The Private School Problem.

The Unspoken World.

The first time I saw more than two Black students in a room was in college. The first time I saw a Hispanic Student was in college. The first time I had a Black girl in my graduating class, was in college.

Part of that was because I purposefully chose a public university, where I would be exposed to a range of diversity far past the status quo, instead of a private university as my peers. One of the biggest regrets of my life was not being an anti-racist and an ally when I saw events transpiring in front of me.

When an English teacher made us read “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” in class, uncensored. When I saw white students have countless privileges in regards to dress codes and discipline have an advantage. When I saw parent’s racist agendas be favored when people stood in solidarity. When I, a biracial woman, was sent to the principals and called “aggressive” for standing up to the dress code. When I saw that there were no Black educators and there were poor excuses why not.

I am grateful for the opportunity to attend the private school that I did, but I am also aware of the socioeconomic and other privileges that allowed me to do so. It was probably this awareness that prompted me to spent a lot of my senior year attending the clubs of a public high school and campaigning.

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That is what I posted on Facebook last week, and the responses were unexpected. A friend of mine, who I have known for more than a decade reached out and said that all my word framing was wrong and that it perhaps was more of a call of attention than actual systemic problems. Another, who is also a conservative, was surprised at the experiences I listed, despite working for politicians who are advocating for the racist agendas that I am pointing out. My Black friends said it was accurate, and were glad I was candor.

I respect all of these opinions and agree that I should add more context, framing, and possible solutions to this universal problem of private schools.

I have never been a student at a public k-12 school. This gives me a biased opinion on education for sure, but I would argue against my own experiences and say that the fundamentals of everything I was taught were biased. My parents socioeconomic status matched everyone else, which even led to an implicit mindset growing up that I was “better” than any normal student. It added an ego and a bubble around me as I grew up. I was part of a hidden culture that not many people openly speak out against when they have experienced it.

However, I believe this bubble became inherently problematic as the years went on. I didn’t know anyone in the public school system until high school, but even my sister, who graduated from the same school, never knew anyone who went to a public school. People around me were like me in most facets, and the topics of conversation ranged from Teslas to Audis to Louis Vuitton.

Most people in my high school were openly conservative. I was included in this for multiple years. Tax reform framed the conversation, as most of us were in the same income bracket, but never at that time had to work for ourselves. The politics reflected the life experience, which was little to none. I was the only open Democrat in various settings. I appreciated the fact there was never an echo chamber, but only now realize that it was identity politics that set the foundation.

Going back to my original post on Facebook, we have to go back to systemic racism. The little things that leak into a bigger ocean. The reading of Huckleberry Finn. The dress code. The “Black Corner” which was infamous for where all the Black students hung out but were always shut down by white teachers. The complete lack of any teacher of color in high school. The cancellation of “Hijab Day” (where female students stood in solidarity with the prominent Muslim community) after parents called and said they were “uncomfortable”.

Talking to some of my friends now, and future students who are interested in that school I always say “It’s diverse, but it’s segregated”. Racially, the school is separated into groups. Being biracial, I always felt safer with my Pakistani, Arab, and Indian friends then I did with the groups of preppy white girls who voted Trump. Toward the end of my time there, I tried my best to branch out but candidly I can say I do not have a white friend from my school.

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As far as solutions go, it has to be equitable in a step by step process. The school put together a five-year plan to raise money and build buildings, so I will say that racial equality and equity can also make great steps in the private school system. The University I go to in the city this school graduates a program of Black teachers every year. Use it.

Teach both current students and staff about racial inequities and socio-economic diversity. Even though I am pretty sure there is a talk each year, let’s implement this on a grander scale. Put people of color in high leadership positions and te teaching classrooms. Private schools are lucky to have some room in the curriculum as they are independent to some degree, so instead of having “Kentucky History” implement “Black and Indigenous People History” interwoven into the history and also separate elective classes to supplement. Reform the Dress Code with an equitable focus on multiple different body types.

Reform the scholarship program. Instead of just nitpicking from a Black middle school to reach the quota, lower the price of the tuition and invest in particular, students of color who could benefit from an attentive education. Maybe skip on the STEM building and invest in what makes any school great, teachers, and students.

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I am grateful for the privilege to attend a private school. It gave me personalized attention with teachers, elective interests, and a sense of community that I will never feel again. It gave me a good education and different perspectives.

However, I am still struggling to see if private schools should even exist. However, they seem here to stay, so let’s reform it. The next generation of voters are in many of these school’s hands, and they, like me, are leaving with a bubble of a life that is unequipped from the rest of society. I am considering a Master’s in Education to go back and change some of these problems.

It is systemic.