Disappointed with lack of diversity at a top school

[Anonymous]

I have been happy with the diversity at Norwood for what it is worth.

[Anonymous]

When I toured Beauvoir, there was an annoying blonde parent who kept emphasizing how glad she was Beauvoir was a "neighborhood school" and took so many kids from nearby. I am blonde (when I get my highlights done), we are affluent, and I guess I fit her bill. However, I will tell you I was totally turned off by this statement. We did not get in and we are so happy where we are.

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with this statement, PP? Do you just assume that it is code for "rich white kids from NW DC?" I think it would be a plus that any school -- private or otherwise -- reflect the surrounding neighborhood, if fo no other reason that it makes it easier to schedule play dates when you don't have to drive all over two states and the District.

FWIW, the reason that we are NOT at our "neighborhood" public school is because there are too few kids actually from nearby. They come from all over the place, and no, I don't think that's necessarily a plus. What's wrong with wanting to get to know/ play with/ go to school with the kids who happen to live nearby?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A Director of Diversity once explained to me that diversity stats can only be compiled from parent apps. Many parents choose not to identify their nationality. She had also told me that some groups do not believe in identifying themselves and are vastly unrepresented in reports. Therefore, conceivably, some percentages we see may be lower than they actually are.

I will also mention that given the huge increase in other ethnic groups marrying into the Caucasion group, we can no longer go by a visual check of any school. Case in point - my sister married a Latino and their children, while claiming a Latino heritage, do not visually look the part. If you saw her at Holton, you would not think she was a minority.

This accords with my experience. We know some 1/4 or 1/2 minority kids who identify as AA or even American Indian, but the kids look Italian at most. OP may be missing the cultural identification by focusing on the kids' looks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been happy with the diversity at Norwood for what it is worth.

Ditto Edmund Burke. Though most of you in this thread l are probably more interested in lower school stats. So, just an FYI.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Move out to the suburbs and go to public school. We have tons of diversity of my child's school and it really is a great school. We have both ethinic, racial, and lifestyle diversity. Kids in our school come from $1 Million plus homes as well as though below the poverty line.

Where do you live? There is little or no diversity in my suburban public schools.

I live in southern Fairfax County. Here is the approximate diversity for our local elementary school -- 16% AA, 16% Hispanic, 15% Asian. 20% of the kids qualify for free and/or reduced price lunch. This data is two years old and I cannot find the exact numbers, but what I quoted is only off by 1 or 2 percentage points. Due to recent boundary changes, I think the minority percentages have actually increased for the current school year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A Director of Diversity once explained to me that diversity stats can only be compiled from parent apps. Many parents choose not to identify their nationality. She had also told me that some groups do not believe in identifying themselves and are vastly unrepresented in reports. Therefore, conceivably, some percentages we see may be lower than they actually are.

I will also mention that given the huge increase in other ethnic groups marrying into the Caucasion group, we can no longer go by a visual check of any school. Case in point - my sister married a Latino and their children, while claiming a Latino heritage, do not visually look the part. If you saw her at Holton, you would not think she was a minority.

This accords with my experience. We know some 1/4 or 1/2 minority kids who identify as AA or even American Indian, but the kids look Italian at most. OP may be missing the cultural identification by focusing on the kids' looks.

At parent meetings you often discover who the biracial families are. OP seems to be addressing an elitist attitude at her child's school that has turned her off from the community. Perhaps, she doesn't relate to the mom's who lunch crowd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have been happy with the diversity at Norwood for what it is worth.

Since Norwood has a lot of trouble attracting and keeping a diverse student body - from African Americans to Hispanic to Asian American - I either believe you're not serious or not serious about diversity. Norwood has a lot of great things going for it, and the faculty/admin has placed diversity at the center of its mission statement, but for lots of reasons -- not the least of which is its physical location far from many in its target diversity population -- the diversity nut has been really hard to crack.

[Anonymous]

Not identifying with the Moms Who Lunch is a different problem, of course, and one that I can identify with. However, we know several very, very wealthy biracial families at top privates. So if OP's problem is partly social, i.e. having older cars and crummier clothes, then she needs not just minority families but ones who are also socio-economically diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not identifying with the Moms Who Lunch is a different problem, of course, and one that I can identify with. However, we know several very, very wealthy biracial families at top privates. So if OP's problem is partly social, i.e. having older cars and crummier clothes, then she needs not just minority families but ones who are also socio-economically diverse.

Actually, at our school many of the wealthiest families drive the oldest cars and wear the crummiest clothes.

[Anonymous]

Ah, but you're talking about old money now! A different type of socio-economic diversity, but probably not the type OP is looking for.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I think OP is a troll. There is somebody on these boards who really seems to enjoy stirring up racial tensions. She always makes broad generalizations about whites, frequently brings her kid into her posts. Then she vanishes and presumably sits back to watch the anger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ah, but you're talking about old money now! A different type of socio-economic diversity, but probably not the type OP is looking for.

This old money thing is really getting annoying. It's much more who you are as a person than how old your money is. I have a very good friend that worked his tail off since he was 17 in a small business. He now owns 9 of them. He makes a lot of very new money and doesn't spend it on anything. Not cars, clothes, jewelry, nothing. He owns his childhood home back in another state that his mom lives in, but that is it. Him and his brother still share a place together that came with one of the businesses. They shared one car for the last 8 years. He FINALLY bought one after his car from 1992 broke down for good. But only because of cash for clunkers. And he's not the only one I know like this.

[Anonymous]

Somebody always thinks the OP is a troll. OP didn't make broad generalizations about whites. She made a narrower claim about the demographics of her DC's new school and wondered if her experience represented the norm at other "elite" local schools. She's asking a legit question and the responses haven't been particularly angry.

[Anonymous]

Thank you 6:29 (I'm not the OP & I'm of a mighty pal ilk). Schools have diversity policies, and often they are well-supported- attitude wise- by teachers. ANd parents. It's still tough to walk into an environment and realize you are very much an outsider, even when you decided to contribute for the overall good of the institution. Considering the number of slams the OP has had for responses, it's pretty clear that for many people, status quo is the only thing that is comfortable & it's easier to accuse the OP of being racist. She wants to embrace the school and the experience for her child. She's looking for some reassurance that this is as possible as she hoped. Maybe all of the people she saw at the early meeting are really more open than it felt to her. She asked for how other people handled this, which makes it clear she still wants to have a positive relationship with people at her child's school. Encouragement here would be nice.