[anonymousrobot]

I don't want to upset people, or start a flame war here but I need some serious advice.

The team i mentor for has a hard limit of 30 students set by the school district, which we fill every year. Last year, all but two of the students are white. All but 4 of the students are girls. The teacher that coaches the team is under pressure from the school's adminisration to "diversify" the team to more inline with the district's demographic. There is preference given to people that participated with the team the previous year. The issue is that of the 6 students last year that were not white not male, 4 dropped out near the begining of the build season. Those 4 showed up to the recrutiment meeting at the begining of this school year and have been given spots on the team allongside last year's most dedicated students, while others who dropped out at the same time were denied a spot becasue they dropped out.

In a mentor meeting, when the coach was asked why some of last year's dropouts made the team, he said that he knew they dropped out and told us about his supervisor wanting diversity on the team.

This situation wouldn't even be an issue if we didnt have to make cuts, or if we were allowed to add students to the roster when others drop off, but the school district is strict about team rosters and wont let us. While our roster isnt set until the end of the week, our recruitment drive is long over and audtions are just about done. We did manage to recruit two new girls, but all new recruits were white.

I dont think anyone that dropped out during a previous build season should be allowed on the team. It bothers me to think that people are given preferential treatment for their race or gender, and it's not like the students haven't already noticed. I just dont really know what to do here... the whole situation just doesnt sit right with me... i dont think that it balences with FIRST principles either. Has anyone else been in a similar situation, or under similar pressure from administration? How did you cope?

Of course, whoever ends up on the roster has no effect on what any of us mentors will do for the team, only the amount of work that will have to be pickuped from dropouts who come in all shapes and colors. we'll roll with the punches in any case.

but please, advice?

p.s. i figure that if anyone on my team sees this post, they will recognize the team, but thats ok becasue they know the situation... i just dont want them to know it was me that posted this, for fear of being branded intolerant or racist or whatever.