Informal survey of African American families

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: When people say to me, "you're Black, you'll get in!!!" I say...

"you're damn right because WE are tight!"

I know other folk may not like hip-hop bravado - I think its great - this rhyme cracked me up and was a great reminder that it is important to have confidence in your child's abilities, because no one else will.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes you THINK your so hip? Oh, the way you dress and the music? That is hilarious and it is IGNORGANT. I'm white and I live in the city (not a "leafty" neighborhood either) and I dress hip and listen to hip hop and rap but does that make me better or more qualified. It is just wrong for you to say that people will judge you or me because of the way we dress and where we live. What really bothered me more was your comment about the people talking about you are the one's holding rejection letters...GET OVER YOURSELF..I'm sure NOBODY is even thinking about YOU!

You're right!!! No one is thinking about her BUT what you don't understand as a white woman is that some level of confidence is needed in order to get thru the b.s. that is thrown at AA's. Comments similar to the one OP highlighted is just a sampling of the kinds of backhanded insults/compliments that we get all the time. FWIW... people DO judge others by the way the dress and where they live. It's a fact. I would also venture to say that the comment about the one's talking are the one's holding the rejection letters, while arrogant, is rooted more in pride and I-told-you-so. When you are constantly told that you are only where you are because of the color of your skin... arrogance will rear its ugly head. My 2 cents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a caucasian parent, I probably harbor reverse prejudice-- i take it for granted that the african american kids at our private school are probably, on average, smarter, more accomplished and more interesting than the caucasian kids-- on the theory that they come from families where, given this country's legacy of discrimination, the adults had to be really, really good to get where they got, and some of those smarts and skills probably rubbed off on their kids....

You are a rare gem, poster. Thank you for being much more open-minded and observant than most.

[Anonymous]

I just hate the part where caucasians feel their precious kids could never be less intelligent than a black kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What makes you THINK your so hip? Oh, the way you dress and the music? That is hilarious and it is IGNORGANT. I'm white and I live in the city (not a "leafty" neighborhood either) and I dress hip and listen to hip hop and rap but does that make me better or more qualified. It is just wrong for you to say that people will judge you or me because of the way we dress and where we live. What really bothered me more was your comment about the people talking about you are the one's holding rejection letters...GET OVER YOURSELF..I'm sure NOBODY is even thinking about YOU!

It's you're, ignorant, and ones. Your grammar sucks. Where did you go to school?

[Anonymous]

I went to the school that you are dying for your child to be accepted. Its a school that only accepts qualified students and doesn't bother with counting how many white or minority students it has! Sounds like the perfect school for you. It will give you the status you never had and that you are looking for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW... DH and I look very young and outside of work we dress like hip twenty year olds. We also don't live in a leafy NW 'hood. People make assumptions based on appearance and it's so unfortunate because those same people are the ones holding the rejection letters wondering how WE got in.

YOU ARE IGNORNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GHETTO

Exactly what about this post portrays ignorance or ghettoness? People judge persons by how they dress and where they live...and apparently how they speak....every single day. You must be one of the ones holding a rejection letter and hatin' on the poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just hate the part where caucasians feel their precious kids could never be less intelligent than a black kid.

This kind of hostility is really uncalled for. No one on here has said anything to that effect.

[Anonymous]

Just based on the educational/occupational demographics of DC families who are applying to these places, it seems like a no-brainer that the resulting class, regardless of race, comes from a pretty high-achieving group and is on the same high-achieving path as their parents.

These schools' applicant pools runneth over with talented kids of all creeds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: When people say to me, "you're Black, you'll get in!!!" I say...

"you're damn right because WE are tight!"

I know other folk may not like hip-hop bravado - I think its great - this rhyme cracked me up and was a great reminder that it is important to have confidence in your child's abilities, because no one else will.

I actually liked this response. Not going the private school route with my children but I still remember the comments when it came to college admissions. Oh and don't let the other person have been rejected from the top ten school you got into. It's hard to have that comeback that doesn't sound preachy or go into an awkward discussion but at the same time doesn't let that type of comment slide. I like the way the PP used humor but also made a point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just hate the part where caucasians feel their precious kids could never be less intelligent than a black kid.

This kind of hostility is really uncalled for. No one on here has said anything to that effect.

No the poster of the initiate quote and I agree that no one on this thread has said anything to that effect. However, if responses are anything like last year - stick around to read the threads on accepted/rejected to X private school and you will here shades (no pun intended) of what the PP said.