Reply to African-American parents - where are your kids in school and how are they doing?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]

i understand the concern.
Is there no middle ground?
No "good" school that is diverse?
It is sad to think that we think or that it SEEMS to be true that we cannot even go to school with ourselves...that black and brown folks dummy us down.
On the other hand...I think it is quite naive to think much has changed in this generation.
I have a 26 yr old stepdaughter who went to a predominately white high school...my husband moved into this district solely for the school...i cannot tell u the amount of times he had to go up to the school to address issues of a racial nature.
And yes...her prom date was from her church...not school.
That was in a southern state, but makes no difference if u ask me.
We live here now and have a 7 yr. old daughter, and hope we don't have to repeat that performance her sister had.
OUr current elementary school has a black woman principal, well-respected who has done amazing things at that school.
The community is diverse and committed to school.
These are the same folks whose kids will be going into middle and high school.
I hope that involvement and committment carries thru.
But we do have to be careful, Dept. of Ed just came out with a stat that black students face harsher discipline than their white counterparts for the same offenses.

Here is the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/06/education/black-students-face-more-harsh-discipline-data-shows.html

That is not to say the White man is the devil. The point is that we do NOT live in a post-racial America, and until we ALL  get real and have genuine conversations about race...these kinds of parental/educational dilemmas will continue to exist.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
if u fear this is going to be emotionally damaging...if u have anecdotal evidence confirming that will be her experience...u already have doubts...why do it?
signed a Spelmanite who had a predominately white elementary thru high school experience.

[quote=Anonymous]OP, this has been an interesting thread. In the end, we are looking at schools in less diverse areas (Whitman, Churchill) and hope that things have changed. If things go badly, we can always move or consider private, both costly options. I hope that I will be more in tune to what my kids will be experiencing that my parents did. 
My fear is that the whites who live in these areas might very well be there because they want to avoid certain demographics. So this might be a select crowd. I expect that the prom will be an issue for DD. I hope that I can find someone from outside of the school to help us with that. It will be a long way away, but you have to think in advance.
I knew one woman who went to a nearly all white DC girls Catholic school back in the 70s and 80s. I honestly believe that she might have been the "only one". She did well academically, but in all other ways, she was a mess. Even white people have told me about how she seems totally screwed up WRT race. She will blurt out that she is not that dark, unsolicited. She married an Asian man and talks nonstop about how straight and long her daughters hair is. You get it.
All I can do is pray that my kids will not suffer like that. [/quote][/quote]

There are many people who came through similar experiences without as much damage (after the all white school). Plus, times have changed in the last generation.
Also, this will not be ALL white, actually just 65%, the rest mostly Asian (20%) and Afric. Am. (8%) (?)
Anyway, I have seen my sisters sons fail miserably in schools that have a high minority population. They are both barely finishing HS and they are very bright children. [/quote][/quote]

I hear you, but all too often, majority "minority" spells disaster whether it be Hispanic or Black or Am. Indian. There is a balance. I find that the more diverse private schools are a good solution. Where you see up to 60% NON white. [/quote]
Can you name a diverse private HS in this area?[/quote]

Sure! Sidwell, GDS, Holton, St. Albans...actually many of the privates have more diversity than many of the publics in wealthy neighborhoods.  Especially Virginia.  Take a look and you will see some schools have more than 40% kids of color. [/quote]

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