Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

NP. Agree class and clubs are important. They may be "friends" with the black kids and lower class kids but no they are not flying to Nantucket with them or golfing with them. Very white wealthy experiences that your kid will be left out of. Family gatherings at the Met Club and Chevy and Congo happen often and you won't be part of that either. It does affect the kids left out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

NP. Agree class and clubs are important. They may be "friends" with the black kids and lower class kids but no they are not flying to Nantucket with them or golfing with them. Very white wealthy experiences that your kid will be left out of. Family gatherings at the Met Club and Chevy and Congo happen often and you won't be part of that either. It does affect the kids left out.

Disagree. By high school your child will be invited to all of this if they are organically friends with these kids. My son is. He's friends with kids because they click due to personality, humor, sports, extracurricular interests and then he's been invited many times to Chevy. And several times to the Metropolitan Club and the beach and out-of-town vacations, etc. And we've in turn invited kids to our more middle-class excursions. I can totally see how lives might not intersect in the lower grades when parents are doing the playdate asking but by high school it's the boys doing the inviting and they invite who they're friends with. I've seen it happen with my son and I've seen it happen with other kids who are also more middle class. It really, really hasn't been an issue that my kid is not from an eilte crowd and we don't have club memberships and don't vacation in Nantucket.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

NP. Agree class and clubs are important. They may be "friends" with the black kids and lower class kids but no they are not flying to Nantucket with them or golfing with them. Very white wealthy experiences that your kid will be left out of. Family gatherings at the Met Club and Chevy and Congo happen often and you won't be part of that either. It does affect the kids left out.

Disagree. By high school your child will be invited to all of this if they are organically friends with these kids. My son is. He's friends with kids because they click due to personality, humor, sports, extracurricular interests and then he's been invited many times to Chevy. And several times to the Metropolitan Club and the beach and out-of-town vacations, etc. And we've in turn invited kids to our more middle-class excursions. I can totally see how lives might not intersect in the lower grades when parents are doing the playdate asking but by high school it's the boys doing the inviting and they invite who they're friends with. I've seen it happen with my son and I've seen it happen with other kids who are also more middle class. It really, really hasn't been an issue that my kid is not from an eilte crowd and we don't have club memberships and don't vacation in Nantucket.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

NP. Agree class and clubs are important. They may be "friends" with the black kids and lower class kids but no they are not flying to Nantucket with them or golfing with them. Very white wealthy experiences that your kid will be left out of. Family gatherings at the Met Club and Chevy and Congo happen often and you won't be part of that either. It does affect the kids left out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

NP. Agree class and clubs are important. They may be "friends" with the black kids and lower class kids but no they are not flying to Nantucket with them or golfing with them. Very white wealthy experiences that your kid will be left out of. Family gatherings at the Met Club and Chevy and Congo happen often and you won't be part of that either. It does affect the kids left out.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

Anonymous wrote:OP here - we have/are visiting the various open houses. Honestly, we've gotten a really good impression from some if them. However, when I've shared that with friends, I sometimes hear very negative experiences that have been relayed to them by others (i.e., not direct experiences). By asking this question, I'm hoping to get some balanced and honest perspective from families who have attended these schools. If you can share your experiences I'd be most appreciative. Would love to hear about your experiences over x many years and how it evolved. Whether you left the school to attend another school and why. Looking back, was your decision to leave really worth it. I'm really just looking for honest, reflective sharing of experiences.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

So if you don’t run a 4.3 40yd dash or have a wicked jump shot, you will have a hard time as a minority.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At St. Albans, Blacks are treated like royalty.

Plenty of threads about the anti-black racism at St Albans. The above comment was not necessary

yes, and the school has over-compensated, and there are lot of self-congratulatory white people who describe themselves as anti-racist, which creates a resentful, no-win environment for all.

Overcompensated for the racism?

exactly

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Very good post! My son recently graduated (last 2 yrs) as a white kid from a middle class, liberal family. All I can add as a white person is a strong agreement with the above hierarchy of values, although I would put athletic prowess and academic achievement as tied for most important among the boys. It is very respected and cool to be a high academic achiever as long as you don't brag about it.
1) athletic prowess, 1) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.
The boys (especially at the high school level) really don't care who has money. My son was completely accepted by the boys and his friends' parents despite our lack of big money, prestige jobs or club memberships.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

OP here - thank you so much for this thoughtful post. This is exactly what I was looking for. I appreciate you taking the time to truly hear what I was asking for and respond accordingly.

Anonymous wrote:STA is run by CCC and Congo members. Big emphasis on status and wealth among parents though it varies by grade. Some forms have down to earth parents. Others might have a heavy concentration of the 4 Cs. We had boys in 2 forms and parent culture was night and day.

Different with the boys. You have some privileged white kids but they are kept in check for the most part because the culture among the boys values in this order 1) athletic prowess, 2) academic achievement, 3) sense of humor, 4) other talents, 5) parent status and money.

Not gonna lie. Black and Asian boys will hear stupid stuff and be on the receiving end of micro aggressions.School is not great at acknowledging or dealing with it. DEI director means well but is ineffectual. Few if any Latino or Native American boys. Zero in my boys’ grades. Interestingly among the Asians there are many white/Asian mixed kids.

Teachers are the great equalizer. They reward merit and don’t know or care about parent status. There a few conservatives in the history department but more political than racial. Overall teaching quality is strong in Upper School. The teachers made the school.

The admin is a mixed bag. HOS expresses liberal DEI thoughts but is terrified of the wealthy MAGA crowd. Anything explicit and overt admin will respond to. A boy was expelled a couple years ago for using a racial slur. More subtle and structural stuff they let slide. Eg. Lower School head favors white students but he can’t affect grades or appoint student leaders. It affects tone but not opportunities.

OTH, the focus at STA is on boys learning and the school promotes values without going overboard woke the way they do at Sidwell and GDS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This might be worth looking into for St. Anselms Abbey School:

https://www.publicjustice.net/case_brief/doe-v-st-anselms-abbey-school/

Yikes!