Well, but at least for Whitman, 12 percent is Asian, so that you have 82 percent of the school either white or Asian. And I believe the article is pretty clear that even within Montgomery County, there's segregation (i.e. the lower-income and either black or Hispanic students are generally concentrated in a few schools). Reading through the MOCO schools threads, I've seen lots of posters steer others away from some Silver Spring schools, and guess what, they tend to be the schools that are *not* predominantly white. |
I don't live in an all-white neighborhood. But I also don't live in MOCO or a really expensive area. I live in a middle class area, but diverse and affordable. |
Everyone? No. Majority - yes. Because I frequently see topics discussing what school is better - Somerset or Bannockburn (for ex.), and almost never - what schools are best in PG county. And when someone opens a topic about SS or PG county, it is frequently prefaced by an apologetic statement concerning budget limitations. |
not all-white neighborhood (it's hard to call WJ or TW areas all-white), more likely schools with college-oriented/academically challenged environment. That's what I want for my kids. No surprise that schools like that happened to be in wealthy neighborhoods. It's economic, not racial segregation. |
But looking at statistics, it's pretty hard to deny that whether the intent is economic, it does also fall along racial lines. |
So what? Kill the messenger and blame those who choose somewhat segregated schools that best for their children rather than diverse one just to prove they're true bleeding hearts? It's unfortunate, but there is nothing school can do, honestly... Just wait couple more decades until races mixed better to erase the effect of several decades of true racial segregation and discrimination. |
I don't think you understand the term "kill the messenger." The messenger in this case is the article, not you or the people who self-segregated. No one is suggesting parents do something that is not good for their children in order to prove themselves. I think perhaps people are pointing out the hypocrisy. For example, perhaps a person should not represent herself as being progressive and for inclusion and against segregation and for diversity when all of the choices she actually makes (when it comes to putting her money where her mouth/ideology is) contradict everything she espouses being for. Aside from that, I'm not ready to throw my hands up and say nothing can be done. |
I would steer somebody away from Silver Spring schools like Northwood and Blair but I would also point out there are diverse schools without the crime rates of Silver Spring like RM, QO, Northwest and Watkins Mill. I would also point out that Blake is better when it comes to crime. I would also steer them away from Seneca Valley and Gaithersburg right now. Sorry if that hurts the housing market in those areas but let's do something with the schools besides adding magnet kids to them to make it seem like they are better schools. |
Exactly. |
+1 |
Like what? |
You say "let's do something with the schools," but how is steering middle class families away from them doing something for them? How is fear-mongering helping? |
The schools are not officially segregated by race but in any school district there might be school boundaries that are less efficient to promulgate certain socioeconomic grouping.
FCPS does this and set up magnet schools decades ago to avoid changing boundaries. There are 2 elementary magnets and the old GT program also served as a "magnet" style infusion for many schools. Now with the proliferation of level iv centers in some areas FCPS has lost that tool at the elementary level. |
Part of the problem, though, is in Maryland, it wouldn't work (i.e. solve the problem) if it only happened within counties; it would have to cross county lines. |
MCPS does set school boundaries based on demographics. |