It feels disingenuous to write as if we chose South out of many school options. The truth is a lot more complicated. Solana's dad considered moving to add the option of Washburn or Southwest to the mix.
We visited one private school and looked into others, and I wasn't convinced the academic rigor was better just because there is an admission process to get in or because the students who don't measure up are either not admitted or kicked out. I think there is a different kind of diversity that is lost through self and school selection. AND private schools cost a lot of money which means that many of the students have lots of money, and do I want my girls around that kind of privilege? I see this kind of privilege out in Minnetonka. I see the sixteen year-olds driving cars that cost more than I will make this year. I hear students discussing the amazing world travelling they will do over spring vacation, and I also hear the silence from the students who are not headed anywhere. Maybe this is just me convincing myself that private schools or suburban schools would not offer the complete experience that I wish for my girls because money is an obstacle. We would have worked it out, but it would have been hard.
Solana and I also discussed schools from the perspective of Frances. Which school would she be comfortable in? As a Korean-American, would she feel comfortable in a school where she would be the minority (she will be in the minority as a Korean-American anywhere, but as a non-white student)? In the end, Solana stated that she wanted to attend a public school. So we reconsidered the school that I teach at, but really it was just to compare and process what may be lost.
Solana's friends who are attending Southwest and private schools have summer homework, all language arts. I have had moments where I panicked that this alone reveals the differences in academic rigor. Then I remind myself that I teach language arts and my honors students will do summer homework and I don't think it means a whole lot. I think summer homework is to set a tone of expectation, to start the school year with some meat to talk about and to appease parents who are expecting rigor. And isn't that what I am a little jealous of? A community of parents who demand rigor. Or maybe it's teachers and administrators who listen.
What do parents of color demand for their kids? I have no idea because I have not talked to any.
No comments:
Post a Comment