Go for a run if you don't get into your choice college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:*I'm not the person posting about the railroad workers and haven't posted anything else related to the discussion other than asking you to top criticizing the experience of others who have been oppressed. It's not a competition.

Who criticized the experience of those who haven’t been oppressed?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t it statistically true that all things being equal, a URM applicant has a higher likelihood of admission at a competitive college than a white or Asian applicant?

So if you are a private college counselor sitting down with a URM family, wouldn’t it be accurate to explain the URM designation works to their advantage and, if anything, lean into it and join URM organizations, pursue URM programs and scholarships, etc.?

That’s very different from saying a person was admitted ONLY based on URM status, but surely it would be weird to explain to students that URM status is not a beneficial factor.

If it’s not a beneficial factor, then there wouldn’t be a need to fight for affirmative action to stay and place.

So let’s eliminate school zoning, paid college consultants, test prep centers, and multiple testing opportunities. If we lived in this utopia of merit we wouldn’t need any of it. Tests should be randomly administered with no opportunity for review or to see the correct scores and only the essays written on test day are admissible.

I wouldn’t say that. The better way to handle the situation would be to make it so more people are able to access these resources. They shouldn’t be withheld from certain kids due to systemic racism.

Why? There is no value in paying thousands of dollars to consultants and test prep centers or in taking multiple tests. Per usual the ideas of merit seem to be subjective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pp here—takeaway for me—if you can’t have this tough conversation at GDS then where can you have it?

Nowhere. Individual white and Asian students are routinely and systematically discriminated against in the college admissions process; those doing so believe this unfairness is acceptable collateral damage to attain equity; even so, this is so obviously unfair to these students as to be optically hard to defend; admitting that this is going on will cause resentment that will be an obstacle to equity; so people are expected to just shut up about it.

I would fight tooth and nail for the white and Asian kids who it seems are getting the short end of the stick, if we did the same for all the other groups who made an impact on the construction of the United States. We have groups that built this country with free labor for hundreds of years, have been a permanent underclass for hundreds of years, there have been no provisions put in place to pay them back for their suffering. Then, we pay people reparations for unfortunate incidents that happened in Germany and Japan.
Now, some of you expect us to feel sorry for you because you think kids belonging to socioeconomic groups that you have systematically oppressed for longer that a half century, don’t have anywhere near the resources you have, and are still underrepresented, we’re able to get a spot at a school you would have liked to have? This is unreal.

You can’t pay back the people who suffered. They are all long dead.

Japanese repatriations were paid to people directly affected. The US doesn’t pay Holocaust reparations. Germany did. To actual victims.

The US facilitated the payment and made sure these people got paid. Neither of these incidents occurred on US soil. People are still suffering as a result of what happened here on US soil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t it statistically true that all things being equal, a URM applicant has a higher likelihood of admission at a competitive college than a white or Asian applicant?

So if you are a private college counselor sitting down with a URM family, wouldn’t it be accurate to explain the URM designation works to their advantage and, if anything, lean into it and join URM organizations, pursue URM programs and scholarships, etc.?

That’s very different from saying a person was admitted ONLY based on URM status, but surely it would be weird to explain to students that URM status is not a beneficial factor.

If it’s not a beneficial factor, then there wouldn’t be a need to fight for affirmative action to stay and place.

So let’s eliminate school zoning, paid college consultants, test prep centers, and multiple testing opportunities. If we lived in this utopia of merit we wouldn’t need any of it. Tests should be randomly administered with no opportunity for review or to see the correct scores and only the essays written on test day are admissible.

I wouldn’t say that. The better way to handle the situation would be to make it so more people are able to access these resources. They shouldn’t be withheld from certain kids due to systemic racism.

Why? There is no value in paying thousands of dollars to consultants and test prep centers or in taking multiple tests. Per usual the ideas of merit seem to be subjective.

If there were no value, those with the resources wouldn’t take advantage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not very kind of GDS students to act with such racism. The social justice side of GDS is all fine and dandy until college decisions come out and then the true racism peaks through. I say this as a liberal, this is why we are ridiculed all the time. Liberals talk about equity etc but with something is perceived as interfering with your white privilege, it’s a problem.

The school just got done lecturing seniors about why it’s not cool to say black students are getting into college because AA and they have the audacity to hbe the following reaction:

Holder said students were talking about the meeting in the hallways after it ended. “My friends were talking about it like ‘What just happened?’ and ‘Why did we need that? It was unnecessary,’” she said.

After all these years at GDS, these students don’t know the inherit value of their rich families with elite colleges than they are born with they start off at first base yet they yell outrage when a Black student gets hit by a ball and can walk to first.

This is pathetic. I’m outraged. Why would any family want their kid at this pretentious and fake environment, yet alone pay $50K+?

+1000 Whew. The historically endless advantages, both inherited and bestowed, are no problem for the white privileged students. There's no problem with those who get it in only because of their wealth, donations, connections/favors owed, legacy etc as they rally for superficial social justice. But then they behave like this when their hardworking classmates of color gain admission to a school that denied them.

GDS has well documented racism. None of this should be a surprise.

My spouse went to GDS and his entire friend group from HS is white …as are his siblings who went to GDS. I went to a large public in MD and my friend group from HS is way more diverse. My friend groups from college and grad school are also way more diverse than my GDS educated husband and his siblings. Is it really inclusive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not very kind of GDS students to act with such racism. The social justice side of GDS is all fine and dandy until college decisions come out and then the true racism peaks through. I say this as a liberal, this is why we are ridiculed all the time. Liberals talk about equity etc but with something is perceived as interfering with your white privilege, it’s a problem.

The school just got done lecturing seniors about why it’s not cool to say black students are getting into college because AA and they have the audacity to hbe the following reaction:

Holder said students were talking about the meeting in the hallways after it ended. “My friends were talking about it like ‘What just happened?’ and ‘Why did we need that? It was unnecessary,’” she said.

After all these years at GDS, these students don’t know the inherit value of their rich families with elite colleges than they are born with they start off at first base yet they yell outrage when a Black student gets hit by a ball and can walk to first.

This is pathetic. I’m outraged. Why would any family want their kid at this pretentious and fake environment, yet alone pay $50K+?

+1000 Whew. The historically endless advantages, both inherited and bestowed, are no problem for the white privileged students. There's no problem with those who get it in only because of their wealth, donations, connections/favors owed, legacy etc as they rally for superficial social justice. But then they behave like this when their hardworking classmates of color gain admission to a school that denied them.

GDS has well documented racism. None of this should be a surprise.

My spouse went to GDS and his entire friend group from HS is white …as are his siblings who went to GDS. I went to a large public in MD and my friend group from HS is way more diverse. My friend groups from college and grad school are also way more diverse than my GDS educated husband and his siblings. Is it really inclusive?

We are parents of a white GDS student who came from a public school background that tracks with your experience. White GDS kids don't know diversity, they learn about it. So they can learn about food deserts or hear about kids being treated differently but never see it with their own eyes. I've known my whole life that you can call people Black. When you grow up in the real world around people of color, you don't have to learn so much about DEI, you live it through watching their experience daily. Referees, teachers, school police, racist parents, etc. Many white kids there are so rich and frankly so outside the norm of everyone else that no matter how many books you read on social justice, they just can't get it.

[Anonymous]

Holy crap, these privileged kids have no self-awareness. Being at GDS is a fact of utter privilege for the vast majority. Should my kids grouse and say nasty things to students who get into college because they’re good at chasing a ball around or beer their parents can pay full tuition and grandpa is an active alum? Their AP success and ability to do well in school is itself a matter of privilege. That internship Aunt Joan got hooked you up with or the luxury of not working a job after school, all of that. Show some self-awareness, kids!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t it statistically true that all things being equal, a URM applicant has a higher likelihood of admission at a competitive college than a white or Asian applicant?

So if you are a private college counselor sitting down with a URM family, wouldn’t it be accurate to explain the URM designation works to their advantage and, if anything, lean into it and join URM organizations, pursue URM programs and scholarships, etc.?

That’s very different from saying a person was admitted ONLY based on URM status, but surely it would be weird to explain to students that URM status is not a beneficial factor.

If it’s not a beneficial factor, then there wouldn’t be a need to fight for affirmative action to stay and place.

So let’s eliminate school zoning, paid college consultants, test prep centers, and multiple testing opportunities. If we lived in this utopia of merit we wouldn’t need any of it. Tests should be randomly administered with no opportunity for review or to see the correct scores and only the essays written on test day are admissible.

I wouldn’t say that. The better way to handle the situation would be to make it so more people are able to access these resources. They shouldn’t be withheld from certain kids due to systemic racism.

Why? There is no value in paying thousands of dollars to consultants and test prep centers or in taking multiple tests. Per usual the ideas of merit seem to be subjective.

If there were no value, those with the resources wouldn’t take advantage.

Of course they would. It's FOMO. They also buy purses that cost $10K. Certainly no value in that.

[Anonymous]

Whole thread is vomit. You people should take a good look at yourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t it statistically true that all things being equal, a URM applicant has a higher likelihood of admission at a competitive college than a white or Asian applicant?

So if you are a private college counselor sitting down with a URM family, wouldn’t it be accurate to explain the URM designation works to their advantage and, if anything, lean into it and join URM organizations, pursue URM programs and scholarships, etc.?

That’s very different from saying a person was admitted ONLY based on URM status, but surely it would be weird to explain to students that URM status is not a beneficial factor.

If it’s not a beneficial factor, then there wouldn’t be a need to fight for affirmative action to stay and place.

So let’s eliminate school zoning, paid college consultants, test prep centers, and multiple testing opportunities. If we lived in this utopia of merit we wouldn’t need any of it. Tests should be randomly administered with no opportunity for review or to see the correct scores and only the essays written on test day are admissible.

I wouldn’t say that. The better way to handle the situation would be to make it so more people are able to access these resources. They shouldn’t be withheld from certain kids due to systemic racism.

Why? There is no value in paying thousands of dollars to consultants and test prep centers or in taking multiple tests. Per usual the ideas of merit seem to be subjective.

If there were no value, those with the resources wouldn’t take advantage.

Of course they would. It's FOMO. They also buy purses that cost $10K. Certainly no value in that.

Why are you worried about what they are buying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Affirmative action does boost minority students into the top schools even if they are under qualified academically. That is the point— in the service of righting systemic and historical inequity. At the same time, is still rude and antisocial to point out that any individual person may have gotten in through AA.

Im South Asian, a liberal, and feel very mixed about AA, not only because it discriminates against Asian students but also because it creates the unfair dynamic where other minorities are seen as having gotten in with lower standards, which is unfair to those who are highly qualified. I think these students need a lesson in graciousness and how to cope with disappointments rather than more indoctrination in why AA is the only way.

Thank you for your nuanced explanation. I'm more anti-affirmative action than you. I do not believe the children of today should be discriminated against because of the sins of a minority's forefathers. There are millions of people in America right now whose ancestors were nowhere near America during those benighted times, and who contribute economically and culturally to this great nation. Coming to the USA is not an implicit agreement to shoulder the guilt and shame of racist white slaveholders and Amerindian murderers, or anyone else who forced Chinese laborers to build railroads, or who interned Japanese families in concentration camps.

I greatly appreciate living here in a liberal part of the country, since it's less worse than living in a conservative part of the country, but from where I'm standing, Asians are perpetually discriminated against.

- east Asian

Well you fled your own country and came to a country that owed these people. Think of it like a lean on a house you volunteer to buy. You want the benefits of owning that house, then you need to pay off the debt.

First of all, it’s lien.

Second of all, this country was built on the free labor of East Asians too.

East Asians? Free Labor in the United States? I don’t think so. If anything East Asians hat slaves too on American soil. Two of the worst slave owners in history were Chang and Eng Bunker.

PP was talking about the railroads, dummy. And let's try to be more sophisticaed about the concept of "pay" here. Technically, railroad laborers were paid, but so were child laborers. We're talking about massive exploitation of a race.
No is is disagreeing that slavery was horrific and that its effects remain to this day, but it is a big leap to then say that because Afghan interpreters were paid by the US military, that they are therefore morally indebted to African slaves in the 1700s.

They are indebted, this country is and if they want to be citizens, they should do their part. And not only were Asians paid to work on the railroad, they just came to expand the railroad west. The railroads were already built with unpaid labor provided by black slaves.

Wow, that’s a lot of historical ignorance

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[vimeo]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Race is a “hook” for college admissions just like being an athlete or from an under-represented part of the country. Unless you are Asian, but that is another thread . . .

Or being rich enough to go to GDS.

Not for elite schools. Rich enough to endow a chair isn’t even enough anymore.

Being rich has been a hook a lot longer than being a URM and certain URM’s aren’t even a hook at the local independent schools anymore. Idk about colleges.

Do you think that top colleges care at all about the average GDS family? Unless they are leading a building drive, just rich isn’t rich enough. Meanwhile, URM from somewhere like GDs is an enormous hook. These schools love to talked about equity, but god forbid students point out the logical result of equitable admissions

Nobody is talking about paying your way into a school.

But being rich gets you all types of entitlement that even put you in a position that you might get into a top school.

This. It’s true that what’s happening to these kids is unfair. It’s also true that, of all the ways the world is unfair, 99% of them favor the kids at GDS—healthy, talented, affluent kids receiving the best education money can buy in the nicest quarter of the capital city of the greatest country in the history of the world. These kids should be grateful that the world is unjust. The inability of some of the students, parents, and school to show any perspective about this makes them all look ugly and entitled.

FIFY

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Affirmative action does boost minority students into the top schools even if they are under qualified academically. That is the point— in the service of righting systemic and historical inequity. At the same time, is still rude and antisocial to point out that any individual person may have gotten in through AA.

Im South Asian, a liberal, and feel very mixed about AA, not only because it discriminates against Asian students but also because it creates the unfair dynamic where other minorities are seen as having gotten in with lower standards, which is unfair to those who are highly qualified. I think these students need a lesson in graciousness and how to cope with disappointments rather than more indoctrination in why AA is the only way.

Thank you for your nuanced explanation. I'm more anti-affirmative action than you. I do not believe the children of today should be discriminated against because of the sins of a minority's forefathers. There are millions of people in America right now whose ancestors were nowhere near America during those benighted times, and who contribute economically and culturally to this great nation. Coming to the USA is not an implicit agreement to shoulder the guilt and shame of racist white slaveholders and Amerindian murderers, or anyone else who forced Chinese laborers to build railroads, or who interned Japanese families in concentration camps.

I greatly appreciate living here in a liberal part of the country, since it's less worse than living in a conservative part of the country, but from where I'm standing, Asians are perpetually discriminated against.

- east Asian

So would you trade places with a Black person?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whole thread is vomit. You people should take a good look at yourselves.

I would bet anything that the vast majority of these comments are coming from approximately 3 people, and that not one of them is actually affiliated with GDS in any way.

[Anonymous]

I think it's one poster who is saying things like the Holocaust and incarceration of Japanese Americans were "unfortunate incidents."

The rest of the people are having a pretty nuanced conversation about race one that I wish our child's school had had when this issue came up instead of just trying to tell people how to think and not to talk about it.

One of the PPs said it best when she said this was a missed opportunity to talk about all the privilege kids at GDS enjoy due to having money, hooks to get in to the school in the first place, a great education and so on.