Sunny Hostin Discusses Racism Experienced by Her Children in Private Schools

<p>Sunny Hostin, co-host of "The View," stated on Monday that her children encountered racism while attending predominantly White private schools. Hostin raised this issue during a discussion about Nikole Hannah-Jones, founder of the 1619 Project, who recently expressed regret over sending her daughter to predominantly Black, high-poverty public schools in Brooklyn as a means to address educational inequality.</p><p>Hostin expressed empathy for Hannah-Jones' situation but highlighted concerns regarding the challenges faced by Black children in predominantly White private schools. "I think that this is a decision broadly that all parents make when it comes to educating their kids, but ... this is a very difficult decision for Black parents, in particular, because I made a very different decision," Hostin said. "I sent my children to private schools, a predominantly White private school. So, while they didn't suffer academically, they excelled, but it was a well-funded school, a private school, well-resourced school, they suffered a different type of pain."</p><p>Hostin elaborated on the psychological trauma and racism her children experienced, mentioning instances of bullying and identity-related trauma. She noted, "My daughter wears a big afro, kids were trying to stick pencils in her hair. Boys were calling her butter face, meaning she looked good, but her face, and she is a beautiful girl."</p><p>While acknowledging that her children did not struggle academically, Hostin expressed concern about the systemic issues affecting predominantly non-White school districts. She stated, "So I think the real question here is, nationally, schools in predominantly non-White districts receive $23 billion less in annual funding than their White counterparts. Underfunded schools versus well-funded schools. So public schools are funded from property taxes. So we need to look at the systemic problem that's happening in this country around public education."</p><p>Fox News Digital reached out to ABC and Ethical Culture Fieldston School, where Hostin previously sent her children, for comment but did not receive an immediate response. In a comment to Fox News Digital, Hannah-Jones emphasized that the focus should remain on families lacking resources for better educational options, rather than her own decisions. She stated, "I hope people concerned about the choice my husband and I made for our daughter will have equal or more outrage for the thousands of Black children whose parents don’t have the resources to send them to better schools. As I write in the piece, there is no absolution to be had for any of us."</p>