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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I don’t get the big fuss, oberlin looks really interesting- a conservatory on campus, an amazing art museum, a great track record getting students into grad school, etc. [b]Seems like a great opportunity.[/b]  [/quote]

If one fits in with the campus culture which is extremist in the eyes of many.[/quote]

Ummmm…. Not so much. This is someone who is spouting stereotypes with no experience at the school. It pulls heavily from high COL/ UMC/ east/west coast good public’s (and the public school % is high for a private LAC) including a lot of kids from the DMV (and parts of New England, California, etc).  My kid went to a center left FCPS high school, is a moderate (not even really progressive) Dem and fit right in. If your kid fits in at one of the stronger, more liberal FCPS, MCPS, LCPS, etc high schools, they will fit in at Oberlin politically.

What’s different is that Oberlin is big on being a community and all members of the community accepting each other and engaging in rational discourse. Not agreeing. Not conforming.  But having civil debate and thoughtful discussion. So yes, a communist, a trans kid, two Con students who could care less about, politics, moderate Dem and a Progressive Dem can and do all live together, eat together, discuss politics and in the end respect each other and be friends. Who sometimes agree to disagree.  The world has become so polarized. I think we’ve forgotten about the time and places where your could vote for different candidates and have a beer together. Oberlin is a place that still exists.

You have seen a lot of nasty protests at colleges this year.  And Oberlin had an pro-Palatinian encampment last year (the also had a “camp” in support of returning Israeli hostages). The leaders met with the Administration beforehand, set up in Oberlin’s “First Amendment Zone” agreed that violence, nastiness or hate speech of any sort was absolutely unacceptable and agreed to hand out fliers with their commitment peaceful, non-violent protest with no hate speech and a QR Code that scanned to Oberlin’s  protest policy and allowed anyone to report perceived violations. I know this, because these guidelines were anlso sent to parents.  And the protest was a non-event. Kids went home for the summer, and those left argued to take the rest down for the 2024 graduation ceremony, realizing that that class hadn’t gotten one in 2020. A girl with a bullhorn stood up after the main speaker during a break in the action, pulled out a bullhorn and yelled about divestment for 30 seconds. Oberlin’s President, who is a rock star, thanked her for her opinion and told her it was time to move on to awarding degrees. She sat down. And that was the big Oberlin protest moment. And we all survived the 30 seconds of free speech.

My other kid is at a “top 3” VA public, and there was actual violence.  That was the kid I worried about.

Oberlin is almost Quaker in its commitment to tolerance. And yes, that means tolerating opinions you dislike and rolling your eyes at some kids Marxist manifesto and accepting your LGBTQIA students and really listening to their concerns. . But, in class and out, there is the expectation that you listen without interrupting, and then get your turn to respond with your opinion— without resorting to name calling or hate speech.

It’s not for every kid. For example, music and art are a huge part of the whole campus, not just the Con. Your kid who doesn’t value music and art and wants good football games won’t be happy there. But this stereotype of “all the kids are extremists” is wrong.  Some kids are and they are accepted as members of the community. Most are UMC kids who are moderately liberal from the left or right coast.  Most of them are just like the kids in your kids HS. [/quote]

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