<p>The fact that Blair is close to Newark and NYC has nothing to do with anything. </p>
<p>Perhaps Blair has less money to offer than other schools. Perhaps they feel their mix is working pretty well. </p>
<p>We get it- Blair isn't the place for your daughter.</p>
<p>Blair Academy is an amazing school in a beautiful location. But it is an amazing school only if it is a "match" for both the student and the school.</p>
<p>NYC,
I'm writing to agree with you again. By the numbers, Blair is low on black students. But more importantly, by reputation, Blair doesn't do a good job with retaining and recruiting black students. </p>
<p>I don't think Mom of Wild Child's post is fair or kind. She is a Blair parent, and I'm sorry to say that this type of attitude is exactly why black students don't consider Blair as much. Of course Blair has the scholarship money, they give full rides to athletes. But not all black students need scholarship money, so it is wrong to make that assumption. Secondly, location makes a HUGE difference. Most schools have the majority of kids from within a 2 hr drive. Newark and New York are cities with high black population, located only 45 miles from Blair, yet they haven't made any, or enough connections, in this areas.</p>
<p>I will answer Dyermakers question on how Blair could attract more black students. First, the administration cane make some connections and build relationships with NJ Seeds, the Newark Boy Choir, and other black educational organiztions that traditionally send their kids to New England. How about some effort with these groups? Second, the culture of the basketball team creates a "the only black kids that are here are not so bright and play basketball" mentality, making black students feel that they are there for the entertainment of the white kids, but not as much a part of the school. That might be an over-statement on my part---and the black students might not feel that way initially, but some time during their 4 yrs at a school with a program like that, they might question how the school community values and perceives black students.</p>
<p>Blair has a lot to offer, and as nyc said---schools can turn it around very quickly. All it takes is a little recruiting. If Blair can find the top basketball players around the country, how about spending a little time looking for black scholars too?</p>
<p>Am I the only one who thinks Momofwildchild's response seems a little curt?</p>
<p>kristin- If you don't like my posts, don't read them. If I want to be curt, I will. </p>
<p>Blair does a fine job, and if it doesn't suit you or another parent, I'm sure it won't detract from the experience of the vast majority of the students. It didn't bother me a bit that there weren't more black students. How many do you think there are in the Dallas private schools?</p>
<p>Thanks kristinkaye for answering my question! I think the next question, of course, is to figure out what Blair is actually doing. But we're being told that that's not worth talking about because the numbers are just too low and Blair is not worth exploring further -- but, oddly, still worth flagging here as having some problems. Too bad we can't talk about these problems without having to call out Blair in the process....</p>
<p>Personally, I think it's the parents prerogative. And nyc has said any number of times that the numbers don't work and therefore it's not worth exploring deeper into what the student life is like for their own. Again, in her position, I think I would be one of those who would use a statistical cut off. I take no issue with that. But I'm perplexed that, after having said that the numbers don't work, Blair is being singled out over and over again.</p>
<p>I think there are some understandable sensitivities here because this one school is being singled out. And at first it was just that the numbers were below expectations. But now it's grown into a failure that's practically by design. There are people here who have a significant investment in the school and feel an affinity for it. There may be students here who have made a choice that they're proud of. I think that needs to be respected and those people deserve some consideration -- especially since nyc says she's no longer interested in Blair.</p>
<p>I don't think Blair should live to a higher standard than New England schools because it is near the NYC metro area. It's actually not. It's in a different world. If you go from Newark to Blairstown, you might as well go from Newark to most anywhere. I grew up near Newark but I had no idea that Blairstown existed except for two away football games there while I was in high school. It is remote and off the beaten path. My mom still lives there and we used her home as a base for visiting schools last year. We never managed to get to Blair. It's just out of the orbit and required its own special trip. Maybe the same barrier that I encountered applies to other people from the area.</p>
<p>I happen to agree that boarding schools -- beyond the most heavily endowed schools -- should do better overall at attracting minority groups. I'm not buying into the notion that Blair stands out. And, frankly, I think the claim that Blair should be held accountable is giving many other schools a pass that they don't deserve. Which is why, after a number of invitations in this thread by myself and goaliedad to discuss this as a systemic concern, it seems curious that this keeps circling back to Blair and only Blair.</p>
<p>That's why I asked if maybe there was something else that Blair did or didn't do to offend or turn off nyc. She insisted that, no, she just didn't like the numbers. But considering the investment -- in so many ways -- that many people here have made in Blair, I think it's understandable if some people have been curt in response to a thread that calls out a single school and where all explanations and attempts to suggest other ways that the school promotes diversity are met with resistance. </p>
<p>On the one hand, a firsthand account of student's experiences being positive are dismissed as being irrelevant because the numbers are just too low for that to matter. But yet there seems to be something that is personal here because this thread keeps putting the bullseye on Blair to the exclusion of so many other schools.</p>
<p>That's too bad, because I'd like to explore this as the more global dynamic I think that nyc has touched on and because it's just really, really rude -- not merely curt -- to keep bashing Blair and dismissing the firsthand accounts of actual parents who speak to the actual experience at the school.</p>
<p>There's an important discussion here that's worth having, but it won't happen if this has to be about zinging one single school.</p>
<p>I'd just like to point out that Blair attended school fairs at the Wight Foundation in Newark, the Robert Treat Academy in Newark and NJ SEEDS <a href="http://www.blair.edu/Admissions/ad_on_the_road.shtm%5B/url%5D">http://www.blair.edu/Admissions/ad_on_the_road.shtm</a> . During the last admissions cycle, there was someone on the board from ABC who was accepted at Blair. She decided to attend another NJ school. </p>
<p>And I do think the bashing is undeserved.</p>
<p>There are not that many under represented minority students in general, and black students in particular, in these boarding schools. I don't know anything about Blair other than their wrestling team, but I would not rule in or out a school on numbers alone. You really want to know about the way the students interact. Do the black students feel included? Are they happy? Do they stay and graduate, or transfer out? A place with more black students, but where they feel uncomfortable hanging out with anyone else, would be much worse than another school with smaller numbers, but a welcoming environment.</p>
<p>As I've said a thousand times, I have no axe to grind w/ Blair. I was, admittedly schocked that Blair's numbers were so low - - and, b/c the sch met our other criteria, I started the thread to see whether there was some signif fact of which I was unaware that would explain what I see as a serious deficiency. </p>
<p>I am not holding Blair to a different standard than other schs, b/c I think the standard is similarly situated schs. I did not expect that outside of the top schs the % of black students would be above 8%. But 6-8% is not at all uncommon among many MA/CT, primarily b/c of their proximity to urban areas - - cities as small as Hartford, Worcester and Pittsfield. And indeed, "remoteness" is the most-often cited by admissions officers for the lack of URM students, Momofwild's assertions to the contrary notwithstanding. </p>
<p>And while Blairstown is not in the NYC metro area - - neither is Pittsfield. MPS - - though farther from NYC than Blair and possibly at a disadvantage as a single-sex sch, does serious recruiting in NYC/ Newark and has the numbers to show for it.</p>
<p>I am not giving other schs a pass, and I have answered your question regarding systematic concern or global dynamic. Nor I have dismissed Blair's efforts at increasing its diversity (racial or otherwise) or suggested in any way Blair was other than a fine school -- these facts just don't change my mind re: the suitability for my D (just as Momofwild says that if Blair hadn't offered track, it wouldn't have been on her list - - regardless of whatever other worthwhile experience it might have offered). Likewise, I never disputed the fact that black students were happy at Blair, I merely stated "not enough" for me (just as deliriously happy Lax and v'ball students wouldn't make up for the absence of a hockey team for goaliedad and his D).</p>
<p>As for the constant circling back to Blair, I assume that the title - - which refers to a particular sch - - attracts posters w/ an interest in or first-hand knowl of that sch.</p>
<p>Finally, I do not accept afan's dichotomy. Sure, better a few happy students than a large group that's unhappy, but I wouldn't enroll my D at either sch. And for me, the hapiness quotient comes into play only after the numerical/statistical threshold has been met.</p>
<p>Maybe time to start a new thread on the more general topic.</p>
<p>Not presenting it as a dichotomy, but as a different dimension. </p>
<p>I am saying be less concerned with numbers, which will be small in any case, and focus on experience. You want a place where she will be, and be treated as, "a student", rather than "a black student". If her race has a strong influence on her experience at the school, then it is probably the wrong place for her.</p>
<p>Blair may or may not be such a place, but the numbers alone do not tell the story.</p>
<p>Obviously no single factor tells the story for any sch - - but a single factor is often the sole basis for any number of families bypassing what may be Nirvana for others. For some, that factor is athletics (hockey, track), or distance or availability of finaid - - for me it's crit mass of black students.</p>
<p>Just as, in parenting, I never believed there could be true "quality" time w/o sufficient quantity; I don't beliebve there can be a quality exp for D w/o critical mass of black students. Those who disagree are welcome to make a different decision w/ their $ and for ther chrn.</p>
<p>(One parent PMed me stating that enrolled her S at a sch that made a sincere effort to accomodate observant Jewish students - - no homework before/on holidays, driving kids to services, etc. Unfortunately, b/c she didn't check the numbers, next yr, her S will be the only observant student on the campus - - not the experience she wanted for him.)</p>
<p>FYI:</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Minority status (not litd to race) tends to have a "stong influence" on the experiences of most minorities. </p></li>
<li><p>I would no more want D stripped of her black identity and treated as "a student" than I would want her gender ignored or overlooked.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Perhaps you shouldn't have started a thread about a particular school when it seems to be YOU, by your own admission, who is so hung up on the race-thing.</p>
<p>I actually DO want the gender of my kids to be ignored- or at least very minimized. Why should it matter? Why should race matter? </p>
<p>It does matter to you, and you want a critical mass of black students. Good luck with that. And jbe prepared for a huge shock when you get to the college search process. I guess Howard it is for YOUR daughter!</p>
<p>I asked the question about a particular sch and to aid me in selecting a sch for my D - - I am certainly not the first parent to start a thread on that basis. </p>
<p>As for for my methodology, I have two Ds happily at top 20 LACs, each w/ critical mass of black students. I hope to place D3 as happily in BS and later in college (ditto for S and D4). </p>
<p>And, it seems you are the one w/ the hang up.</p>
<p>nyc- you certainly didn't start this thread to help you select a school. Your post stated, "Before I cross Blair off my list (and go into outrage mode)" and the title is Disappointed in Blair. You asked for information on the numbers, but you refuse to believe anything you have been told in response to your request. Your mind was clearly made up, so what was the point of the thread? </p>
<p>What is the percentage of blacks at the top 20 LACs your daughters attend? If it is significantly more than Blair's percentage, good for you! You were told what efforts Blair makes to recruit, and, by the way, there is a "critical mass" of Asian kids. The fact that YOU are disappointed in Blair doesn't make it an inappropriate place for black students. That is the impression you are trying to convey.</p>
<p>I asked whether there was somehting I was overlooking re: the low number of black students, the answer is "no." It's not that I don't believe that Blair recruits and has a crit mass of Asian students - - it's just non-reponsive and irrelevant to my quest re: black enrollment.</p>
<p>And again, I never said Blair was an inappropriate place for black students. Nor did I never dispute the fact that the black girls in your S's class were hyappy at Blair. I just said that w/o sufficient numbers that wasn't enough for me.</p>
<p>Reviewing my posts, I said:
- #12 Blair looks good (to me), except for low # of black students;</p>
<ul>
<li><h1>19 I'm not assigning blame for the low # of black students;</h1></li>
<li><h1>35 For me, the absence of a signif black pop is deal-breaker - - just ast the absence of a hockey team would be for you, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER OTHER WONDERFUL OPPTYS THE SCH OFFERED; and</h1></li>
<li><h1>36 No one doubts that your family has been happy w/ Blair, including the diversity. The numbers aren't good enough for me. That is a matter of personal preference, not a statement of fact.</h1></li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>As for Ds' colleges, each has approx 8% black students (compare w/ Blair's 3%). My threshold for colleges was 5%, which many top LACs meet.</p>
<p>Not having a hockey team wouldn't bother me. In fact, I'm not sure Blair DOES have one. </p>
<p>So, are you saying that you aren't disappointed IN Blair, that you are simply disappointed that it won't be an option for your daughter? Maybe you incorrectly titled your thread, but it sure seemed to me and others that you were dissing the school because it didn't meet your specific criteria. That would be like me saying because Governor (Dummer) or whatever it might be called now chooses not to field a spring track team the place is grossly insufficient.</p>
<p>I guess I don't see where 5-8% blacks is a "critical mass", especially on a college campus. I bet you would run into the 3% blacks at Blair, or whatever the percentage actually is, more than your would the 5-8% at the LAC.</p>
<p>Not to change the subject, but changing gears a little...</p>
<p>I think it's important to recognize that diversity can be achieved in many ways and through many demographic parameters. The fact of the matter is that well-endowed boarding schools are going to be predominantly white. That's just a reflection of where the preponderance of wealth is in American society and that wealth is one of the engines that make boarding school options possible for all.</p>
<p>I mention this because when schools encounter difficulty drawing a particular ethnic group it hardly means those slots are filled up with WASPS instead. From the perspective of the student, no one demographic determines whether the experience will be rich in diversity. If you're seeking cohorts from your same ethnic group as nyc is, then you obviously look to that one parameter. But if you're asking whether your own experience is going to be enriched by a diverse community, you can't rely on a single demographic to be the barometer. There's a vast palette of colors, nationalities, and faith communities that contribute to the experience. If one group is underrepresented -- which is always going to be the case when we're talking about underrepresented minorities -- it doesn't follow that those seats are filled by white students. Instead, they may be filled with Latino students. Or a wealth of one URM could signal a lack of breadth of other students, especially at smaller schools.</p>
<p>I think the kinds of diversity questions I raised earlier in post #7 are the better way to measure the opportunity for an experience that builds on the diversity of the student body. For those looking for cohorts, confreres, compadres and comrades from the same demographic, I think nyc's approach of focusing on that demographic is reasonable and probably the way I would go. But for people seeking a school that offers a richly diverse experience, that sort of focus would be a mistake and the big picture analysis is what's called for.</p>
<p>I know quite a few minority individuals, most of whom are black, who are or were students at boarding or elite prep schools, and who do not agree that being a minority has/had a major influence on their experience. They may be wrong, but that is what they say. Among those who are currently enrolled, they look at me like I am crazy when I ask whether they feel treated differently on account of race. They hang out with groups of friends who look like the schools as a whole, not remaining only with one or two racial or ethnic groups. </p>
<p>They probably do have a different view of themselves as members of underrepresented groups than they would if they went to high schools where everyone looked like them. That is an unavoidable consequence of going to a school with a wide variety of students. Whether it is desirable depends on one's point of view. </p>
<p>I got that distinction between "student" and "black student" from one of them. When I try it out on others (amending it to their racial or ethnic group), they are unanimous that they are treated as, and feel themselves to be "students".</p>
<p>I hate to fan the flames anymore here, but I'm going to say one more thing: I see that people are making two main points here: 1). It is not fair to pick on Blair, all boarding schools have a low number of black students 2). the number or % of black students doesn't mean that they aren't having a good experience.</p>
<p>I made a very early point in one of my posts which said that in my experience with Blair, and Blair specifically, they had a problem with the morale and happiness of black students on campus. I didn't comment on the numbers, I commented on the experiences of the children at that school as related to me. The second thing was that I mentioned an issue that involved the headmaster and feeling that the way he handled a situation possibly contributed to several black students leaving. I said that if anyone wanted to hear more about that, they could pm me, and no one did. </p>
<p>I don't want to pick on Blair either. But this forum is for discussing specific schools as well as larger issues. Everyone is allowed to disagree with people's comments on specific schools, and we all understand that.</p>
<p>I found a few of the responses on this board to be very disappointing. I was a new reader to CC, but perhaps it isn't for me. I'm signing off</p>
<p>Kristinkaye,</p>
<p>It's too bad that you have chosen to sign off but I understand. It seems that a few posters have allowed their emotions to lead them onto a road typically traveled by tantrumous children. Clearly there are obvious, underlying issues driving these rants (way beyond school pride) but that's another post on another thread in another forum.</p>
<p>Best of luck with your search activity...</p>
<p>If you two think THIS is an emotional and/or heated discussion, you obviously haven't checked out many of the threads! I see you both are very new. I guess you better get out of the kitchen, because this is very tame. </p>
<p>Just because I challenge someone doesn't mean I am behaving childishly. My emotions are quite in check, thank you. I am not going to allow a school- ANY school- to be disparaged just because it does not meet one person's criteria, or because someone else got their feathers ruffled because they didn't get enough playing time on the basketball court.</p>