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Freeminds, a couple of majority black private schools that come to mind are the Mohammed Schools and Southwest Christian Academy. I'm sure there are many others.
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Interestingly, her good friends who are black, Indian or Hispanic (we are white), are kids who she became friends with in elementary or middle school and those friendships were well established by the high school years. This experience (anecdotal, to be sure) would give me concern about the example that a previous poster mentioned about primarily while Morningside Elementary and primarily minority Hope-Hill successfully mixing it up in high school after not having been together as younger kids.
[quote=JoeTarheel;29361585]Individual diversity is up to that individual...in my experience (elementary) kids generally don't even seem to notice race at all. Later on it might be more of an issue sometimes, but not usually in earlier grades.
quote]
Not all that suprising, it seems that it is more likely for a child to have a diverse set of friends if they meet before they even have a real concept of their "differences."
Freeminds, a couple of majority black private schools that come to mind are the Mohammed Schools and Southwest Christian Academy. I'm sure there are many others.
I attended an elementary school that was 50% white, 48% black, 2% Asian. Our classes were totally integrated, but in terms of playmates, we self-segregated completely. A few black boys played with the white boys, but the black girls and white girls didn't play with each other at all, not a bit, zilch. zero. We were cordial, but we just seemed to have different interests or ways of relating. This was in the 1980s. I would be interested to learn if this has changed in APS elementaries. The girls in my daughter's private school class are 60% white and 40% Asian. To my surprise, I see the same thing happening in her class, white girls tending to flock together, Asian girls flocking together. It's not as absolute as it was in my elementary, but definitely noticeable.
My son's school is not that diverse --75% white, but his friends are diverse (he is "diverse"). This seems to be the year (4th grade) that they really begin to notice race, and there seems to be racial attitudes developing among his friends that are not that great (and we are beginning to discuss these issues). Anyway, we are switching schools—so that is why I am interested in the experiences of other parents in Atlanta (intown and in the suburbs).
I attended an elementary school that was 50% white, 48% black, 2% Asian. Our classes were totally integrated, but in terms of playmates, we self-segregated completely. A few black boys played with the white boys, but the black girls and white girls didn't play with each other at all, not a bit, zilch. zero. We were cordial, but we just seemed to have different interests or ways of relating. This was in the 1980s. I would be interested to learn if this has changed in APS elementaries. The girls in my daughter's private school class are 60% white and 40% Asian. To my surprise, I see the same thing happening in her class, white girls tending to flock together, Asian girls flocking together. It's not as absolute as it was in my elementary, but definitely noticeable.
When my (white) children were at Morningside Elementary in the late 90s and early 00s, it was very different from what you describe. The school was about 25% African American with some other minorities. Every group of friends had minority children included and all the parents in a class got to know each other. When I walked past the upper grade playground this week (the one on East Rock Springs) , I saw kids of all colors mixed together playing together just as I remember. I don't think that everything was totally integrated. Our cub scout den had only one African American kid that I can remember and the Haygood Church Basketball league only had one or two African American kids on each team. Maybe there was a tendency for wealthier and poorer kids to hang out together as they got older, but it didn't seem to be by race. My son had a good friend in the later grades who was African American and lived in a very nice house in Ansley Park. My kids went to private school after Morningside, so I can't tell you how it went at Inman and Grady except that I have seen their old friends hanging around in mixed race groups around the neighborhood.
When my (white) children were at Morningside Elementary in the late 90s and early 00s, it was very different from what you describe. The school was about 25% African American with some other minorities. Every group of friends had minority children included and all the parents in a class got to know each other. When I walked past the upper grade playground this week (the one on East Rock Springs) , I saw kids of all colors mixed together playing together just as I remember. I don't think that everything was totally integrated. Our cub scout den had only one African American kid that I can remember and the Haygood Church Basketball league only had one or two African American kids on each team. Maybe there was a tendency for wealthier and poorer kids to hang out together as they got older, but it didn't seem to be by race. My son had a good friend in the later grades who was African American and lived in a very nice house in Ansley Park. My kids went to private school after Morningside, so I can't tell you how it went at Inman and Grady except that I have seen their old friends hanging around in mixed race groups around the neighborhood.
I have seen a similar situation at the schools where I was teaching...elementary kids don't really seem to care what color their friends are.
If you feel like answering... Why did you not continue to Inman and Grady? Was it an easy decision at the time? Would you have made the same decision today? Private message, if you want.
--Thanks
Quote:
Originally Posted by kferq
When my (white) children were at Morningside Elementary in the late 90s and early 00s, it was very different from what you describe. The school was about 25% African American with some other minorities. Every group of friends had minority children included and all the parents in a class got to know each other. When I walked past the upper grade playground this week (the one on East Rock Springs) , I saw kids of all colors mixed together playing together just as I remember. I don't think that everything was totally integrated. Our cub scout den had only one African American kid that I can remember and the Haygood Church Basketball league only had one or two African American kids on each team. Maybe there was a tendency for wealthier and poorer kids to hang out together as they got older, but it didn't seem to be by race. My son had a good friend in the later grades who was African American and lived in a very nice house in Ansley Park. My kids went to private school after Morningside, so I can't tell you how it went at Inman and Grady except that I have seen their old friends hanging around in mixed race groups around the neighborhood.
If you feel like answering... Why did you not continue to Inman and Grady? Was it an easy decision at the time? Would you have made the same decision today? Private message, if you want.
--Thanks
It was not a difficult decision. We could tell that our oldest was obviously extremely gifted academically (She went on to graduate Harvard Phi Beta Kappa) and we wanted the most challenging academic environment for her, so we sent her to Westminster. Once she was there, then our second son was also very strong, so he went as well. The only hard decision was the youngest, who, while a good student, was not as strong and may have only gotten in because his siblings were there. We were afraid that he might feel out of place at Westminster, but he wanted to be with his brother and sister. Fortunately, he managed to make the middle of the class at Westminster and enjoyed the Arts program there. He would have done as well at Grady, but such is life.
It was not a difficult decision. We could tell that our oldest was obviously extremely gifted academically (She went on to graduate Harvard Phi Beta Kappa) and we wanted the most challenging academic environment for her, so we sent her to Westminster. Once she was there, then our second son was also very strong, so he went as well. The only hard decision was the youngest, who, while a good student, was not as strong and may have only gotten in because his siblings were there. We were afraid that he might feel out of place at Westminster, but he wanted to be with his brother and sister. Fortunately, he managed to make the middle of the class at Westminster and enjoyed the Arts program there. He would have done as well at Grady, but such is life.
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