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Disappointed with lack of diversity at a top school
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Anonymous
Perhaps I have been naive. I was so excited when my DC was accepted into the school and planned to volunteer for quite a few committees with the parent association. I thought diversity meant students from various races, ethnicities, etc. Probably, as with most top schools in the area, I see virtually all white students, blonde moms and arrogant dads. I am so disappointed and uncomfortable. Now my interest in spending time at the school and getting to know the parents, have waned. My DC is fine with it all of course, as we do not discuss color or race. Does anyone else feel this way? If so, how did/do  you deal with it?
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Anonymous
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Surely you must be at Beauvoir. Did you not do the tour? Did you not then see the "vrtually all white students, blonde moms ...."?
All kidding aside, it's a great school and you'll find that you will find plenty of opportunities to meet other families and connect with other parents. Give it some time. The most important thing is that your child is happy and they offer a great global studies program to boot. |
Anonymous
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Unfortunately, I don't think not discussing color or race is your solution, if recent studies have anything to teach us:
http://www.newsweek.com/id/214989 |
Anonymous
IMO, the best schools in this area as among the most diverse -- e.g. TJ, GDS, Sidwell. You don't have to sacrifice racial/religious/ethnic/national diversity to get a great education. Now, economic diversity, that's another story, but in the elementary years, it's not necessarily better in public schools if you live in an affluent neighborhood. |
Anonymous
| The top schools in the VA/D.C./ MD area -- TJ and Blair Magnet -- are the very diverse, public and they have 5 to 12 times more National Merit semifinalists per year than any elite private school in the area. Either school, alone, has more National Merit semifinalists than all the "Big 3, or Big 5 or Big 10" combined. You might want to try these options if you want fine scholarship and diversity. |
Anonymous
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I cannot speak for Blair, but TJ, while public, requires testing and an apps process, that makes applications to any top private look easy. People move from all over the world to send their kids there. It is also a HS.
As for diversity, it means a wide sampling of many qualities other than race. Economic, geographic, religion, ethnic background, single/same/traditional parenting households, gender, etc. OP - Since this issue is so important to you, did you get the diversity stats from this school for your own analysis? They might really be diverse but may not fit your definition of diversity. |
Anonymous
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From the neurotic banter exhibited on this board how can anyone claim admission to privates: "Big 3" or Big 5" or "Big whatever" easy!!! Admission to TJ and Blair magnet is easier from the elementary school perspective. If this is what you want there is only one very transparent critieria -- academic performance. From my perspective, given this heads up, it would be far easier to get into these schools knowing the criteria and preparing my children than getting into privates. This is a no brainer!! Just my opinion.
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Anonymous
I emphatize with your disappointment, but I'm also sorry that your response to to the situation is to feel uncomfortable and discouraged. If you look beyond race, you may well have a great deal in common with the other parents--after all, you all chose the same school for your kids. Wade in there, volunteer, get to know the other parents, and you may feel very differently in a few months. You may even find allies who will help you push for more diversity in the future. Good luck. (BTDT, by the way.) |
Anonymous
| Sorry, was trying to type "empathize." |
Anonymous
| I agree with PP. Why don't YOU make a little more of an effort? I can assure you that all new parents at these "top schools" (your term, not mine) feel uncomfortable and a little out of place at first. Why do you assume that it has to do with racial issues? |
Anonymous
| Are the volunteer opportunities during the workweek? If so, you may not be seeing many of the parents if they are working. Try going to some evening meetings if there are any. I met some very nice families of another race at PTA meetings at night. Or maybe these families just aren't there so you may need to make the best of your situation. Maybe the other parents are nervous/anxious and seem uptight. |
Anonymous
| So is "diversity" really just code for # of African Americans? My experience with the Big 5 schools is there is a significant number of different nationalities represented in each class. While the raw % of African Americans might not be high, just taking a look at a new class photo reveals many different shades of color and background. |
Anonymous
| Diversity used to be defined using skincolor only. That has changed significantly. Today, it includes not only race and ethnicity but also nationality, religion, gender and lifestyle. |
Anonymous
| OP - I hope your original comment about "white kids, blond moms and arrogant dads" was a poorly- and quickly-expressed phrase that was hastily posted. As written, it comes across as racist and sexist. I sincerely hope you are not generalizing based solely upon visual appearance. |
Anonymous
| No kidding. From the way that this is written, OP, you are the one with the problem. If you can get past your stereotypcial, judgmental, dare-I-say racist thinking and open your mind/ eyes a bit, you might actually have a nice experience at a school you are so infatuated with. |