We had a viral (for us) post on tiktok last week. If you didn’t see it, you can watch it on our tiktok or instagram.
I was chatting with a neighbor the other day who has kids about ten years younger than mine. The first thing I realized was that all that nonsense people tell you about “they grow up so fast” is annoyingly true. I looked at her tiny, cheddar-bunny-snacking children in their red wagon while rushing my own grumpy-but-lovely teen to marching band practice and thought: that time with the red wagon feels both like ancient history and last weekend.
She explained that she was going to be “aced out” of our public school option because our district won’t let her hold her 4-year-old back—his birthday is 10 days after the kindergarten cutoff. I asked if he had any developmental or socio-emotional diagnoses. She said no, but that “he’s just not ready.”
My neighborhood knows me as the well-meaning but relentless public school advocacy troll. Since our kids are some of the only ones in our mostly White, affluent neighborhood who actually attend our global majority, Title 1 public school, she wanted my thoughts.
Here’s the problem: after years of hearing “special circumstances” as a reason to avoid our school, I’ve lost patience. I’ve nodded politely through safety concerns, cafeteria complaints, and “but will my kid be challenged?” interrogations—only to watch those same people choose private, charter, or Whiter public schools. And now, with school closures looming and voucher sharks circling, my tolerance is… low.
I opened my mouth to let her hear the heat of my scolding tongue, but my teenager jumped in: “Mom! We don’t have time for this—we’re going to be late!” Saved by the bell (or in this case, the drumline). I just said, “I’ll send you some resources,” and walked away.
What Is Redshirting?
Kindergarten redshirting means delaying a child’s start by a year so they’re the oldest in class. Parents often cite social or academic readiness—or, thanks to Malcolm Gladwell’s Outliers (a claim he’s since walked back), the idea that being the oldest offers an edge.
And yes, every child and family is unique. But patterns matter. And the pattern is this: redshirting is disproportionately done by White, affluent families who can afford it, and puts those same already privileged kids in an even more privileged position, doing the opposite for everyone else.
Why This Matters for Equity
- Funding is tied to enrollment. Fewer students = less money for schools. In places like my district, school officials have set limits to redshirting, which has allowed for parents with the privilege of choice to do what my neighbor has done, and “opt out” of public school for a charter or private school that will allow it.
- Privilege concentrates. The oldest, most “ready” kids end up being the most affluent, which widens achievement gaps.
- The academic edge is overblown. Studies (like this, this, and this) show little to no long-term benefit, and in some cases, negative impacts
- It affects classrooms. Teachers must navigate a bigger maturity gap, especially when older kids also have more resources and preschool experience.
- It’s resource hoarding. Not in every case, but often enough that we need to talk about it.
Responding to TikTok Comments
Many educators said that “parents need to look at their child to determine what’s best…”
And I agree—for some families and in some situations, redshirting is the right choice. If a child has specific developmental or health needs, that’s a different conversation. But our video wasn’t aimed at those families—it was aimed at the much larger group making this decision out of fear or desire for an advantage, not necessity.
Other commenters accused us of being “anti-child” or “ignoring readiness.” The truth? We’re pro-child—all children. We want to dismantle systems where some kids get a head start simply because their parents can afford it. And we do agree that our system of testing solely for grade level standards of proficiency should be interrogated for its contributions to segregation and inequality.
And there were tons of comments sharing the anecdotal experiences that their darling son or daughter was either the youngest OR the oldest and they were doing excellent in life. And I would argue that both those comments kinda prove my point.
What We Should Be Doing Instead
At Integrated Schools, we think true equity isn’t just about “fixing redshirting” – there are many policies and practices we could institute to achieve more equitable schools, like :
- Universal, high-quality public pre-K
- Filling resource gaps with anti-racist, culturally sustaining curriculum
- Teaching all children together—not socially engineering advantage for a few
And while we fight for those policies, for families with the privilege of choosing schools, instead of buying an extra year at the starting line, we can show up for our schools, push for resources, and create classrooms where all kids thrive—no matter their birth month.
I love this post so much (and not just because I’m the parent of a child whose birthday means they’ll always be the youngest in the class). I think this went viral because it touches at the heart of what integrated schools questions: the idea that being a good parent means focusing exclusively on securing every advantage for my child, not being part of creating a community in which they can thrive. And i’d add one other reason not to wait to enroll your child: you are missing out on being part of your local public school! There’s nothing like loving our children together to build community across difference, how sad to put that off for a year.