All this talk about school districts has me second guessing our district.

We're in Massapequa - but hearing about Bay Shore and how diverse it is makes me wonder if my kids will be sheltered/grow-up racist.

How can you teach about diversity when your kid isn't immersed in it?

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Message edited 10/6/2009 4:48:07 PM.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

I don't think you have to grow up in a diverse neighborhood to not become a racist. I think for the most part that behavior is learned. If you and your DH are racist, your kids will learn that is how to act.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

I went to catholic school and MHS and I am no where near racist. However, your kid will probably not have many or any friends of a different race going to Massapequa schools, it's more diverse than when I went there but still mostly white- Italian/Jewish/Irish. It's how you raise your kids though, not neccessarily who they are friends with.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

True - I guess I AM more worried about their friends than I should be...

We're no where near TTCing and I'm concerned.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

I grew up in Northport were there was no diversity....it changed a bit but not much. I think I turned out fine....I think I am very open minded. DH grew up in Malverne and was one of the few white kids in his school.....he is not racist but is more close minded than me....

I think it is how they are raised and not just if they are in a diverse area.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

I think the fact that this is even a concern for you shows how well adjusted your future children will be. I went to MHS and will say it was in no way diverse and many of the kids were somewhat sheltered.

However, you decide what you expose your children to outside of their day to day schooling. I think if it is important to you that your kids experience diversity, you will find ways to expose them to other people and cultures.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

imho, absolutely not! It is how YOU raise your child that will decide if he/she is sheltered/racist etc.

I was born and raised in Seaford and went to Seaford schools from K-12. For those of you that know Seaford, there is about a 1% minority population (at least when I was there, graduated in 2002). I do not think I am sheltered nor do I find myself to be racist... but very receptive and accepting of those who are "different" than I am.



Massapequa is an amazing SD. I think you made an excellent decision.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

it can go either way in my opinion. I know plenty of people who went to school in the richest and the least diverse neighborhoods and are liberal to the core with all things and there are those who have been in diverse schools who are complete racist.

now my brother sends his children to a completely secluded/non diverse area on LI and his children when traveling say things that make my mouth drop. We try to correct them but this is how all the children talk in their grade because that is how most of their parents talk. So it really comes down to parenting.

I could mention all the SD i did know who had skinheads and other racist kids but since I haven't gone to HS in over 10 years so things have changed.

Message edited 10/6/2009 12:59:10 PM.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

it is definitely how children are raised- but I went through Massapequa and it was completely undiversified and it was a bit of a shock for me going from massapequa to SUNY New Paltz which is very diverse..

Honestly, I think it is better for children to grow up in a diverse environment that is more like "real life"- although going to a diverse school district doesn't guarantee that your child would be open minded.

There was actually a study done that was published in Newsday about how undiverse Long Island school districts are and the disparity in education from the "poorer" districts to the "richer" districts.

I think there are few districts on Long Island that "get it right"..

heck, right now we are in Amityville school district and the "liberal" in me wants to just buck the trend and send DD to the school district no matter the reputation.. the other side of me is scared to death and wants to move. Amityville isn't "diverse" either- I think there's only a very small single-digit percentage of whites that attend the school.

it's hard, as a parent, to weigh doing to the right thing for the general good- which would be to send DC to the school district because, lets face it- if all the white people that lived in AMityville- and there are many- sent their kids to the school district, it would be better for everyone.. and doing the best thing for DC which may or may not be to send DC to private school (which I'm not exactly crazy about).

It's a crazy, charged issue.. as someone who grew up on Long Island, I always thought "good school district" was oftentimes a tongue-and-cheek way of saying "well funded and mostly white"

gosh- this is long.. in terms of resources, funding, extra curricular- Massapequa has everything that your future DC would want..

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

I am in Massapequa school district and I think we have to worry more about the drugs going around the school, then the diversity. It's becoming a HUGE problem and that is worrying me more then anything....

But even in diverse schools, there are rascists and people who look past race, it's def how you bring up your child. I think that it is also more segregated in diverse schools. I went to school in the Bronx for 9 years and lived there for 21, it was diverse, and you mainly stuck with your own, not cause of being rascist, it wasn't even thought about, it was just the way it was....

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.

Racism is taught at home... They may grow up sheltered but not learning to hate others who are not like themselves.

Re: All this talk about school districts have me second guessing our district.