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Education

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Original poster

Where are all the WHITE kids gone?????

133 replies

drosophila · 04/02/2006 11:35

I live in a multicultural area in London where maybe 50% of the people are white. Our local school is mainly non-white. In DS's class there is about 5 white children and about 21 non-white children.

The school has a good rep and twice was in the OFSTED top 300 schools in the country. Why do you think it's not representative of the neighbourhood. The other schools around have very strict catchment areas so I don't know where they go to school.

OP posts:

Moomin · 04/02/2006 11:45

private?

Caligula · 04/02/2006 11:46

Maybe the 50% of white people in your area are disproportiately less likely to have children? I read somewhere that ethnic minorities are less likely to be childless and also have more children than white British people so as a percentage of the population are increasing faster.

Possibly the white population may be richer and therefore more likely to send their children to private schools?

Caligula · 04/02/2006 11:49

look at this

Original poster

drosophila · 04/02/2006 11:50

I do see white kids getting into cars wearing different uniforms but I don't know the uniforms. They are not obviously private uniforms (you know how sometimes you can tell). Private probably explains some of it.

It is a real mystry to me.

OP posts:

Original poster

drosophila · 04/02/2006 11:52

Caligula you think the same is hapening in London? I think it is sad really.

OP posts:

Caligula · 04/02/2006 11:54

I have certainly read reports about White Flight. And of course, schools are the first institutions to see evidence of it. I can't find any reputable evidence on numbers for London though.

Caligula · 04/02/2006 11:55

Possibly religious schools as well - white people more likely to be catholics/ c of e? (or play the game and pretend they are?)

stitch · 04/02/2006 11:56

i think its a mix of white people having less children, and going to private schools if possible.

soapbox · 04/02/2006 11:59

Private schools round here (SE London) are very racially mixed too!

londonmummy · 04/02/2006 12:15

drosophila, does it really matter if there's a large proportion of 'non-white' children at your ds's school? I am really pleased we live in a multicultrual area and that my dd will be able to be friends with people of different cultures/religions. It's us adults that make a thing of it, not kids.

GDG · 04/02/2006 12:17

I don't think she is saying it's a problem - she is just wondering where they all go

Original poster

drosophila · 04/02/2006 12:21

I think it would be good for DS to have white friends as well as non white. He is non white.

OP posts:

Caligula · 04/02/2006 12:24

I think it does matter actually.

You only have to talk to black and/ or Asian children who are brought up in totally white areas and are isolated from any of their peers who look "like them". It's one of the reasons why parents of non-white children have serious (and well-grounded) reservations about moving out of inner city areas.

For example, I have a friend who is white and wants to move out of London because she just can't afford the housing costs there. But her children are mixed race and although she has looked at places she really likes the look of, she can't consider them because they are very, very white and she doesn't want her children to be in an area where they will be perceived as so "different" from every other child in their class. And I don't blame her.

Caligula · 04/02/2006 12:26

Sorry the point is that it works the other way round as well.

kama · 04/02/2006 12:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

GDG · 04/02/2006 12:49

There are very few non-white children at ds's school and only two non-white boys in his class - they seem perfectly well integrated into the class and there are no problems. It was the same when he was at nursery - only one non-white little boy (Mexican) and he fit in just like all the others.

Although, as kama points out, if the area seems to have high racism that's different. It isn't like that here at all - it just isn't an issue.

Socci · 04/02/2006 12:58

Message withdrawn

MarsOnLife · 04/02/2006 13:27

kama, unless you have lived it or have children who live it it's hard to understand.

Personally I wouldn't want my children to live where they couldn't see other children or adults that look like themselves.

It's not briefly knowing/seeing that you are different. It lasts a very long time. For some people a lifetime.

Poshpaws · 04/02/2006 13:35

Totally agree, Mars.

Creole · 04/02/2006 13:36

Kama, no it's not absurd it's reality. I too would love to live in an area with affordable housing and good schools, but areas like that are way out of London and probably deep in the country with very few blacks. I would be very scared for me and my very black family.

Drosophia, I'm impressed though that a school with a majority of non-white pupils is doing soo well.

Blandmum · 04/02/2006 13:37

My kids go to a private school (not London) which is racialy mixed.

My Brother teaches in a school that is 90% asian. The 'next door' school is 90% white. Parents exercising their right to choose their school?

cod · 04/02/2006 13:45

Message withdrawn

MarsOnLife · 04/02/2006 13:46

I'm hoping to send my DD to an all girls school coddy.

She said that the only thing about the school she was unsure of was not being allowed to wear trousers and the lack of boys!

Lack of boys........ good reason for sending her. lmao

Original poster

drosophila · 04/02/2006 13:49

DS is mixed race (White and Afro - Carribean) but because I am so pasty he is quite pale although obviously mixed race. One day he came home from school very upset cos one of his friends said that they didn't want to be his friend anymore cos he was white and white people were nasty. He was very upset and confused cos I am white and he doesn't think I am nasty. He also spent time trying to explain to them that he is light brown but htey weren't having it. This has happened quite a bit in recent times.

I don't want him growing up with the notion that all white people are nasty or to be called white is a negative. He has 2 white friends (one outside of school) so hopefully this won't happen.

The school does well cos it has a very good head. He was headhunted and taken away for a year and the school dipped in his absence, Thank God he is back.

OP posts:

Blandmum · 04/02/2006 13:51

Mars, it is a rare school that insistes on skirts for girls nowerdays. Almost all in our area allow trousers.

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