I’ve been interested to read that black and Asian families prefer remote learning while white families prefer in person. I think some of this is due to the inter-generational living of many minority families, and many minority families may feel more at risk for that reason and others. But I also think this reflects an important cultural difference; namely, that POC know better than most that the powers that be will neither take care of you nor look out for your interests, and that deathly outcomes can result from situations promised to be perfectly reasonable and safe. Too many POC have been on the other side of something like this with everyone crying, shaking their heads, saying it wasn’t supposed to be this way, and then going on with their lives. Cold comfort, indeed. POC have been guinea pigs before. Very interesting to see so many saying, not this time.
@Anonymous, there is probably well justified mistrust. On the other hand, multigenerational household often mean free and readily available childcare too.
Or maybe it has something to do with the the fact that death rates among POC are significantly higher. Perhaps that's a result of those people having more risk factors or being in jobs where they got more exposure, but maybe there's something else to it. It would give me pause. Btw, I'm Asian and want in-person but I have no particular risk factors and don't live in a multi-generational household.
ITA, especially with the latter part of your statement. I teach in a very diverse elementary school (gentrifying BK neighborhood) and you hit the nail on the head regarding how our minority families are feeling. They were also most cautious in spring, with many students telling me in June that they hadn't been outside since March. I don't blame them. I'm white but I imagine there must be an ingrained anxiety due to understandable distrust of bureaucracies and power structures. Conversely, I think white parents have an implicit confidence that everything will be OK for their families; they don't fear catastrophe but instead want to minimize hardship (the WFH/childcare burden, lack of space, continuity of kids activities, etc.)
I don’t think it has to do with being used as a guinea pig, but maybe they don’t have good health insurance or PTO/sick days and that makes people a lot more careful.
I'm really curious why if this is true, areas like the south bronx and central brooklyn have the LOWEST percentage of parents choosing remote. I live in such an area, and I haven't met a single parent here who didn't opt for hybrid.
Today's NYT article says that "Polls and interviews suggest that Black and Hispanic parents, who tend to live in neighborhoods most heavily impacted by the virus, are more fearful and unsure about whether to send children back." That's very nebulous and seems to contradict real data.
Why not look at the map and see what people chose? There's a map in this article from two weeks ago that refutes this point entirely:
the only point this data makes is that POC in those neighborhoods prefer in person. IT says nothing about what POC want in general. And POC in the South Bronx and Brownsville are not representative of all POC in nyc. That’s why race-specific surveys across neighborhoods are more reliable.
White people do not live with extended family and are on their own. Asian and Hispanics tend to live together so they have childcare in the home if needed.
Cool story bro.
ETA (I posted this when there was just a headline and no followup.)
I’ve been interested to read that black and Asian families prefer remote learning while white families prefer in person. I think some of this is due to the inter-generational living of many minority families, and many minority families may feel more at risk for that reason and others. But I also think this reflects an important cultural difference; namely, that POC know better than most that the powers that be will neither take care of you nor look out for your interests, and that deathly outcomes can result from situations promised to be perfectly reasonable and safe. Too many POC have been on the other side of something like this with everyone crying, shaking their heads, saying it wasn’t supposed to be this way, and then going on with their lives. Cold comfort, indeed. POC have been guinea pigs before. Very interesting to see so many saying, not this time.
@Anonymous, there is probably well justified mistrust. On the other hand, multigenerational household often mean free and readily available childcare too.
Or maybe it has something to do with the the fact that death rates among POC are significantly higher. Perhaps that's a result of those people having more risk factors or being in jobs where they got more exposure, but maybe there's something else to it. It would give me pause. Btw, I'm Asian and want in-person but I have no particular risk factors and don't live in a multi-generational household.
ITA, especially with the latter part of your statement. I teach in a very diverse elementary school (gentrifying BK neighborhood) and you hit the nail on the head regarding how our minority families are feeling. They were also most cautious in spring, with many students telling me in June that they hadn't been outside since March. I don't blame them. I'm white but I imagine there must be an ingrained anxiety due to understandable distrust of bureaucracies and power structures. Conversely, I think white parents have an implicit confidence that everything will be OK for their families; they don't fear catastrophe but instead want to minimize hardship (the WFH/childcare burden, lack of space, continuity of kids activities, etc.)
I don’t think it has to do with being used as a guinea pig, but maybe they don’t have good health insurance or PTO/sick days and that makes people a lot more careful.
I'm really curious why if this is true, areas like the south bronx and central brooklyn have the LOWEST percentage of parents choosing remote. I live in such an area, and I haven't met a single parent here who didn't opt for hybrid.
Today's NYT article says that "Polls and interviews suggest that Black and Hispanic parents, who tend to live in neighborhoods most heavily impacted by the virus, are more fearful and unsure about whether to send children back." That's very nebulous and seems to contradict real data.
Why not look at the map and see what people chose? There's a map in this article from two weeks ago that refutes this point entirely:
https://gothamist.com/news/between-a-rock-and-a-hard-place-principals-to-submit-blended-learning-schedules-to-city-today
The map shows neighborhoods, but not racial breakdowns, so I’m not sure how informative it is vs specific race-based surveys / inquiries.
@Anonymous That just might be the funniest rebuttal I've ever heard. You obv know zero about the demographics of this city.
@AnonymousThose south bronx neighborhoods that are the lightest blue are less than 5% white. -Bronx mom
the only point this data makes is that POC in those neighborhoods prefer in person. IT says nothing about what POC want in general. And POC in the South Bronx and Brownsville are not representative of all POC in nyc. That’s why race-specific surveys across neighborhoods are more reliable.
White people do not live with extended family and are on their own. Asian and Hispanics tend to live together so they have childcare in the home if needed.