Is GDS too woke?

[Anonymous]

I wonder how black students at GDS feel about this? I have an idea from looking at the BlackatGDS IG account.

[Anonymous]

The poor poor victimized white people.

[Anonymous]

Study well, stay out of trouble, work hard, get a job, help others.

[Anonymous]

I wonder what international families or any of the 30% immigration population feels about this indoctrination.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what international families or any of the 30% immigration population feels about this indoctrination.

Immigrant family here. We applied to GDS and we are really hoping DD gets accepted!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes it does. It happens at GDS and the other independent schools. Parents are finally saying enough. There has to be a way to teach inclusion without being abusive to white students. I do not think any independent school is currently doing this well.

Considering how competitive it is to get accepted to GDS, it seems many parents don’t share your point of view.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with GDS is not that it is too woke, it's that its existence is in conflict with its values.

This. How do schools like GDS reconcile their supposed values with the fact that their existence in their present form - exclusive, expensive - is based on and depends on the institutional racism that creates legacy status and generates intergenerational wealth? Do they ever discuss with their students where their tuition money comes from and why their families can afford it?

My kids' answer would be: Because my parents chose to work their asses off to pay for my education. And I'm grateful to them for that.

Great! What about the other kids? Anyone want to talk about Grandpa’s money and where he made it?

It’s great to talk about all these issues but an expensive school like GDS (or NCS/STA or SFS or Maret or Potomac or ... ) never talks about how most families who can afford the tuition got that money. And they never talk about how they could change their own school to try to correct the imbalance. Eliminate legacies. Find ways to cut fat to lower tuition. Etc.

If Grandpa worked his ass off to benefit his grandchildren and their education, what business is that of yours? Why don't you get to work and help your own kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes it does. It happens at GDS and the other independent schools. Parents are finally saying enough. There has to be a way to teach inclusion without being abusive to white students. I do not think any independent school is currently doing this well.

I agree, as a person who is very in support of diversity and Inclusion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The problem with GDS is not that it is too woke, it's that its existence is in conflict with its values.

This. How do schools like GDS reconcile their supposed values with the fact that their existence in their present form - exclusive, expensive - is based on and depends on the institutional racism that creates legacy status and generates intergenerational wealth? Do they ever discuss with their students where their tuition money comes from and why their families can afford it?

My kids' answer would be: Because my parents chose to work their asses off to pay for my education. And I'm grateful to them for that.

Great! What about the other kids? Anyone want to talk about Grandpa’s money and where he made it?

It’s great to talk about all these issues but an expensive school like GDS (or NCS/STA or SFS or Maret or Potomac or ... ) never talks about how most families who can afford the tuition got that money. And they never talk about how they could change their own school to try to correct the imbalance. Eliminate legacies. Find ways to cut fat to lower tuition. Etc.

If Grandpa worked his ass off to benefit his grandchildren and their education, what business is that of yours? Why don't you get to work and help your own kids?

Yep. Especially given that my kids grandpa in no benefited from white privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a bit turned off at the Open House when so much of the emphasis was on explaining their equity/woke positions. I have no problem with those positions per se, but it was a weird pitch to focus on that and never mention the math curriculum. I know that the school teaches math, but it was not a correctly calibrate pitch for what many parents want to hear about in an Open House. We ended up at a different school and are happy. I have friends happy at GDS. I think it’s more of a messaging problem than an actual problem with what the kids are learning.

I felt the same, and we are already at a very progressive and liberal leaning school. I’d agree it might be a messaging problem, in that most parents want to know about the academic curriculum and approach just as much. Sometimes schools like this feel they have lost the vision and start to see themselves as a social justice non-profit, ministerial in nature.

Same. Our entire interview this year was about this stuff. We are super liberal and teach our kids this at home. The school asked only two questions about our kid. Guess we aren't a good fit despite all the great things we hear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it does. It happens at GDS and the other independent schools. Parents are finally saying enough. There has to be a way to teach inclusion without being abusive to white students. I do not think any independent school is currently doing this well.

Considering how competitive it is to get accepted to GDS, it seems many parents don’t share your point of view.

Many people don’t realize the extent until their child is there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The poor poor victimized white people.

That’s the attitude that got trump elected

[Anonymous]

Reflecting on my own education, I am appalled by how much was left out. I sent my kids to GDS and am glad that they are receiving a great, well-rounded education that more accurately reflects the world we live in. They won't be shocked, for sure, when they arrive at college and are exposed to progressive ideas for the first time - as I was. For sure, if these ideas were taught without a solid education, I'd be upset. But, my kids are also learning how to write well, read carefully, do advanced math and science, and have a good sampling of electives. All in all, I'm pretty happy with the education they're receiving.

If you think that politics are somehow separate from education, then GDS is not the school for you.

I agree with the PPs, though, who point out that GDS is not great when it comes to discussing economic privilege. There are definitely clueless kids and parents at the school who keep on insisting that they are "middle class" while driving Range Rovers and owning multiple homes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes it does. It happens at GDS and the other independent schools. Parents are finally saying enough. There has to be a way to teach inclusion without being abusive to white students. I do not think any independent school is currently doing this well.

I really hope the schools around here, both public and private, here this and moderate a bit. I have no interest in sending my kids to catholic schools, but it seems like they are the only ones in this area where it is not an issue.

+1 things are out of hand and misguided.

gDS needs to go Back to the Basics on everything, academics and social justice.

Instead they’re going more off the turnip truck to build and staff a regional Activism Center. Presumably paid for by tuition dollars since they have said otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was a bit turned off at the Open House when so much of the emphasis was on explaining their equity/woke positions. I have no problem with those positions per se, but it was a weird pitch to focus on that and never mention the math curriculum. I know that the school teaches math, but it was not a correctly calibrate pitch for what many parents want to hear about in an Open House. We ended up at a different school and are happy. I have friends happy at GDS. I think it’s more of a messaging problem than an actual problem with what the kids are learning.

I felt the same, and we are already at a very progressive and liberal leaning school. I’d agree it might be a messaging problem, in that most parents want to know about the academic curriculum and approach just as much. Sometimes schools like this feel they have lost the vision and start to see themselves as a social justice non-profit, ministerial in nature.

Same. Our entire interview this year was about this stuff. We are super liberal and teach our kids this at home. The school asked only two questions about our kid. Guess we aren't a good fit despite all the great things we hear.

You’re kidding. The student or parent application interviews are mainly centered on social justice and political ideology?