This article from Trouw explores the phenomenon of highly educated parents in Amsterdam choosing elite secondary schools, often categorale gymnasia, for their children. This preference is not solely based on educational methods, but also on the desire to surround their children with similar backgrounds, creating a self-selected, homogenous environment.
The author contrasts this preference with her own positive experience with a more diverse neighborhood school. She highlights the implicit selection process at play, where parents from non-white or less-educated backgrounds feel unwelcome in these elite schools. This creates an imbalance, leaving schools in less affluent areas with fewer students or disproportionately representing children from vulnerable backgrounds.
The article places the current situation within a historical context, tracing the evolution of the Dutch education system and the impact of the Mammoetwet (1968) aiming for a meritocratic system. However, the author argues that current trends show a return to a system reminiscent of the old class-based structure, where school choice reinforces social inequalities.
The author concludes by expressing concern not only for children in disadvantaged areas lacking access to diverse environments, but also for children in affluent bubbles who lack exposure to people from different backgrounds. She advocates for a more conscious approach to school choice, considering the broader societal implications and the need for interconnectivity rather than reinforcing segregation.