How do Hogwarts' muggle-borns drop off the radar?

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 127855


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "brandy" <porcupine88 at y...> wrote:
> 
> > USA doesn't have government mandated standardized testing, ...
> > 
> > As a side note, in the areas of the USA where states do have
> > standardized testing, while the students are tested, it's actually
> > the> school that is being graded. ...
> 

> Brandy:
>
> Well, with No Child Left Behind there actually is government-mandated
> standardized testing - but only in public schools. ... So a 
> wizarding school in the US wouldn't have any problems ...
> 

bboyminn:

Won't dwell on this because it's drifting off-topic, but unless I am
mistaken, as I said above, the 'No Child Left Behind' policy is
actually evaluating the Schools to asure that the schools are in fact
giving the students an adequate education. 

If student overal standards are low and not improving, the government
can threaten to take federal funds away from the school. Which makes
prefect bureaucratic sense; if a school is doing poorly take away
their money and they'll improve for sure. 

Those standardized test can probably be found in the students records,
but are not a requirement for advancement or graduation. That's my
best guess impression, not personally having kids in school, I'm sure
others know better that I do.

Others have pointed out off-line that there are a few states where
State Mandated tests are tied to a student getting their high school
certification/diploma. 


> Brandy continues:
>
> I always assumed this sort of thing (the child disappearing) was
> partially dealt with through memory charms. If a muggle neighbor or
> friend accidentally finds out too much about where a wizard child 
> goes to school, *poof* they don't know it anymore. 
> 

bboyminn:

I don't have any doubt that on occasion when the situation become
extreme enough Memory Charms are used. After all, the Ministry has a
whole division dedicated to this task; the Obiviator Squad, but I
think we need to be careful about using this as a quick and easy
solution to any and all problems.

First of all to use Memory Charms as a blanket solution to the whole
'missing student' problem would require action on a massive scale;
erasing minds of school staff, friends and family, then altering many
many official government records, etc.... It just seems that simple
more common real world solutions could be found, solutions like 'lie
about it'.

So, agreed at various times, places, and under certain circumstances
Memory Charms would come into play, but we need to resist Memory
Charms as the quick and easy way out.


> Brand Concludes:
>
> I mean, eventually the wizard kids have to basically disengage
> completely from muggle society, don't they? So maybe it's best if
> their muggle friends just forget they exist, they make new wizard
> friends, and their only connection to muggles is their family.
> 
> -Brandy

bboyminn:

I agree with your basic premise, but I'm not sure I would take it
quite that far. True there would be some natural disengagement from
the muggle world. In a sense, wizards have a very private, very
special secret society, a secret society capable of providing for all
of their basic needs. A secret society that provides them with the
comfort and freedom to be themselves. But none the less, the real
world is very close by and easily accessable. 

In the past I have used Chinatown as an example to illustrate the
divide between the wizard world and the muggle world. It is very
common for people in foreign contries to seek out enclaves of culture
that mirror their own. Americans or Brits living in Thailand, seek out
bars, cafes, other businesses and neighborhoods that cater to and
reflect their home culture. Just as Chinese in London seek out
London's Chinatown.

But with each new generation the degree of divide between the cultures
narrows. I suspect that young modern adults like Hermione, Harry,
Dean, and Seamus are much more comfortable moving through both worlds,
and with that comfort, they are likely to bring purebloods like Ron
and Neville along to experience and become more comfortable in the
muggle world. Remember, I'm speaking of them in their adult life; kids
by their nature are resticted. 

I can even picture purebloods like Draco and friends going into the
muggle world on a lark much the way a muggle might book a tour of
Africa during which they would gawk and marvel out the tour bus window
at the local natives. In that vein, I can see Draco and friends
wandering cautiously around a shopping center laughing and pointing at
the stupid, powerless, dull witted 'natives' then scurrying back to
the safety of their own culture for a drink and another laugh.

That said, the divide will never completely go away, only in the
wizard world can wizards be completely free and comfortable; only
there can they truly be themselves. As long as the mandate to keep the
existance of wizards hidden exists, there will always be this secret
society, and it's existence will always create varying degrees of
cultural and physical isolation.

Just making it up as I go along.

Steve/bboyminn