Talk to me about MS and HS -- peers, safety, school culture

[Anonymous]

We've survived the choices of elem. Now we're looking ahead to MS and HS. Our local MS/HS is more "diverse" than our neighborhood elem. school. I suppose this is often true as there are more elem. schools pulling together (and therefore more variations on housing, wealth, racial categories).

Our elem. has lots of racial diversity, but mostly homogeneous in terms of professional parents and economically stable households. The MS/HS demographics trend toward significantly more needy kids and culturally -- it's a plurality -- with kids like mine making up about 30% of the school (down from about 50% at the elem).

For those who have experienced MS/HS -- tell me about the influence of peers (those that are actual friends and those that are just in the school, but not actual friends), how safe did your child feel at school, how did the overall demographics of the school affect your child's experience/education -- or did it not have any effect? If the school had a significantly needy population, do you fee that the administration gave the appropriate amount of attention to that group? (too much?, too little?)

How did you make your decision on where to live/send your child to MS/HS school? Do you think your initial reasoning was borne out in reality? If your child's experience was less than expected, to what do you attribute that?

[Anonymous]

We are in almost the same situation. I think in MS and HS the kids are separated out by Gen. Ed and Honors. Those who are behind or those who don't want to excel will most likely not be in Honors, so there will be a separation there. I don't remember having to deal with many kids like that in MS and HS because we were always in different classes and specials. In higher poverty MSs, I've noticed fewer academically enriching after school activities and wondered why since there are high achieving students there. Why aren't there more options for them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are in almost the same situation. I think in MS and HS the kids are separated out by Gen. Ed and Honors. Those who are behind or those who don't want to excel will most likely not be in Honors, so there will be a separation there. I don't remember having to deal with many kids like that in MS and HS because we were always in different classes and specials. In higher poverty MSs, I've noticed fewer academically enriching after school activities and wondered why since there are high achieving students there. Why aren't there more options for them?

The county spends more money per student on higher poverty schools than low-poverty schools, but there are fewer students interested in academic clubs and fewer parent volunteers. The difference in the strength of extra-curricular programs persists all the way through HS.

[Anonymous]

Why does race even have to be factored in? I'm sorry, your post rubbed me the wrong way, OP.

Was it not a black mother who reigned in her rioting son in Baltimore?

I am a white woman but I just hate the fact that you are concerned that your child will be a racial minority at their new school.

So what? Embrace the opportunity that this will present for your child. Do not jump to judgement. We are all looking for a better life for our kids. We all love our kids.

[Anonymous]

I would think there would be enough interest with 50% of the student body NOT in poverty and AAP/compacted math students feeding into it. Kids aren't going to ask for this since they most likely don't know about it. It's up to the parents to ask for it. Maybe the parents don't even know what's available because they haven't looked at what is available at other schools. Check out other MS to find out, particularly AAP MS, and then ask at your orientation. These AAP MS have many offerings and teachers to lead them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does race even have to be factored in? I'm sorry, your post rubbed me the wrong way, OP.

Was it not a black mother who reigned in her rioting son in Baltimore?

I am a white woman but I just hate the fact that you are concerned that your child will be a racial minority at their new school.

So what? Embrace the opportunity that this will present for your child. Do not jump to judgement. We are all looking for a better life for our kids. We all love our kids.

I find it to be a weird, fearful sounding post. On the other hand, whoop de doo--one mother doing what seemed like a good thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does race even have to be factored in? I'm sorry, your post rubbed me the wrong way, OP.

Was it not a black mother who reigned in her rioting son in Baltimore?

I am a white woman but I just hate the fact that you are concerned that your child will be a racial minority at their new school.

So what? Embrace the opportunity that this will present for your child. Do not jump to judgement. We are all looking for a better life for our kids. We all love our kids.

How can it not have an impact at some point? If a school is 10% X (racial group) does that not affect the experience of the kids in that group? If the school is 90% X (same racial group), does that not influence the culture? If you say it doesn't matter, then why do people clamor to get into schools like Langley and not Mt. Vernon? Is there some percentage that you would consider "acceptable" --- would you send your child to a ms/hs where they were in a group of 10%?

Why is it ok in other posts for parents of AA kids to say "I want my child to be in a school where there are enough others that look like them... which schools should we look at?" Where is the tipping point where there are "enough" kids that look like yours? What percentage is that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does race even have to be factored in? I'm sorry, your post rubbed me the wrong way, OP.

Was it not a black mother who reigned in her rioting son in Baltimore?

I am a white woman but I just hate the fact that you are concerned that your child will be a racial minority at their new school.

So what? Embrace the opportunity that this will present for your child. Do not jump to judgement. We are all looking for a better life for our kids. We all love our kids.

I find it to be a weird, fearful sounding post. On the other hand, whoop de doo--one mother doing what seemed like a good thing.

Someone I know was the first white person to move into a "poor" section of Capital Hill years ago. He was never mugged, called a cracker, or beaten. He treated his neighbors like human beings and did not judge them. He never had a problem. I just think people need to stop judging unless they personally experience something and even then, they should tie it to the individual and never tie it to race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does race even have to be factored in? I'm sorry, your post rubbed me the wrong way, OP.

Was it not a black mother who reigned in her rioting son in Baltimore?

I am a white woman but I just hate the fact that you are concerned that your child will be a racial minority at their new school.

So what? Embrace the opportunity that this will present for your child. Do not jump to judgement. We are all looking for a better life for our kids. We all love our kids.

How can it not have an impact at some point? If a school is 10% X (racial group) does that not affect the experience of the kids in that group? If the school is 90% X (same racial group), does that not influence the culture? If you say it doesn't matter, then why do people clamor to get into schools like Langley and not Mt. Vernon? Is there some percentage that you would consider "acceptable" --- would you send your child to a ms/hs where they were in a group of 10%?

Why is it ok in other posts for parents of AA kids to say "I want my child to be in a school where there are enough others that look like them... which schools should we look at?" Where is the tipping point where there are "enough" kids that look like yours? What percentage is that?

It is racist no matter what race is posing the question. We are all human beings, folks! Let's unite on the fact that we all want the same things for our kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does race even have to be factored in? I'm sorry, your post rubbed me the wrong way, OP.

Was it not a black mother who reigned in her rioting son in Baltimore?

I am a white woman but I just hate the fact that you are concerned that your child will be a racial minority at their new school.

So what? Embrace the opportunity that this will present for your child. Do not jump to judgement. We are all looking for a better life for our kids. We all love our kids.

How can it not have an impact at some point? If a school is 10% X (racial group) does that not affect the experience of the kids in that group? If the school is 90% X (same racial group), does that not influence the culture? If you say it doesn't matter, then why do people clamor to get into schools like Langley and not Mt. Vernon? Is there some percentage that you would consider "acceptable" --- would you send your child to a ms/hs where they were in a group of 10%?

Why is it ok in other posts for parents of AA kids to say "I want my child to be in a school where there are enough others that look like them... which schools should we look at?" Where is the tipping point where there are "enough" kids that look like yours? What percentage is that?

It is racist no matter what race is posing the question. We are all human beings, folks! Let's unite on the fact that we all want the same things for our kids!

We all want our kids to have the necessities. It is ridiculous to suggest we all want our kids to have the same things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does race even have to be factored in? I'm sorry, your post rubbed me the wrong way, OP.

Was it not a black mother who reigned in her rioting son in Baltimore?

I am a white woman but I just hate the fact that you are concerned that your child will be a racial minority at their new school.

So what? Embrace the opportunity that this will present for your child. Do not jump to judgement. We are all looking for a better life for our kids. We all love our kids.

How can it not have an impact at some point? If a school is 10% X (racial group) does that not affect the experience of the kids in that group? If the school is 90% X (same racial group), does that not influence the culture? If you say it doesn't matter, then why do people clamor to get into schools like Langley and not Mt. Vernon? Is there some percentage that you would consider "acceptable" --- would you send your child to a ms/hs where they were in a group of 10%?

Why is it ok in other posts for parents of AA kids to say "I want my child to be in a school where there are enough others that look like them... which schools should we look at?" Where is the tipping point where there are "enough" kids that look like yours? What percentage is that?

It is racist no matter what race is posing the question. We are all human beings, folks! Let's unite on the fact that we all want the same things for our kids!

We all want our kids to have the necessities. It is ridiculous to suggest we all want our kids to have the same things.

Oh, have you personally sat down and talked to their parents (like me), or do you just get all your opinions from conservative talk radio?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does race even have to be factored in? I'm sorry, your post rubbed me the wrong way, OP.

Was it not a black mother who reigned in her rioting son in Baltimore?

I am a white woman but I just hate the fact that you are concerned that your child will be a racial minority at their new school.

So what? Embrace the opportunity that this will present for your child. Do not jump to judgement. We are all looking for a better life for our kids. We all love our kids.

How can it not have an impact at some point? If a school is 10% X (racial group) does that not affect the experience of the kids in that group? If the school is 90% X (same racial group), does that not influence the culture? If you say it doesn't matter, then why do people clamor to get into schools like Langley and not Mt. Vernon? Is there some percentage that you would consider "acceptable" --- would you send your child to a ms/hs where they were in a group of 10%?

Why is it ok in other posts for parents of AA kids to say "I want my child to be in a school where there are enough others that look like them... which schools should we look at?" Where is the tipping point where there are "enough" kids that look like yours? What percentage is that?

It is racist no matter what race is posing the question. We are all human beings, folks! Let's unite on the fact that we all want the same things for our kids!

We all want our kids to have the necessities. It is ridiculous to suggest we all want our kids to have the same things.

Oh, have you personally sat down and talked to their parents (like me), or do you just get all your opinions from conservative talk radio?

I don't get why you think the PP had some conservative agenda. We all want our kids to do well, but people have different aspirations for their children and each child is different. Why would we want the same thing for all of them?

[Anonymous]

I too was rubbed the wrong way by the OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In higher poverty MSs, I've noticed fewer academically enriching after school activities and wondered why since there are high achieving students there. Why aren't there more options for them?

Good point.

One of the advisory committees (AAPAC) included a listing of after-school programs at each middle school as part of their report. It's on the FCPS website:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/aap/pdfs/aapac/2013-14/2012-2013AnnualReport.pdf

The listing starts on page 50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I too was rubbed the wrong way by the OP.

?? what is the percentage (at your kids' school) that are the same racial group as your kids? Just wondering if you walk the walk or just talk the talk.