Reply to Help me Edit: Response to Brookings Report

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[quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous]yes, exactly. A lot of the books that have come out this year (How to Be Anti-racist, Caste) are about exactly this. It's really understandable that people get defensive when they think they are being "called a segregationist." this year has been a long journey of trying to get people to face instead that they are participating in a racist system. it's a subtle difference but maybe one that can relieve some of that defensiveness.[/quote]

To an extent I agree with you and I acknowledge that I probably should have viewed things more in this light. However, with regard to this report, I think its research is extremely shoddy, doesn't support the conclusions, and both ignores and reveals the obvious. Because the research is so light and flawed, what stands out are the allegations that are repeated throughout the report about supporting segregation. Perhaps the authors could have made their point without using such a loaded term? Is there really any justification for using such a term toward people who have chosen to remain in DC public schools rather than fleeing for private or the suburbs? [b]Why antagonize the very folks with whom you must partner to find a solution?[/b]
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Jeff, this reaction is white fragility in action. You can do better.[/quote]

You may be correct that it is white fragility, but it is also reality. If people are interested in hard truths, it is a simple fact that this sort of language alienates your most likely allies. [b]Why accuse people who didn't choose private schools and who didn't flee to the suburbs of supporting segregation?[/b] What solution does that help achieve?
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This sounds like whataboutism, with respect to those who moved to the suburbs or choose private.

Should the authors not even bother to do this sort of research, for fear of how it will land with some defensive people?  Hopefully for those that react less defensively, or move from initial defensiveness to actually thinking about whether they can do anything better, there will be a positive impact.[/quote]

The authors should have conducted rigorous research that did not rely on a flawed methodology and actually produced evidence that supported their conclusions. If the purpose of the report was to produce clickbait, they have succeeded. If the point of the report was to encourage change within DC public schools, I think it has failed. Nobody will read this report and think, "I need to change my actions." Instead, some people will read it and feel a bit of satisfaction that they stand on a bit of slightly higher moral ground than those making other choices and others will read it and ignore it. 
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