tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post7691173823603647357..comments2024-03-03T01:47:45.961-08:00Comments on White Sugar, Brown Sugar: Education vs. DiversityWhite Sugar Brown Sugar by Rachel Garlinghousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17573930066994411269noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-14380016526953395692012-02-21T09:00:21.124-08:002012-02-21T09:00:21.124-08:00I just found your blog and will be reading regular...I just found your blog and will be reading regularly. My (white) husband and I have a 5-year-old daughter adopted from Ethiopia, so we are facing the schools question. We are moving this summer, and our intent is to move into the city for the diversity, but I have already gotten some crap from a family member about the school district--though I think the reputation may be worse than the truth. Wendyhttp://livingtheepilogue.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-6097333172612358952012-02-17T12:45:21.047-08:002012-02-17T12:45:21.047-08:00Our school is currently on the 'failing' l...Our school is currently on the 'failing' list and since my son has some special needs, we are put in a priority on the waiting list to transfer to a new school. I passed on it. He is not in the best school, but it is the best school for our family. He is thriving and has a connection with his teacher and is working really hard. He even has a 'best' friend so we are THRILLED! jodilee0123https://www.blogger.com/profile/10169149989434828297noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-4609836080106964412012-02-14T12:09:21.226-08:002012-02-14T12:09:21.226-08:00Just found your blog today and have enjoyed readin...Just found your blog today and have enjoyed reading. As someone who studied diversity and equity in education (as a PhD student) and is focused on multicultural education for all students, I would encourage you to look more closely at the classroom and grade/departmental level rather than the school. The media these days has ways of talking about "failing schools" and "failing Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02921283699040991082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-3724876958764082452012-02-10T14:32:19.459-08:002012-02-10T14:32:19.459-08:00One other consideration (from Alicia) - do you kno...One other consideration (from Alicia) - do you know about or thought about joining Mocha Moms or Jack and Jill? They are mom groups for mothers of African American children, and while the vast majority of moms are going to be black, all chapters are open to anyone interested in supporting the mission of healthy development of the family and the child development for African American families. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-71669280056234568012012-02-10T14:22:51.513-08:002012-02-10T14:22:51.513-08:00Hi,
My name is Alicia. I am not a transracial ad...Hi, <br /><br />My name is Alicia. I am not a transracial adoptive parent. I am an African American mother of two biracial sons, and I happened upon your blog because we are considering expanding our family through adoption and this came up in the search engine. On the topic of school - I've experienced both environments - being in an all-black school and being the only black girl. I attendedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-69335839871720144372012-02-09T05:53:17.018-08:002012-02-09T05:53:17.018-08:00I can't speak from experience because I haven&...I can't speak from experience because I haven't adopted but I live in a very white rural conservative part of Texas and I know of 3 families that have black/biracial adopted kids. <br /><br />One is our county sheriff, his son in 18 and biracial. He has gone to an all white school and his dad wears boots and a cowboy hat as a uniform, yet there's no resentment or hatred of his folksAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-35859271782201239882012-02-05T18:18:05.382-08:002012-02-05T18:18:05.382-08:00At this point, we just have one biological child, ...At this point, we just have one biological child, but the issue of diversity still concerns me greatly. We live in Washington, DC, which has a thriving charter school scene, which in some ways takes away the either/or. Still, it is SUCH a difficult decision...I would make sure that you visit the supposedly "failing" schools, because sometimes that label can be misleading, particularlyLisahttp://www.diaryofanearlynewmom.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-59153709275935152242012-02-03T21:28:37.455-08:002012-02-03T21:28:37.455-08:00We're right there along with you! Curious to ...We're right there along with you! Curious to see the comments! Our little guy is only three MONTHS, but my husband and I are/were both elementary school teachers and we are so curious and anxious to see where our path takes us! Thanks for bringing it up!Chris and Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14608810997240605353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-31776051261134604312012-02-03T15:53:05.256-08:002012-02-03T15:53:05.256-08:00I teach school in Florida and kids do "notice...I teach school in Florida and kids do "notice" differences in their peers but in kindergarten they are very accepting of all their classmates. The "diversity" of our school is gradually changing year to year and I try to address "issues" through literature, music and art. LucilleAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-27436110733843369022012-02-03T13:19:52.672-08:002012-02-03T13:19:52.672-08:00They way I'm approaching this problem - and ou...They way I'm approaching this problem - and our situation as well as our timeline is similar to you - is to ask myself where are the middle class black children going to school? That's where I want my kids to go. The answer in our neighborhood is probably private schools and there are a few that make an effort to maintain high levels of diversity. The one we really have our eye on Alissabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10798080610942849427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-6318223992490521572012-02-03T13:13:45.456-08:002012-02-03T13:13:45.456-08:00We ultimately decided that diversity was more impo...We ultimately decided that diversity was more important. So far in Kindergarten, Mea is doing quite well. We love her teacher, and she is in the top reading group. We also work with her at home on a very regular basis. <br /><br />Her school is an ESL school, and is currently on the failing schools list. We actually open enrolled her to this school partially because of the diversity. I knewKellyhttp://makingmonkeysoup.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-25310809863463706522012-02-03T12:45:55.463-08:002012-02-03T12:45:55.463-08:00I am in love with your blog!! I am a mother just ...I am in love with your blog!! I am a mother just like you except they're boys!! Thank for your post. I have the exact same worries just like you. I think that diversity and education are like a coin. which side is better heads or tails? You can't have just one side or it wouldn't be a coin. Both sides are equal. I love the third paragraph from the bottom!! That is exactly Rachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12855017735801795977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-9836643219066850922012-02-03T12:40:14.895-08:002012-02-03T12:40:14.895-08:00Hi, Rachel! You're blog is awesome and has in...Hi, Rachel! You're blog is awesome and has inspired me to start one of my own focusing on transracial adoption--because lets face it, there's not too many transracial parents who put everything out there. I'm VERY new to transracial adoption, but have been researching it for a long time. We just received our amazingly handsome brown baby boy about 2 weeks ago. He's 13 mos. andRachelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04907232199641499380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-37959812741079921252012-02-03T12:22:29.957-08:002012-02-03T12:22:29.957-08:00We are in the exact same situation as you, we are ...We are in the exact same situation as you, we are the same age as you, and our adopted daughters are almost the exact same age. And it sounds like the same education predicament. I think we are going to choose education over diversity. We have already picked a private preschool that leads into a private elementary/middle/high school. I wish I could have it both ways, but I'm just going to Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1937194102446307830.post-74415004023810382212012-02-03T11:44:27.387-08:002012-02-03T11:44:27.387-08:00Our public schools aren't terrible but aren...Our public schools aren't terrible but aren't awesome. But they are diverse. We (like I told you previously) decided there are a lot of ways we can supplement the education we worry about her missing but there aren't easy ways to make up for her being the token black kid. However we weren't dealing with failing schools, just not the super best of the best, so that decision was Kaithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04073684392781079255noreply@blogger.com