Reply to Help me Edit: Response to Brookings Report

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[quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous]+1

Saying, "well, we aren't segregationists because you aren't telling us what the solution is" is a complete non sequitur.  The solution is really complicated, and involves things beyond what schools parents send their kids to, but it will NEVER happen as long as parents who are participating in and benefiting from the system hear "systemic racism" and immediately bristle because someone is calling them "racist."  Some problems don't have easy solutions, but pretending that they aren't problems because of that doesn't help.

Part of it is that we really need to think HARD about what we think makes a "good school," and the ways that race plays into that.  There are studies about how people's perception of a school's quality declines when the percentage of black students increases, even if things like test scores stay the same.  [/quote]

Nobody has said anything remotely similar to what you are suggesting. I agree completely that, "The solution is really complicated, and involves things beyond what schools parents send their kids". We live in a nation built on racism. Every institution is tarnished by racism. What I have said is that given the options available, parents attempt to make the best choice. That is a normal and natural thing to do. If you believe that the options parents are choosing are racist or are supporting segregation, then it would be very helpful to offer suggestions for what they should do differently. What is the benefit in simply telling someone they are supporting institutionalized racism and leaving it at that? Why not help with a plan of action that could encourage real change?

Literally nobody thinks there is not a problem. The racial dynamics of DC schools are probably the most discussed topic here. Whether it is school choice, school quality, boundaries, funding, renovations, or even opening or closing schools due to the pandemic, race is part of the discussion. We talk about it all the time.

Let's assume the report is correct for a second. What can I, as the owner of the forum, do to stop the forum from promoting segregation? I can't really think of realistic steps I could take. Everything that comes to mind seems absurd. Should I ban discussions of certain schools or discussions about the lottery? Should I remove posts which encourage moving to a school with a higher percentage of White students? Should I close the whole thing down? By participating in this forum are you also contributing to its use in supporting segregation? If pointing out the problem is the first step, what is the second?

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