Reply to Racism / Classism on DCurbanmom trolls or true?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I don't believe the poster referring to unprepared students had race in mind when s/he made that point.

But it's hard not to notice the circular argument going on here about Banneker.  If you're measuring a school by test scores, it's got the highest on myschooldc.org.  Way better than Latin or Basis.  The streets around it are teeming with white people with its closest Metro surrounded by million dollar homes and stores that sell luxury goods, so safety shouldn't be any more of a concern than it is in Tenleytown, Gallery Place or Manor Park.  Kids have to test in and can get kicked out, so it's definitely got rigor.

And yet.  You'll get every argument in the book to support consensus that it's a substandard school, though there's no indication it is.

There's some pretty angry emotion being thrown around at the mere hint of racism.  But no understanding at all that someone could be offended that the race of a school's student body devalues it.

Again, not calling anyone a racist because I don't think the participants in this thread are.  I'm just sayin.

[/quote]

I haven't commented on Banneker before, but here's what I think: I completely understand that it would be offending to suggest that the race of a school's student body devalues it in any way. I haven't read all the Banneker comments so I'm not sure if that's been said. What I do understand though is not wanting your high schooler to be in a 1% racial minority. I'm ok with that for preschool, but [b]in high school I think it might feel quite isolating[/b]. And yes, I do realize that blacks and other minorities often have to deal with that situation (although many would also choose not to), but that doesn't mean I have to choose it for my child. Does that make me a racist? I don't think so. It's certainly a form of white privilege to be able to avoid this situation, but it's not a racist sentiment.[/quote]

PP here.  The thing is, everyone knows that's the reason you wouldn't consider Banneker.  There were countless pairs of hands out there itching to type +1.

But the other and much more salient thing is the denial of racism as a central meme in our considerations, discussions, politics and policies concerning schools.  As some kind poster suggested way up thread, it would be huge step forward if everyone could +1 that undeniable fact.

It certainly doesn't help when some anonymous person confronts your decisions as racist when that's what's not on your mind or in your heart.  But it also doesn't help that the most populous threads in the DC Schools forum revolve around race.  You talk about what might be quite isolating for your high schooler.  I'm thinking about what will certainly be psychically destructive to mine.  I can't send him to school with copies of his parents' degrees, the deed to our house and photos of our family vacation in Mallorca.  How much time do I have before he realizes and absorbs what this culture that I've placed him in really thinks of him?

You can understand, but that's not your problem, right?  As long as you know you're not racist and you get a chance to make that clear when or if the question arises, what more can anyone expect of you?

I don't have an answer for that, but I think just realizing and admitting that we [i]do[/i] live in a racist culture would be a start in the right direction.  Racism [i]is[/i] on display in the DC Schools forum.  Accept that these are not trolls, they're your friends and neighbors.

Because the sad and frustrating and most realistic thing is, things don't change in our society until white people decide they should.[/quote]

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