De nieuwe elite

The Erasmiaans Gymnasium in Rotterdam is the blackest school of its type in the Netherlands, where almost all grammar schools are populated by white students. Twenty percent of the pupils is of non-Western descent. Bartelsman followed a few of these students during the school year. Abderrahim and Yasemin have just left primary school. An enthusiastic staff member assures them during an introductory talk that within the 'Erasmian culture, it doesn't matter where your parents are from.' Older students also talk about their experiences, future plans and the cultural issues that do occasionally surface. For example, Afaf was called a bad Muslim by a Moroccan schoolmate because she did not wear a headscarf. Sara does wear one, as does her friend: 'You tend to associate easier with someone who looks similar to you.' We follow the pupils during class and sometimes at home. Some of them get very high grades; others find the subject material much harder. But the school management do their utmost to keep these students on board, too.