From 2000-2003 I attended Raininer Beach High School in the Southern region of Seattle which is known to most Seattlites as the “South End”. The South End of Seattle is filled with predominantly minority neighborhoods and schools. The population in my highschool was predominantly African American and Latino, though there was a mix of other ethnicities as well. It was said that within my graduating classes senior year, there were between 10 and 20 European American students (though I cannot say that this is fully true), and some of them claimed that they were discriminated against because they were white. Though I never came across any incidences like those, I do not doubt that they ever occured.
My high school was known for all of its star athletes. From my high school many of the top athletes went pro, or went on to be number one in collegiate sports; those such as the Stewart Twins, Virginia Powell, and Nate Robinson. We were recognized for our runners, jumpers basketball players and more, but outside of that, we were nothing. We had some of the lowest test scores in the Seattle Public School district and we were known for having police patrol our hallways because of the violence that occured so often. Many of our students were associated with gangs and drug dealing in some way or another. In part, we were often discriminated against in the news papers and on the news because of our bad reputation, when in all actuality, there were a lot of good students at Rainier Beach.
In my graduating class there were only 156 graduating seniors, though our class could have been much bigger. I remember seeing those who were left behind at our graduation cheering on their friends and congratualting them, though it was apparent that they were sad to see them go. My high school gave me positive and negatice experiences that I feel I could have never have gotten anywhere else. There I felt more at home, I didn’t have people discriminating against me based on my race and that made my last 3 years of highschool much easier.
I’m glad that someone else has had the same experience that I have had in an urban school. I’ve spent the last 3 years (2005-2008) in Berkmar High School (Lilburn, Ga) where I, being white, was a minority. We’re the 2nd most diverse high school in Georgia sporting 3,075 students of whom 36% are African American, 28% are Hispanic and 14% are Asian. 64% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunches and our reputation is awful. When I tell people that I go to Berkmar and that I actually love it they all look shocked that I haven’t been raped or stabbed.
I’ll admit that a few years before I got there the school had a problem with racial/gang violence but since we got cameras there have hardly been any fights. Yeah, we have a rent-a-cop that walks around the halls but no one minds it since it’s for our safety.
All we’ve been known for is our athletes as well such as recent Memphis basketball signee Wesley Witherspoon, but recently we were awarded the Inspiration award by The College Board for our affluent honors, gifted, and AP courses in which students of every race are given equal opportunity to enroll. The teachers are unique in that they want everyone to succeed and aren’t bias in who they will spend extra time working on their curriculum with.
I recently transfered to a suburban public school in Boston where our diversity consists of 2 black students bussed in from Dorchester. Not only is the school less than 1/3 the size of my school in Atlanta, only 715 students, but the level of racism that I hear is astounding. Half of the students excuses consist of “What? I’m not a racist! I have a black friend!” The ignorance at which the students refer to minority groups is ridiculous to the point where I’m embarrassed for them!
I think that attending Berkmar was the most beneficial thing that I could have ever done for my high school education. It has shown and taught me so much about other cultures that I wish all students could spend time in such a heterogeneous school.
in my school there is soooo much discrimination.there is so many fights there and just this year about 20 students got caught with heroine.people say my high school is the best in my town but i dont think they understand.even some of the teachers honestly do not care!