Seems to me some of the posters here are living in the past.

Now here's the real history lesson - prior to the Jim Crow laws, DC was truly segregated, and was 60 to 70 percent white. By the 1970s and 1980s, that reversed to being over 70% AA. But now, a few decades later, it's back to under 50% AA.

In the last several decades, there has been a steady influx of non-AA residents coming in, and some AA have moved to surrounding communities. Ask the typical non-AA where he or she is from and you will find that most of them are not from around here. Most are likely to be from all walks of life, from every part of the US, as well as from Europe, Asia and Latin America. But that's not unique to non-AA - my office is majority AA but on learning where they come from you are more likely to hear something like NYC, Jacksonville, North Carolina, Chicago, Trinidad, Massachusetts or Ghana than you will hear DC.

A lot has changed in these recent decades, yet there is that small segment of people with multi-generational history in the city and a culture of victimhood, who are still stuck in the past, some of whom will gladly paint all non-AA with the brush of whatever historic and institutional racism and segregation of DC, even though most non-AA in DC are strangers both to DC and to each other and do not have that history.

It's invalid, irrelevant and inappropriate.

Anonymous wrote:Don't argue with anyone on this forum who feels that if it is exclusive AA and is successful that it means that whites are not welcome. Let that be their mountain to climb.

In the world of hate, we can't win even if we are successful.

Nicely put!

Impersonal people will never be impressed. I have stated that Banneker was created as a plan to bring back the whites to the fold. But it backfired and now has become a mecca for AAs and the has not regretted that labeling for one bit. We had a Superintendent who had it in for Banneker and she would have dismantle the school if she would have stayed longer. Pointing out the obvious is quite easy and your assertion about marketing yourself is so on point. Look at KIPP, SEED and Friendship and then look at SWW, Banneker and McKinley. Clearly there's a marketing strategy of giving into the pressure to achieve diversity and there's those who are saying I don't give a damn and will educate all that will attend. It's not always about Black power, it is about Black progressiveness. Look at as being profound instead offering us a pity-party.

My 2 cents:

I have lived here a very, very long time. This city is extremely segregated and we the residents are still dealing with internalized white supremacy. This is why you have people of all cultural backgrounds trekking from all corners of the city trying to crowd into Ward 3 schools. There are a few exceptions, and we're seeing some shifts in the charter world. The latest trend is for parents of the upper classes, if they elect to go public, try to plant a flag in a first year charter school in order to create a desirable mix of students. Some charter operators know how to market themselves to achieve that mix.

Banneker has performed as well as SWW yet doesn't have the mix that some seek. Many would not blink an eye at a black child being the "only" in the class or school, but the reverse is a scary prospect for some.

I can't say that my family is immune from this sort of thinking, but Banneker is walking distance from us and is definitely on my short list of high schools.

Quick word too about Howard MS and Banneker students: I have met/known a few young people who attended these schools. To a person, they were impressive and went on to do great things. This, more than anything else, is why I would encourage anyone to take a look at these two schools. You never know. You might just be impressed too.

I heard that actual quote on black radio from the rapper Ice-T. He pretty much said that in a world of hate you can't even be a hero without some disregarding your heroic efforts. He said, try to rescue someone from a burning building and before you know it, someone is ready to blow-smoke up your behind for all the things that you didn't do right.

Here it is an University that took the initiative to stimulate math and sciences at the critical stages of middle school. Then all of sudden, it [HUMS] is being scrutinize for being non-inclusive to whites. If that's not a sign of blowing smoke up someone's behind then I don't know what is.

Anonymous wrote:Don't argue with anyone on this forum who feels that if it is exclusive AA and is successful that it means that whites are not welcome. Let that be their mountain to climb.

In the world of hate, we can't win even if we are successful.

exactly this...^^^^^^^!

Don't argue with anyone on this forum who feels that if it is exclusive AA and is successful that it means that whites are not welcome. Let that be their mountain to climb.

In the world of hate, we can't win even if we are successful.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hey, when you have two good choices then you can't go wrong.

Please, let us change the subject about HUMS it has been the best kept secret in DC. Move on there's nothing going on here...false alarm.

I am with this poster...let's change the subject and go back to the usual suspects. False Alarm!

So this must be how a quality public charter middle school in a city desperate for them can end up with zero white kids: make it crystal clear that they are not welcome.

Interesting way to interpret your ignorance of the school's existence. How did you find out about your child's current school. What are you doing to educate yourself about MS and HS in the city? Where do you get your information?

Anonymous wrote:The school is 5-8. Where do the children usually attend after the 8th grade. Are languages offer?. I know that it is a stem school, but I am still interested in languages fir my child. Thanks.

Does anyone know?

Anonymous wrote:Nope. It means we live in a racially segregated city. Why do you think Howard U hospital serves all black people? Same for some restaurants, schools, neighborhoods. White people aren't unwelcome but most would feel very uncomfortable patronizing these places. I'm from Cleveland, Ohio and DC makes it look integrated.

Wow, you are really ignorant or terribly old. When was the first and last time you were at HU hospital. The hospital does not only serve Black people. The staff of doctors and nurses are multi-racial. Perhaps the last time HU served Blacks only, and it was not by choice as there was this little thing called Jim Crow, was when the hospital was Freedman's hospital.

And please name a restaurant in this city that only serves Black people. You cannot.

How ironic I was at a volunteer recognition program and I had the pleasure to meet three parents that have children enrolled at HUMS. All raved about the school and one parent called the principal and let me have a conversation. The coach at the receiving school said that his athlete of the year came from HUMS, played 4 varsity sports and maintained a 4.0. All the parents said the technology at the school is very up to date. The math and science curriculum is vigorous and substantial. There are many educators and college professors who have their own children enrolled at HUMS. Which makes the school a special jewel in regards of having the "it" factor. We all know what I mean in regards to the "it" factor?

Howard, go on with your bad self! Who would of thought AAs investing in education and it is working

Anonymous wrote:From 00:55

"Howard U has this school up and running without having the need to apologize for not being diverse."

Unbelievable, particularly in the light of the posts on DCUM about BASIS and their nefarious plans to exlude AA and SN students. How many SN students are at HUMS?

B I N G O

Before we go on with any more wild speculation about what a school that hasn't even opened its doors yet (but which, by the way, DOES already have plenty of AA and SN students enrolled, as well as parents of AA and SN students as organizers, chairs and members of their booster club and its committees) let's FIRST start with the schools in the area which DO have a long history of exclusion.

They seem to have an excellent array of after school STEM programs.

I haven't been able to find their course catalog. They mention that kids can take Algebra 1, but that's been standard for college prep kids in middle school for 30 years. Deal and the magnet middle schools in the burbs allow 7th graders to take it and 8th graders to take Geometry. Is that option available at HUMSMS?

I only know one kid who went there and his parents pulled him out and sent him to private --they thought it was not sufficiently challenging.

There are probably just as many SN at HUMS that applied to attend. The school has been under the radar and they have not had to do the exclusive recruiting and removing cycle. I think they have done pretty darn well in surviving this long without being picked-on or bullied in the spectrum of education.

As to the tongue in cheek comment about HU students mingling with HUMS that is hardly the atmosphere at HU. I think there's an abundance of HU students who are education majors who do their student teaching at the middle school. The environment is so conducive to a strong and vigorous learning experience.