September 21, 2016 - 21:32
I have mentioned a lot about my schooling, but if I am being honest I didnt realize how 'radical' it was until I got to Bryn Mawr. During our private meeting jody asked me, " if you dont mind me asking, how did you wind up at Bryn Mawr?"
Race in my educaton had always been at the forefront, although my school was radical in its ways, its teaching and aspriations some of the parents were not. I dont have too many horror stories and I am happy that I dont but I do have one.
My 8th grade year the idea of affinity groups had come on to our independent school scene, I was deteremined to start one for all the little black girls at The School. It was recived HORRIBLY, I got multiple emails from parents that said, " that's every exclusionary", " that goes against our codes"... as I said, parents to an 13/14 year old child. My teachers had backed me up through the way and I even worked with different independent schools in the area, in my schoo's typical fashion it became a town hall meeting and eventually a school-wide issue. Although, I was able to push forward on the affinaity group programming, I think that might ave been the firt time, I had experienced something negative about race.. something that seemed to make perfect sense to me but not to others.
I am sure there might have been more situations but I am also sure that I might have blocked them out. I have always had the luxury of seeing teachers that looked like me and even when I didn't I had my mom, how is a teacher and that's where I would get my fix. I also wondered about those who hadnt had that, and what that must have been like.
High school, was literally one of the best times of my life, because I was encourgaed to study everything that school had to offer, it had a really cool history and served as a pillar fot other progressive schools. My high schools history realy fueled how they spoke and taught about race and other identies. Accepting.. is not enough of a word to describe the atmostphere... I experienced my race more outside of the classroom.. then every in it. Again run ins with parents...
So when I think about it, I cant help but wish I was back there.