Gratitude and Validation: One Family's Journey Through Integrated Schools

Every parent and caregiver wants a crystal ball. We want to see how the choices we make for our kids, from screen time to activities to where they go to school, will impact them when they're older. Choosing an integrating school can feel like a risky choice, and even if we believe that it is the right choice, both for our kids, and our community, it's easy for doubt to creep in. Susan, a White mom in Lancaster, PA, and her husband, made that choice for their son, Elias in kindergarten. When he was 15, he was at a track meet with schools from around the county, and recognized how many other schools were almost entirely full of White students. He took that moment to say thank you to his parents for the choices they made. He recognized all the benefits he had received from his integrated education, from a comfort in diverse spaces, to a deeper sense of community, to an appreciation for not being centered at all times. Susan and Elias join us to share their experience, what they've learned, and what they hope other parents, caregivers, and kids can take from their journey. LINKS: -Choosing a school for my daughter in a segregated city - Nikole Hannah-Jones (gift link) - https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/12/magazine/choosing-a-school-for-my-daughter-in-a-segregated-city.html?unlocked_article_code=1.q04.Q_uz.TZ6aKiXLpt1T&smid=url-share -Ep 2 - The Bordon Family - https://integratedschools.org/podcast/ep-2-the-bordon-family/ -The Daunting Task of Staying Put - Susan's blog post on our site - https://integratedschools.org/the-daunting-task-of-staying-put/ ________________ Finding a school where your children can thrive, while avoiding contributing to the ongoing segregation we see today, can feel like a tough issue for socially conscious parents. Check out our FREE guide on how you can start engaging with the education system to achieve just that: https://mailchi.mp/integratedschools/start-guide ________________ Visit our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us. https://bookshop.org/shop/IntegratedSchools Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further. - https://www.patreon.com/integratedschools Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us podcast@integratedschools.org. The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits. This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits. Music by Kevin Casey. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy