Why are "decent" schools and "good" jobs so rare that we are competing for them against each other, instead of a standard anyone can reach with effort? Even schools! The very source of opportunity that we hope to equalize!
Worrying that kids may not be able to get into a decent school because they're not diverse enough seems like a a nice problem to have--parents of "diverse" children have much larger worries.
> Just about anyone can get into a school, or get a job.
Wouldn't that mean that based on the equality of outcomes, it doesn't matter what type of school OP's kids go to, and therefore no reason to worry.
It only seems that way to you if you can't empathize with others. The OP makes a valid point. Any group that is caught in the crosshairs of discrimination will naturally be worried for their kids. It's not a "nice problem to have", as you put it, regardless of the group being targetted.
> Wouldn't that mean that based on the equality of outcomes, it doesn't matter what type of school OP's kids go to, and therefore no reason to worry.
Equality of outcomes? It's just a fact that some people excel at work/school (for various reasons) or that some people receive different pay (again, for various reasons). The point is that we shouldn't discriminate against things like sex, gender, and skin colour. That means I don't consider gender when I hire... but I also don't consider it when I fire, either.
I expect that all parents, regardless of demographic factors, worry about their kid getting a good job and going to school.
All people (including whites and heterosexual males) can be the targets of negative discrimination. No one wants to see themselves or their kids be intentionally disadvantaged based solely on the colour of their skin or their sexuality. Any attempt to create ANY exception to this rule is disingenuous and does nothing but further damage the very thing you claim to be trying to resolve.
I’ve met a lot of people from different backgrounds and one thing I notice is how much we have in common. I worked with people who make less than a few dollars a day in developing nations and it was interesting how the parent stories are almost the same. Pictures of kids and grandkids. Stories about successful kids. Plans for kids to have education and jobs. The scale varies but the concerns are very similar.
I'm not concerned about that. A workplace that cares about diversity will not discriminate based on schooling. If businesses are imposing fake diversity measures to embolden certain ethnic groups, my child is no doubt doomed either way, so I would be more troubled if all that time and money was wasted.
And true, parents do want their kids to succeed in life. But I also worry about how the world will treat my kids, because historically black and brown kids don't get treated well.
I’m pretty sure all parents worry about how the world will treat their kids.
There’s pros and cons to everything. If you’re in the US or Europe, you’re in a very privileged position compared to others in less privileged countries.
To imagine that someone who is not-white will know how all not-white parents think is silly. Even within a small demographic sliver, it seems weird to generalize my thoughts to all people who have my race or culture (eg, it’s lack of critical thinking to think “I’m Vietnamese and my kids are Vietnamese so I know the mind of all Vietnamese parents”)
There is a lot of racism toward black and brown kids and it’s the worst for poor black and brown kids. Hopefully, since you’re reading on HN you have a tech job and make some money. Historically, and presently, poor kids don’t get treated well.
Do your typical ethnic minority immigrant parents worry about anything else _apart_ from their childrens' job prospects and education?
