Brother's children go to a all White Minnesota private school- is this good/bad? (Minneapolis: renting, home)

[Dingler]

While the ethnic diversity in Minnesota is expanding it is still possible for people to live in neighborhoods that are almost all white people. If you go to a private High School, like my brothers kids go to, in many cases everyone is White. Is this a part of Minnesota experience, the ability to go to a school with no ethnic minorities? This is the 21st Century, shouldn't Minnesota schools and communities do what they can to promote ethnic diversity and have a large number of minorities in each school, private or public?

Are white bred Minnesota schools and neighborhoods bad for the kids?

[Jaxx99]

Originally Posted by Dingler

Are white bred Minnesota schools and neighborhoods bad for the kids?

Bad for the kids? No. Surprised that there just so happens to be an all-white class in Minnesota in 2007? Yes. It is not like neighorhoods or districts are engineered to be all-white or all-non-white. You let the chips fall where they may, and if it happens that a class (for now) is all-white, it is what it is. Now, there are still a handful of unenlightened rednecks in all part of the nation who think all-white means that the class would somehow be better because of it. But those people are few and far between, and have lost any credibility with most of us.

It seems like today we've gotten to the point where "too much white" is seen as taboo. We need to get to a point where skin color is irrelevent, not where we are trying to go for some "perfect blend". We're not quite there yet.

[Kingsnkali]

Would an all black private school in Harlem bother you? How about an all Asian academy in San Francisco? Does a historically black college make sense in the 21st century? Would an all Hispanic Catholic school in El Paso be bad for kids? Or how about an all black public elementary school in Detroit?

Or does it bother you only if the kids happen to be white from Minnesota?

[Lindenin]

When I first read this title, I thought you were saying that it was "all-white", in that they only let white kids in. I figured that would have made national news many times over by now.

To have a class with no minorities is rare but shouldn't be alarming. My guess is that those kids have many interactions with all types of ethnicities, be it baseball practice, church, the park, etc. I wouldn't exactly say they are living an abnormal life. Just the way the ball bounces, and I'm guessing that they have had minorities in their classes in the past and will again in the future. Maybe an odd year.

[nick is rulz]

I think thats more of an economic factor than anything else. Its not like its intentional segregation. Typically, the rich neighborhoods tend to be of a caucasian persuasion but they tend to be peppered with a few miniorities here and there as well.

I dont think a wealthy black family would be really sold on the idea of sending their kid to an all white school.

[whatever]

So the kids go to an all-white school. Is that a problem for you or for them?

Its all about parenting; the schools should teach academics and ethics should be learned at home. If kids don't get a look at other cultures at school they can see it out in the world, what's the problem with that? I get so sick of all this diversity hand-wringing and people pushing for entitlement based on ethnicity I could scream. Talk to an Inuit, Sioux or a Aborigine about diversity and see what that gets you. Better yet, visit China, Japan or Moscow.

There are too many important things to worry about, let this one go.

[TimtheGuy]

Dingler...senior member...lame topic.

is still possible for people to live in neighborhoods that are almost all white people

Of coarse it is! Just check the make-up of our populations on this website. Many/most of our public schools are all white or pretty close to it. Sometimes diversity just does not exist. It's not like we are stopping minorities or people of color at the borders. The historical make up of our state just happens to be HEAVY majority white.

We promote our state to PEOPLE not specific TYPES of people!

[TimtheGuy]

shouldn't Minnesota schools and communities do what they can to promote ethnic diversity and have a large number of minorities in each school, private or public?

(forgot to quote above)

[JenLee]

Currently, 87% of Minnesotans are white. In the 2000 census, 11.8 percent of Minnesotans identified themselves as people of color, up from 6.3 percent in 1990. In the city of Minneapolis, about 20% of the population is African American and 10% of the population is Hispanic. http://wcco.com/local/local_story_137072202.html and http://www.education.umn.edu/MN/diversity.html

My kids attended a large NE suburban public school in the late 1990's and the number of non-whites in their grades could be counted on their fingers and toes back then. If there isn't a huge number of non-white kids; there will be all white schools. How can you have diversity if the population isn't very diverse?

[Dingler]

If the kids attended the Public Schools near their home 1/3 of the children would be minorities. They are attending a private school that is 100% White. They insist they have not chosen the private school to get away from the minorities, but I wonder. Regardless, the kids have no exposure to ethnic minorities now.

(Why does it bother me?----Because the family is being two faced about the issue. They are incredibly politically correct about ethnic minorities and illegal immigration but send their kids to an all white school. Actually the kids have no contact with minorities except on TV, because their sports leagues and camps are all white.)