Reply to Why are there no white kids at Banneker?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Not the PP but white people gentrifying neighborhoods and a white person sending their child to an all minority school is not an apples to apples comparison.  The white pioneers into majority minority communities rarely are families.  Usually they are young singles wanting to be closer to downtown neighborhoods.  White families that gentrify a neighborhood, usually go into neighborhoods that were relatively safe and quiet prior to their arrival (eg. Brookland).  (You can live inside your house and never have an occasion to interact with your neighbors if preferred).

It's one thing if a person subjects themselves to a minority status--it's another thing to subject your child to it. As an AA I am comfortable being the "only" in the room.  But I'm an adult.  I can handle any incident should it occur (which is rare).  However, I am very careful to avoid placing my child into a situation where they are the "only" in a classroom. I would only do it if I felt my child was mentally prepared to handle what other kids (even if it's only one) might say, do or how they may treat my child because they are different.  If my child isn't mentally prepared, the outcome could be devastating.

That being said, if you are white, I imagine your child will be fine in a school like Banneker.  These kids have a higher level of maturity and exposure.  Still, your child has to be mentally ready to handle being the kid who is different.[/quote]

This.  Exactly.  I'm white with two little kids and, funny enough, I live in Brookland.  I also happen to interact with my neighbors, though.   :)

I am comfortable being the only white person in a room.  Putting my kids in a similar school situation - it depends on how they will be treated and whether or not the other families in the school share our values.  Diversity is one thing but radically different values is another.   I have no reason to think that the parents of Banneker have different values than myself.  I see a community that is focused on doing the best by their children and has done so successfully.  I do have reason to think, however, that the parents of some of the children in Brookland's public schools have different values.  That's a well-worn topic.

I am open to considering Banneker, if my kids were accepted.  They would know that they may experience a certain degree of racism, however limited, we can talk about their experiences.  That by itself wouldn't be the end of the world but there is a limit to how much we want to subject our kids to the unknown at a young age.  I think that's really what this is all about - the unknown - which really isn't about race or money or socio-economic status.
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