Cupertino High, MV High, Los altos High or the Palo Alto schools

[Anonymous]

Looking for an above average high school with economic diversity, which would you pick?

[Anonymous]

Those areas do not have any economic diversity.

[Anonymous]

The Bay Area is incredibly economically segregated. I grew up in a UMC suburb of a midwestern city known for "white-flight", and the neighborhood-to-neighborhood inequality here is still shocking.

If you want economic diversity but still worry about your kids' prospects, pick a school district that isn't all that well-ranked but still has some well-ranked (maybe not top-ranked) schools. Then ask a ton of questions of the SD and the people you know in your community. We live in an EB school district that I would not have ever considered for public (we figured the savings on house price would offset private), but we are probably going to end up going private. Our zoned public actually is ranked well (not top), and the benefit of diversity alongside the saved income from house price to enable supplementary activities is worth it to us.

This is not ideal; it screams of privilege. But there is no morally comfortable scenario in a region with income inequality as severe as the Bay Area.

[Anonymous]

Out of all those HS, MV high would have the most economic diversity.

In order of most diversity:

1. MV
2. Cupertino
3. PA
4. LA

But, as a PP stated, that area has almost no diversity, both in race and SES. I used to live there, still have friends/co-workers there.

You could go a bit further south to Campbell or Union HS (I think it's called).

[Anonymous]

Also, the HS in Sunnyvale and Santa Clara might also be more diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Out of all those HS, MV high would have the most economic diversity.

In order of most diversity:

1. MV
2. Cupertino
3. PA
4. LA

But, as a PP stated, that area has almost no diversity, both in race and SES. I used to live there, still have friends/co-workers there.

You could go a bit further south to Campbell or Union HS (I think it's called).

The bolded is simply not true and erases the lived experience of many non-white residents or residents who aren't high SES. It is possible DCUM posters like the above PP may not have made any effort to meet or interact with non-white or lower SES residents, but that does not mean they aren't there.

In any event, you can tease out your questions by looking at enrollment statistics. MVHS, for instance, has over 50% of the students identify as a minority. In the Mountain View middle schools, 30-40% of the students qualify for free and reduced lunch. In Los Altos the free and reduced lunch percentage is likely much lower. You can probably find the stats for other districts if you would like.

[Anonymous]

Almaden Valley has good and diverse schools. Castillero Middle School. But, if you want real diversity move to SF and attend public school.

[Anonymous]

Mountain View High School is 46% white, 26% Asian, 22% Hispanic, 4% two or more races, and 1% black. 14% FARMS.

Los Altos High School is 44% white, 28% Hispanic, 24% Asian, 2% two or more races, and 1% black. 15% FARMS.

Yes the percent of black students is very low, but that's most places in Northern California unless you want to move to Oakland. Otherwise, I really don't see how anyone could look at those numbers and say with a straight face that there is "almost no diversity, both in race and SES."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mountain View High School is 46% white, 26% Asian, 22% Hispanic, 4% two or more races, and 1% black. 14% FARMS.

Los Altos High School is 44% white, 28% Hispanic, 24% Asian, 2% two or more races, and 1% black. 15% FARMS.

Yes the percent of black students is very low, but that's most places in Northern California unless you want to move to Oakland. Otherwise, I really don't see how anyone could look at those numbers and say with a straight face that there is "almost no diversity, both in race and SES."

+1 more diversity than any of the top high schools around here...

[Anonymous]

To be honest, for black students this equates to no diversity.

[Anonymous]

FWIW, I live in SF but my cousins moved from Seattle to the Bay Area four years ago. They had one daughter about to start 9th grade, and due to all the suicides that have become almost rampant in the area, they decided NOT to put my little cousin in public school to bypass that pressure.

They put her in a yeshiva instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To be honest, for black students this equates to no diversity.

Going to school with children of other races means no diversity? You mean it equates to a school not filled with students who look alike. The exact opposite of diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Almaden Valley has good and diverse schools. Castillero Middle School. But, if you want real diversity move to SF and attend public school.

SF? No. This was true maybe 30 years ago. Not now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To be honest, for black students this equates to no diversity.

Going to school with children of other races means no diversity? You mean it equates to a school not filled with students who look alike. The exact opposite of diversity.

Being an only is not the same as being in one of many in a diverse school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mountain View High School is 46% white, 26% Asian, 22% Hispanic, 4% two or more races, and 1% black. 14% FARMS.

Los Altos High School is 44% white, 28% Hispanic, 24% Asian, 2% two or more races, and 1% black. 15% FARMS.

Yes the percent of black students is very low, but that's most places in Northern California unless you want to move to Oakland. Otherwise, I really don't see how anyone could look at those numbers and say with a straight face that there is "almost no diversity, both in race and SES."

The PPs who said there is "almost no diversity" are probably the types who say things like "I don't see color."