Sorry for the late post today, guys. I’ve been at a conference and am just getting access to a computer. Thanks for your patience.
Dear Anti-Racist Parent,
I’m a parent of a young transracially adopted (Asian) child, and we have to decide where to send him to school: whether to stay in our urban area, which is great in all ways except perhaps for the schools, or to move. Ironically, there are places we could move that while being more white overall–and having schools with better reputations– would also have a higher Asian population than where we are now.
Regardless of the specifics about how good our local schools are/aren’t, one opinion that I hear some parents expressing is that they want their kids to stay in our local school system because of the “diversity” of the community. (I have also heard the same argument used by parents opting out of our local school and sending their children to a French-language private school.) Be that as it may, nobody ever can articulate exactly the way that diversity will provide a benefit to the child. Now, I appreciate the potential for society-level benefits, benefits to democracy, and all that, but in this particular decision, I will act in a way that I think is in my child’s best interest, whether or not that happens to match society’s.
So my question is: where can I find data on the nature and extent specific benefits that accrue to children when schooled in a racially/socioeconomically diverse environment, versus a more homogenous one? What I want is acutal, hard information, if that exists– specific sites to studies, reports, that kind of thing. (I’m a scientist by training, if that wasn’t obvious…!) in any event, I would be most appreciative if you know of any such information, and wouldn’t mind passing it on.
Alix V.
From the Editor:
Alix, I sympathize with your dilemma, because it is one that my family has faced. Every parent wants to give her child the very best things to help him grow up into a successful adult. But what happens when the best things are at odds with one another (ex. the best school system is the least diverse)?
You asked what is the benefit of growing up in a diverse community. In my view, the benefits are two-fold. First, access to people of all races is one of the most valuable tools for anti-racist parenting. Exposure to different races, different social groups, etc., will assist your child in rejecting society’s biases. Check out last week’s post “The Elephant in the Living Room,” which discusses recent studies that tout integration’s affect on how people view others that are different:
These findings are part of a long line of research supporting what’s known as the Contact Hypothesis, which states that under the right conditions, contact between members of different groups can reduce conflicts and prejudices. Decades of school desegregation research support this idea, as documented by University of California, Santa Cruz, professor emeritus Thomas Pettigrew and University of Massachusetts, Amherst, psychologist Linda Tropp.
Pettigrew and Tropp have found that school integration can in fact reduce prejudice among students from different groups, but simply placing these students together isn’t enough to get them to see each other as individuals and shed their prejudices. We must also try to help them share common goals, on which they must cooperate to succeed; ensure that they’re treated as equals and have positive, noncompetitive interactions with one another; and feel like their cross-group relationship has the support of authority figures. The more of these factors in place, the more likely people are to overcome their biases.
Raising a child into an anti-racist adult is not only good for society, it is good for the child. Now, many people will say that you can raise a child that disdains race bias in a homogenous environment. That is true; but I have to think it is also one hell of an uphill battle. If, say, your child only sees only white people in positions of authority, is exposed to only white American culture, experiences only Eurocentric standards of beauty, hears only white voices, and has limited meaningful interaction with people of color or anyone of any other culture, he or she will receive a lot of data reinforcing the supremacy of Eurocentric beliefs and values. And I’m not picking on all-white communities. Growing up in an all-black, all-Hispanic, etc., communities can cause discomfort with people who are not of those cultures, too.
I think the second benefit of living in a diverse community relates specifically to children of color. I think diverse communities allow children of color to feel more comfortable, as they are exposed to some faces, cultures and beliefs that mirror their own. All children of color, no matter where they live, are impacted by society’s “othering” of non-white people, but It is even more stressful to be “the only” all the time. It is rough on a child’s self esteem and self image. And, in my experience, having been “the only” many, many times as a child and adult, being a person of color in an otherwise all-white environment/community increases the likelihood that one will confront race bias and it increases the frequency of race bias. I’m not even talking about overt, ugly racism, but the little things that sting: assumptions about academic achievement, failure to live up to Eurocentric beauty standards, etc. Those are things that wear you down, little by little. Sorry, I don’t have hard data on this one, but I hope you will also consider first-hand experiences from people of color who have lived in communities where they are one of few minorities.
So, I think children benefit from being raised in diverse communities. That said, children also benefit from good school systems. Is it worth passing up a better school system to live in an area with more diversity? I guess it depends on the situation. The challenges that arise from living in a homogenous community and the challenges that arise from living in a mediocre school district can both be overcome. Which challenges can your family overcome more effectively? Is there a middle ground that provides a few of the benefits of both situations?
My husband, my stepson and I live in a predominately white community. We are black. When we first moved here, my stepson was one of a handful (I meanreally–about 5) of black kids in a school of more than 1,400. There were not many more Hispanic or Asian children there. That was a concern to us. Yet our community has a wonderful school system, a low crime rate, it is affordable and recently appeared on one of those “best communities to raise a family lists.” We ultimately decided that we could make up for the homogenity of our current community through our family dynamic, because we are very close to a larger city with a more diverse population, because my stepson spent his first 13 years in a major city with a racially diverse population, and because he spends part of the summer and holidays with his mom in that major city. Our decision was personal and unique to us. Your decision regarding the community in which you decide to raise your daughter will be unique to you, too.
I don’t think diversity is a be-all, end-all criteria when choosing a place to raise children, but I definitely think it should be a consideration.
Readers, what do you think? Do you have hard data to offer Alix?
Tami
I do think diversity is important, and it was definitely a consideration when we chose where to live. (I’m white and my daughter is half-Korean.)
I know that friendships with people of different races helped shape my worldview. It’s a lot easier to care about racism when it hurts someone you love. And when my daughter started asking questions about race, I could talk about specific people in our lives instead of just speaking in generalities. I don’t think that would have been as effective.
On the other hand, I don’t think there is much benefit from what I’ll call wallpaper diversity. I know some well-intentioned liberals who make a point of living in a diverse area, but still don’t have real relationships with people of different races.
I live in a very diverse neighborhood, which is great, until I have to do something like call the police, as I did last week when some creep decided to take his pants off in the playground. (The first question they asked me was “Is he black or hispanic?” Then they never showed up. I think they lost interest when I said the guy was white.) And this weekend when I took my son to a playground in another, wealthier area, I was struck with a) how much nicer the playground was than any of the ones in my neighborhood and b) how my son was one of *very* few kids of color. Anyway, we fantasize constantly about living somewhere with great playgrounds (or even having our own yard), but just can’t see giving up diversity–I do feel much better walking into a playground, even a crummy one, where there are lots of other kids who look like my son. I’m sure there are lots of studies on how unequal services are in different neighborhoods (I think there’s an interesting one on where sewage plants are usually located), but I also see this as something *I* can work to change, by attending city council meetings, writing letters, or other forms of activism.
Alix, you bring up such a great point that I think many of us — scientists and non-scientists — struggle with: where is the hard, numerical data to support all of this? Where are the numbers? Where are the outcome specific in a control environment vs an experimental environment? And, if anyone has them, send them my way because it would make my job a heck of a lot easier as I try to initiate diversity in my diversity-free-zone.
But, alas, in all my years of looking, I haven’t found any data that is just so clear cut. Why? Because our interactions with diversity and our ideas and beliefs about diversity are as different as we are. There are sociological studies that absolutely affirm what happens when we don’t have diversity ( things like the Brown Eye/Blue Eyed scenarios, the doll-choosing scenarios, Contact Theory, etc), and we hear anecdotally of how lives have been transformed due to increasing diversity.
Rachel brings up a great point about the wallpaper diversity – that just because there IS diversity doesn’t always mean that people actually interact.
So, what have we decided to do? We’ve decided to try and find the best of both worlds. We live in a city where just about every house in our neighborhood has a different “story” — single parents, married couples, grandparents raising grandkids, interracial living couples, single racial living couples, old, young, Black, White, Latino, multiracial families, etc. We’re also fortunate that there is a private school (though, not expensive) that also echos the multicultural and international philosophy that we embrace. But, while our daughter is in that school, she isn’t getting all of the inclusive messages we’d like her to get (example: they rarely talk about gay families in her school, though we strongly support gay families), so we supplement it at home. We talk openly with her about all types of families and the importance of respecting all types of family structures.
I guess to summarize — just because your child will be in a diverse school doesn’t necessarily mean he/she will be accepted. And, conversely, just because he/she is in a predominantly white school doesn’t mean he/she will reject the cultural background. So much of what your child will learn will be from you — and there are struggles with both situations. By writing and reading at ARP, I imagine you’ve already thought deeply about issues of race and how it has/will affect your lives.
As an adult who lives in a class, culture, and color diverse area, and who works in a color diverse office, I feel really handicapped by my childhood in a very homogenous (by race, class, and language) area and family.
I am always having to learn new behaviors and responses, from “how to look friendly but not flirty at the bus stop” to “how to make small talk in a diverse professional setting” to “how to order drinks at an expensive restaurant with coworkers”. Some of that is class stuff, some is urban/rural, but a lot of it is just plain expecting there to be difference instead of being surprised when it pops up.
My coworkers and my partner, who grew up in diverse areas and always had classmates and neighbors of different backgrounds, don’t have to put nearly as much work into learning all this stuff as adults. Which isn’t to say they don’t have any racist baggage to work on, just that they have a lot of background knowledge and tools for dealing with difference.
I think exposing your kids to a diversity is important. How you choose to do that is another matter. It might be by living in a certain neighborhood or ensuring that your children attend a certain school.
Right now we live in one of the most racially and economically diverse neighborhoods in the countries (seriously, public housing and halfway homes on one block and huge victorian mansions on the next). We more than likely won’t be able to afford to buy our first home in this neighborhood, so it is a real concern when it comes to where we will move. My family is mostly black (with the exception of me – as white as they come) and once you leave this neighborhood you pretty much get to choose between a Black, white, or Hispanic neighborhood.
Of course, the white communities have better schools. As the mother of 3 Black boys, the school they go to is a major concern. It is well documented that around 4th grade (my oldest starts 4th grade this year) “tracking” begins and it tends to hit young Black males the hardest. I have also found some teachers (predominantly young white women) are more likely to see my SON as a problem as opposed to his BEHAVIOR at any given moment.
There is really no simple solution to this, I think the advice that you have to find the balance that works best for your family is as good as it gets!
What’s interesting that whereas there may not be hard imperical numbers, there have been numerous sociological studies on ethnically diverse highschools and ALL (sadly) find that the students segregate themselves. So despite our best efforts as aware parents…..
Just a note on those self-segregation studies: i think sometimes the data that they present is misleading because I know that when I was in high school (only a short 4 years ago) students separated themselves more based on interest rather than explicitly by race or ethnicity but sometimes interests and ethnicity line up.
if, for example, a south asian girl want to spend lunch drooling over shah rukh khan and talking about the latest bollywood movie, she’ll probably go find other south asian girls who would share those interests. obviously interests and ethnicity don’t always line up and i think how that is recieved varies widely between different places and situations. i know that at my high school, if you were into something it was pretty easy to be friends with the folks who were also into that thing; i, a black girl, liked bollywood so i had numerous south asian friends who did also, i liked to play big two so i hung out with a few east asian kids, etc etc. this sort of experience is reflected in the lives of friends as well. so yeah, there is the factor that people often feel more comfortable around people who they can culturally identify with but when it comes to kids and teens, it’s important not to jump to the conclusion that a multicultural school is significantly more segragated than an all white school where the stoners/punks/preps/jocks organize themselves into their little groups.
I don’t base my choices on reputation alone. My daughter is in 9th grade in a centrally located high school which is diverse in many ways. She is open to all people except the ones who “smoke weed and take drugs”.
I am fortunate she is developing into a open minded woman. She has had a good education taking gifted or honors classes within the diverse public schools so far.
My friends daughter on the other hand has been in a sheltered environment and finds it difficult in relating to others who appear “different”. My friend is concerned now and is looking for ways to expose her daughter to more diversity.
My youngest daughter is Ethiopian and I am thrilled that she will be in school with children from all types and families and backgrounds.
My son attends a private school where he is one of two blacks boys. It has been very hard for him and for us in many ways. He’s a great kid and I don’t know how all he’s experienced will affect him in the future but of course, I’m concerned. Academically, the school is the best and the administration is open to suggestions on how to make it better for all the kids but the whole diversity thing is a “social experiment” and my child is at the forefront. We as parents do our best to counteract any negative interactions he might have but we have to be ever so vigilant because it comes from every direction. I know a lot inevitably goes unchecked because I’m sure some goes over his head as well as ours. We just do our best. If I had it to do it over I would probably still choose the same school but I would have pushed harder for more diversity in the beginning.
I grew up in a very non-diverse environment, racially. I was always the only or one of only two or three kids of colour from primary through university. And I have to say it, even in the workplace. I supplemented as soon as I was able, making friends with other people of colour.
But I have never been able to shake the feeling that I am alone. I have always felt that others don’t or won’t like me, even though I am naturally garrulous and, logically, I can see that people generally do like me.
Today I live in a very diverse area, where some 20% of the population are of a similar racial heritage to myself. I am wowed by this every single day. My daughter is not – for her, it’s normal. And that wows me too.
We got some advice we seem to return to often which is to look hard at whole mix of experiences in our lives to make sure we’re getting what we need as a multiracial family that wants our kid to be successful and happy. If the school (and community) is not as diverse, make extra efforts to socialize widely. If the school is not as strong academically, make efforts reinforce the importance education at home and socially. Music lessons, soccer, church and the dinner table are all important to your family too.
Also, a school’s test scores indicate mostly what the socio-economic mix of kids is, not necessarily the strength of the school. Look a the community at the school, how and what they teach.
as a white parent to african-american kids, having the school be racially diverse is very important to me. we also look at the institutions we join, the activities we do, our social circles, and even where we chose to shop. there are many pieces to the diversity puzzle for an interracial family, but we try to err on the side of diversity.
about the test scores… one of my favorites is called the “volvo effect”. we’d save a whole lot of money in this country if, instead of testing our school children, we simply counted fancy cars in the pick-up line. parental education and income are the highest predictors of high test scores.
to Calimom+3
you are right that kids separate by color all on their own, but that is part of a normal psychological developmental stage to want to be part of a group that looks like you, and is not really about being prejudiced, it is more about the awkwardness of adolescence and not wanting to stand out too much. you make a good point though, that we all have to challenge our inherent desire to fit in, even as adults, and create friendships that cross all sorts of color/race/culture lines. It is not always the easy or comfortable thing to do….
My husband and I wrestled with this issue when choosing a neighborhood to move to when we adopted our daughter. We are white; she is black. The only black neighborhoods in our area are too far away for my commute to my part-time job, and the schools aren’t so great (an understatement). Same for the diverse (white, black, brown) ‘hoods where some of my friends are living. I work for the best school district in my state, but it’s also very white (as is the whole state, generally speaking). We opted for a house closer to my school so I could be home with our daughter more. The ‘burbs are slowly diversifying — last year we had about 3% African-American students in my school; this year it’s supposed to be around 4.5%. (The district is a bit higher.) Still very low, but my daughter’s only 10 months old. If we find out we don’t like the lack of diversity by the time she begins formal schooling, we can address it then. Until that happens, she’s in a daycare that’s a bit more racially diverse than both where we live and work.
Alix, the short answer is no. The data you seek likely does not exist. And even if it does, you may find it of little to no use in validating your decision to a hormone-raging pre-teen who just wants to be “normal”.
As to the potential of higher Asian populations, that does not necessarily collerate to more transracial adoptees. So he could be around Asians but not feel Asian enough whenever his family comes up.
Alix, you’re a scientist. Explore. Ask questions of yourself. Debrief adult Asian transracial adotees.
Then go with your gut.
I’m a white parent to an african-american boy in Canada. I have tried very hard to find information on outcomes of racially diverse children in trying to figure out what is best for my son. I have had him in three different schools. I live in a predominately white area apart from a Native population which is about the closest I can get to diversity for my son of African heritage. My experience has been white people will be friendly but, at a distance. There are no social invitations(playdates/birthday parties) for my child outside of school. In fact my son came home one day and told me he wasn’t invited to a classmates birthday because the parents said he causes trouble. I’ve observed in my community the few African boys that live here seem to be very much on their own. I have my son at the best academic school in our community and keep him busy in sports. I expose him to African heritage/adoption events when opportunities arise in my community (unfortunately they don’t happen often enough). Do all communities treat African boys this way? I’m wondering if I should move to a different community but, I’m afraid the same thing may happen again elsewhere. My gut says stay put although I’m anticipating issues with why he doesn’t have friends outside of school (he’s very well liked at school as I have thouroughly investigated into that). I want my child in an environment least exposed to drugs which I have found for him however isolating it is. I say keep your child away from the environment most exposed to drugs even if it’s not racially diverse. If you don’t have diversity in the school then find other places to expose and teach your child about the differences in people.
Be prepared to be very supportive to your child and good luck with your decision.