Banneker versus School Without Walls

[Anonymous]

You're being sarcastic?

I estimate that Walls is turning away at least 75 white applicants per year, and a couple dozen Asians, most of whom are qualified to attend. There are more qualified white and Asian families who'd stay in the public system for high school at BASIS, or presumably an equivalent program academically, if they had an entry option for new 9th grade students. There is a HS entry option at the BASIS Arizona programs, but not here in DC.

These numbers point to white and Asian buy-in for a second diverse academic test-in HS program in this city right now, and more still in the future, given changing DCPS and DCPC middle school demographics.

Running Banneker as the HS equivalent of an HBCU pretty clearly deters a good cohort of whites and Asians who lack access to both Wilson and Walls from applying. It's simple. If there were less emphasis on educating minorities at Banneker and more emphasis on academic excellence and inclusiveness, the school could attract more whites, and some Asians, possibly a lot more. Higher admissions standards and better teaching would help, along with more robust academics, particularly on the IB Diploma track.

[Anonymous]

Banneker does not determine the admissions process as much as you think it does. Credit the mayor with wanting more students and easier admissions requirements.

Just because the school is majority Black doesn’t mean that all the Black kids are all the same. Nor are all the White, Hispanic, or Asian kids the same.

For the hundredth time, Banneker has sports teams.

As a fellow “white” reader of this blog, I encourage all of you to read White Fragility. I’m embarrassed.

[Anonymous]

White Fragility, ridiculous knee-jerk woke.

I don't doubt that the mayor has pushed for the application schools to water down their admissions requirements.

As a non-white reader of this blog, I'm embarrassed that this city pushes and pushes to ensure that DCPS middle and high schools schools don't get too white (explaining crazy overcrowding at Deal and Wilson), but is fine when their being much too black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Banneker does not determine the admissions process as much as you think it does. Credit the mayor with wanting more students and easier admissions requirements.

Just because the school is majority Black doesn’t mean that all the Black kids are all the same. Nor are all the White, Hispanic, or Asian kids the same.

For the hundredth time, Banneker has sports teams.

As a fellow “white” reader of this blog, I encourage all of you to read White Fragility. I’m embarrassed.

Not a white poster, I'm South Asian, and I'm embarrassed and horrified at this thread. I'm not surprised though. Honestly, if my kid didn't have a very specific interest that led them to Duke Ellington, Banneker was our family's choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker does not determine the admissions process as much as you think it does. Credit the mayor with wanting more students and easier admissions requirements.

Just because the school is majority Black doesn’t mean that all the Black kids are all the same. Nor are all the White, Hispanic, or Asian kids the same.

For the hundredth time, Banneker has sports teams.

As a fellow “white” reader of this blog, I encourage all of you to read White Fragility. I’m embarrassed.

Not a white poster, I'm South Asian, and I'm embarrassed and horrified at this thread. I'm not surprised though. Honestly, if my kid didn't have a very specific interest that led them to Duke Ellington, Banneker was our family's choice.

ooh how is Duke Ellington going? My DS is into journalism and media (like production and writing) and I hope to get him interested in arts production. But he has no interest in performing himself. I’m wondering if he would fit in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker does not determine the admissions process as much as you think it does. Credit the mayor with wanting more students and easier admissions requirements.

Just because the school is majority Black doesn’t mean that all the Black kids are all the same. Nor are all the White, Hispanic, or Asian kids the same.

For the hundredth time, Banneker has sports teams.

As a fellow “white” reader of this blog, I encourage all of you to read White Fragility. I’m embarrassed.

Not a white poster, I'm South Asian, and I'm embarrassed and horrified at this thread. I'm not surprised though. Honestly, if my kid didn't have a very specific interest that led them to Duke Ellington, Banneker was our family's choice.

ooh how is Duke Ellington going? My DS is into journalism and media (like production and writing) and I hope to get him interested in arts production. But he has no interest in performing himself. I’m wondering if he would fit in?

DC is absolutely loving it but the adjustment for the longer school day and the long commute by metro is hard. So the overwhelming freshman feeling is . . . tired. I don't want to out my kid, but once productions get going again, I expect DC will be more energized.

[Anonymous]

I’ve skimmed White Fragility and attended a workshop with Robin. I’m not part of her target audience. Although I shouldn’t be, I’m shocked by the lengths that some people will go to center themselves and their needs with regard to pretty much everything— including opportunities and settings that function quite well as they were designed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Banneker does not determine the admissions process as much as you think it does. Credit the mayor with wanting more students and easier admissions requirements.

Just because the school is majority Black doesn’t mean that all the Black kids are all the same. Nor are all the White, Hispanic, or Asian kids the same.

For the hundredth time, Banneker has sports teams.

As a fellow “white” reader of this blog, I encourage all of you to read White Fragility. I’m embarrassed.

Not a white poster, I'm South Asian, and I'm embarrassed and horrified at this thread. I'm not surprised though. Honestly, if my kid didn't have a very specific interest that led them to Duke Ellington, Banneker was our family's choice.

Horrified by a thread where posters, including minority posters, decry needless racial segregation at Banneker? Spare us the holier-than-thou melodrama.

So you voted with your feet, away from Banneker. No credibility, PP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve skimmed White Fragility and attended a workshop with Robin. I’m not part of her target audience. Although I shouldn’t be, I’m shocked by the lengths that some people will go to center themselves and their needs with regard to pretty much everything— including opportunities and settings that function quite well as they were designed.

I'm shocked by the lengths that DCPS AND DCPC will go to to pretend that kids get a world-class education in DC public high schools without focused, and pricey, supplementing on the part of families, both for academics and extra curriculars.

I've interviewed at least one applicant to my Ivy from Latin, BASIS, Walls and Banneker every year for the last five years. Few these applicants seem to have received a first-rate, well-rounded education. But I can tell you that the Walls applicants have generally been ahead of the curve. Worth noting that in any given year, Walls usually produces the mot National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists of the DC public schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You're being sarcastic?

I estimate that Walls is turning away at least 75 white applicants per year, and a couple dozen Asians, most of whom are qualified to attend. There are more qualified white and Asian families who'd stay in the public system for high school at BASIS, or presumably an equivalent program academically, if they had an entry option for new 9th grade students. There is a HS entry option at the BASIS Arizona programs, but not here in DC.

These numbers point to white and Asian buy-in for a second diverse academic test-in HS program in this city right now, and more still in the future, given changing DCPS and DCPC middle school demographics.

Running Banneker as the HS equivalent of an HBCU pretty clearly deters a good cohort of whites and Asians who lack access to both Wilson and Walls from applying. It's simple. If there were less emphasis on educating minorities at Banneker and more emphasis on academic excellence and inclusiveness, the school could attract more whites, and some Asians, possibly a lot more. Higher admissions standards and better teaching would help, along with more robust academics, particularly on the IB Diploma track.

You know zero about the school. You should stop because you’re embarrassing yourself. You clearly never associate high achieving with Black students, which is sad. Banneker has smart, highly motivated students.

[Anonymous]

There is nothing wrong with Banneker having the racial make up it currently has. School choice is supposed to truly be about school choice for parents- not forcing anyone to apply to a certain school to hit racial quotas or whatever people are thinking.

I will say that Banneker works the way it does because of its population. The principal runs a tight ship and gets away with very strict rules because of the parent population at the school. They are less likely to question the decisions or authority at Banneker as compared to schools that are more diverse. This allows the principal to make some questionable decisions in terms of treatment of certain sub populations of students.

[Anonymous]

Yet another good reason for Banneker to become more diverse. We got a creepy vibe when we attended an open house pre-Covid. We didn't like the militant signs ordering students to X, Y and Z.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're being sarcastic?

I estimate that Walls is turning away at least 75 white applicants per year, and a couple dozen Asians, most of whom are qualified to attend. There are more qualified white and Asian families who'd stay in the public system for high school at BASIS, or presumably an equivalent program academically, if they had an entry option for new 9th grade students. There is a HS entry option at the BASIS Arizona programs, but not here in DC.

These numbers point to white and Asian buy-in for a second diverse academic test-in HS program in this city right now, and more still in the future, given changing DCPS and DCPC middle school demographics.

Running Banneker as the HS equivalent of an HBCU pretty clearly deters a good cohort of whites and Asians who lack access to both Wilson and Walls from applying. It's simple. If there were less emphasis on educating minorities at Banneker and more emphasis on academic excellence and inclusiveness, the school could attract more whites, and some Asians, possibly a lot more. Higher admissions standards and better teaching would help, along with more robust academics, particularly on the IB Diploma track.

You know zero about the school. You should stop because you’re embarrassing yourself. You clearly never associate high achieving with Black students, which is sad. Banneker has smart, highly motivated students.

I'm a college prof who isn't white. I've taught scores of high-achieving AA students over the years. I've also volunteered at Banneker. I don't care for racially segregated high schools in this country, whatever their background story.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is nothing wrong with Banneker having the racial make up it currently has. School choice is supposed to truly be about school choice for parents- not forcing anyone to apply to a certain school to hit racial quotas or whatever people are thinking.

I will say that Banneker works the way it does because of its population. The principal runs a tight ship and gets away with very strict rules because of the parent population at the school. They are less likely to question the decisions or authority at Banneker as compared to schools that are more diverse. This allows the principal to make some questionable decisions in terms of treatment of certain sub populations of students.

PP who suggested White Fragility. I agree with this. It’s interesting to see what will happen when she leaves. Principals don’t hang around once they open a new building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're being sarcastic?

I estimate that Walls is turning away at least 75 white applicants per year, and a couple dozen Asians, most of whom are qualified to attend. There are more qualified white and Asian families who'd stay in the public system for high school at BASIS, or presumably an equivalent program academically, if they had an entry option for new 9th grade students. There is a HS entry option at the BASIS Arizona programs, but not here in DC.

These numbers point to white and Asian buy-in for a second diverse academic test-in HS program in this city right now, and more still in the future, given changing DCPS and DCPC middle school demographics.

Running Banneker as the HS equivalent of an HBCU pretty clearly deters a good cohort of whites and Asians who lack access to both Wilson and Walls from applying. It's simple. If there were less emphasis on educating minorities at Banneker and more emphasis on academic excellence and inclusiveness, the school could attract more whites, and some Asians, possibly a lot more. Higher admissions standards and better teaching would help, along with more robust academics, particularly on the IB Diploma track.

You know zero about the school. You should stop because you’re embarrassing yourself. You clearly never associate high achieving with Black students, which is sad. Banneker has smart, highly motivated students.

I'm a college prof who isn't white. I've taught scores of high-achieving AA students over the years. I've also volunteered at Banneker. I don't care for racially segregated high schools in this country, whatever their background story.

Funny, me too. Taught at VT. As a professor, you should be familiar with the history of white people avoiding AAs in school, like in NYC most recently.