We ran into this problem when registering Naomi for kindergarten, and now, changes in government regulation require Isaac’s school to provide this information as well. According to the school:
- The school is no longer allowed to report race as “not reported.” This means we are required to report your child’s race starting with the 2009-2010 school year.
- The US DOE has modified the collection and reporting requirements for racial and ethnic data starting with the 2010-2011 school year. They now use a two-part question.
Amusingly, the questions the school is required to ask are as follows:
Now, how in the heck are our children going to pick a primary ethnicity?
Shouldn’t carbon based being suffice? Why all this divisiveness creating barriers instead of bridges?
If there's a write in, make it "yes". I don't believe there is ANY LEGAL WAY they can force you to provide that information. It is irrelevant, and to truly provide for freedom of race, creed, religion, and avoid any type of discrimination, then not having that info is paramount to securing that.
@Caleb – because federal funding is based on racial/ethnic ratios. It is a part of being ‘unbiased’, which of course means that they are patronizingly biased…A cruel irony that the Wilcox family – the very definition of racial integration, are being discriminated against for actually NOT HAVING a race.
(Incidentally, race is an invention of man and appears nowhere in the Bible.)
Doug, go with NATIVE HAWAIIAN. It virtually guarantees better funding for your school.
So … There's no write-in. The school is required to report the ethnicity of the students using the following demarcations: Hispanic/LatinoAmerican Indian/Alaska NativeAsianBlackWhite (Non-Hispanic)Native Hawaiian or other Pacific IslanderMultiple responses are not allowed (which is my second-biggest gripe, after, of course, gathering such irrelevant data to start with). Schools were previously allowed to submit the ethnicity as "unreported." No more.By the way, I asked Isaac (age 14) what *he* wanted to pick for his "dominant" ethnicity. He immediately responded, "Black: Mom is taller." So that's what we'll submit.
soapbox/What about someone who may be formerly Egyptian and/or of that decent? They are African, but not considered "black". The slope is soooooooooooooooo slippery here. I consider myself and American…..period. My ethnic heritage has no bearing on my academic life what-so-ever. That is why I always left that field blank in college financial aid forms. If they are going to treat met different, based upon my last name by guessing, that is their business./soapbox
I agree. I typically refuse to fill out such nonsense … but in this case the school isn't being given a choice.
So …
There’s no write-in. The school is required to report the ethnicity of the students using the following demarcations:
Multiple responses are not allowed (which is my second-biggest gripe, after, of course, gathering such irrelevant data to start with). Schools were previously allowed to submit the ethnicity as “unreported.” No more.
By the way, I asked Isaac (age 14) what *he* wanted to pick for his “dominant” ethnicity. He immediately responded, “Black: Mom is taller.” So that’s what we’ll submit.
I would have said choose Nichelle because she’s prettier! No room for individuality in those forms!!
Hi Doug!
Just checked your blog again, haven’t seen it in a while.
That is dumb, just close your eyes and choose whatever your finger hits.