Comments on: The other side http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2004/12/13/the-other-side-2/ dawn friedman's blog Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:04:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: ivy http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2004/12/13/the-other-side-2/#comment-12096 ivy Wed, 15 Dec 2004 18:34:58 +0000 http://thiswomanswork.com/?p=1357#comment-12096 My son went to a racially and economically diverse elementary school. It's an urban area of the city where big expensive houses sit next to apartments and restaurants and little grocery stores and in a city where people with money send their kids to private school. But in this old neighborhood it has become a beloved neighborhood school and everyone wants their kid to go there. The thing is, by second grade the kids were sorting themselves out into groups that seemed pretty well defined be economic class. And in the city where I live, the poorest kids are black. So by third grade, if white kids and children of color were friends, it was generally true that they were all middle class kids and mostly white kids. Most of the upper middle class kids were white and so those groups were all white kids and the kids from families with less money stuck togethor and they were almost all African American. By third grade, all that diversity I'd heard about had turned into self segregated groups within the school (and don't even let me get started on the gifted program. Guess how many poor children of color were in it?). The teachers did nothing to change this- no discussion about privilege or any work to help the kids see what was going on. Just crowd control because eventually the groups become adversaries. I don't think diversity in the schools means children will learn to be antiracist or less prejudiced. Why do we homeschoolers always hear "diversity" when folks are critical of homeschooling? If it were true that public schools promoted diversity, wouldn't American be over racism by now? Or at least doing a lot better than we currently are? My son went to a racially and economically diverse elementary school. It’s an urban area of the city where big expensive houses sit next to apartments and restaurants and little grocery stores and in a city where people with money send their kids to private school. But in this old neighborhood it has become a beloved neighborhood school and everyone wants their kid to go there. The thing is, by second grade the kids were sorting themselves out into groups that seemed pretty well defined be economic class. And in the city where I live, the poorest kids are black. So by third grade, if white kids and children of color were friends, it was generally true that they were all middle class kids and mostly white kids. Most of the upper middle class kids were white and so those groups were all white kids and the kids from families with less money stuck togethor and they were almost all African American. By third grade, all that diversity I’d heard about had turned into self segregated groups within the school (and don’t even let me get started on the gifted program. Guess how many poor children of color were in it?). The teachers did nothing to change this- no discussion about privilege or any work to help the kids see what was going on. Just crowd control because eventually the groups become adversaries. I don’t think diversity in the schools means children will learn to be antiracist or less prejudiced. Why do we homeschoolers always hear “diversity” when folks are critical of homeschooling? If it were true that public schools promoted diversity, wouldn’t American be over racism by now? Or at least doing a lot better than we currently are?

]]> By: Onyx http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2004/12/13/the-other-side-2/#comment-12095 Onyx Wed, 15 Dec 2004 05:20:44 +0000 http://thiswomanswork.com/?p=1357#comment-12095 Number one is the one that gets to me sometimes - esp. when I have a paper to finish, or just want a nap! I have to disgree with number three though - I work full time and I unschool my daughter. I'd rather work part time, or from home, but I think it is one of those things where if you want to, or need to, it can be done. Number one is the one that gets to me sometimes - esp. when I have a paper to finish, or just want a nap!

I have to disgree with number three though - I work full time and I unschool my daughter. I’d rather work part time, or from home, but I think it is one of those things where if you want to, or need to, it can be done.

]]> By: jackie http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2004/12/13/the-other-side-2/#comment-12094 jackie Tue, 14 Dec 2004 05:30:58 +0000 http://thiswomanswork.com/?p=1357#comment-12094 it's #3 that really does it for me, as selfish as that makes me feel. I try to get past it, but I often feel terrible about it. Thanks for recognizing it as a true thing. it’s #3 that really does it for me, as selfish as that makes me feel. I try to get past it, but I often feel terrible about it. Thanks for recognizing it as a true thing.

]]> By: Genuine http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2004/12/13/the-other-side-2/#comment-12093 Genuine Tue, 14 Dec 2004 05:29:09 +0000 http://thiswomanswork.com/?p=1357#comment-12093 Just stopping in to say hello and to congratulate you on your recent nomination at the BoB Weblog Awards 2004. www.blogmechanics.com/bob Just stopping in to say hello and to congratulate you on your recent nomination at the BoB Weblog Awards 2004.

http://www.blogmechanics.com/bob

]]> By: Jentle http://www.thiswomanswork.com/2004/12/13/the-other-side-2/#comment-12092 Jentle Tue, 14 Dec 2004 04:55:18 +0000 http://thiswomanswork.com/?p=1357#comment-12092 What about making sure his education is well-rounded? Is it hard at all to make sure there's enough... I dunno, science? (Kind of too soon, but what about calculus?) Or does he circle around to most subjects on his own? If (when) he wants to go to college, how will you approach the SATs? What about making sure his education is well-rounded? Is it hard at all to make sure there’s enough… I dunno, science? (Kind of too soon, but what about calculus?) Or does he circle around to most subjects on his own? If (when) he wants to go to college, how will you approach the SATs?

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