Pershing middle school (Houston, Dallas, Atlanta: neighborhoods, middle schools, income)

[misterno]

Well here is what I heard from a former teacher who used to work there until last year

There are kids from poor neighborhoods which is fine. All the posts in this forum taught me that this is normal process because of zoning.

But what is interesting is that (per the teacher), one class is all black and Hispanic and other class is all white

First I did not believe her

Then she swore that is still the situation in pershing middle school and it seems like none of the parents complained about it.

Is this the same in other middle schools?

Anything makes Pershing different than others?

Can anyone confirm that this is the case?

Everyday I am researching schools for my son, I feel more desperate for some reason.

Are these things public info? How can anyone feel comfortable with this?

[Vicman]

The HISD comprehensive middle and high schools serving wealthier neighborhoods separate classes into magnet, AP, and IB tracks... versus the "regular school" tracks.

Magnet, AP, and IB are considerably more white and Asian and many of these parents are very wealthy
The "regular school" is considerably more black and hispanic and may have kids fleeing low performing and violent "zoned" schools. These students are usually lower middle class and working class These tracks have disparities in income and social class, not simply race. You may want to read this article on why the two tracks are separated: What Went Wrong at the Rice School? | Houston Press

Some school clubs and activities may have students from both regular and magnet/AP/IB classes.

You will see this in other cities too: For example Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas does the same thing.
--
I heard from a teacher that some white parents are not comfortable with their children being in classes with whites as a small minority and try to get their kids in the higher level classes... but those kids aren't suited for them and they flop out

[diggity101]

you really think they're sorting these kids by race?

[misterno]

Originally Posted by diggity101

you really think they're sorting these kids by race?

don't you think it is tooooooo much of a coincidence of all blacks and Hispanics in one class and whites in the other one?

[misterno]

Originally Posted by Vicman

The HISD comprehensive middle and high schools serving wealthier neighborhoods separate classes into magnet, AP, and IB tracks... versus the "regular school" tracks.

Magnet, AP, and IB are considerably more white and Asian and many of these parents are very wealthy
The "regular school" is considerably more black and hispanic and may have kids fleeing low performing and violent "zoned" schools. These students are usually lower middle class and working class These tracks have disparities in income and social class, not simply race. You may want to read this article on why the two tracks are separated: What Went Wrong at the Rice School? | Houston Press

Some school clubs and activities may have students from both regular and magnet/AP/IB classes.

You will see this in other cities too: For example Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas does the same thing.
--
I heard from a teacher that some white parents are not comfortable with their children being in classes with whites as a small minority and try to get their kids in the higher level classes... but those kids aren't suited for them and they flop out

Can you or someone explain the differences between magnet, AP, and IB tracks?

[diggity101]

Originally Posted by misterno

don't you think it is tooooooo much of a coincidence of all blacks and Hispanics in one class and whites in the other one?

There is no way on God's green earth that there were no "white" kids in the "minority class" and no minorities in the "white" class. There might have been an obvious trend but your friend is exaggerating.

It seems like you're just trying to stir crap up these past few days.

[diggity101]

Originally Posted by misterno

Can you or someone explain the differences between magnet, AP, and IB tracks?

Google

You seem to be an ace researcher so this shouldn't be a problem.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

Originally Posted by Vicman

The HISD comprehensive middle and high schools serving wealthier neighborhoods separate classes into magnet, AP, and IB tracks... versus the "regular school" tracks.

Magnet, AP, and IB are considerably more white and Asian and many of these parents are very wealthy
The "regular school" is considerably more black and hispanic and may have kids fleeing low performing and violent "zoned" schools. These students are usually lower middle class and working class These tracks have disparities in income and social class, not simply race. You may want to read this article on why the two tracks are separated: What Went Wrong at the Rice School? | Houston Press

Some school clubs and activities may have students from both regular and magnet/AP/IB classes.

You will see this in other cities too: For example Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas does the same thing.
--
I heard from a teacher that some white parents are not comfortable with their children being in classes with whites as a small minority and try to get their kids in the higher level classes... but those kids aren't suited for them and they flop out

That article was written 18 years ago.

[PinkLadyK]

misterno - did you grow up in the Houston area?

[bu2]

Originally Posted by Vicman

The HISD comprehensive middle and high schools serving wealthier neighborhoods separate classes into magnet, AP, and IB tracks... versus the "regular school" tracks.

Magnet, AP, and IB are considerably more white and Asian and many of these parents are very wealthy
The "regular school" is considerably more black and hispanic and may have kids fleeing low performing and violent "zoned" schools. These students are usually lower middle class and working class These tracks have disparities in income and social class, not simply race. You may want to read this article on why the two tracks are separated: What Went Wrong at the Rice School? | Houston Press

Some school clubs and activities may have students from both regular and magnet/AP/IB classes.

You will see this in other cities too: For example Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas does the same thing.
--
I heard from a teacher that some white parents are not comfortable with their children being in classes with whites as a small minority and try to get their kids in the higher level classes... but those kids aren't suited for them and they flop out

There's the same thing in some schools in Atlanta with the IB/Advanced classes being overwhelmingly white despite a majority black school. A friend's kid said 27 of the 30 in his advanced class went to his elementary school (1 of 5 feeding the school), so almost all were white or Asian. Another friend's kid in the regular classes was the only white in a class of 30, while overall the school was about 25% white and 55% black.