Moving From MCPS to PGCS for More Inclusiveness/Diversity

[Anonymous]

We've been in MoCo for 11 years now and our daughter is now in 4th grade. She has tons of friend, does well academically and has a healthy dose of self-esteem, which includes pride in being African-American. However, she is ALWAYS the only one in her class and I would love for her to have the experience of going to school with other African-American children. We are involved in Jack and Jill, so she has that as an outlet but it is not the same as going to school with other Black children. I grew up in a similar environment until I was around a sophomore in high school and then my parents moved states and I ended up at a high school with a population that was around 40% black. It made the world of difference to me - I had friends who looked like me; I dated and was asked to homecoming and prom, etc. I worry my daughter won't get to experience these things in our environment and don't want her to have to wait until college, particularly if she goes to an HBCU, to experience these things. I would love any thoughts or input on this issue.

[Anonymous]

You could always stay within MoCo- my daughter’s school is less than 5% white and is 66% black. Move east!

[Anonymous]

I second moving East. The DCC and NEC have lots of families like yours (we’re one and DH and I teach many others) and the kids are thriving academically and socially. Network with other parents now in late ES. I still keep in touch with my Mocha Moms group although I returned to work 13 years ago. Get your DD linked up with MSP starting in MS.

[Anonymous]

Switching schools is hard on kids. If she has a lot of friends and is doing well, I’d be careful with this. She’s getting close to middle school age, which is typically hard anyway. It can be harder being the “new kid”.

[Anonymous]

I'm a black PG county teacher. I completely understand where you're coming from. My fourth grade daughter goes to a school where she's been either the only black kid or one of two black kids in the whole grade level each year. Two years ago, she asked if she could go to a school with "kids who look like me." She said that no one has been mean to her or made her feel bad about being different, but she still doesn't like being the only one. From my own observations, I have noticed that none of the boys she likes have liked her back. I don't know how much race has to do with that, but I worry that eventually it will be an issue. Physically, she looks like a young Serena Williams because of all of the gymnastics and swimming. She also started puberty last year, so she's developing. She definitely stands out among the skinny blue-eyed, blonde haired kids at her school. Sending her to a PG County school isn't an option. I teach at a well regarded charter where staff get preference in the lottery. As nice as my school is, it's substantially lower in terms of academics, athletics, and exposure. I'm hoping middle and high school will be a little better as the black kids from the surrounding feeder schools will hopefully give her a bigger pool of people she can relate to. Perhaps a middle school equivalent of the "Black Student Alliance" you see at most PWIs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a black PG county teacher. I completely understand where you're coming from. My fourth grade daughter goes to a school where she's been either the only black kid or one of two black kids in the whole grade level each year. Two years ago, she asked if she could go to a school with "kids who look like me." She said that no one has been mean to her or made her feel bad about being different, but she still doesn't like being the only one. From my own observations, I have noticed that none of the boys she likes have liked her back. I don't know how much race has to do with that, but I worry that eventually it will be an issue. Physically, she looks like a young Serena Williams because of all of the gymnastics and swimming. She also started puberty last year, so she's developing. She definitely stands out among the skinny blue-eyed, blonde haired kids at her school. Sending her to a PG County school isn't an option. I teach at a well regarded charter where staff get preference in the lottery. As nice as my school is, it's substantially lower in terms of academics, athletics, and exposure. I'm hoping middle and high school will be a little better as the black kids from the surrounding feeder schools will hopefully give her a bigger pool of people she can relate to. Perhaps a middle school equivalent of the "Black Student Alliance" you see at most PWIs.

+100. I’m a teacher as well in PGCPS and refuse to send my twins there who start kindergarten 20/21.

[Anonymous]

I am a pg county teacher and mother. I moved from Montgomery county to pg county and I would never go back. My son has exploded socially, is doing well academically, he is in tag classes and is involved in sports. I wouldn’t send him to some of the public schools but the ones we are zoned for are pretty good. Don’t send your African American child to pgcps just because she is black. That’s silly...

[Anonymous]

Yes move East. We are at White Oak MS and it is quite diverse. Plus I love the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could always stay within MoCo- my daughter’s school is less than 5% white and is 66% black. Move east!

What school is this? This is OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You could always stay within MoCo- my daughter’s school is less than 5% white and is 66% black. Move east!

What school is this? This is OP.

Greencastle Elementary

[Anonymous]

Just move east. Look at schools that feed into Blake or Paint Branch.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could always stay within MoCo- my daughter’s school is less than 5% white and is 66% black. Move east!

Anonymous wrote:I second moving East. The DCC and NEC have lots of families like yours (we’re one and DH and I teach many others) and the kids are thriving academically and socially. Network with other parents now in late ES. I still keep in touch with my Mocha Moms group although I returned to work 13 years ago. Get your DD linked up with MSP starting in MS.

I third this. Blair meets your needs.

[Anonymous]

Eastern MoCo is exactly like PG. You won't be able to tell the difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've been in MoCo for 11 years now and our daughter is now in 4th grade. She has tons of friend, does well academically and has a healthy dose of self-esteem, which includes pride in being African-American. However, she is ALWAYS the only one in her class and I would love for her to have the experience of going to school with other African-American children. We are involved in Jack and Jill, so she has that as an outlet but it is not the same as going to school with other Black children. I grew up in a similar environment until I was around a sophomore in high school and then my parents moved states and I ended up at a high school with a population that was around 40% black. It made the world of difference to me - I had friends who looked like me; I dated and was asked to homecoming and prom, etc. I worry my daughter won't get to experience these things in our environment and don't want her to have to wait until college, particularly if she goes to an HBCU, to experience these things. I would love any thoughts or input on this issue.

AA parent here. I understand where you’re coming from, but I say listen to your daughter. If she’s happy where she is, then don’t uproot her life for the sake of your own views or past experiences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a black PG county teacher. I completely understand where you're coming from. My fourth grade daughter goes to a school where she's been either the only black kid or one of two black kids in the whole grade level each year. Two years ago, she asked if she could go to a school with "kids who look like me." She said that no one has been mean to her or made her feel bad about being different, but she still doesn't like being the only one. From my own observations, I have noticed that none of the boys she likes have liked her back. I don't know how much race has to do with that, but I worry that eventually it will be an issue. Physically, she looks like a young Serena Williams because of all of the gymnastics and swimming. She also started puberty last year, so she's developing. She definitely stands out among the skinny blue-eyed, blonde haired kids at her school. Sending her to a PG County school isn't an option. I teach at a well regarded charter where staff get preference in the lottery. As nice as my school is, it's substantially lower in terms of academics, athletics, and exposure. I'm hoping middle and high school will be a little better as the black kids from the surrounding feeder schools will hopefully give her a bigger pool of people she can relate to. Perhaps a middle school equivalent of the "Black Student Alliance" you see at most PWIs.

MCPS has a version of this, sort of. It’s not really an affinity organization, as the main mission is closing the opportunity gap, but many AA and Latinx students in grades 6-12 treat it as a way to identify staff and students who really see them and will provide emotional support and a place where they can be successful and culturally themselves. All the MCPS HS have it and I think 1/2 of the middle schools.