How important is diversity (kid related)?

mulva33

So, dear baby jesus, my kid is starting PreK next year.  Public school is not an option here.  Only 2 schools offer PreK3 in the area - an Episcopal school and a Catholic school.  The two that offer PreK 3 are really our top contenders for Liza's forever school, so I'm cool w/ putting her in PreK 3 at either.

 We looked at the Episcopal school this weekend.  I really liked it - great facility, warm, welcoming, great reputation and great opportunities for development for a kid Liza's age. While it's affiliated w/ the church, they don't do religion classes and the like (which I appreciate, honestly).  BUT it's the type of school where there would be very little diversity in race.  Also, they don't cater to special needs kids, so she'd never really see a handicapped kid. 

 The catholic school is different in that there would be more diversity and they DO cater to special needs children, but we didn't like the school as much as far as teachers and programs offered to the kids. The other school really offered SO much more in that regard.  Also, we're not catholic, and while I don't have a problem w/ my kid going to mass, I'm a little worried about the confusion level on that.

 So, how important do you think diversity is?  I'm struggling with this some. I want to raise a well-rounded kid.

salimoo

I think it's important, but not at the cost of a better school. There are other ways to expose her to different races and people with special needs.

KristenBtobe

Important, but you can find other ways to expose her to different kinds of people.

CaliopeSpidrman

I'd send her to the school you liked better and then expose her to diversity in other ways.  Like Sesame Street.

KayRI

One of the things we really liked about Ian's daycare is that it's very diverse, but it wouldn't have been a deal breaker if we'd found another place we loved that wasn't diverse.  It's just one of the items that goes into the calculus of what's best for your kid.  

modb1rd

I am going to go with not important. I was raised in an area with basicaly zero diversity of race and disability. My parents taught me to be kind, open-minded, and accepting, as well as interested in others. I didn't have to be surrounded by a lot of diversity to not be a bigot.

That being said, I would have loved going to school in a culturally diverse and rich environment but I don't think you need it to raise a child who appreciates it.

buddhagouda

For me, quality of education would trump diversity. As long as you instill open-mindedness and acceptance of others in her at home, it shouldn't matter that there isn't a lot of diversity at her school. She will have other venues to get that.

samfish2bcrab

salimoo:

I think it's important, but not at the cost of a better school. There are other ways to expose her to different races and people with special needs.

agreed.  if we eventually move to the town i'd like to buy our "forever" home in there won't be a lot of diversity at the kid's schools.   between outside activities and my friends kid's, though, I think they'll be pretty well rounded.

CaptainSerious

Ditto the above.  M's school is really diverse, and we love it because he won't be the only "brown" kid, but that was barely a consideration when we made our decision.  You just have to make an effort to bring her around more diverse populations.  Since it's a little harder to find populations of disabled persons without visiting homes and the like, you may want to look into adaptive sports programs in your area and bring her around them as she ages, so she can see that people with disabilities can do a lot of things others would presume they cannot.

buddhagouda

I think kid's are so much more adaptive and perceptive than we give them credit for. I went to small religious private schools until high school and was never really exposed to many people with handicaps, but it's not like it was some shock for me when I then transferred to public high school with much greater diversity.

mulva33

modb1rd:

I am going to go with not important. I was raised in an area with basicaly zero diversity of race and disability. My parents taught me to be kind, open-minded, and accepting, as well as interested in others. I didn't have to be surrounded by a lot of diversity to not be a bigot.

That being said, I would have loved going to school in a culturally diverse and rich environment but I don't think you need it to raise a child who appreciates it.

This is what H and I discussed.  I went to public school, but there was basically ZERO diverisity and look how good I turned out?  I barely even hate black people and mexicans!

buddhagouda

mulva33:

modb1rd:

I am going to go with not important. I was raised in an area with basicaly zero diversity of race and disability. My parents taught me to be kind, open-minded, and accepting, as well as interested in others. I didn't have to be surrounded by a lot of diversity to not be a bigot.

That being said, I would have loved going to school in a culturally diverse and rich environment but I don't think you need it to raise a child who appreciates it.

This is what H and I discussed.  I went to public school, but there was basically ZERO diverisity and look how good I turned out?  I barely even hate black people and mexicans!

The jews however....

modb1rd

hmmmm, Mulva barely hates black people and mexicans. but she left my race out completely. does that mean she really hates me or that she doesn't even know my people exist?

CaliopeSpidrman

Mulva doesn't discriminate.  She hates everyone equally.  Especially if they're carrying bags of dog food.

FallinAgain

I'd be more concerned with my kid being forced into a religious service that didn't align with my beliefs.

noisy_penguin

FallinAgain:

I'd be more concerned with my kid being forced into a religious service that didn't align with my beliefs.

Me too. We're looking into preschools for Will right now too and I think we're just going to avoid any preschool that includes a service. I didn't even think about diversity as a factor, but we're also not looking for long-term schooling options since we'll probably be moving right about when he starts kindergarten.

wkatie

Before my H, I dated someone that had a kid in private christian school (1st grade, I think).  She only sang religious songs and all the art projects/coloring stuff was all jesus stuff.  I don't know if that was normal, but I thought it was very weird.

Side note, I googled her a few weeks ago, out of the blue (she's 18) - she had a myspace page that said this:

im _______ my bestfriend is ___ we like ***, butt holes, rings, tan skin, _____, some of _______friends, moms, movies, va-jjs, pubs, ect. i love to drink and do *** drugs! i love all illegal things. i hate *** cops. i hate *** rules. i hate girls who have *** short hair. i hate nose *** rings. i hate when *** girrls have *** steaks in the *** hair. ecpesilly when the *** hair is *** blonde and have *** brown chunch. i hate when girls have *** fake nails. and *** fake ass extentions, fake ass bitches. thats why i love haley so much. she is so pure and clean. thats my mothaaa *** life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love ya bitches!!!! :0

All the stars = fvcking.  It made me sad.  Kind of.  Her dad was a huge assshole.

sparrowsocks

I'd go with the Episcopal school for the better teachers and programs.  You can do a lot at home and with what activities you have her participate in as far as diversity.

I went to Catholic school for most of elementary.  We were Catholic, but in my class there was a girl who was not and who was just there for the teachers.  She went to the library when we went to mass or had religious ed classes.  So if you went that route, you might be able to work something out to avoid confusion over beliefs.

CaliopeSpidrman

wkatie:

im _______ my bestfriend is ___ we like ***, butt holes, rings, tan skin, _____, some of _______friends, moms, movies, va-jjs, pubs, ect. i love to drink and do *** drugs! i love all illegal things. i hate *** cops. i hate *** rules. i hate girls who have *** short hair. i hate nose *** rings. i hate when *** girrls have *** steaks in the *** hair. ecpesilly when the *** hair is *** blonde and have *** brown chunch. i hate when girls have *** fake nails. and *** fake ass extentions, fake ass bitches. thats why i love haley so much. she is so pure and clean. thats my mothaaa *** life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love ya bitches!!!! :0

All the stars = fvcking.  It made me sad.  Kind of.  Her dad was a huge assshole.

Ecpesilly is when you have seizures, right?

mulva33

buddhagouda:

mulva33:

modb1rd:

 

The jews however....

Not all jews.  Just the whiney little b*tches, like Bethberg.

mulva33

FallinAgain:

I'd be more concerned with my kid being forced into a religious service that didn't align with my beliefs.

well, I'm pretty sure we're more or less screwed on that front no matter where she goes. There are only one or two non-parochial private schools.  I rate them though from most offensive to least offensive, and catholocism is pretty low on my offensive list. It's higher than Episcopal, but lower than Baptist.

AngieP900

I never considered listing buttholes in my "likes" column.

noisy_penguin

Does "chunch" mean pubic hair?

FallinAgain

noisy_penguin:

Does "chunch" mean pubic hair?

I *think* it is chunks.

FallinAgain

mulva33:

FallinAgain:

I'd be more concerned with my kid being forced into a religious service that didn't align with my beliefs.

well, I'm pretty sure we're more or less screwed on that front no matter where she goes. There are only one or two non-parochial private schools.  I rate them though from most offensive to least offensive, and catholocism is pretty low on my offensive list. It's higher than Episcopal, but lower than Baptist.

But didn't you say the Episcopal school, while church affiliated, doesn't do religious services or classes and that the Catholic one would have Eliza in Mass?  That's what I was referring to.

RFKD82909

FallinAgain:

I'd be more concerned with my kid being forced into a religious service that didn't align with my beliefs.

I agree with Fallin. I think religion is too important of a subject to send mixed signals on.

lmydogally

A) I can't believe you have a kid that's going to be in Pre K already.

This entire thread is cracking me up.

C) Go with the school you like the best. 

mulva33

FallinAgain:

mulva33:

FallinAgain:

I'd be more concerned with my kid being forced into a religious service that didn't align with my beliefs.

well, I'm pretty sure we're more or less screwed on that front no matter where she goes. There are only one or two non-parochial private schools.  I rate them though from most offensive to least offensive, and catholocism is pretty low on my offensive list. It's higher than Episcopal, but lower than Baptist.

But didn't you say the Episcopal school, while church affiliated, doesn't do religious services or classes and that the Catholic one would have Eliza in Mass?  That's what I was referring to.

Okay, (a) her name is LIZA.  (I kid).

(b) yes, you're right. I prefer the episcopal school b/c she won't be in mass and there is no religion class.  There is some type of 15min service once per week that they go to, but that's it. 

I don't really know what we're going to do about religion (in the general sense) honestly. That's an additional debacle. 

FallinAgain

Crap, I knew that it's short for Elizabeth.

modb1rd

a question I would have about the epsicopal school is how many of the kids going there have active episcopal religious lives. If you disagree with the religious beliefs and practices you may have issues with the types of things Liza is exposed to whether or not she has to go to service.

salimoo

wkatie:

Before my H, I dated someone that had a kid in private christian school (1st grade, I think).  She only sang religious songs and all the art projects/coloring stuff was all jesus stuff.  I don't know if that was normal, but I thought it was very weird.

Side note, I googled her a few weeks ago, out of the blue (she's 18) - she had a myspace page that said this:

im _______ my bestfriend is ___ we like ***, butt holes, rings, tan skin, _____, some of _______friends, moms, movies, va-jjs, pubs, ect. i love to drink and do *** drugs! i love all illegal things. i hate *** cops. i hate *** rules. i hate girls who have *** short hair. i hate nose *** rings. i hate when *** girrls have *** steaks in the *** hair. ecpesilly when the *** hair is *** blonde and have *** brown chunch. i hate when girls have *** fake nails. and *** fake ass extentions, fake ass bitches. thats why i love haley so much. she is so pure and clean. thats my mothaaa *** life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! love ya bitches!!!! :0

All the stars = fvcking.  It made me sad.  Kind of.  Her dad was a huge assshole.