Can Sidwell stop taking URMs? Or will that look bad?

ok. just so that i understand - my kid in a STEM magnet in MCPS, gets to pick all the prescribed courses and follow that pathway and also choose a couple of electives ;lilke rest of his classmates. He then needs to do other stuff outside of the school to distinguish himself from his classmates. In Sidwell the counselors prevent you from taking courses so that some kids look better than others. COOL!

Are not an in family

I am just glad the conversation is out there. I notice hownif you are an “in” family it is hard to get the best classes and of course college. I expect schools to not push certain kids. If all kids applying to a certain school are great then give them all great rec and let the college decide without interfering.

Anonymous wrote:No this was about college -they already had kid in Sidwell. This is about how Sidwell decides if they will advocate for your child for college. Many parents including this couple believe that Sidwell basically can help your child or hurt them. There was something to this as they changed grades and paid money after the complaint.

But only after being sued. And the $50K settlement is chump change in lawyer world. And they had to pay attorneys fees and costs to Sidwell, which means the judge or presiding officer felt it was a frivolous lawsuit. That tells me everything.

No this was about college -they already had kid in Sidwell. This is about how Sidwell decides if they will advocate for your child for college. Many parents including this couple believe that Sidwell basically can help your child or hurt them. There was something to this as they changed grades and paid money after the complaint.

Can someone summerize this thread. Am I reading this correctly? -

A Nigerian-American couple (Dr and Engineer), wanted to get affirmative action admission for their child in Sidwell but top colleges rejected the student. According to the oarents, they should have been a shoo-in because they were Black. They are now compelling the school to change grades for their student so that the student is more competetive, And the school is paying them 50K to go away. Amirite?

Interesting I didn’t read that. I wonder if the same thing happened with the Obamas? I don’t know if I would sue over that. I may be mad but would encourage doing something awesome that year like a mission trip or classes abroad.

Anonymous wrote:I don’t blame them if they are trying to highlight that schools push certain kids to certain colleges. I have not seen this kid’s transcript but the fact this child got into UPenn a year
Later should indicate something went wrong at Sidwell. I am not crazy liberal either. I also think people make an issue with URM because more and more it seems as though Asians or white kids have to score higher than certain URM to get into college. I also think even the most liberal of caucasians are tired of reading things like toxic whiteness. I think this fact hurts URM who are scoring higher because they are rightfully annoyed that the perception they didn’t deserve to get in a school. This is the collateral damage of affirmative action and certain fringe anti white groups. Back to original issue-if a parent wants to advocate with laws as they stand then good for them.

I read it as she got into Penn right out of Sidwell with the condition of a gap year, meaning she got in to Penn.

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Anonymous wrote:If you read the court document the court agrees that Sidwell discrimated and retaliated against her by purposefully applying different grading standards to her.

What a crappy school!!!!

STFU. The girl applies to 13 top schools (no safeties) and sues when not admitted? Give me an f'ing break. The sense of entitlement and use of race here is disgusting. The only mistake SFS made was admitting this low class family.

This. It’s basically another variant of the “Nigerian prince” scam, this time misusing DC agencies and the courts, and with Sidwell as the target.

She applied to Spelman and UVA, as a competitive athlete and academic she should have been accepted without any issue.

She wasn't applying as a recruited athlete. For whatever reason, she chose not to go that route. Possibly, the coaches at the schools she was interested in weren't interested in her.

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Anonymous wrote:I still find it hard to believe she was rejected at every school including the HBCU. Something isn't right. Sounds like Sidwell gave terrible recommendations. Glad she is at UPenn now. Also she was a track star at Sidwell and surprised she did not get in anywhere. The whole thing is so fishy.

I would agree if she hadn't applied to only the very top schools in the country. She admits (through the litigation) that she expected to rely on/benefit from affirmative action. Also, she wasn't rejected everywhere -- The appeals court decision says something about her being rejected or waitlisted or withdrawing applications from all the schools she applied to (but I haven't read the whole thing, so I don't know which schools).

Schools like Sidwell want the students to succeed -- I don't think they want to lie to get kids into schools where they can't succeed. If they gave her "terrible" recommendations, which I doubt, it is entirely plausible that she deserved it.

Do private schools really write terrible recommendations for their own students?

Recs come from the teachers. I don't know how it works at every school. But a school with a strong record of sending students to the Ivies will likely be careful not to abuse the recommendations. Both teachers and Ivy admissions will have years of experience writing, reading and evaluating recommendations and can spot the genuinely enthusiastic from the humdrum.

Counselors at public and private schools also write recommendations. As with recommendations from teachers, the tone can speak volumes.

I don’t blame them if they are trying to highlight that schools push certain kids to certain colleges. I have not seen this kid’s transcript but the fact this child got into UPenn a year
Later should indicate something went wrong at Sidwell. I am not crazy liberal either. I also think people make an issue with URM because more and more it seems as though Asians or white kids have to score higher than certain URM to get into college. I also think even the most liberal of caucasians are tired of reading things like toxic whiteness. I think this fact hurts URM who are scoring higher because they are rightfully annoyed that the perception they didn’t deserve to get in a school. This is the collateral damage of affirmative action and certain fringe anti white groups. Back to original issue-if a parent wants to advocate with laws as they stand then good for them.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of posters here siding against the family and giving Sidwell a pass. Seems to me that Sidwell handled this situation with only their reputation in mind.

What is the logical between your first and second sentence?

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Anonymous wrote:So going to Penn is ruining a life?

I mean, the fact that her name will show up in this lawsuit is far worse.

+1. Terrible job at parenting. Terrible abuse of the system to try and get some money. Terrible of lawyer to even take this case.

The family is from Upper Marlboro, which is kind of like the Palermo of scammers and fakers.

The statement in bold is no worse than saying all whites in America are racists.

Anonymous wrote:Lots of posters here siding against the family and giving Sidwell a pass. Seems to me that Sidwell handled this situation with only their reputation in mind.

They advised the student, the student ignored the advice.

The family sued the school, despite getting into an Ivy League university.

What are the damages? It is really hard to feel sympathy for the family and the public documents are from their side. If we ever see Sidwell's side, I would guess I will feel less sympathy for the family now than I do currently.