diversity in high schools

[Periwinkle]

<p>Legacy, athlete, URM, development, music, geographical diversity…</p>

<p>You know, I feel it’s a mistake for students entering a boarding school or college to decide fellow students who fall into certain categories got in solely on the strength of that category. Don’t decide someone’s not worth knowing until you’ve had a chance to learn more about them–even if they come from a family that wears corduroy pants embroidered with dogs or fish.</p>

[ExieMITAlum]

<p>Periwinkle. you are too awesome for words! Thank you.</p>

<p>to @mhmm</p>

<p>

I am not black so cant speak for the African American population that the term we must suppose addresses. However, I do wonder whether its not too presumptios of a school to say that you kids are different and we must help you with the experience of being in a school that is not majority African Americans.

</p>

<p>That’s what it looks like to outsiders. It’s not what it looks like to insiders. </p>

<p>

What? Havent we moved on from there?

</p>

<p>No we haven’t. </p>

<p>

And arent actions like that hold us back?

</p>

<p>You have to look at the populations of students who are often chosen for those mentoring opportunities. Not every AA student is in one. For the school it is about long term retention. For many of the students it is about survival. </p>

<p>Which makes me ask -why is it such a big deal to people who aren’t the target of the program? Get over it and move on. This whole “aren’t we all equal” and “isn’t this a step backward” really fascinates me given that it almost always comes from from people who are not “people of color.” The fact that those people don’t know why “those” programs are needed is a major factor in why they are needed. Even though it’s 2010.</p>

<p>My daughter ranted initially because so many wealthy white kids came up to her to tell her how cool it was to be black and could she “say something black.” No one bugged her roommate with questions about what it was like to be white.</p>

<p>It’s particularly harsh here at local private schools. Students of color (and parents) are put under such an intense microscope even when they are full pays that it is often stifling. There is not mentoring program but if you ask me - there needs to be one - for the “majority” parents who think they’re hip and cool and “color blind.” Yep - those are the parents who think a compliment is to tell me I’m the “whitest” black person they’ve ever met." Or the local corporations that complimented me during interviews on being “articulate” when I first moved her but coughed and sputtered when I asked “Do you say that to everyone, or just the Black candidates?”</p>

<p>

ps I too used to have a luxury SUV and I too have been followed by police - they cant even see who is driving it when they follow you.

</p>

<p>Are you serious? Can’t see you? Don’t count on that. Even so, here in our city it is a well known race issue. One of my friends is in a bi-racial marriage. He got followed. His white wife does not. It stopped only after they discovered he was a lawyer. Our city actively acknowledges that there is still work to be done and that the city still has a street that acts as the racial “dividing” line.</p>

[classicalmama]

<p>I remember what an eyeopener it was for me–after reading the essay “Black Men and Public Spaces” with one of my high school classes, to hear from the Latino and black kids how often, as they were walking down the street, they’d see people in cars slam down their car door locks. Or how routinely they were followed by store detectives in big box stores. Those of us off the radar of suspicion because of the color of our skin will just never be able to fully understand the continued daily degradation experienced by people of color.</p>

<p>That said, I just want to add that as an adult, I admire ifax’s a willingness to listen carefully and to apologize–shows an unusual amount of maturity and sensitivity in a teenager. And as adults, I think we might keep in mind that teenagers are just starting to think through and work out these giant ethical problems that clearly continue to stymie the adult world (or we wouldn’t still be having this discussion 20 years after the one I had with my students!). Maybe I’m not Chinese mother enough, but I think it makes sense to err on the side of kindness in our corrections, at least when we’re not talking to our own kids…</p>

<p>For those of you who haven’t read it, here’s a link to “Black Men and Public Space”–depressing how relevant it still is.</p>

<p><a href=“http://studentoffortune.com/question/594456/English-Composition/1013592-Essay%20-%20Black%20men%20in%20public%20spaces.pdf[/url]”>http://studentoffortune.com/question/594456/English-Composition/1013592-Essay%20-%20Black%20men%20in%20public%20spaces.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;