Reply to Racial make up in honors vs. non-honors classes

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]My African American son takes 3 "on level" classes (including PE and an arts class) and 4 "advanced" classes at our local, majority white, middle school.  At back to school night this week, I was pleased to see other AA parents in the halls, and in the lunch room.  His first period class, one of the on level ones, had a number of other black parents.  But when  we went to Advanced English, or History, for example, every face in the room was white.  I came home and asked him, and he confirmed.  In each of his accelerated classes he was either the only, or one of two black kids.  In his on level classes there were between 4 and 6 black kids total.

This same pattern existed last year.  I'm curious whether other parents are noticing the same patterns in their kids' classes and how they talk about it with their children.[/quote]

What's there to talk about?  I'm AA and graduated from MCPS years ago and was the only or never more than two other black kids in all of my honors classes.  Fast forward: my three AA kids (who recently graduated or are still in high school) attended/attend (1) TPMS Magnet-Blair SMAC, (2) Eastern Magnet-RM Magnet, and (3) TPMS Magnet-RM Magnet.  And guess what?  They are/were the only or one of very few AAs in their classes (whether a general ed or magnet class).  By the way, my kid who is now in college at HYP, told me the other day that not only is she the only person of color (she's moved beyond just counting AAs) in two of the 5 courses she's taking this semester, in one of them, she's also the only female (out of 20 students and the professor!).  So I think the only thing you could say to your son is "get use to it" and maybe also remind him that being in an honors or AP level class has little if anything to do with his race but mostly if everything to do with preparation, opportunity, and some times, even luck.  BTW, my kid at RM doesn't even have 4-6 other black kids in PE -- so the racial makeup of your son's honors and grade level classes sounds good to me.    [/quote]

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