Reply to Diversity of schools - can this work both ways? Am I being unreasonable?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm the above (white) poster who was one of 2 white people in a 200-250 person black company.  I now work in a another predominantly black company but it's it's probably 10% white.  This has been a much easier social dynamic to be in as a "minority".   It was really hard being the only person (or one of two).  A Handful of coworkers said racially-based stuff to my face all.the.time "as a white girl you,..."  It could get mean.  I went home crying on more than one occasion and I have pretty thick skin.  I think anytime you are the ONLY minority, a small faction of the majority may feel like they don't have to filter things because you are on their turf.  the vast majority will remain respectful but there is a percentage who will lose their filter(s). 
So regarding my kids--I'd probably put them in an majority (90, even 95%) black school but would hesitate to make them the ONLY white  kids -- or the only Non-Asians or non Hispanics or whatever.  As it stands my kids are in school that is close to 50-50 black-white with a majority black teaching staff.  [/quote]

NP here. Also a white person that's worked in these two majority minority environments and had very similar experiences. I totally agree. My elementary kids are in a 10% white school because I DO think it's very important to get white kids comfortable being the minority in the room, having teachers and authority figures, and learning how to have diverse friends. That said, I do not think most children would do their best socio-emotionally being in the 1%, it's isolating and emotionally hard. Maybe there are some very flexible kids, but that's not my kids  I completely understand that that's unavoidable for some minority children, but that doesn't make it ideal. That said, if my high school student wants to go to Banneker instead of Basis (for example), then that's very different from deciding on an elementary or middle school for your younger child. [/quote]

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