News Bush School On the Defensive
posted by on May 30 at 15:30 PM
I’ve got an article out today about accusations of economic and racial bias at The Bush School.
This morning, Bush preemptively sent out a letter to parents:
Dear Parents and Members of the Bush Community,Today, The Stranger will publish a story about The Bush School. We have not seen the story, but the questions we have been asked lead us to believe that the story will focus on circumstances that some Third Grade families and the school have been dealing with since the fall. The questions also lead us to believe that these circumstances will be used to draw conclusions about how the school deals with race and diversity issues.
While numbers are not all that matters, in the past seven years we have gone from a school that had only 15% students of color to a student body of 24% students of color. This does not include the other areas we think about when we talk about diversity-economic, sexual orientation, gender, religion, etc. We are proud of this work. We know we are not done, but we know we are headed in the right direction. This article in The Stranger, however, is not how we would have chosen to talk about this Third Grade situation or the school’s strong commitment to building a welcoming and diverse community.
Bush is obviously very concerned about their image. In fact, it appears they gave their homepage a little makeover to highlight their diversity.
The May 26th Google cache of their homepage looks like this:
These pics were also on the main page:
If you visit Bush’s homepage now, you’ll find this:
Diversity only comes in colors.
It seems like a number of kids on that first page were kids of color, anyway? Not sure on your point.
It seems like a number of kids on that first page were kids of color, anyway? Not sure on your point.
This Times article from 2005 suggests that at up to $19K a year for tuition, the only color The Bush school accepts is green.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/parentsguideschools/2002435219_webskulprivate.html
Poor kid. I feel really bad for him.
It's an extremely expensive private school that still has considerably more racial diversity than the city of Seattle - and its neighborhood specifically. I see what your getting at, but I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
And yes, I went to public school.
9 students of color divided by 185 students enrolled, convert to percentage is... ~5% students of color... either The Stranger has its numbers is wrong, or somehow 5% can be parsed out to 24% by some sort of math that escaped me in school...
Wow - bizarre.
So the people at Bush are racists?
This story leaves so many gaping holes that need to be filled. I find it hard to believe that in this ady and age and in this city that the administrators are the insensitive goofs you make them out to be. The Bush note to parents seems thoughtful but you seem to want to go out of your way to make them out to be not so. And why would you drag a third grader into the story? Seems neither the mom nor you were looking out for Isaiah's best interests on this...I'd have kept my kid out of it. Third flipping grade, after all!!!!!!
The outrage about the kid's treatment by parents seems warranted, but your treatment of the school people seems unfair. My partner went there and says it was a great place for all sorts of kids.
Seems the racist parents are the ones you needed to drill. THAT'S where the story is.
I'll bet that somewhere in this drama there's a good story -- you didn't write it, though. Too simplistic, almost amateurish.
Phenics - the article said 9 African-Americans, not children of color. the letter mentions the 'of color' numbers. I think there are other non-white colors of the human rainbow..
@ 7-
It's 9 African-American students out of 185 in the k-5 program. The school is k-12 but the population sample the school gave me only accounted for those grade levels.
The term "of color" refers to anyone who is not white- black, Latino, Asian, etc.
So, the math is probably right on both Bush's and The Stranger's part.
I hate this kind of journalism. This kid is getting a free ride at one of the best schools in the state, setting him up for nothing but success, and the mom is upset about a comment that another parent made and goes crying to the media when the school doesn't bow on bended knee to kiss it and make it all better? What kind of problems does she think her kid would have in a Seattle public middle school? Hey, I love to jump on the beat-up the wealthy bandwagon just as much as anyone, but this is a really lame story.
To those bitching about this, please shut the fuck up. Having been harassed in school, I wish my mom had been this brave.
Dougsf wrote: I see what your [sic] getting at ... And yes, I went to public school.
Obviously.
I have yet to read Jonah's article but wonder right off how this relates to this excellent article from about a month ago:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2007-04-25/news/good-intentions-turn-into-diversity-backlash-at-lakeside-school.php
@8 - you're absolutely right, this is an issue of the example being set by the parents.
Long time ago, I dated a girl from Lakeside. Her teachers that I met were great individuals who generally treated everyone fairly. The parents of her friends, on the other hand, were a completely different story...
Jonah, this article sucks. It implies that the Bush School as an institution has a race problem, when this is clearly - even from the few facts presented in your piece - a case of immature parents (including Conway and those on her enemies list) who flipped quickly to the race card when confronted with schoolyard spats amongst their children, rather than resolving issues amongst themselves.
Why in the world is his mother sending him to such a place? Restraining orders? She needs to put him in a real school, with parents who understand kids, all kinds of kids. What a pity for the kid.
OK, here it comes...
#14 Spelling Cop - I see the joke here, no offense taken really, I'm a fumbling goon, especially when I'm multitasking (ehem, working, typing, reading, eating). Perhaps my response will even have some typos - GOD FORBID! This is SLOG, PLEASE, EVERYONE - SLOG (even lesser, SLOG comments!), pointing out typos means this and only this: YOU HAVE NOTHING TO ADD.
Easy enough to ignore even, I pretty much HANDED IT TO YOU... but HERE'S THE RUB: Taking shots at public educators... not at Bush school's, but at a public school's. They're not all saints, BUT AT LEAST they got their master's, get paid shit, and probably worked for years in rougher neighborhoods than you'd be willing to ask for directions in.
Where's this coming from... a JOURNALISM DEGREE? A B.A. in LITERATURE maybe? No wait... Psychology! Maybe just it's just run-of-the-mill Seattle SNARK. Yeah!
So please, going forward, please bundle your mockery in actual content.
who fartedd?
This kid sounds like a gifted kid without structure, a bully, a troublemaker, someone who calls people names, treats people like crap and then expects to receive no repercussions. He does this, probably, because he is bored and not accepted... I remember 50 kids like this when in school.
I doubt he is the victim, heck, he might even be instigating a few things... and I know the parents are at fault... but the school?
I applaud the Bush School; they seem to have a heck of a lot of racial diversity considering the price they charge... I wish I could send my kid there.
Hell, I know a few teachers there, and I think the world of them. I wish they were in the public school system... and rumor has it Bush School actually pays their teachers as much as the public schools do. Heaven forbid!
Thatz beter!
Who the fuck cares? They're not racist. It's a school for rich people's kids. I'm sure nothing would make Seattle rich folks happier than to have a good school filled with smart black kids.
I feel sorry for the black kids who are obviously token admissions. That's got to suck.
This is almost as funny as my son's first reaction when he went to high school, after being an apparent minority in middle and grade school: "Man, everyone is White!"
I said "Yeah, they are."
He said "No, I mean EVERYONE. Kind of wierd ..."
But pretending to not be mostly white, like the Bush School is, is really silly.
@15 - I don't know "Rebecca" why don't you read Jonah's article and let us know how it relates to that "excellent" "article" from a "month" ago.
It is clear that the Bush school is in over their heads financially. They are millions of dollars in debt because of new construction. Their head of school now spends all of his time strong arming parents for more and more money. When finances take center stage, careful consideration of children's needs become secondary. To raise the kind of money that they do, I am sure that the Bush School listens most keenly to those parents with the deepest pockets.
No shit. Could it be because they're being attacked?
I have to say, this whole thing sets off my bullshit alert in a big way. I don't see any overt racism in the incidents being discussed, and not-so-overt racism is just a fact of life for everyone. People make subtle assumptions about other people based on how they look: blonde, Latino, short, tall, Black, big tits, hairy back, whatever. Shit happens. It sounds like the other parents at the school are making some assumptions they shouldn't oughtta be, yes, but they're not exactly burning a cross on anyone's lawn.
Meanwhile, this kid's mom brings in the Seattle fucking NAACP-- because they did such a bang up job handling the whole computer teacher at Cleveland High thing back in 2003. And I bet his former students appreciate all the support they got from the NAACP, too. Let's go down to McDonald's and see if they'll talk to us about it when they get off shift.
This seems like an excellent example of the perfect being the enemy of the good. And it's this 9 year old kid who's going to get fucked because of it.
You know, I have a 9 year old daughter in this same class. I'm a white workiing class guy and I work my butt off to give my daughter the best education possible whatever the cost and give until it hurts for the scholarship program at the sacrifice of my financial future and security. Contrary to what this article may move you to believe, most parents at the Bush School make very hard sacrifices to pay for the education that I consider one the best in our country. Its not full of rich mansy pansys. I can't count how many times my daughter has come home with stories about how the boy has bullied her, hit her when no ones looking and just has been a constant interuption to the class. I know Isaiah. He's a bright kid who's fun to be around. He's also a bully and a brat and need serious structure and mostly disipline and understanding with an open enviroment to discuss behavior issues with his classmates. What he gets is an over protective mother who's afraid of the responsibility of being a good parent. She is not willing to speak with other parents and discuss this with out being defensive and is un approachable. Why is it only now, at the end of the year, she has reared her as the Racist Police with one week of school left?
This person said it best;
This kid sounds like a gifted kid without structure, a bully, a troublemaker, someone who calls people names, treats people like crap and then expects to receive no repercussions. He does this, probably, because he is bored and not accepted... I remember 50 kids like this when in school.
I doubt he is the victim, heck, he might even be instigating a few things... and I know the parents are at fault... but the school?
I applaud the Bush School; they seem to have a heck of a lot of racial diversity considering the price they charge... I wish I could send my kid there.
Hell, I know a few teachers there, and I think the world of them. I wish they were in the public school system... and rumor has it Bush School actually pays their teachers as much as the public schools do. Heaven forbid!
Bottom line! Yea, this kid's just in third grade. He's already a bully, a liar and a manipulator. I knew kids in third grade like this. He needs help and his mother is the only one with power to give it to him. It seems easier to blame the school.
By the way, I was raised by a single mom, went to public school here in Seattle, and one of my most remembered male adult role models was a black football coach and good friend of our family. I just really never thought of him as black. Just a great guy who cared enough to reach out to me. I could have been blue for all he cared.
.
Print out Jonah's article.
Read it carefully.
Judge for yourself if it has any substance.
This is where the mom and the Stranger have gone so wrong...now we're discussing this little boy. He's a thrid grader!!! How could mom or the Stranger possibly believe that involving -- and naming!!! - the little boy could possibly be good for him? Not smart, Jonah. And Mr. Savage, as Editor, you screwed the pooch on this one; you should have sent Jonah back to work, without naming or quoting the kid. Third grade!
Jonah, I wonder what you see in the google cash as the second topic on the left, does it say sith grade discovers new culture. And if you go to the bush home page and look at it does it not have those same pictures as the ones you claim to see on Bush home page. Is it not possible that they merily updated there homepage as all respectable websites do. Coulod they have moved up the list onthere bullll. itins.
Typical Seattle. When racism rears its ugly head the reaction from most is to either a) deny it's happening at all or b) wonder why those darkies are all worked up anyway since they have it so much better here than somewhere else.
Seattle's claims to liberalism and racial diversity are not worth the paper they're printed on. As the comments here show, most Seattleites are quite happy to make excuses for racist behavior - which is CLEARLY going on here from the Bush School AND its parents - and belittle those who try and raise the issue.
Then again, that's about how it happened in the 1960s. Shouldn't be too surprised to see the "it doesn't happen here" defense raised again, 40 years later.
If anything is "typical Seattle" it's eugene's response @ 32...tiresome.
The Bush school is a micronism of Seattle, which is racist in the extreme, having been settled by european white males.
I call for a general strike and a day of solidarity with people of color. A march/rally will form tomorrow at the Federal Building at 9am. Be there!
Thank you for this article, Jonah. We have been hearing a lot about race and education lately, and it seems to me that the people who are not affected by the oppression of racism are reluctant to want to believe it still exists. I thought your article was even and measured, you presented both sides' perspectives but gave enough information for concern. If a parent feels harassed to the point of having to get protection orders and to enlist the help of the NAACP and has not directly been asked to leave the school or presented with counter charges, I have to assume there might be something to be concerned about.
Whether in private school or public, our children do not learn kindness as a matter of course. We are so worried about academic achievement that even the little bit of social interaction that used to be allowed in kindergarten is gone for most children now. Recess, where it still exists is the only social time allowed in most schools and is essentially unregulated time. After the very clear social curriculum the lucky ones get in Head Start, it is not offered again unless individual teachers choose to pass on their own personal values. Our children spend every day in pursuit of value-added skills but very little value is placed on human relationship.
How we expect children to be other than mean and by extension oppressive and racist is an amazing leap.
I know James Bible of the NAACP, I do not believe he would take a frivolous case and because of that I am concerned about the educational environment young children are possibly being exposed to at the Bush school.
More of our institutions-private and public- need to make the conscious choice to become antiracist institutions and not just places that "value diversity".
Some parent plays the race card. Reporter swallows it whole. This is Seattle Weekly-grade reporting.
it makes me all warmhearted when Big Washington cares about what Little Washing ton has to say.
I have known Isaiah and his family for a long time. He is a bright, funny, good kid. I know his mother has been dealing with this issue since last year. I know that she has wanted to resolve the issue, before it got out of hand. I have read some of the comments, how can you say some one is fun to be around an a bully...go figure. I am wondering if any of the parents have tried to appoarch her to talk to her, as far as I know they haven't. What I see is it's okay for parents and students at the Bush school to bully Isaiah, but now that his family is fighting back, they are the bullies. Students have been forced out of the Bush school by parents just like the ones in the article. It's time for the parents at the Bush school to take THE SHEETS OFF YOUR HEADS and be exposed. The African-American community is willing to stand with this kid and his family.
as the proud stepfather of 2 bush graduates, let me say:
bush is a very good school. kids get out of there able to think like adults, because they're treated with respect for their intellect. at 20k/year, they better be. i never saw rascist, classist, or any typical bullshit cliquish, exclusionary behavior in the years my stepkids attended.
if this kid's beating on other kids, if he's interrupting class, that is NOT what is acceptable at Bush. at 20K/year, those uptight rich white parents (who fund all the scholarship & partial schalraship kids) have every right to complain vociferously about that behavior without being pilloried as rascists.
we bitched about our kids' classmates to the administration when neccessary - the main kid we complained about was wealthy beyond imagining, with no boundaries. they dealt with it.
the woman who confronted the 3rd grader was out of line - and the mom of the 3rd grader is out of line calling in the NAACP. now Bush kids are going to have to sit through bullshit rascism training rather than the previous method that worked great - treat each other as human beings.
Bush needs to wake up, they know they have not handled this situation fairly. My concern is if the kid is bad why is he still there, that really doesn't make sense. Bush school probably thought that this parent was so greatful to be a part of the Bush school, that it would be okay to mistreat her child....well as we can see they weren't too smart. I hope she continues to fight...think about Ruby Bridge, the Little Rock Nine, James Meredith. They brought attention and fought to undo racism. These parents are modern day KKK. LEAVE THE KID ALONE AND LET HIM GET AN EDUCATION.
What. The. Fuck.
since we are not there, i guess we can't know for certain.
we all filter this through our own lens of experience. i was picked on in elementary school, by a student of a different race. nothing was done about this obviously problem student until he stabbed another classmate in the hand with a compass, and jumped out a window.
i certainly wanted someone to stand up for me before the student was expelled. no one did. i certainly would be upset if someone played a race card at any point in the process.
i'm sure at least one of the people involved in this story is racist. racism is certainly not dead. of all the white parents complaining, surely at least one is doing so through a racist lens. and being one of only a few african americans at a prodominantly white school is a lens that will be willing to see such behaviour.
this is a difficult story -- because if the school is being racist it is unacceptable and should not be tolerated. but if they are not, then the school is acting completely properly -- even better maybe -- and a mom is jepordizing her son's future.
just my opinion, but based on how i was treated by bullies at school, this seems sort of thing seems to happen at schools frequently without racism being involved.
the SCHOOL isn't being rascist. they're so AFRAID of being percieved as rascist, they're tiptoeing around a discipline problem that they would not tolerate if the kid was caucasoid.
and "bigoted" or "predjudiced" may be a more appropriate label for an uptight white mom than rascist. everyone, EVERYONE, is predjudiced against someone for something.
a JOKE about a "do not feed" sign on a vomiting 3rd grader is FUNNY, not "rascist". fuck a duck this is some Seattle bullshit.
YOU WOULDN'T PUT A SIGN ON YOUR CHILD, SO WHY PUT ONE ON SOMEONE ELSE'S. I THINK YOU SHOULD READ THE ARTICLE BETTER. I THINK PEOPLE ARE MISSING THE POINT. THE BUSH SCHOOL HAS DRAGGED THEIR FEET AROUND THIS ISSUE. WHY DO PARENTS FEEL THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BULLY A 9 YEAR OLD
Why do people still use the word race? The word is an idea which holds no actual basis. Besides, what fraction of a certain ethnicity does a person have to have to be considered "colored". Also, the word 'ethnic' or 'ethnicity' seems to be very constricted. Everyone is ethnic, everyone comes from some sort of background/nationality. People are so blended these days that gah! I can't even finish. Ok...private school = expensive and people who are within the minority are normally people of "color" (whatever) and cannot afford the cost of such a school. Reality sucks
If the mother was truly concerned about racism in Seattle she would not be the Criminal Calendar Coordinator at the King Count Court House.
If you don't think the criminal justice system in King County is racist just visit any criminal courtroom downtown and see if you think the racial composition of the defendants is similar to what one sees in our great urban metropolis.
The mother should be focusing on all of the issues the police department has in its dealings with people of color of just be quiet. If you are making money off institutionalized racism, as she is, it is extremely hypocritical to take this to the level that she has. Schools have discipline issues all the time. Teachers, administrators, and parents have to deal with them. Trying to get local ink for your own personal issue is a bit self-centered.
Beyond that the article was just poorly written and indicates that Jonah should have stuck to the sort of piece he wrote last week on fried foods.
upset @ 44: yes, moms at Bush School can be uptight rich white idiots. i live with one, i know many of them, i've told them to friggin relax. there's nothing inherently rascist about the sign joke, unless that's what you want to see. bigotry in every comment a white person makes to a black person, or class predjudice in every comment a rich person makes to a not-rich person.
however, the bigger problem is your abuse of the caps lock button. LET IT GO.
well, have to agree about the Caps Lock - lose it.
A mother files a restraining order against another parent for something that doesn't involve violence and then is surprised that her child is ostracized? What a nut! Seattle must be the most idealic place on Earth if this is the biggest injustice the counter culture newspaper can bring to light.
My own exposure to children of the rich makes the last place on Earth I want my kids to be is at the birthday party of some yuppy larve who may or may not be racist but is almost certainly a brat.
Question: Does the author of this article know if the mother obtain a restraining order, or just file for one?
Question: Does he, the author, know if the order obtained because of where she worked?
Question: Does he have access to their medical records? I think one of the greatest things about modern America is the computerization of medical records. As a volunteer sheriff I can look up anyone’s psychiatric records or surgical histories.
@50
Can you clarify what you think I'd need her medical records for?
The mother did not obtain a restraining order. Her filing was dismissed as being without merit.
Perhaps this should have been included in the article? Jonah, did you even ask Ms. Conway this?
The "take out a restraining order" wording in the article is likely ambiguous on purpose but needs to be clarified. It is clearly not the same as obtaining a restraining order.
Thank you Jonah for the great article. I am saddened by the backlash agaisnt the mother (and child) for speaking out.
Yes Jonah, great article. I wish you had been there when I was young. My sister never got that pony she wanted and I was denied the 24" Sting Ray bicycle with the flame thrower seat. If only we had someone like you to protect us from these injustices.
I went to Bush in the early 90's. I was on a full scholarship. I'm white. I left because the academics aren't nearly as good as they claim to be and the kids are a bunch of stuck up, obnoxious, drugged out brats. I wish you had written a more expansive article about the history and politics of the school. There's plenty of way more fucked up stuff that has happened. And of course the place is completely racist and classist, how could it not be? It's a school for the most privileged kids in the city. The only poor people they know are their housekeepers and nannies. And whoever said the school isn't clicky and that scholarship kids aren't made to feel left out was kidding himself. It's really difficult to fit in when everyone else is going to Switzerland to go skiing for spring break.
Breaking Seattle News:
"Parent has concerns about child's treatment at a private school - goes to local press thus assuring alienation from the educational institution"
In other news:
"Same parent contacts local politicians for help since they clearly have done such an excellent job in running local public schools and now have time to provide advice to private schools."
It blows my mind that Mrs Conway would willingly put her 9 year old child in an article of this nature and include his photo. That alone causes me to pause and wonder what the real story is. I bet she has more "issues" than her son attending an elite private school.
The child you profile as a "victim" here systematically harassed my own son for two years while he was a student at The Bush School. The school, despite repeated complaints about Isaiah's behavior, did nothing to address it, chosing political correctness over teaching good behavior. Now I see that Isaiah has moved on to bullying adults as well via complaints of discrimination.
Lovely.
this situation seems like an opportunity lost for all parties concerned. Isaiah is a great kid, he has many talents and loads of energy. He has taken part in many of Bush's music and talent nights. He shows immense confidence and poise when singing or speaking at these events. Some of these skills have been celebrated by the Seattle Times as Isaiah led the MLK March and spoke the words of the man himself. His accomplishments were celebrated at Bush, not just on campus but on their website. In so many ways Isaiah brings so much to the school and the school is the perfect outlet for his skills to be developed and appreciated by many who would otherwise miss out. (as everyone has, who didnt attend Bush's functions or the MLK rally).
This was a huge opportunity missed for the parents involved in this issue. The parent who felt obliged to talk to Isaiah and not follow up with either the 3rd grade teacher and more importantly with Ms. Conway herself made the first mistake in getting a point across to a kid. If you want the lesson learned you have to back it up with the parent of the kid, that way the story is all out in the open with all parties concerned. Nine out of ten problems are solved this way.
Ms. Conway has missed an opportunity here too and as is always the case , Isaiah will pay the heaviest price. Every problem in life is a learning experience, the point is what you make FROM the problem. If I were to find out from my child that a parent yelled at them at school and they were visibly upset I would have to follow up. I assume she did. If I know the parent in any way I would start with a call and e-mail to them. If the call ends up in a argument or the e-mail is not responded to, then the teachers get involved by call and e-mail. Once again I'm sure she has. If there isn't a plan of action at this point then I'd go to the principal and lower school guidance councilor (who is black, as if it mattered) and the diversity director (who also is black, as if that mattered either). If these meetings failed to occur or the problem wasn't solved then I think Ms. Conway did the right thing going to the paper. Once again I am assuming all these actions were taken by Ms. Conway. If they were taken then frankly I would have told the headmaster via call and e-mail that I was to be interviewed by the Stranger in three days. If he had anything to say he'd better make it quick. finally I would want to read the article before it went to print, this is where Ms. Conways' opportunity died.
WHICH leads us to the last opportunity lost. Joshua did such a ham job on this article we'll never know the full truth. How far up the chain of command did the issue go Joshua? Was the school just trying to push it under the rug? Where's the"I tried to contact the parents involved and they refused to comment on the story" line. Hmm, what's the school policy on situations like this where a parent is verbally assaulting someone else's kid. Has the school screwed with Ms. Conway's family somehow? And to get your fix of racism, what role did the counselors play in this case? Was this a case of black on black racism? BUT WAIT! This would have taken research and maybe some time to fill in the gaps. There are failures at so many levels here, you touched on one, the easiest one, the ball grabber. nice job! Hack.
What's done is done. I hope Ms. Conway and the school are able to work this out and come up with a plan of action. If they are able to come up with a plan for the parents, the school and Isaiah then let's hope all parties can move on. Everyone would win. And Joshua.... well, lets hope you take some journalism classes and learn to research a story.
E
this situation seems like an opportunity lost for all parties concerned. Isaiah is a great kid, he has many talents and loads of energy. He has taken part in many of Bush's music and talent nights. He shows immense confidence and poise when singing or speaking at these events. Some of these skills have been celebrated by the Seattle Times as Isaiah led the MLK March and spoke the words of the man himself. His accomplishments were celebrated at Bush, not just on campus but on their website. In so many ways Isaiah brings so much to the school and the school is the perfect outlet for his skills to be developed and appreciated by many who would otherwise miss out. (as everyone has, who didnt attend Bush's functions or the MLK rally).
This was a huge opportunity missed for the parents involved in this issue. The parent who felt obliged to talk to Isaiah and not follow up with either the 3rd grade teacher and more importantly with Ms. Conway herself made the first mistake in getting a point across to a kid. If you want the lesson learned you have to back it up with the parent of the kid, that way the story is all out in the open with all parties concerned. Nine out of ten problems are solved this way.
Ms. Conway has missed an opportunity here too and as is always the case , Isaiah will pay the heaviest price. Every problem in life is a learning experience, the point is what you make FROM the problem. If I were to find out from my child that a parent yelled at them at school and they were visibly upset I would have to follow up. I assume she did. If I know the parent in any way I would start with a call and e-mail to them. If the call ends up in a argument or the e-mail is not responded to, then the teachers get involved by call and e-mail. Once again I'm sure she has. If there isn't a plan of action at this point then I'd go to the principal and lower school guidance councilor (who is black, as if it mattered) and the diversity director (who also is black, as if that mattered either). If these meetings failed to occur or the problem wasn't solved then I think Ms. Conway did the right thing going to the paper. Once again I am assuming all these actions were taken by Ms. Conway. If they were taken then frankly I would have told the headmaster via call and e-mail that I was to be interviewed by the Stranger in three days. If he had anything to say he'd better make it quick. finally I would want to read the article before it went to print, this is where Ms. Conways' opportunity died.
WHICH leads us to the last opportunity lost. Jonah did such a ham job on this article we'll never know the full truth. How far up the chain of command did the issue go Jonah? Was the school just trying to push it under the rug? Where's the"I tried to contact the parents involved and they refused to comment on the story" line. Hmm, what's the school policy on situations like this where a parent is verbally assaulting someone else's kid. Has the school screwed with Ms. Conway's family somehow? And to get your fix of racism, what role did the counselors play in this case? Was this a case of black on black racism? BUT WAIT! This would have taken research and maybe some time to fill in the gaps. There are failures at so many levels here, you touched on one, the easiest one, the ball grabber. nice job! Hack.
What's done is done. I hope Ms. Conway and the school are able to work this out and come up with a plan of action. If they are able to come up with a plan for the parents, the school and Isaiah then let's hope all parties can move on. Everyone would win. And Jonah.... well, lets hope you take some journalism classes and learn to research a story.
E
Excuse me, but I must point out a fault in your reasoning that this school is "racist": obviously, you are colorblind. "Diversity" is not defined by black and white, it is every color of the rainbow (and many colors in between!) It is also more than "color"-it is about your roots, your origins. African-American is one of many minorities, but you must realize that The Bush School is very diverse. Pick up a yearbook and look at the last names of the students, and even the staff. The school is full of many backgrounds and cultures, faculty and students alike, some from Central America, India, Europe, South America, Korea, China, Japan, many middle-eastern cultures, as well as African-Americans, and others from all over the world. If you were to interview people from the school, you would realize that many speak a different language at home, whether it be French, Spanish, Chinese (many different dialects), Indian, German, Korean, Italian, and more. You cannot assume this school is "racial profiling" because there are only a few people of one color, and too many of another. Do your research, find out the definition of "diversity", and get your eyes checked by your doctor.
If you would like to discuss this further, e-mail me at Vballdiva186@aol.com
I find several of the slogs on this board very accusatory and jugdemental. I believe Jonah did a great job with exposing just a small snap shot of how the Bush school has not dealt with this particular issue. It seems like it may have a lot to do with with Class and Race. As a parent I take offense to the incident and comments that were made about this child, Isaiah.
1. A sign "do not feed"
2. he is a "predator"
3. A parent (who acted very poorly) apporaching a kid and threatened to have info. put in his file/perm. record.
4. Also, for a school Admin, to mention that "Bush is not the best place for him and they are concerned about his safety"
Oh my!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What kind of people are we dealing with in this day and age that would say some of the most inappropriate things to this child. I wonder if any of these parents chose to have a discussion with Ms. Conway. After all communication is the best way to resolve conflict/issues etc....in a school setting. However, some parents think the best solution to deal with a kid that they "dis-like" is to have them removed from the school. This is what I call "Privilege" attitude.
As for the Bush parents that are posting comments on the Slogs, I sure hope that you are in communcation with Mrs Conway about your concerns. After all, let her know who you are! Don't hide behind this slog. Be a part of the solution! I'm sure the Bush Schools has a parent directory that is given to all parents with contact info.. (#'s, e-mail, address etc) Use it!
I think a follow up article should take place. I for one would like to know what the Bush school plans to do..... to work together with the students and the parents in this 3rd grade class? I hope... that this does not carry over to 4th grade! Also, what is the policy for dealing with conflict b/t parents/students etc..? With the article being published and read by a lot of Bush Community members, how will the Bush Community interact with this parent and child? Just some thoughts!
Hopefully this will be a learning experience for Mrs. Conway, her child, Bush school Admin, and the Bush parents/community. It's best to speak up where it matters and counts. Seems like you got a little bit of everyone attention Jonah ( Mrs. Conway!) ( + -)
I look forward to a follow up Article Jonah. Hats off again to Mrs. Conway for being so courageous and brave for sharing her experience.
Thanks
Concerned Parent
#60/61:
a) You ask, "Where's the"I tried to contact the parents involved and they refused to comment on the story" line."
Read the article:
"The woman's family would not directly address the situation at Bush, but stated that they "hope the school resolves this." It is very clear that they were contacted for this article.
b) It is hilarious that you are bitching about Jonah doing a lack of research for the article, when you can't even get his name right. Smooth.
Regardless of whether or not they were racially motivated, the comments made and actions taken by the parents quoted in this article are completely unacceptable. No parent has the right to confront and threaten another child. Additionally, there is no acceptable context for children placing a bounty on another child. Clearly there are some problems with what parents and children assume they are entitled to. I don't care how much tuition someone pays, if anyone treated my child this way I would be on their doorstep with plenty to say about it. In my opinion as a parent, Ms. Conway is responding with restraint. Now it remains to be seen what the Bush community will respond with.
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@8 - Ms. Conway is responding with "taking out restraining orders" and not with restraint. As someone who maintains the Calendar for the Criminal Court she has seen that a class system in King County spends a huge amount of time on victimless crimes committed by those without the resources to fight the charges. She probably hoped that having her son go to Bush would help him avoid a system that rewards the crime in the suites while prosecuting the crime in the streets. She apparently missed the fact that Seattle places a high priority on tact. The region's political leaders show that it is more important to be tactful than intelligent to gain and maintain power in the Puget Sound area. The headline on this piece should have been "Lack of parental tact derails education plans of minority student".
I was once associated with the Bush School but chose to leave because the school is about 10 - 15 years behind the times (compared to other independent schools in major cities) when it comes to all forms of diversity. My two cents...the situation with Isaiah is not an isolated incident. For years, the school has had a hard time dealing with students of color, primarily African American males. Instead of confronting issues that come up (such as bullying) the school turns a blind eye because of like so much of our society, it does not know how to deal with issues involving race. It is the fear of not doing what is considered "politically correct" that holds the school back. I can imagine that Isaiah has probably bullied children but the school is reinforcing his behavior by not addressing it. Isaiah also probably feels alone as one of a handful of African American males in the entire school and has no outlet to express himself. Imagine being the only one that looks like you in a see of other children and no one reaching out to you to show that they understand.
The comments made by the parents to the child are disgusting. I cannot imagine a 9-year-old child having to defend himself against a 30+ year old woman. Furthermore, the "do not feed" and predator comments ARE RACIST. As an African American male, no matter how funny the parents thought the comment was, the "do not feed" sign infer that the child is an animal. African Americans have been historically referred to as monkeys or other jungle like animals.
In terms of the diversity of the school, 24% diversity is honestly what is written on paper. You do not see it in the students and you definitely do not see it in the faculty or staff. It was not until roughly two years ago that the school hired a Diversity Director and prior to that, there was a Diversity Coordinator who left much to be desired. The school’s admissions process seems to want to recruit students of color but once they get to the school there is no real support for them.
I also agree with Jonah’s thoughts on the school changing it’s website during this time of racial allegations. The children they highlight on the cover are the school’s “token students of color” (I use the word token because the school does not know how to appreciate and support their diversity but chooses to wave them around as symbols of their diversity) that have also had issues with the school in the past.
I chose to respond to this blog because I was astonished to see the article in The Stranger. While I might disagree with the mother participating in the article, I think it is time that someone addresses The Bush School’s dirty laundry that similarly to Lakeside, needs to be aired out!
I think the whole letter should be included. you can find it on Bush's website. here it is:
Dear Parents and Members of the Bush Community,
Today, The Stranger will publish a story about The Bush School. We have not seen the story, but the questions we have been asked lead us to believe that the story will focus on circumstances that some Third Grade families and the school have been dealing with since the fall. The questions also lead us to believe that these circumstances will be used to draw conclusions about how the school deals with race and diversity issues.
Our primary concern is and always has been our students. In our work with those involved in this situation, as in all of our work involving children, we are guided by a fundamental principle: it is our primary responsibility to create a welcoming and safe place for all of our students and families.
Earlier this month, we sent a letter to Third Grade families as a way to continue moving forward. If you would like to read the full text of that letter, you can find it here.
Since sending that letter, we have also begun to get those involved together to talk so that they can find a common ground of understanding. We hope that this article in The Stranger does not hinder the work we have already begun together.
We welcome all conversation and open dialogue about diversity and race issues; however, because we are bound by considerations of confidentiality to our students and their families, the school has said little to the paper about the particulars of what we believe they are reporting. Thus, we believe it will not be possible for The Stranger to accurately report on how we have dealt with issues of race and diversity.
Creating a welcoming community and embracing differences is critical for our students and their learning, and has been a high priority of The Bush School. This has led to the hiring of a full-time Director of Diversity, the development of our Diversity Speaker Series, the offering of professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, new campus events such as the evening Multicultural Celebration, as well as assembly and experiential programs for students. Diversity—and all that term entails—was a key component in the last long-range plan, and holds a prominent place in the current strategic plan the Board of Trustees is developing for the school.
Indeed, this is a part of our history. When Helen Bush founded this school more than 80 years ago, people didn’t know what progressive education was. Not only did her school define progressive education in the Pacific Northwest, she provided an education that was almost unimaginable at the time. We have continued that work, looking forward, ever since.
While numbers are not all that matters, in the past seven years we have gone from a school that had only 15% students of color to a student body of 24% students of color. This does not include the other areas we think about when we talk about diversity—economic, sexual orientation, gender, religion, etc. We are proud of this work. We know we are not done, but we know we are headed in the right direction. This article in The Stranger, however, is not how we would have chosen to talk about this Third Grade situation or the school’s strong commitment to building a welcoming and diverse community.
The Stranger is a newspaper that is read by some of our students, particularly in the Upper School, and we are mindful of the questions the article might raise with them. Therefore, we have met with faculty and staff to discuss ways in which we can talk with students about the article.
While we don't know exactly what The Stranger article is going to say, we do know that the issues it is likely to raise are important and we welcome the opportunity to talk with you about them. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact one or all of us at 206-322-7978.
Sincerely,
Frank E. Magusin
Head of School
Elaine Aoki
Lower School Director
Eddie Moore, Jr.
Director of Diversit
I think the whole letter should be included. you can find it on Bush's website. here it is:
Dear Parents and Members of the Bush Community,
Today, The Stranger will publish a story about The Bush School. We have not seen the story, but the questions we have been asked lead us to believe that the story will focus on circumstances that some Third Grade families and the school have been dealing with since the fall. The questions also lead us to believe that these circumstances will be used to draw conclusions about how the school deals with race and diversity issues.
Our primary concern is and always has been our students. In our work with those involved in this situation, as in all of our work involving children, we are guided by a fundamental principle: it is our primary responsibility to create a welcoming and safe place for all of our students and families.
Earlier this month, we sent a letter to Third Grade families as a way to continue moving forward. If you would like to read the full text of that letter, you can find it here.
Since sending that letter, we have also begun to get those involved together to talk so that they can find a common ground of understanding. We hope that this article in The Stranger does not hinder the work we have already begun together.
We welcome all conversation and open dialogue about diversity and race issues; however, because we are bound by considerations of confidentiality to our students and their families, the school has said little to the paper about the particulars of what we believe they are reporting. Thus, we believe it will not be possible for The Stranger to accurately report on how we have dealt with issues of race and diversity.
Creating a welcoming community and embracing differences is critical for our students and their learning, and has been a high priority of The Bush School. This has led to the hiring of a full-time Director of Diversity, the development of our Diversity Speaker Series, the offering of professional development opportunities for faculty and staff, new campus events such as the evening Multicultural Celebration, as well as assembly and experiential programs for students. Diversity—and all that term entails—was a key component in the last long-range plan, and holds a prominent place in the current strategic plan the Board of Trustees is developing for the school.
Indeed, this is a part of our history. When Helen Bush founded this school more than 80 years ago, people didn’t know what progressive education was. Not only did her school define progressive education in the Pacific Northwest, she provided an education that was almost unimaginable at the time. We have continued that work, looking forward, ever since.
While numbers are not all that matters, in the past seven years we have gone from a school that had only 15% students of color to a student body of 24% students of color. This does not include the other areas we think about when we talk about diversity—economic, sexual orientation, gender, religion, etc. We are proud of this work. We know we are not done, but we know we are headed in the right direction. This article in The Stranger, however, is not how we would have chosen to talk about this Third Grade situation or the school’s strong commitment to building a welcoming and diverse community.
The Stranger is a newspaper that is read by some of our students, particularly in the Upper School, and we are mindful of the questions the article might raise with them. Therefore, we have met with faculty and staff to discuss ways in which we can talk with students about the article.
While we don't know exactly what The Stranger article is going to say, we do know that the issues it is likely to raise are important and we welcome the opportunity to talk with you about them. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact one or all of us at 206-322-7978.
Sincerely,
Frank E. Magusin
Head of School
Elaine Aoki
Lower School Director
Eddie Moore, Jr.
Director of Diversit
My son, who is not even in 3rd grade has been pushed around, threatened and bullied by the young man in question numerous times - since Isaiah came to the school in fact. There has been an issue with him ever since he started at Bush and Bush has handled the entire problem very poorly. What started out as a behavioural issue that should have been dealt with immediately, has now become a "racial" issue due to the playing of the race card by Ms. Conway and the lack of action by the administration from Day 1. The actions of some of the 3rd Grade parents are mostly a result of frustration and anger at having to deal with this situation for 3-4 years and it has finally come to a head. What might have been construed as harmless antics have now become harmful and threatening to other students in the school, not to mention to some of the parents. It is well known at the school that a man claiming to be Isaiah's father threatened bodily harm to the husband of the lunch room volunteer who asked Isaiah to sit down and stop causing a ruckus. This was done fairly publicly at a Bush Parents function.
Ms.Conway has been approached repeatedly to meet with parents and has refused. She has dragged her son's name into the press and is using him as a poster child for her own agenda. There is no doubt that Isaiah is an extremely bright child and he is being provided with an excellent education as a result, however, that in no way should compensate for the fact that he is also out of control and has been steadily getting worse as time goes by. Consequently, he is no longer welcomed at many birthday parties and outings not involving the school. Parents have chosen to not put up with his antics at private functions, something they have had no choice about at school.
As far as the diversity factor goes, 24% of the students at Bush fall into this category. But guess what? They are NOT all African-American. Diversity seems to be blind when we get away from the Black/White issue.
We are also not all millionaires. Most of the school population is solidly middle class and millions of dollars are set aside for scholarships/financial aide. You bet there are some who have more money than I can imagine. So what? I can't seem to find it in myself to get upset and resentful of someone who can afford a Mercedes because I cannot. Hell, some of my best friends are rich. And African-American, oh and Asian, and and and.
The administration needs to get off it's butt and handle this issue and end it once and for all in whatever way works best for all involved. Let's face it we are ALL racist to some degree, including Ms. Conway. Let's get down to the fact that an out of control kid with behavioural problems needs help and it starts at home, be it a black home, white home, purple home or whatever.
In regards to #72:
I do not believe that Ms. Conway is using the "race card", if such a "card" exists. However, I do agree with you that the school has dealt with the behavior poorly from the beginning. Part of this is due to the poor administration of the school. If you look at the schools organizational chart and you compare it to other K-12 schools across the country, you will see that there are about 8 people doing the job of what should be at least 15. Where are the Deans of Students? Where are the Assistant Directors?
Going back to the issue of race, if he was a white student, his behavior would have been addressed. But because of white guilt, white fear, whatever you want to call it, the behavior wasn't addressed. As I can't speak for Ms. Conway, I believe that she has bought race into the picture because of the negative comments on the part of the parents. To make comments like "do not feed" or to call the child a "predator" are NOT comments that would have been used if the child was not a person of color.
In terms of behavioral problems, while a lot is learned at home, a great deal can be unlearned at school. If a child does not feel as though he belongs, he will act out. Ms. Conway can take her son out of the school, but what happens the next time when another situation like this happens and trust me, it WILL happen at the Bush School.
Oh please.
As a student who currently attends the Bush School, I have to say that a good deal of the comments, as well as the article in question, are not well researched, and most seem to be knee-jerk reactions that go no further than to repeat the words of the article. I though we as a society had evolved beyond taking things at face value.
Although, as a high school student, I am not informed of the day to day happenings of the Lower School, I have heard many reports on numerous occasions of Isiah's bullying. In my time working at the Lower School with the children, I have heard from the children themselves that he has hit girls in his class, has told girls that they cannot play together at recess, and once pushed a fellow classmate down the stairs.
He is a smart kid, to be sure, and his manners are engaging, but that's it. He's a bully, and I have no sympathy for bullies. He was not punished for his repeated transgressions of the Community Conduct Code, which I cannot begin to understand.
As I understand, the 3rd Grade parents were understandably upset. While the mother who confronted Isiah was out of line, his mother's response was uncalled for. She should be spending her time keeping her kid in line. Isiah's a bully, and he had to learn that behavior from somewhere.
As to the article. It was very poorly written. Honestly, I was expecting better. The author even failed to contact the head of school for an interview. I'm just a high school student, and I know better than to write an article without researching it first. Journalistic integrity, anyone?
The Bush school is a wonderful school, filled with many talented and diverse children. To those who dropped out in the 90s, I would expect that someone who claims the school is ten years behind the times would account for... what, at least the fifteen years that have passed? The teachers are fantastic and understanding (and are paid more than public school teachers, despite what rumors might abound)Diversity is more than black and white, which I would hope that an educated person would realize.
The school is not racist. I would expect this view to come from an outsider, as you apparently all are. Instead of passing judgment on the children who attend, and assuming they are all rich brats (considering the great majority of the school is on financial aid, I can only assume that this is another attempt to find fault without actually doing any research. Bravo, media.), why don't you look at the facts of the situation? A child bullied his classmates and got caught. The mother brought the NAACP into it, obviously blind to her own fallacies at teaching her child manners and kindness.
Isiah is a victim, but only of his mother's callousness and desire for media attention. The real victims here are the children of the class of 2016, who have had to deal with this child's bullying for four years now.
I had hoped that those who comment to this post would have looked beyond the obvious falsehoods and generalizations that covered this article, but obviously I expected too much. As a publication, the Stranger should be ashamed at publishing such a shoddy article. I would at least have expected better writing.
The only fault that Ms. Conway has is not teaching her son that he can't act and behave in the same manner as the WHITE children at bush because if he does he will be labeled!!! Let's be real- The child isnt white. If this BLACK boy was really that out of control the school administrators would have suspended him by now(4 years of behavioral problems). Are you really serious?
@ 75. Absolutely and completely. Why hasn't he been reprimanded before this? Despite the numerous complaints by the parents of his class? Why, when one of the parents took matters into her own hands, did the mother of Isaiah file for a restraining order? Why did she get the NAACP involved in a completely baseless case?
I don't have the answer to that. He should have been suspended long before this. But why wasn't he? Could it have been because he isn't white?
I don't know. But it gives one a lot to thing about, niet?
Bullying is bullying, no matter what the color. And if Isaiah can't figure out that it's not okay to push a student down the stairs, then I don't know what to say. If his mother enabled that behavior by going so far as to keep those angry with him away from him, then so be it. She's entitled to raise her child the way she sees fit, even if that means that her child is a sexist bully. But that doesn't mean that the parents of the other children have to stand for it.
Am I serious? Are you? Someone who doesn't know the particulars of the matter (and that article was written with so many factual and journalistic errors that I don't consider anyone who's just read that educated on the situation in the slightest) is passing judgment on someone who, unlike them, most likely knows more about the matter than them. Let's be real here. The child isn't white. That doesn't matter. What matters is that he's a bully. Everything else is media hype, and the callousness of a mother who's willing to manipulate her child for her own agenda. Let's be serious.
There seems to be some contradiction He is fun to be around but yet a bully? I don't get it. He is either bully or he isnt. Which one is it?
I applaud Ms Conway for taking a stance because there will be others that follow your son. There are some before but did the stand up for their rights? Seems to be a lot of insight about what is really going on with Isaih at Bush-Where are people getting thier facts? There is always two sides to every story. Dont you think Ms Conway contacted the school before she involved the NAACP? If she went to that extreme obviously she wasnt getting anywhere with school. I feel sorry for her son because he has to endure all of this crap at such a young for a so called better "education". He is too young to fight this battle.
"There seems to be some contradiction He is fun to be around but yet a bully? I don't get it."
If you haven't read any articles on schoolyard bullying, then I wouldn't expect you to know this. "Fun to be around" is normally directed towards adults. Most children don't mouth off towards adults. It's not a smart idea. So the Isaiah the adults see is markedly different from the Isaiah that his classmates have to deal with. It's what makes bullies so successful - if the adults only see the good side, then they are less likely to believe that there is a bad side.
"Seems to be a lot of insight about what is really going on with Isaih at Bush-Where are people getting thier facts?"
From the kids themselves, as well as their parents, and the heads of school. Far more reliable than the words of a woman trying to sway the media to her side. (And since the other side was not mentioned in the article, she seems to be doing a good job of it. Bravo for neutrality, Stranger!)
"If she went to that extreme obviously she wasnt getting anywhere with school."
If you call refusing to talk to the Third Grade parents or the Administration "getting anywhere with the school" Mrs. Conway, despite what she told the media, refused to meet with the parents.
"I feel sorry for her son because he has to endure all of this crap at such a young for a so called better "education"."
I feel sorry for him too. His mother was obviously too busy picking fights for no reason to teach him how to be a good kid.
@ 74-
Why don't you go back and reread the article. Your principal, Frank Magusin is in there. Before you start throwing out accusations and fancy-pants, high-falootin' challenges to journalistic integrity, you should make sure what YOU'RE saying isn't totally baseless.
Noodge.
it is obvious that there are parents making statements they no nothing about, i think that the bush school parents as consumed themselve with this little boy, slandering his name with no facts to back it up. if the boy was so bad and bullying everyone in sight how come the parents didn't do anything about it. i fault you as a parent to let your child be bullied...shame on you. it so easy to blame ms. conway and her son. i find it very hard to believe if her son was a bully that the naacp would take the case. i believe the parents at the school have allowed their emotions to run wild and is not willing to learn the truth. i think the parents are so use to being in control of the adminstration and other minority families, but this child and this family would not let you control them and that makes you very upset....poor controlliing racist parents. you can't handle the truth!!!!
In response to #73
I disagree that if he was a white student, this would have been addressed. The administration, in general, seems to have a problem dealing with any kids with behavioural issues and, in my opinion, that is where most of the problem stems from. The other side of the coin is if Bush had dealt with the problem when it first arose years ago, perhaps they might have been able to make a difference and could have helped Isaiah "un-learn" the bad behaviours. If not, however, and they ended up asking him to leave the school at any point, there would have been people writing articles and claiming RACISM because if he was white he wouldn't have been dealt with in that way. It is a lose/lose situation. To me, that is the "race card".
So where do you turn? You don't deal with it immediately because of "white fear/white guilt" until it becomes a major problem that blows up forcing you to take action. All of a sudden you are racist because the child is African-American. If you deal with it immediately, but unfortunately the solution is not one the family agrees with, it's because of racism. If the child is white, then you can't claim racism darn it, so you have to deal with it in some other way, like my child needs to learn how to act in a school situation and perhaps the unstructured atmosphere at Bush is not a good fit for him/her.
In Ms. Conways own words, up until this year Isaiah WAS included in events and birthday parties. So if acting out is a result of the child feeling that he doesn't belong, what changed? Classes at Bush remain fairly consistent with a couple of kids coming and going each year. My son has gone through all his years at Bush with basically the same classmates. Did Isaiah all of a sudden decide he didn't belong and therefore upped the ante in bad behaviour? Is it because he is physically larger now and can therefore be more intimidating or seems more intimidating to the other kids?
I honestly never heard of Isaiah being called a predator. Some parents don't think before they speak and say stupid things. Some parents are more racist than others. I still feel strongly that this issue is and was primarily due to Isaiah's behaviour and the administrations lack of action. The racism thing only became an issue when Ms. Conway made it one. The Bush School has failed Isaiah and so has his family and unfortunately, he is the one suffering for it.
I wholeheartedly agree with #81. At the end of the day, the issue here is not about race (The article did not say that it was. It considered if race and class played a part in the situation) but about the administrations poor handling of the situation that let it get this far. I also agree with an earlier post that mentioned the poor admininstrative structure of the school. As someone who has worked at independent schools througout the country over the last 30 years, for a school that size, the administration is lacking.
However, I do not agree that Ms. Conway made it about race. Race will always be a factor in our society or at least in our lifetime. It will also always be a factor when you have predominately white and economically advantaged institutions. Contrary to what was said earlier in another posting, according to the school's website, in the 2003-2004 school year, there were 15% of students on financial aid which does not equal a majority. While those figures have probably increased over the last couple of years, I can't imagine it has reached the 51% mark.
This is a lose/lose situation. The child will be forced to leave the school, and it will take the school a while to recover in the public's eye. However, it may have been prevented if issues were addressed earlier on in the child's tenure at the school.
As I read the comments from the Bush parents who are afraid to identify themselves, it seems as if there are no other kids in that school has gotten in trouble. Blame the little boy for the war in Iraq, Blame the little boy for homelessness, Blame the little boy for the rise in crime. Face the facts if the little boy was such a criminal with all the clout you white parents have you should have been able to remove him as soon as he walked through the door. Your precious lilly white school. If it was my child, i would keep him there and make all you guys suffer. I call the national media, like Oprah tell my story. I'm sure you wouldn't like that. What I don't understand is that none of the parents who have commented has mentioned what a horrible thing the parents did to the little boy, or how horrible it was how the other kids were isolating him or even threatened to kill him. I guess that is good behaviour and those kids are living up to what their parents what them to be, which is racist. Great Job Bush parents you are teaching your kids how to benefit from White Privelege. Do whatever you want because your white. I hope the black community organize and come down hard on the Bush school...Let's see how well you can handle the heat then.
Well, I don't know what to think about what's going on here anymore. I know that I feel bad for Isaiah being front and center in the article and suspect that a mom who exposes her son as this one has other issues.
the other thing that's clear is that despite having now read it four times, the article is still bad. Is the school really full of a bunch of insensitive racists who want nothing more than get all the black kids out? The premise is just too simplistic. Almost crude. Jonah - do you see no shades of grey?
Actually Bluneck, I'm colorblind so that's all I see.
Well Jonah never claimed to be telling both sides of the story since his SLOG post says "I’ve got an article out today about accusations of economic and racial bias at The Bush School."
He never said it was about bullying or a mother failing to recognize asocial behavior in her son. It was an article about the accusations from that mother and Jonah admitted that. Someone could have written a piece that treated more than the accusations but he didn't and he is apparently okay with that. Whether that is acceptable or not is apparently something that Jonah's mother would have the final word on.
Got it. Unsolicited advice alert - hear it comes: When looking for reporter work down the road, don't try to pass off this shoddy piece as news reporting. For what it is - a single sourced opinion piece - it's fine. But for news, you hamstrung yourself with bad research and worse writing. Then you blogged and immediately broadcast your biases to those who might not have picked it up on first whiff at the article.
If you end up revisiting this topic - for the mom's sake, for Isaiah's for Bush's, I hope not - you should try to check your snide at the door.
I never said this was simply a race thing, I believe economic class has quite a bit to do with it as well. Maybe we can get together sometime and I'll read the article aloud for you.
Also Bluneck, my snideness is what makes me so unbelievably charming.
You are anything BUT charming. You were the biggest idiot in allowing that child's name and photo to be made public. This was all about your and Ms Conway's ego. Nothing good will come out of this--most sadly, nothing good for this kid. Shame on you.
I think that we need to look at the facts the school did not handle this in the best of time, but there is so much more to this than ever one knows, like the AUTHOR of the article. Don't be like the paerents and get involved in somthing where you dont belong. the school shloud relize that they need to rzolve this issue
Jonah ur full of more shit than President Bush
AND THAT COMING FORM A BLACK GUY. S0 PLAY THE RACE CARD
@ 90
i no people who go to bush (who are not rich) its true there is alot more to it. I herd that the kid pushed a girl down the stairs and puched another, but it was out of line by the moms to get invloved
@ 90
i know people who go to bush (who are not rich) its true there is alot more to it. I herd that the kid pushed a girl down the stairs and puched another, but it was out of line by the moms to get invloved
So if the child pushed another child down the stairs, why in the world is he still there? And on another note, why are people so afraid to be labeled "rich"? What does being rich imply to those who are afraid of being labeled that?
Exactly 93-
IF the kid pushed her...why WOULD he be there. It's so great how ready everyone is to tear a 9 year old to pieces over hearsay and conjecture.
I have to address the “playing the race card” issue, using another school’s similar experience.
The Lakeside School was recently sued by a former African-American math teacher who claims “…the school did not support teachers of color who were subjected to unfair, racially motivated criticism by some students and parents.”
The truth is that this teacher was incompetent. My child was a student in her class, and I had an opportunity to interact with this teacher. This was a work-performance issue, clear and simple.
Unfortunately, instead of looking at her own inability to perform well in her chosen field of work, this teacher blamed everyone else. She blamed the parents, she blamed the administration, and she blamed the students.
Similarly, when Ms. Conway blames racism for the reaction of parents to her son’s out-of control behavior, she is falling into the same blame-others pattern of behavior.
In both cases, honest reflection would be extremely painful. It is far easier to say “something is wrong with them” instead of “something is wrong with me”. I completely understand the psychology behind placing blame elsewhere, but I also refuse to not call people on it when they do it.
When someone blames racism for their own incompetence or failures, they are indeed “playing the race card”.
And in both these cases, two excellent schools are then portrayed in the media as rich-kid schools and racist to boot. Nothing could be further from the truth about The Lakeside School, and I suspect the same is true for The Bush School.
I wish the Stranger (and the Weekly) would “investigate” their stories with more skilled, careful research.
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