Anonymous wrote:Stokes

Anonymous wrote:Without a doubt. What are the best schools for AA kids?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello again from the PP that elicited the strong reaction.

I actually pointed out skin color because our family is partially Latino and we are very aware that Latino identity is an ethnicity not a race. Latinos are all races, so saying someone is Latino provides absolutely no context for how the person looks, or whether they are from Mexico, Central or South America. One of the darker skinned children in my child's classroom happens to be from Central America, however Central Americans can be from any racial group and can be any color.

As you probably already know Washington DC has one of the wealthiest Latino communities in the US, and with the Embassies and international organizations in the city you also have one of the more racially diverse Latino communities in the country. Whether we are talking about the Afro-Colombians from the Pacific coast, or the direct descendants of Europeans that may even carry multiple passports in the case of Argentines who are also Italian, for example.

In light of the current climate of violence against black people, and particularly young black men. I want to know that my child's school has the capacity to support my child. Knowing that he is not the only brown-skinned child in the class is a start.

This is such a depressing post. The serious lack of understanding combined with the sweeping, incorrect generalizations just make me sad.

Just, for starters, Afro-Colombians are not from the Pacific. They're from the Caribbean Coast.

Argentinos are not Italian. Some are the descendants of Italians, but they don't automatically get passports.

Just.... Just please educate yourself a bit okay? It's not my job to sit here and explain everything to you, but you really don't realize how you're coming off.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello again from the PP that elicited the strong reaction.

I actually pointed out skin color because our family is partially Latino and we are very aware that Latino identity is an ethnicity not a race. Latinos are all races, so saying someone is Latino provides absolutely no context for how the person looks, or whether they are from Mexico, Central or South America. One of the darker skinned children in my child's classroom happens to be from Central America, however Central Americans can be from any racial group and can be any color.

As you probably already know Washington DC has one of the wealthiest Latino communities in the US, and with the Embassies and international organizations in the city you also have one of the more racially diverse Latino communities in the country. Whether we are talking about the Afro-Colombians from the Pacific coast, or the direct descendants of Europeans that may even carry multiple passports in the case of Argentines who are also Italian, for example.

In light of the current climate of violence against black people, and particularly young black men. I want to know that my child's school has the capacity to support my child. Knowing that he is not the only brown-skinned child in the class is a start.

This is such a depressing post. The serious lack of understanding combined with the sweeping, incorrect generalizations just make me sad.

Just, for starters, Afro-Colombians are not from the Pacific. They're from the Caribbean Coast.

Argentinos are not Italian. Some are the descendants of Italians, but they don't automatically get passports.

Just.... Just please educate yourself a bit okay? It's not my job to sit here and explain everything to you, but you really don't realize how you're coming off.

Okay, perhaps PP had a couple of the details wrong. But do you agree with her larger point, or did you miss it (highlighted in bold) as you were quibbling over the details?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello again from the PP that elicited the strong reaction.

I actually pointed out skin color because our family is partially Latino and we are very aware that Latino identity is an ethnicity not a race. Latinos are all races, so saying someone is Latino provides absolutely no context for how the person looks, or whether they are from Mexico, Central or South America. One of the darker skinned children in my child's classroom happens to be from Central America, however Central Americans can be from any racial group and can be any color.

As you probably already know Washington DC has one of the wealthiest Latino communities in the US, and with the Embassies and international organizations in the city you also have one of the more racially diverse Latino communities in the country. Whether we are talking about the Afro-Colombians from the Pacific coast, or the direct descendants of Europeans that may even carry multiple passports in the case of Argentines who are also Italian, for example.

In light of the current climate of violence against black people, and particularly young black men. I want to know that my child's school has the capacity to support my child. Knowing that he is not the only brown-skinned child in the class is a start.

This is such a depressing post. The serious lack of understanding combined with the sweeping, incorrect generalizations just make me sad.

Just, for starters, Afro-Colombians are not from the Pacific. They're from the Caribbean Coast.

Argentinos are not Italian. Some are the descendants of Italians, but they don't automatically get passports.

Just.... Just please educate yourself a bit okay? It's not my job to sit here and explain everything to you, but you really don't realize how you're coming off.

Anonymous wrote:Hello again from the PP that elicited the strong reaction.

I actually pointed out skin color because our family is partially Latino and we are very aware that Latino identity is an ethnicity not a race. Latinos are all races, so saying someone is Latino provides absolutely no context for how the person looks, or whether they are from Mexico, Central or South America. One of the darker skinned children in my child's classroom happens to be from Central America, however Central Americans can be from any racial group and can be any color.

As you probably already know Washington DC has one of the wealthiest Latino communities in the US, and with the Embassies and international organizations in the city you also have one of the more racially diverse Latino communities in the country. Whether we are talking about the Afro-Colombians from the Pacific coast, or the direct descendants of Europeans that may even carry multiple passports in the case of Argentines who are also Italian, for example.

In light of the current climate of violence against black people, and particularly young black men. I want to know that my child's school has the capacity to support my child. Knowing that he is not the only brown-skinned child in the class is a start.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But isn't it true that lighter-skinned Latinos are also the more wealthy ones in Latin America? So even though a class might have international kids they are possibly likely to still look "white." If you're trying to show diversity to an AA child but everyone still looks white it might not be the best experience for them. Now I also think it's possible that even having darker-skinned international people still might not help an AA child feel welcome, so maybe it doesn't make a difference either way....

Yes, see in Latin America they have a color scale, and if your skin falls below the au lait gradient you automatically have a 30% pay cut--I mean, wait--what? You really think this literally?

Diversity is more than skin color. This is a lesson I learned in a school that was 80% black, 8% white and 12% everyone else. In that school, almost every kid had a parent or a grandparent who was from another country. At least one other country. I learned many obvious things... like being from the Caribbean is really different than being from Ghana, or Georgia. And that being from Georgia the state is really different than being from Georgia the country.

The lesson you WANT your kids to learn is that skin color is absolutely insignificant in terms of grouping anyone. Ever. Completely pointless. The Indian (by descent) kid in your class whose parents are from Ohio will hang out with the Pakistani kid, whose parents are from Pakistan. The second thing you want them to learn is that it's pretty cool knowing people from so many places and cultures, and that international food day is the bomb. And black kids are just as diverse in this way as everyone else. Especially in a place like DC, where so many African immigrants have settled.

I've been to Brazil and have a friend who lived in Argentina for a while, and there are definitely still some serious issues they're dealing with regarding color. The darker-skinned individuals are less well off OVERALL and the general population idolizes lighter skin. And yes, the same is true in the US, but that's why the PP was saying she was looking for a classroom where her child wasn't the only AA or dark-skinned person in the room.

Yes, skin color doesn't define people, but tell that to the only AA child in her class and you're likely to hear that it can be a difficult situation nevertheless. Sorry, that's just the reality and I think it's just willfully ignorant not to recognize that.

Wow you went to Brazil!? And you have a friend from Argentina?! Thanks so much for explaining to me, An actual born outside the US Latino, about how skin color matters.

The more you know!

PS- no one was dismissing the importance of a variety of skin colors in a classroom. I was pointing out the INCREDIBLE RACISM and UTTER LACK OF SENSITIVITY from some posters like yourself when discussing race in Latin America.

PPS- grow a brain.

PS- no one

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

But isn't it true that lighter-skinned Latinos are also the more wealthy ones in Latin America? So even though a class might have international kids they are possibly likely to still look "white." If you're trying to show diversity to an AA child but everyone still looks white it might not be the best experience for them. Now I also think it's possible that even having darker-skinned international people still might not help an AA child feel welcome, so maybe it doesn't make a difference either way....

Yes, see in Latin America they have a color scale, and if your skin falls below the au lait gradient you automatically have a 30% pay cut--I mean, wait--what? You really think this literally?

Diversity is more than skin color. This is a lesson I learned in a school that was 80% black, 8% white and 12% everyone else. In that school, almost every kid had a parent or a grandparent who was from another country. At least one other country. I learned many obvious things... like being from the Caribbean is really different than being from Ghana, or Georgia. And that being from Georgia the state is really different than being from Georgia the country.

The lesson you WANT your kids to learn is that skin color is absolutely insignificant in terms of grouping anyone. Ever. Completely pointless. The Indian (by descent) kid in your class whose parents are from Ohio will hang out with the Pakistani kid, whose parents are from Pakistan. The second thing you want them to learn is that it's pretty cool knowing people from so many places and cultures, and that international food day is the bomb. And black kids are just as diverse in this way as everyone else. Especially in a place like DC, where so many African immigrants have settled.

I've been to Brazil and have a friend who lived in Argentina for a while, and there are definitely still some serious issues they're dealing with regarding color. The darker-skinned individuals are less well off OVERALL and the general population idolizes lighter skin. And yes, the same is true in the US, but that's why the PP was saying she was looking for a classroom where her child wasn't the only AA or dark-skinned person in the room.

Yes, skin color doesn't define people, but tell that to the only AA child in her class and you're likely to hear that it can be a difficult situation nevertheless. Sorry, that's just the reality and I think it's just willfully ignorant not to recognize that.

Anonymous wrote:

But isn't it true that lighter-skinned Latinos are also the more wealthy ones in Latin America? So even though a class might have international kids they are possibly likely to still look "white." If you're trying to show diversity to an AA child but everyone still looks white it might not be the best experience for them. Now I also think it's possible that even having darker-skinned international people still might not help an AA child feel welcome, so maybe it doesn't make a difference either way....

Yes, see in Latin America they have a color scale, and if your skin falls below the au lait gradient you automatically have a 30% pay cut--I mean, wait--what? You really think this literally?

Diversity is more than skin color. This is a lesson I learned in a school that was 80% black, 8% white and 12% everyone else. In that school, almost every kid had a parent or a grandparent who was from another country. At least one other country. I learned many obvious things... like being from the Caribbean is really different than being from Ghana, or Georgia. And that being from Georgia the state is really different than being from Georgia the country.

The lesson you WANT your kids to learn is that skin color is absolutely insignificant in terms of grouping anyone. Ever. Completely pointless. The Indian (by descent) kid in your class whose parents are from Ohio will hang out with the Pakistani kid, whose parents are from Pakistan. The second thing you want them to learn is that it's pretty cool knowing people from so many places and cultures, and that international food day is the bomb. And black kids are just as diverse in this way as everyone else. Especially in a place like DC, where so many African immigrants have settled.