Middle class students of color in the public schools?
My family is planning a move and are considering Berkeley and Alameda school districts. We’re planning on renting for the first 2-3 years and then buying but would like to remain within the same school zone as our 10 year old transitions from us renting to buying.
We have 2 children and are an African American family. We previously lived in Chapel Hill, NC - another small college town with strong public schools however in our experience, many smaller districts, particularly those who claim to respect diversity, have some of the largest achievement gaps. I’m a former educator and current grandmaker so I understand the reason behind many of these dynamics.
I’m curious if anyone can speak to the experience of middle class students of color in the local schools - specifically Berkeley and Alameda.
Parent Replies
Experiences vary, but many of my BHS black students as well as the black children who were in my child’s cohort from middle class families did well, and attended UCs and excellent private colleges. It wasn’t always comfortable because some of the AP/Honors classes had few black students in them.