There are images of 21 people in today's DCPS Welcome Back email...

[Anonymous]

You mean they should have added a token white?
What about the token asian?

Yes, they should have. However DCPS has such terrible problems to solve, this does not make the top 5000.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jee. Zus. Christ.

The fact that OP and others are willing to put up even a small fight about this shows such fragility, such lack of empathy, and such intolerance for societal change or flexibility. ONE publication that represents all non-white kids and you feel the need to raise this as an "issue" that offends you and speculate as to what it means for your white, and as such, tremendously advantaged kid? I guess you're motivated by a sense of commitment to your child, which is fine because we all are and should be, but in reality this point/attitude is far more detrimental to society as a whole than it is to your kid (which is to say: it isn't, at all.).

This is not the hill to die on. Get some perspective.

I say this as a white parent with a white child who attended a DCPS where s/he was the ONLY white kid in the class for four years. We talked about it. A lot. We hoped this would give our child a more nuanced, color blind view of the way the world should work. In some ways it did. But you know that? The world doesn't yet work like that, and that's a shame. Our child knows that the kids from that school were on the whole poorer, and had more disadvantages brought on my systemic and generational poverty. Can s/he articulate that? Not entirely. But s/he knows that's the world we live in, and has some growing perspective that we shouldn't have to live in that world. So how do we change it? A very small step is by WELCOMING emails like this that flip the script that has gotten us into such a problem; if you're challenging that, you're part of the problem.

Not "seeing themself" in ONE email, or 10 (that let's get real, they don't even see) isn't going to do one bit of lasting damage to your child. Of course make sure your child feels part of their school community, but don't disproportionally link this to that.

Yuck.

You deliberately taught your white kid that brown kids are poor and disadvantaged. Is that good for her? Is that good for them?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jee. Zus. Christ.

The fact that OP and others are willing to put up even a small fight about this shows such fragility, such lack of empathy, and such intolerance for societal change or flexibility. ONE publication that represents all non-white kids and you feel the need to raise this as an "issue" that offends you and speculate as to what it means for your white, and as such, tremendously advantaged kid? I guess you're motivated by a sense of commitment to your child, which is fine because we all are and should be, but in reality this point/attitude is far more detrimental to society as a whole than it is to your kid (which is to say: it isn't, at all.).

This is not the hill to die on. Get some perspective.

I say this as a white parent with a white child who attended a DCPS where s/he was the ONLY white kid in the class for four years. We talked about it. A lot. We hoped this would give our child a more nuanced, color blind view of the way the world should work. In some ways it did. But you know that? The world doesn't yet work like that, and that's a shame. Our child knows that the kids from that school were on the whole poorer, and had more disadvantages brought on my systemic and generational poverty. Can s/he articulate that? Not entirely. But s/he knows that's the world we live in, and has some growing perspective that we shouldn't have to live in that world. So how do we change it? A very small step is by WELCOMING emails like this that flip the script that has gotten us into such a problem; if you're challenging that, you're part of the problem.

Not "seeing themself" in ONE email, or 10 (that let's get real, they don't even see) isn't going to do one bit of lasting damage to your child. Of course make sure your child feels part of their school community, but don't disproportionally link this to that.

Yuck.

I like you. I hope we’re friends in real life. People like you makes me love living in DC. OP makes me cringe.

-biracial mom of AA kids

+2.

-another biracial (black/brown) parent of an AA kid

[Anonymous]

White parent here. No longer using DCPS. Wouldn't surprise me at all if it were an intentional decision to exclude whites from the publication. That's a pretty typical attitude of DCPS, as well as some other parts of the DC government. Just because one group has more privilege than other doesn't make it right to exclude that group. That's not good government and its not good policy. But many in DC think its okay. And all its going to do is keep people pissed off at each other.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jee. Zus. Christ.

The fact that OP and others are willing to put up even a small fight about this shows such fragility, such lack of empathy, and such intolerance for societal change or flexibility. ONE publication that represents all non-white kids and you feel the need to raise this as an "issue" that offends you and speculate as to what it means for your white, and as such, tremendously advantaged kid? I guess you're motivated by a sense of commitment to your child, which is fine because we all are and should be, but in reality this point/attitude is far more detrimental to society as a whole than it is to your kid (which is to say: it isn't, at all.).

This is not the hill to die on. Get some perspective.

I say this as a white parent with a white child who attended a DCPS where s/he was the ONLY white kid in the class for four years. We talked about it. A lot. We hoped this would give our child a more nuanced, color blind view of the way the world should work. In some ways it did. But you know that? The world doesn't yet work like that, and that's a shame. Our child knows that the kids from that school were on the whole poorer, and had more disadvantages brought on my systemic and generational poverty. Can s/he articulate that? Not entirely. But s/he knows that's the world we live in, and has some growing perspective that we shouldn't have to live in that world. So how do we change it? A very small step is by WELCOMING emails like this that flip the script that has gotten us into such a problem; if you're challenging that, you're part of the problem.

Not "seeing themself" in ONE email, or 10 (that let's get real, they don't even see) isn't going to do one bit of lasting damage to your child. Of course make sure your child feels part of their school community, but don't disproportionally link this to that.

Yuck.

You deliberately taught your white kid that brown kids are poor and disadvantaged. Is that good for her? Is that good for them?

I agree this is can be a touchy topic depending on tone, but this is literally the reality for kids of colour in DC. The median income for AA households in DC is something like 42K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jee. Zus. Christ.

The fact that OP and others are willing to put up even a small fight about this shows such fragility, such lack of empathy, and such intolerance for societal change or flexibility. ONE publication that represents all non-white kids and you feel the need to raise this as an "issue" that offends you and speculate as to what it means for your white, and as such, tremendously advantaged kid? I guess you're motivated by a sense of commitment to your child, which is fine because we all are and should be, but in reality this point/attitude is far more detrimental to society as a whole than it is to your kid (which is to say: it isn't, at all.).

This is not the hill to die on. Get some perspective.

I say this as a white parent with a white child who attended a DCPS where s/he was the ONLY white kid in the class for four years. We talked about it. A lot. We hoped this would give our child a more nuanced, color blind view of the way the world should work. In some ways it did. But you know that? The world doesn't yet work like that, and that's a shame. Our child knows that the kids from that school were on the whole poorer, and had more disadvantages brought on my systemic and generational poverty. Can s/he articulate that? Not entirely. But s/he knows that's the world we live in, and has some growing perspective that we shouldn't have to live in that world. So how do we change it? A very small step is by WELCOMING emails like this that flip the script that has gotten us into such a problem; if you're challenging that, you're part of the problem.

Not "seeing themself" in ONE email, or 10 (that let's get real, they don't even see) isn't going to do one bit of lasting damage to your child. Of course make sure your child feels part of their school community, but don't disproportionally link this to that.

Yuck.

I was the only white kid in a DC school once upon a time. It was a pretty life changing in terms of the devastating loneliness and insecurity. You should probably check in with your kid as much as possible, especially given what children can/cant easily articulate..and yes this messaging matters. Is it the end of the world? Of course not. But DCPS can do better with its fully inclusive publications. Why not reflect what's real- kids if allbackgrounds, staff of all backgrounds and differently abled. And doesnt have to be "proportionate". There are classrooms in this city that are all non AA , all AA, somewhat diverse etc. Take real photos of reality for the marketing.

[Anonymous]

I simply don’t understand the term “white fragility” being throw around by the same people who in the very next breath spew about how mean and oppressive white people are and how much their lives are ruined because other people didn’t play nice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I simply don’t understand the term “white fragility” being throw around by the same people who in the very next breath spew about how mean and oppressive white people are and how much their lives are ruined because other people didn’t play nice

I take it you haven’t read the book. Do you honestly think the two can’t coexist?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I simply don’t understand the term “white fragility” being throw around by the same people who in the very next breath spew about how mean and oppressive white people are and how much their lives are ruined because other people didn’t play nice

Sounds like you really have no idea what the term means—and yet, here you are, posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jee. Zus. Christ.

The fact that OP and others are willing to put up even a small fight about this shows such fragility, such lack of empathy, and such intolerance for societal change or flexibility. ONE publication that represents all non-white kids and you feel the need to raise this as an "issue" that offends you and speculate as to what it means for your white, and as such, tremendously advantaged kid? I guess you're motivated by a sense of commitment to your child, which is fine because we all are and should be, but in reality this point/attitude is far more detrimental to society as a whole than it is to your kid (which is to say: it isn't, at all.).

This is not the hill to die on. Get some perspective.

I say this as a white parent with a white child who attended a DCPS where s/he was the ONLY white kid in the class for four years. We talked about it. A lot. We hoped this would give our child a more nuanced, color blind view of the way the world should work. In some ways it did. But you know that? The world doesn't yet work like that, and that's a shame. Our child knows that the kids from that school were on the whole poorer, and had more disadvantages brought on my systemic and generational poverty. Can s/he articulate that? Not entirely. But s/he knows that's the world we live in, and has some growing perspective that we shouldn't have to live in that world. So how do we change it? A very small step is by WELCOMING emails like this that flip the script that has gotten us into such a problem; if you're challenging that, you're part of the problem.

Not "seeing themself" in ONE email, or 10 (that let's get real, they don't even see) isn't going to do one bit of lasting damage to your child. Of course make sure your child feels part of their school community, but don't disproportionally link this to that.

Yuck.

I like you. I hope we’re friends in real life. People like you makes me love living in DC. OP makes me cringe.

-biracial mom of AA kids

Aww thanks - I hope so too! I am as white as they come and to be perfectly honest we left DCPS for a variety of reasons. But I am also a professor with a population of students that is incredibly diverse. The more people who work to facilitate opportunities -- even ones as simple as pictures in a newsletter -- for people who have disadvantages, the better off we all are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jee. Zus. Christ.

The fact that OP and others are willing to put up even a small fight about this shows such fragility, such lack of empathy, and such intolerance for societal change or flexibility. ONE publication that represents all non-white kids and you feel the need to raise this as an "issue" that offends you and speculate as to what it means for your white, and as such, tremendously advantaged kid? I guess you're motivated by a sense of commitment to your child, which is fine because we all are and should be, but in reality this point/attitude is far more detrimental to society as a whole than it is to your kid (which is to say: it isn't, at all.).

This is not the hill to die on. Get some perspective.

I say this as a white parent with a white child who attended a DCPS where s/he was the ONLY white kid in the class for four years. We talked about it. A lot. We hoped this would give our child a more nuanced, color blind view of the way the world should work. In some ways it did. But you know that? The world doesn't yet work like that, and that's a shame. Our child knows that the kids from that school were on the whole poorer, and had more disadvantages brought on my systemic and generational poverty. Can s/he articulate that? Not entirely. But s/he knows that's the world we live in, and has some growing perspective that we shouldn't have to live in that world. So how do we change it? A very small step is by WELCOMING emails like this that flip the script that has gotten us into such a problem; if you're challenging that, you're part of the problem.

Not "seeing themself" in ONE email, or 10 (that let's get real, they don't even see) isn't going to do one bit of lasting damage to your child. Of course make sure your child feels part of their school community, but don't disproportionally link this to that.

Yuck.

I like you. I hope we’re friends in real life. People like you makes me love living in DC. OP makes me cringe.

-biracial mom of AA kids

Aww thanks - I hope so too! I am as white as they come and to be perfectly honest we left DCPS for a variety of reasons. But I am also a professor with a population of students that is incredibly diverse. The more people who work to facilitate opportunities -- even ones as simple as pictures in a newsletter -- for people who have disadvantages, the better off we all are.

Umm...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jee. Zus. Christ.

The fact that OP and others are willing to put up even a small fight about this shows such fragility, such lack of empathy, and such intolerance for societal change or flexibility. ONE publication that represents all non-white kids and you feel the need to raise this as an "issue" that offends you and speculate as to what it means for your white, and as such, tremendously advantaged kid? I guess you're motivated by a sense of commitment to your child, which is fine because we all are and should be, but in reality this point/attitude is far more detrimental to society as a whole than it is to your kid (which is to say: it isn't, at all.).

This is not the hill to die on. Get some perspective.

I say this as a white parent with a white child who attended a DCPS where s/he was the ONLY white kid in the class for four years. We talked about it. A lot. We hoped this would give our child a more nuanced, color blind view of the way the world should work. In some ways it did. But you know that? The world doesn't yet work like that, and that's a shame. Our child knows that the kids from that school were on the whole poorer, and had more disadvantages brought on my systemic and generational poverty. Can s/he articulate that? Not entirely. But s/he knows that's the world we live in, and has some growing perspective that we shouldn't have to live in that world. So how do we change it? A very small step is by WELCOMING emails like this that flip the script that has gotten us into such a problem; if you're challenging that, you're part of the problem.

Not "seeing themself" in ONE email, or 10 (that let's get real, they don't even see) isn't going to do one bit of lasting damage to your child. Of course make sure your child feels part of their school community, but don't disproportionally link this to that.

Yuck.

I like you. I hope we’re friends in real life. People like you makes me love living in DC. OP makes me cringe.

-biracial mom of AA kids

Aww thanks - I hope so too! I am as white as they come and to be perfectly honest we left DCPS for a variety of reasons. But I am also a professor with a population of students that is incredibly diverse. The more people who work to facilitate opportunities -- even ones as simple as pictures in a newsletter -- for people who have disadvantages, the better off we all are.

Umm...

Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot that you are entitled to private information about my child!

It's not a good look to make assumptions, especially when your goal is to be inflammatory and assume the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jee. Zus. Christ.

The fact that OP and others are willing to put up even a small fight about this shows such fragility, such lack of empathy, and such intolerance for societal change or flexibility. ONE publication that represents all non-white kids and you feel the need to raise this as an "issue" that offends you and speculate as to what it means for your white, and as such, tremendously advantaged kid? I guess you're motivated by a sense of commitment to your child, which is fine because we all are and should be, but in reality this point/attitude is far more detrimental to society as a whole than it is to your kid (which is to say: it isn't, at all.).

This is not the hill to die on. Get some perspective.

I say this as a white parent with a white child who attended a DCPS where s/he was the ONLY white kid in the class for four years. We talked about it. A lot. We hoped this would give our child a more nuanced, color blind view of the way the world should work. In some ways it did. But you know that? The world doesn't yet work like that, and that's a shame. Our child knows that the kids from that school were on the whole poorer, and had more disadvantages brought on my systemic and generational poverty. Can s/he articulate that? Not entirely. But s/he knows that's the world we live in, and has some growing perspective that we shouldn't have to live in that world. So how do we change it? A very small step is by WELCOMING emails like this that flip the script that has gotten us into such a problem; if you're challenging that, you're part of the problem.

Not "seeing themself" in ONE email, or 10 (that let's get real, they don't even see) isn't going to do one bit of lasting damage to your child. Of course make sure your child feels part of their school community, but don't disproportionally link this to that.

Yuck.

I like you. I hope we’re friends in real life. People like you makes me love living in DC. OP makes me cringe.

-biracial mom of AA kids

Aww thanks - I hope so too! I am as white as they come and to be perfectly honest we left DCPS for a variety of reasons. But I am also a professor with a population of students that is incredibly diverse. The more people who work to facilitate opportunities -- even ones as simple as pictures in a newsletter -- for people who have disadvantages, the better off we all are.

Umm...

Oh, I'm so sorry! I forgot that you are entitled to private information about my child!

It's not a good look to make assumptions, especially when your goal is to be inflammatory and assume the worst.

It just seems like you not be the best person to criticize OP. I'm not sure what assumptions you got from my short response. But I wasn't assuming much. I was only surprised. And amused.

PS - my kids don't go to DCPS either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I simply don’t understand the term “white fragility” being throw around by the same people who in the very next breath spew about how mean and oppressive white people are and how much their lives are ruined because other people didn’t play nice

Sounds like you really have no idea what the term means—and yet, here you are, posting.

The PP is probably exhausted trying to keep up with all the weaponized anti-white (or anti-male or anti-straight) phrases spat out by intolerant Marxist gender & race studies departments.

This month's entry, "white fragility" (which is being thrown around all over twitter also)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I simply don’t understand the term “white fragility” being throw around by the same people who in the very next breath spew about how mean and oppressive white people are and how much their lives are ruined because other people didn’t play nice

Sounds like you really have no idea what the term means—and yet, here you are, posting.

The PP is probably exhausted trying to keep up with all the weaponized anti-white (or anti-male or anti-straight) phrases spat out by intolerant Marxist gender & race studies departments.

This month's entry, "white fragility" (which is being thrown around all over twitter also)

We get it. You don't believe in equity / anything that may hint at toppling your place in the hierarchy is extremely threatening and therefore VERY BAD.