Banneker vs. Walls
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Anonymous
I see a push to make GT programs and test-in schools more inclusive around the country, vs. to eliminate them. That's the current emphasis in Boston and NYC. I also see the push accelerating once affirmative action is scaled back. It's one thing for low SES Banneker students to have a chance to access highly competitive colleges with a few AP passes, another thing altogether if these kids will need 4s and 5s on half a dozen APs for the same opportunities. BASIS' popularity with families of color probably isn't lost on DC politicians. |
Anonymous
What does the bolded phrase "diverse" means. It means different things to different people. For the sake of argument let's start with a definition that "diversity" would mean that the school's hypothetical population would be demographically the same as DC's school age population. The data tells us there exists correlation between low-SES/UMC status and performance on tests and in academic success. We know that the population in DC that is at risk is disproportionately black. We know that the population of UMC is disproportionately white. Based on those three knowns it is clear that that the population would NOT match that of DC. And measured against that standard of "diversity" it would fail. I'm not saying that's wrong but we need to address that elephant before we can design a plan. If "diversity" means some parts black/white without regard to the actual school age population what is the desired allocation? And how do you arrive at it without accusations of bias or social engineering? The fact that a test-in school in DC has a higher percentage of black students than does a test-in school in a jurisdiction somewhere with very few black students doesn't really illustrate "diversity". My point is this: you drastically oversimplify the issue and recite platitudes about "forward thinking leadership". Before you pronounce how easy this all is start with this? What is the definition of "diversity" your easy plan seeks to achieve? |
Anonymous
You need to double check your data before using it to support your conclusion. Basis is 26% black in a city with an enrolled black population 64% of total enrolled. The white Basis population is 46% in a city with an enrolled white population of 12% of enrolled. Were DC pols to draw a conclusion as you suggested it would result in the opposite of what you think it would. Fortunately (we hope) no DC official is using straight demo data in this regard. |
Anonymous
Clearly the Ivy grad who interviewed students know a more about the caliber of Banneker students than parents who have or had kids there. Unbelievable! Ivy grad interviewer has some sort of axe to grind and it is clear it centers around affirmative action and Asians since she mentioned it above. Let’s be honest, the Banneker students she interviewed didn’t stand a chance! She already made up her mind as soon as she saw she was interviewing a black student. |
Anonymous
You seem to be seeking perfection and that doesn't exist. Diversity in this context means racial and economic equality or as close as you can get. Walls is good example. It's certainly not perfect but it's not monolithic either. I'm pretty sure looking at programs in other cities is not a platitude or "forward thinking" in any way. But it does take will and vision. I was in a magnet program many years ago in a city that was and is pretty much 60% Black. There was self-segregation and really little that could be done about it. The educational opportunity drastically outweighed anything else and still does. Your line of thinking is probably is why DC doesn't have magnet program. You won't to find reasons against and problems. You have to start first and there are a lot of examples to look too. So it's not some gargantuan lift that you are making it out to be. DCPS is roughly 50K students which is pretty small in comparison to other major cities. Pretty sad not to have a magnet program and 30% of school age kids in private schools. Maybe I'm just wrong and out of touch. But paying for private school as the only viable option for on grade level or advanced kids is not the way any place I've lived has functioned. |
Anonymous
That’s not the impression I got at all. Sounds like the Ivy League interviewer really wanted to help Banneker applicants gain admission to his or her alma mater but was stymied because the kids hadn’t been prepped or pushed adequately from a young age. These are obvious, deeply rooted problems. Don’t shoot the messenger. |
Anonymous
My question is always - what do they do with the opportunity? They seize it. They do well in college. They don't flunk out. That tells me that if given the opportunity, they will perform. Lots of schools are going to test optional. That will also change the game. I didn't do very well on the LSAT and was fortunate to get into a top law school. I graduated in the top 5% of my law school class. Turns out that that test didn't mean a whole lot. I did much better than many students who had amazing scores. That tells me that tests don't tell the entire story. |
Anonymous
| So give them the opportunity in their K to 12 schooling. No need to wait. |
Anonymous
You did it again! These terms need to be defined so we understand what our goal is. You really think that defining "diversity" as "racial and economic equality" is any more clear of a policy goal? Maybe the way racial equality and access to schools was distributed "many years ago" ought not be the standard by which we measure desired outcomes today. Oh, and DCPS is 50,000. And Charters are another 50,000. While 100,000 isn't huge by any standard might I suggest your bone fides might be brandished were you to have a basic understanding of the academic environment about which you seek to opine? But tell us more about how educational access, diversity and segregation in the 70s and 80s is what we should aspire to my friend. |
Anonymous
Well, did Banneker have some ivy admits this year? I am not on instagram so I have no idea how Banneker did this year. Ivy’s are generous with financial aid so the money should not be a huge barrier |
Anonymous
Yelp..You keep doing it--finding a reason NOT to do it  People like to say what does "diversity" mean or what's the policy? All they are really saying is "We can't do that because it won't work." I have no interest in that discussion simply because you'll never get any where. It will always come back to "perfection." I'm no educator but I do see the families that are stretching themselves thin to pay for private school just to ensure their kid's future. Racial Equality is a myth and schools are still very segregated as the 70s. So what's your permanent or proposed solution..Do we go back to busing kids an hour away?
Fascinating Convo Thou.... |
Anonymous
My proposed solution is....for the city council to finally pass a law on GT education in the District for starters, like our near neighbors in MD and VA did in the 1990s. Require all DCPS K-8 programs to test the intellectually gifted and to provide appropriate services to these kids, with ample structure and funding. Create multiple test-in middle school programs for the intellectually gifted, including at least one Across the River. End social promotion in all public middle schools in the District. If kids can't meet grade-level academic standards, provide them with effective interventions until they can advance a grade on their merits. Upgrade and expand vocational high school training options in the District while adding rigor for the college bound. Build more serious admission high school magnet programs. Copy Chicago's approach to GT. Chicago does a much better job than Boston and NYC in identifying and nurturing low SES minority academic talent in K-12 education. Move beyond affirmative action oriented admissions planning for low SES minority students in the District. Aim higher for minority students shooting for competitive colleges, BASIS approach to preparing for AP exams vs. Banneker approach, anticipating that affirmative action is on its way out. |
Anonymous
So how and when can we get started? |
Anonymous
| Isn’t PP going to impose their plan on the city by fiat? Just as soon as they win one more argument on DCUM. |
Anonymous
"Low-ses minority talent" groups together groups that do not have aligned interests or outcomes. The low income kids who benefit the most in terms of testing into g&t programs are immigrant or second-gen kids. No school in any city is filling genuinely test-in gifted programs with low-income non-immigrant kids of any race. Create test-in middle school programs and the students will be UMC kids of all races (but disproportionately white and Asian). Put g&t resources across the river and the main result will be exacerbating gentrification. Chicago has been dealing with this as well, even though they don't do straight admission based on scores but have a tier system based on zip code. But they still didn't like the economic and racial outcomes so they're trying to further de emphasize the test to change who gets in. (And this is for test in elementary schools as well, so it's not just about starting earlier.) |