Which DMV middle and high schools are best integrated?

[Anonymous]

OP here, I didn't have a chance to respond recently given general holiday madness. Thanks to everyone who suggested schools, I'll look into those. As for suggestions that I look up statistics: numbers won't really tell me whether the kids from different backgrounds are actually hanging out together and becoming friends, that's why I posted here. To those who are implying that it's natural for kids to self-segregate, on the one hand that's true -- because it's easier to stick with your kind if you haven't learned otherwise -- - but it's not unavoidable. For my family, it's worth making the effort so the kids can get to know people from other cultures/backgrounds. There are some schools in big cities that manage to create an atmosphere where kids of different backgrounds become friends, those are the ones I'm looking for. Anyway, thanks all for the responses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC first and foremost. Silver Spring. And Arlington just resegragated it's HS's--one has a PTA budget of 50k (few kid's on free/reduced lunch) and another has a budget of 15K (disproportionately free/reduced lunch)--you could take a stand and send your child to the integrated school that the Arlington whites are screwing. I would also look at Reston--south not north. They are pretty integrated. As for the people who are howling about self-segregation--it is called identity development. Take a class at your loacl community college and it will explain the dynamics you don't understand.

I find it ridiculous that anyone would suggest DC "first and foremost," knowing that white parents in DC won't integrate any middle and high schools in DC other than Deal and Wilson. So, yes, "best integrated" completely on THEIR terms, even if it means that most AA students in DCPS continue to be relegated to schools that have virtually no students that are not black or Hispanic.

Silver Spring and Reston, I could understand, but DCPS is the worst when it comes to integration. No other school system would tolerate what DCPS allows.

[Anonymous]

I would say Silver Spring or Rockville.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC first and foremost. Silver Spring. And Arlington just resegragated it's HS's--one has a PTA budget of 50k (few kid's on free/reduced lunch) and another has a budget of 15K (disproportionately free/reduced lunch)--you could take a stand and send your child to the integrated school that the Arlington whites are screwing. I would also look at Reston--south not north. They are pretty integrated. As for the people who are howling about self-segregation--it is called identity development. Take a class at your loacl community college and it will explain the dynamics you don't understand.

I find it ridiculous that anyone would suggest DC "first and foremost," knowing that white parents in DC won't integrate any middle and high schools in DC other than Deal and Wilson. So, yes, "best integrated" completely on THEIR terms, even if it means that most AA students in DCPS continue to be relegated to schools that have virtually no students that are not black or Hispanic.

Silver Spring and Reston, I could understand, but DCPS is the worst when it comes to integration. No other school system would tolerate what DCPS allows.

DCPS are classic segregated schools--thing 1970s because white people don't want to send their precious babies to school with black and brown kids. If white residences sucked it up and sent their kids to the schools, everyone would get a better education. The schools would be integrated and their funding streams would increase. OP sounds like they understand systemic oppression and want their kids to have an integrated public education. If I could afford DC, I would live their and work to integrate their schools, But six figures doesn't cut it and I live in an integrated suburb.

OP, I would also see about MD in general. It tends to be more integrated in general and not so much of a rat race.

[Anonymous]

We live in Takoma Park and my kids have a very diverse group of friends. I wouldn't say there is a lot of SES diversity in friends except via local sports (Takoma soccer and basketball), unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

In Arlington, yes, there is a big divide between two HS's but Washington-Lee is has balanced population. My DS is at Jefferson MS and will go to W-L. The MS population there is also very diverse and he has friends from a variety of races and SES levels. Only downside is that most of Jefferson will go to Wakefield so most of his friends won't go to HS with him.

[Anonymous]

Silver Spring -- Blair, Einstein and Northwood clusters - maybe also Wheaton

[Anonymous]

I think Blair is something close to 25% black, 25% asian, 25% hispanic and 25% white.

[Anonymous]

My kids are happy at Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt (Prince Georges County). It's not a balance but it is integrated. 60% black, 14% Hispanic, 14% white.
http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland/districts/prince-georges-county-public-schools/eleanor-roosevelt-high-9171

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Silver spring 20901, 20910 zip codes, Northwood and Einstein clusters (Silver Spring International MS, Sligo MS).

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look for a school in which no particular race is dominant. Montgomery Blair, Gaithersburg, etc have no majority race. But do accept that kids, like adults, self-segregate. And as one other poster alluded to, it really is a white privilege thing to want to obliterate those distinctions, because those distinctions are meaningful and part of what make each race and ethnicity unique, interesting, and special. So I would recommend not seeking a school in which everything is super integrated and "colorblind" but rather a school in which relationships are harmonious and respectful. It's okay that people find comfort in relationships with other people from the same racial or national background. You just don't want an environment where relationships across the races are hostile or not open to interracial relationships. FWIW, I'm a white parent in a cluster where there is no majority race. DD's friendships change and evolve but I can see she is free to hang out with whoever she wants, and that has meant various groups of white, Hispanic, and black kids, but generally there is a dominant race to each of the friend groups. That's okay, don't become the PC police about it.

DCUM isn't the best place to get advice about schools that aren't in Bethesda or Potomac (where diversity means that there are asians too). Take everything you read here about racial diversity in schools with a grain of salt.

+1

~Mom to two Blair kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DC first and foremost. Silver Spring. And Arlington just resegragated it's HS's--one has a PTA budget of 50k (few kid's on free/reduced lunch) and another has a budget of 15K (disproportionately free/reduced lunch)--you could take a stand and send your child to the integrated school that the Arlington whites are screwing. I would also look at Reston--south not north. They are pretty integrated. As for the people who are howling about self-segregation--it is called identity development. Take a class at your loacl community college and it will explain the dynamics you don't understand.

I find it ridiculous that anyone would suggest DC "first and foremost," knowing that white parents in DC won't integrate any middle and high schools in DC other than Deal and Wilson. So, yes, "best integrated" completely on THEIR terms, even if it means that most AA students in DCPS continue to be relegated to schools that have virtually no students that are not black or Hispanic.

Silver Spring and Reston, I could understand, but DCPS is the worst when it comes to integration. No other school system would tolerate what DCPS allows.

Ok... but what do you expect people to do? Send their kids to terrible, underperforming schools? Your child is not a political point.

[Anonymous]

The best schools have Asians and whites. The rest are meh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look for a school in which no particular race is dominant. Montgomery Blair, Gaithersburg, etc have no majority race. But do accept that kids, like adults, self-segregate. And as one other poster alluded to, it really is a white privilege thing to want to obliterate those distinctions, because those distinctions are meaningful and part of what make each race and ethnicity unique, interesting, and special. So I would recommend not seeking a school in which everything is super integrated and "colorblind" but rather a school in which relationships are harmonious and respectful. It's okay that people find comfort in relationships with other people from the same racial or national background. You just don't want an environment where relationships across the races are hostile or not open to interracial relationships. FWIW, I'm a white parent in a cluster where there is no majority race. DD's friendships change and evolve but I can see she is free to hang out with whoever she wants, and that has meant various groups of white, Hispanic, and black kids, but generally there is a dominant race to each of the friend groups. That's okay, don't become the PC police about it.

DCUM isn't the best place to get advice about schools that aren't in Bethesda or Potomac (where diversity means that there are asians too). Take everything you read here about racial diversity in schools with a grain of salt.

+1

~Mom to two Blair kids

+2 Zoned for Takoma Park Middle and Blair. Both very ethnically diverse.

[Anonymous]

OP,

I think you find the most "integration" in schools where there are (a) a substantive balance of different groups, and (b) economically homogeneous population.

It seems to me that kids cluster with their own kind when there are few others of that kind, or when the economic backgrounds are stark b/t two groups. Like attracts like. It's not b/c people are racist, it's because people make friends with those who are similar.