Reply to Proposal Implications: Loss of Proximity, Forced to go to Lowest Performing School, Concerns OOB

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Reply to "Proposal Implications: Loss of Proximity, Forced to go to Lowest Performing School, Concerns OOB"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][/quote]
[b]I get similarly annoyed by the hand-wringing we sometimes see over how Ward 3 schools will lose diversity if certain neighborhoods are zoned out.[/b]  But it's most often the people who are being zoned out who worry so much about diversity in Ward 3 schools.  [b]Am I really supposed to believe they're so concerned about the social and emotional development of other children?  Or (more likely) are they just disingenuously faking concern about diversity to support their own rights to access those Ward 3 schools?[/b]

I admit this is a rant.  I'm frustrated by this whole process though.  Initially, I was most annoyed by those people who selfishly shout that they will never, ever attend any other school besides Deal and Wilson, and threaten to leave DCPS if they lose favored status.  But now, while I still think they're being selfish and self-destructive, I at least respect them for their honesty.  Now, I'm most frustrated by those who trot out arguments about fairness and equity, when it's obvious that some of them just want access.  The hypocrisy of many posters really disappoints me.

(No, I'm not in Ward 3, and my neighborhood has no possible right to access Deal, Wilson, or any Ward 3 school.  So don't bother accusing me.)[/quote]

Let me start by saying that I am not zoned out for a Ward 3 school. (I was never zoned in to begin with.)  I just read your statement and felt compelled to comment.

I believe there is value in diversity that some people may not see because they have never had the opportunity to experience a truly diverse environment.  I purposely seek out diverse schools for my kids because I grew up in NYC and went to schools with kids who represented every color in the rainbow, from every culture and religion you can think of, and that experience has served me well in my adult life in terms of how I relate to people both personally and professionally.

I distinctly remember my 10th grade Social Studies class when I sat next to an Asian girl whose family immigrated here from China and who shared with me that sometimes she felt as though people treated Asians as though they were invisible.  When she said that, I realized that I had never bothered to learn her name and I began to be more cognizant of people outside my "group." I learned how to Salsa from my Latino friends and how to count to 20 in French from my Haitian friends (plus a few choice cuss words in Patois  :) ). My Buddhist classmate told me about her religion and I learned that there were many paths to God.  I remember realizing that there were cultures within cultures, and that kids of all colors and economic levels could be dealt a bad hand.  I learned empathy and compassion and patience with those that were different from me.

While DC does not have the full spectrum of colors and cultures that New York City has, that does not discount the value of a diverse environment and I would argue that  it would be a good thing if every child had a chance to exchange thoughts and ideas with people who do not look exactly like them or live in their 10 block radius.

So some of the concerns about diversity aren't fake or contrived.  They come from a place of understanding its value.

[/quote]

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