When Does An Elite School Become Elitist?

“The Denver School of the Arts has, in 16 years, grown into one of the most exclusive public schools in the Rocky Mountain region, admitting less than a third of the students who apply to get in every year. In auditions, artistic prowess trumps grades, determination, hardship and whether applicants even have a Denver address. [But] some community advocates and school-board members are concerned that the school is an oasis with a figurative moat around it; those who can afford private lessons are likelier to make the cut.”