'm honestly turned off by Janney (and AU park) due to its disconnect with the city's racial makeup. There's something really odd to me about a kid going to public school in a city that's 50% black and only having 9% of the school's population of that color. We're white, but I want my kid to understand that the world around him is not all like him.

With regards to "diversity," part of the reason we do like Shepherd is that there is true economic diversity in the school (33% FARMS), with a fair portion in the middle-to-high income part of the spectrum. This is an on-going debate here, but I think that level of financial stability leads to more engaged parents, better student performance, better student behavior, and an all-around better educational experience for all of the kids. But its not like it's a school of rich brats.

And I'm honestly turned off by the growing comfort with white loathing on DCUM, often by people who say they're white.

Here are facts:

Janney has 71% of its students whose parents state that the kids are "all 100% white." It has 29% percent of kids whose parents say their kids' skin is not white, and has different pretty colors that are not white: black,, black and white, yellow and white, russet and white, black and yellow, yellow and russet. Whatever.

Sheperd has 80% of its students whose parents state their kids are "all 100% black." It has 20% of children whose skin color does not line up with the 80% dominant color of skin. That's 20% non-dominant pretty colors at Sheperd, compared to 29% non-dominant pretty colors at Janney.

So using facts, which are often inconvenient and uncomfortable in these kinds of breezy, acceptable anti-whte comments, we see that the reviled Janney has more skin tone diversity than Sheperd. You cannot dispute this.

[as an aside, Sheperd is 80% black in a city whose population is about 48% black at this time. Why is that not "imbalanced" for PP? It's only imbalanced when the white piece of the enrollment pie is outsized, but it's not imbalanced when the black piece of the enrollment pie is outsized, as with Sheperd. Correct, PP? ]

So comments like PPs really distill down to, eh, I don't want to be around white folk.

-- a multiracial observer of DCUM protocol. Who is often assumed to be Greek, or maybe Egyptian, but in fact is neither and has a little black and a little white in her.

Since we're getting into the weeds, Shepherd is more diverse in the lower grades--how diverse is Janney in the lower grades?

Overall, I'd argue that 20 vs. 29% are comparable in terms of diversity. To argue otherwise seems to be somewhat splitting hairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're PK parents targeting Shepherd next year.

I'm honestly turned off by Janney (and AU park) due to its disconnect with the city's racial makeup. There's something really odd to me about a kid going to public school in a city that's 50% black and only having 9% of the school's population of that color. We're white, but I want my kid to understand that the world around him is not all like him.

With regards to "diversity," part of the reason we do like Shepherd is that there is true economic diversity in the school (33% FARMS), with a fair portion in the middle-to-high income part of the spectrum. This is an on-going debate here, but I think that level of financial stability leads to more engaged parents, better student performance, better student behavior, and an all-around better educational experience for all of the kids. But its not like it's a school of rich brats.

And I'm honestly turned off by the growing comfort with white loathing on DCUM, often by people who say they're white.

Here are facts:

Janney has 71% of its students whose parents state that the kids are "all 100% white." It has 29% percent of kids whose parents say their kids' skin is not white, and has different pretty colors that are not white: black,, black and white, yellow and white, russet and white, black and yellow, yellow and russet. Whatever.

Sheperd has 80% of its students whose parents state their kids are "all 100% black." It has 20% of children whose skin color does not line up with the 80% dominant color of skin. That's 20% non-dominant pretty colors at Sheperd, compared to 29% non-dominant pretty colors at Janney.

So using facts, which are often inconvenient and uncomfortable in these kinds of breezy, acceptable anti-whte comments, we see that the reviled Janney has more skin tone diversity than Sheperd. You cannot dispute this.

[as an aside, Sheperd is 80% black in a city whose population is about 48% black at this time. Why is that not "imbalanced" for PP? It's only imbalanced when the white piece of the enrollment pie is outsized, but it's not imbalanced when the black piece of the enrollment pie is outsized, as with Sheperd. Correct, PP? ]

So comments like PPs really distill down to, eh, I don't want to be around white folk.

-- a multiracial observer of DCUM protocol. Who is often assumed to be Greek, or maybe Egyptian, but in fact is neither and has a little black and a little white in her.

Since we're getting into the weeds, Shepherd is more diverse in the lower grades--how diverse is Janney in the lower grades?

Overall, I'd argue that 20 vs. 29% are comparable in terms of diversity. To argue otherwise seems to be somewhat splitting hairs.

I would add that taking it a step further, one might argue that the diversity of the neighborhood (not socio economic here, just straight up racial demographics) also feeds into the overall character of the school.

The term upper caucausia comes to mind. I am white; I want my children raised in a neighborhood and to attend a school that has some resemblance to society. JKLM doesn't offer that.

[Anonymous]

The way the term "Upper Caucasia" is thrown around on DCUM right along with "whitey" is pretty disturbing. Racial slurs don't have a good place anyway. (And, yes, I know some people think it is funny. It isn't.)

[Anonymous]

Shepard is less white, less Hispanic AND less Asian than Mann, for example. There is also a HUGE difference in English Language Learners, with Mann having MORE THAN 5X the percentage of Shephard.

But, by all means, keep up this "my school is diverse but yours is not" complete and utter fallacy.

Oh, and before you ask, Mann is almost 90% in boundary, so the school reflects the diversity of the neighborhood.

Can we put this to rest now?

--signed, a resident of Upper Cuacasia working hard to impoverish black folk and holding onto my pearls from the grabbing horde of the hoi polloi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We're PK parents targeting Shepherd next year.

I'm honestly turned off by Janney (and AU park) due to its disconnect with the city's racial makeup. There's something really odd to me about a kid going to public school in a city that's 50% black and only having 9% of the school's population of that color. We're white, but I want my kid to understand that the world around him is not all like him.

With regards to "diversity," part of the reason we do like Shepherd is that there is true economic diversity in the school (33% FARMS), with a fair portion in the middle-to-high income part of the spectrum. This is an on-going debate here, but I think that level of financial stability leads to more engaged parents, better student performance, better student behavior, and an all-around better educational experience for all of the kids. But its not like it's a school of rich brats.

And I'm honestly turned off by the growing comfort with white loathing on DCUM, often by people who say they're white.

Here are facts:

Janney has 71% of its students whose parents state that the kids are "all 100% white." It has 29% percent of kids whose parents say their kids' skin is not white, and has different pretty colors that are not white: black,, black and white, yellow and white, russet and white, black and yellow, yellow and russet. Whatever.

Sheperd has 80% of its students whose parents state their kids are "all 100% black." It has 20% of children whose skin color does not line up with the 80% dominant color of skin. That's 20% non-dominant pretty colors at Sheperd, compared to 29% non-dominant pretty colors at Janney.

So using facts, which are often inconvenient and uncomfortable in these kinds of breezy, acceptable anti-whte comments, we see that the reviled Janney has more skin tone diversity than Sheperd. You cannot dispute this.

[as an aside, Sheperd is 80% black in a city whose population is about 48% black at this time. Why is that not "imbalanced" for PP? It's only imbalanced when the white piece of the enrollment pie is outsized, but it's not imbalanced when the black piece of the enrollment pie is outsized, as with Sheperd. Correct, PP? ]

So comments like PPs really distill down to, eh, I don't want to be around white folk.

-- a multiracial observer of DCUM protocol. Who is often assumed to be Greek, or maybe Egyptian, but in fact is neither and has a little black and a little white in her.

Since we're getting into the weeds, Shepherd is more diverse in the lower grades--how diverse is Janney in the lower grades?

Overall, I'd argue that 20 vs. 29% are comparable in terms of diversity. To argue otherwise seems to be somewhat splitting hairs.

I would add that taking it a step further, one might argue that the diversity of the neighborhood (not socio economic here, just straight up racial demographics) also feeds into the overall character of the school.

The term upper caucausia comes to mind. I am white; I want my children raised in a neighborhood and to attend a school that has some resemblance to society. JKLM doesn't offer that.

Ok, purported "white" person who doesn't want to be around white people. You're wrong again. Ward 3 actually has some decent "skin color" diversity. Which you would know if you ever left Columbia heights or petworth.

After careful consideration and reviewing dcum closely, I am convinced that the many young, often newer-to-DC posters like the above have never actually spent any time in 20015, 20008 or 20016.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ok, purported "white" person who doesn't want to be around white people. You're wrong again. Ward 3 actually has some decent "skin color" diversity. Which you would know if you ever left Columbia heights or petworth.

After careful consideration and reviewing dcum closely, I am convinced that the many young, often newer-to-DC posters like the above have never actually spent any time in 20015, 20008 or 20016.

PP here. If you're insinuating that I'm not white - I assure you, I'm as white as they come. Mom is a card carrying DAR member.

I spend plenty of time in the 20015, which is where my impressions mostly come from. At brunch and BBQ get-together with our friends (and their neighbors) in AU park, I've been subjected to the echo chamber of how amazing Janney is and what an amazing neighborhood AU park is. I'm happy for you all that you love where you live - there's a lot to be said for that. But when I try to broach the subject that there may actually be a few other acceptable schools in DC, I'm quickly met with doubtful glances. And when I ask about diversity, I'm told the tales of how the IMF and World Bank parents bring all the diversity that's needed. I'm also regaled by stories of the handful of OOB parents and how they don't really "get" the auction, how their kids are often disruptive because of late arrivals by driving "across the city," etc. It's just no an environment I'd like to be in, nor would I want my kids to be subjected to.

I'm sure you're going to tell me that the group of people I've encountered are really not representative of the school, and how everyone's SES and racially diverse and accepting of all skin colors, religions, and paychecks...but I'll give you the same doubtful glance that I get while eating fritatta with those folks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ok, purported "white" person who doesn't want to be around white people. You're wrong again. Ward 3 actually has some decent "skin color" diversity. Which you would know if you ever left Columbia heights or petworth.

After careful consideration and reviewing dcum closely, I am convinced that the many young, often newer-to-DC posters like the above have never actually spent any time in 20015, 20008 or 20016.

PP here. If you're insinuating that I'm not white - I assure you, I'm as white as they come. Mom is a card carrying DAR member.

I spend plenty of time in the 20015, which is where my impressions mostly come from. At brunch and BBQ get-together with our friends (and their neighbors) in AU park, I've been subjected to the echo chamber of how amazing Janney is and what an amazing neighborhood AU park is. I'm happy for you all that you love where you live - there's a lot to be said for that. But when I try to broach the subject that there may actually be a few other acceptable schools in DC, I'm quickly met with doubtful glances. And when I ask about diversity, I'm told the tales of how the IMF and World Bank parents bring all the diversity that's needed. I'm also regaled by stories of the handful of OOB parents and how they don't really "get" the auction, how their kids are often disruptive because of late arrivals by driving "across the city," etc. It's just no an environment I'd like to be in, nor would I want my kids to be subjected to.

I'm sure you're going to tell me that the group of people I've encountered are really not representative of the school, and how everyone's SES and racially diverse and accepting of all skin colors, religions, and paychecks...but I'll give you the same doubtful glance that I get while eating fritatta with those folks.

Let me chime in from another part of 20015 that includes both Ward 3 & 4. We are a current Lafayette family, live in the neighborhood and everything. Same conversations, different details. Same type of insufferable people.

[Anonymous]

AU Park and Janney, especially the younger grades
are very white with a small sprinkling of diversity.
Unfortunately, the demographics have changed significantly since
housing prices have skyrocketed. Parents with older kids who are at
Deal and Wilson are shocked at how much Janney has changed - for
better or worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Probably not much any time soon. Shepherd is really unique for a few reasons.

The neighborhood has a lot of middle to upper middle class blacks (these are a lot of the 79% AA kids) which is unusual for DC proper. It also has a lot of Jewish families who walk to synagogues nearby and live there for religious community and proximity. They will probably not send their kids to Shepherd because many prefer religious school.

I suppose if the families who choose private or charter change their minds you may see a bump in white enrollment, but in the end, that's not all that many kids in boundary.

Perhaps you'll see changes from OOB early childhood kids staying, because they come from all over the city?

FWIW, our child is an "only" and does just fine. I'm sure there will be questions and potentially uncomfortable issues as she ages, but for the first few years it's been just fine.

It's a great school (that we do not attend).

What is "DC proper"? It's a funny term. By definition, aren't we talking about Washington, specifically a DC public schools?

DC proper refers to the boundaries of Washington DC, as opposed to the entire metro area. Would you prefer if it says "...which is unusual for Washington DC" or something? I think it's relevant, because there are other neighborhoods like this in the DC area, such as in parts of Bowie, but I can't think of any others with in the city of Washington DC like Shepherd Park/Colonial Village.

Then wny not just say Washington, DC? That's the name, and everyone will know exactly what you mean. "DC Proper" sounds silly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If the African-American student population is decreasing, isn't the school becoming less diverse?

Did you read the thread? 95% black is not diverse. Diverse doesn't equal AA, it means a mix of different races/cultures/SES.

In DC, diverse means AA. A school that is 95% AA is diverse. Evidently you jusst don't get DC.