Thanks 9:55 and 10:56! This is a conversation worth having! I'm not sure I understand the previous post but could it be saying that some middle-class AA families may be staying clear of options that are perceived as being threatened by a white "take-over"? I'd think that could apply to Hardy MS but have my serious reservations that that's what's keeping those families away from Eliot-Hine. Their more subtle understanding of class divisions within the black school community is a better candidate I think. So I'm still fishing for an answer on how to address that. What is it middle-class AA families need to give it a go?

On the "savior complex", I wanted to add that I think there are two different complexes white parents may display in predominantly black schools. The "savior complex", if I get the concept right, would be more common among the Birkenstock wearing social justice type. What you seem to allude to is the "know-it-all better complex", which I (incidentally white) am running up against as well. Give this a laugh: Is it possible, just a possibility, that some white parents may develop an interest in black schools to get away from it? I may need to seek a psychiatrist's answer to this but would meanwhile welcome some insight.
Also, in seeing this play out on the ground, my impression is that school-sensitive black families (to avoid the middle-class stereo-type for once) often have the same complaints as their white counterparts. They just go about addressing them in a very different way, less whiny and more bilateral maybe. So could there be more opportunities than we think there are to get our act together on Eliot-Hine?

Anonymous wrote:I too have been enlightened it is not the race of people that will give me the saviour complex it is the class of people that will be my stumbling block. If we only had a group of PWT to counteract the situation.

I think your comment actually reflects a reality of the situation. The divisions are overwhelmingly class-based. I'm white, and would have no problem sending my child to a school that was 90% middle-class and 99% black. I have serious reservations about sending my kid to a middle-school that is 15% middle-class and 99% black (or 99% white). Obviously the overwhelming majority of middle-class black parents have come to that same conclusion.

A school that has 10% poor and academically struggling kids has a shot at serving those kids while serving the broader community of students. A school that has 90% poor and academically struggling kids has no chance.

@22:26, the enlightenment is as plan as the nose on your face. Many times we as blacks do not shy away from incorporating monies, activities and support from white parents. It is when the incorporating comes with a hidden agenda of "change" which immediate leads to skepticism.

It just seems that if the black parent is not of middle-class status then all bets are off for hoping that their children have the best education.

We all know that familiarity brings comfort and therefore when black parents see the predominant black school staff from Principal to Custodian then a comfort level is developed. But it always seems to me that when whites join the mix they want to upset the apple cart.

Instead of asking what they can do to help, it appears that it is always a point to expose what we are not doing as a race involving education and the only way to save this school is the help from white parents. Hence, the saviour complex is being observed and viewed.

In certain instances it is genuine but many times it is not and my batting average shows that the whites who wanted to help a certain school in my neighborhood was not genuine.

The irony was that the former Superintendent and Chancellor forewarned us of what was going to happen and we all know that both former leaders of the schools were minoritiies themselves. Hence, a minority is our school leader currently and the dialogue still continues about who will have the best interest at heart for our black children. As I stated before familiarity brings comfort.

Saving a situation is a good thing. Who would ever thought that the U-street and H-street corridors would ever be saved because of white people. Let me restate it wasn't saved by a race of people but a class of people.

I too have been enlightened it is not the race of people that will give me the saviour complex it is the class of people that will be my stumbling block. If we only had a group of PWT to counteract the situation.

Anonymous wrote:Eliot Hine will be majority African American for as far as the eye can see - at least fifteen years out.

Anonymous wrote:That wasn't my question. My question was what it would take for middle class AA families to trust EH as much as some now seem to trust Eastern. I'm not sure they're OOB. Rather, I think these are, at least partially, IB families who went away for middle school but decided to come back. The reason I'm asking, besides pure intellectual curiosity, is that they are often trusted by white neighbors to give it a go, at least by those who're not driven by a Savior Complex, which is a new concept for me I must admit.

But if you were a paranoid black dude thinking about the plan then you would care an awful lot about EH remaining AA for a long time.

Anonymous wrote:Eliot Hine will be majority African American for as far as the eye can see - at least fifteen years out.

That wasn't my question. My question was what it would take for middle class AA families to trust EH as much as some now seem to trust Eastern. I'm not sure they're OOB. Rather, I think these are, at least partially, IB families who went away for middle school but decided to come back. The reason I'm asking, besides pure intellectual curiosity, is that they are often trusted by white neighbors to give it a go, at least by those who're not driven by a Savior Complex, which is a new concept for me I must admit.

Eliot Hine will be majority African American for as far as the eye can see - at least fifteen years out.

Why the division of white and black middle class families who could together make a real impact? Why the hostile terms " Savior Conclave" and " Take over "? Would any white family showing up to enroll children at E-H be assumed to have a Savior Complex? Or just the ones who want to raise funds and support the pta? Enlighten me please.

20:55, Could one also think that these middle class blacks who chose Eastern are the school boundary charter school children. Such as the Maya Angelou Middle School campus students who had a great affinity for the inaugural Eastern.

The proof is not only in those who selected Eastern but those who are committed to stay at Eastern. I am a firm believer the school that you don't want, just might not want you or your class status.

We all know there are not enough white children in the neighborhood to make an impact on E-H and EHS. Pretty likely there
will be enough whites to start a saviour conclave but a take over that's not going to happen per the MOCHA Moms.

There's no division. It is more about provisions. What will it take? Yoy know it better than anyone would. Because it is not the what but the how many will it take? The operative word of "many" is now being called middle-class blacks.

So, now to change the culture of a school, we must delve into the class of the races.

I saw this question on another post, it stated what if my highly qualified teacher is poor? Would that have a significant impact on middle income child?

Anonymous wrote:How are you defining middle class? Not eligible for FARMs?

If you have better data, go ahead and redefine. Whatever the definition, it'll boil down to about twice the proportion being economically better off at Eastern than at nearby Eliot-Hine and my question stands: what does it take?

How are you defining middle class? Not eligible for FARMs?

Anonymous wrote:Out of 500 enrolled, how many at Eastern are middle class African Americans?

To tell from school profile data, 30% are middle class. That would be about 150 if enrollment were 500. But enrollment is actually 167 (there are only 9th graders), which translates into about 50. Either way, the proportion is a lot higher than at Eliot-Hine MS, where only 15% are middle class by that indicator. This confirms, for me, that middle-class AA families who hadn't considered Eliot-Hine as an option (probably taking their kids to Hardy MS or Howard University MS instead) chose Eastern. Indeed, I know some who did. The question for me is what is needed for those families to trust EH enough to return. And that's where I, as your white neighbor who is oblivious to some of the long-standing black-black divisions here, am at a loss. Someone fill me in please!

Anonymous wrote:Eastern has went through all the racial transformations over the decades. It was all white, then became integrated and by choice the whites left and the school became all black. Now the neighborhood has changed but the school racial mix hasn't. Plainly put because the school boundary portion for Eastern serves a large black population. It was poised on another thread but until the whites come up with a number of what they consider a comfortable population of blacks who can make the school a postive racial mix, Eastern will never cut the mustard. Projected enrollment for Eastern next year is about 500 plus and the percentage of whites expected to attend is almost non-existent. I must say that Eastern is pulling out all the bells and whistles to recurit that white minority student population but y'all too skeptical for that ain't ya??? I say if 500 black students are already destined for Eastern next year then let the 501[st] be the white kid from the neighborhood. If he/she is chased home, then they don't have far to run, do ya??? Let's be political correct the white child being chased home is not of negative harmful issues but because of the novelty and popularity of the recent status of being the 501[st] child. We all know how how black children are fanatical when it comes to things that are white. Remember the white doll-baby experiement? Hold on, the responses from the Hill base that will write and post that their child[ren] have plenty of black school-aged friends will be mind-boggling. The DCUM sytem is about to be overloaded with the Peter, Paul and Mary's who are close friends with the neighborhood Beyonce', Jaz-Z and Lil Wayne. And through this collaboration, nothing can go wrong. Hold on, let me go to the store and get a box of wine and some rolling papers, so I can be prepared to read the chatter.

Out of 500 enrolled, how many at Eastern are middle class African Americans?

Anonymous wrote:Eastern has went through all the racial transformations over the decades. It was all white, then became integrated and by choice the whites left and the school became all black.

Now the neighborhood has changed but the school racial mix hasn't. Plainly put because the school boundary portion for Eastern serves a large black population.

It was poised on another thread but until the whites come up with a number of what they consider a comfortable population of blacks who can make the school a postive racial mix, Eastern will never cut the mustard.

Projected enrollment for Eastern next year is about 500 plus and the percentage of whites expected to attend is almost non-existent. I must say that Eastern is pulling out all the bells and whistles to recurit that white minority student population but y'all too skeptical for that ain't ya???

I say if 500 black students are already destined for Eastern next year then let the 501[st] be the white kid from the neighborhood. If he/she is chased home, then they don't have far to run, do ya??? Let's be political correct the white child being chased home is not of negative harmful issues but because of the novelty and popularity of the recent status of being the 501[st] child. We all know how how black children are fanatical when it comes to things that are white. Remember the white doll-baby experiement?


Hold on, the responses from the Hill base that will write and post that their child[ren] have plenty of black school-aged friends will be mind-boggling. The DCUM sytem is about to be overloaded with the Peter, Paul and Mary's who are close friends with the neighborhood Beyonce', Jaz-Z and Lil Wayne. And through this collaboration, nothing can go wrong.

Hold on, let me go to the store and get a box of wine and some rolling papers, so I can be prepared to read the chatter.

I am loathe to give you fuel for continued posting, but your simple-minded way of explaining everything in black and white terms makes me discount everything that comes afterwards. Come back with a more nuanced analysis that may be closer to the truth and I will take you seriously.

12:14; Yargle Bargle. That response just floored me and I am throwing in the towel. OMG, I have never been so insulted in my life. This will require me to get therapy and find a realtor. Help me out here, what is that saying about "crap" rolling down hill. Such as what you said is a bunch of crap and you live on the Hill.

Bring it baby, I've said it before I am the Joan Rivers of this thread.