When I had my sons (now 25 & 23), we lived in Valley Stream, NY, a suburb on the border of NYC. Like you, I wanted my kids to be schooled in a place that shared the demographics of the area. We learned about the Sic religion and went to 6 year old birthday parties that had wedding cakes. Friday afternoon playdates were no goes with …
When I had my sons (now 25 & 23), we lived in Valley Stream, NY, a suburb on the border of NYC. Like you, I wanted my kids to be schooled in a place that shared the demographics of the area. We learned about the Sic religion and went to 6 year old birthday parties that had wedding cakes. Friday afternoon playdates were no goes with my sons' Muslim friends. We learned so much.
Unfortunately, the teachers were a problem. I felt the mostly white faculty were showing favoritism to my Caucasian kids. It was a tough subject to bring up in parent/teacher conferences. My older guy really felt he was as special as his teachers built him up to be and this worried me. Was he really gifted? Why did my younger son get to bring home the class hamsters? No other family wanted them? When we had to move to be closer to my sick father, the new district was lily white. Here my older guy turned out to be gifted as well and he never forgave his dad and me for "caving." Since high school most of his friends are from India, Iran, China, not the US.
When I had my sons (now 25 & 23), we lived in Valley Stream, NY, a suburb on the border of NYC. Like you, I wanted my kids to be schooled in a place that shared the demographics of the area. We learned about the Sic religion and went to 6 year old birthday parties that had wedding cakes. Friday afternoon playdates were no goes with my sons' Muslim friends. We learned so much.
Unfortunately, the teachers were a problem. I felt the mostly white faculty were showing favoritism to my Caucasian kids. It was a tough subject to bring up in parent/teacher conferences. My older guy really felt he was as special as his teachers built him up to be and this worried me. Was he really gifted? Why did my younger son get to bring home the class hamsters? No other family wanted them? When we had to move to be closer to my sick father, the new district was lily white. Here my older guy turned out to be gifted as well and he never forgave his dad and me for "caving." Since high school most of his friends are from India, Iran, China, not the US.
Thank you for this, Ginny. Such an important point that our kids are also sometimes turned into heroes via the bias of teachers and other parents.