Urban students converse about race. They discuss gender. They express views on ethnicity. They share thoughts on sexual orientation.
There’s only one topic that Urban students shy away from: economic status.
“It’s obviously no longer socially accepted to be racist, but for some people it’s socially accepted to be classist,” said Michela Weihl (‘13). “We have a bubble (at Urban) about culture which comes from a big range of money. I feel the range of resources; not everyone has the same resources. Some people think about how much they spend more (than others).”
“It’s uncomfortable,” says Anne Vetter (’12). “I think economic status is our biggest problem (at Urban).”
Unlike race or gender, economic status is easy to hide, which makes it ripe for assumptions. “Clothing doesn’t show (economic status),” says Vetter. Similarly, “sometimes people assume everyone can afford to buy lunch on Haight Street,” which is not accurate.
Such assumptions suggest that talking about money “can be embarrassing for people who have money and for people who don’t,” says Jacquelyn Wu (‘14).
However, Urban Health Teacher Jennifer Epstein worries that “not talking about economic status could divide students instead of unifying (them)” around common concerns.
Despite strong interest at a forum on socioeconomic issues last year, Multicultural Dean Ken Garcia-Gonzales says there are no plans to create an affinity club around issues of income.
“There is shame and embarrassment on both ends of the spectrum,” he said. “Some students don’t want to expose their wealth, while some don’t want to expose (that) they are on financial aid. It would be hard to create a formal club.”
However, at Lick-Wilmerding High School, “there are clubs that touch upon the issues of economic status,” said Gabrielle Chow, the dean of equity and instruction.
“Of particular note is a Student Diversity Leadership Club, a new club facilitating conversations about socioeconomic status (SES),” Chow said in an email to a Legend reporter. Lick students held a multi-day program last year, “and SES was a focus of one of those days.”
Lick also has a dean of student inclusion and leadership. The dean ensures that every family has access to all of Lick’s programs, including “(making) sure families without Internet have paper copies of report cards and newsletters mailed home.”
Not all Urban students say they need to talk about economic status. “We are already super-aware of economic status from project class,” says Izzy Miller (’13).
Nina Buzby (’13) agrees. “(G)oing to Haight Street makes us aware” she said. She also credits student retreat activities such as “Crossing the Line,” in which students identify themselves by income, with helping to raise awareness: “(It) makes us conscious.”