DC privates educating suburban kids

[Anonymous]

OP here. When I started this thread I never guessed I would get so many responses. And I know I'm not the only one that feels this way. I know many parents from Capitol Hill to Georgetown who have the funds, and their kids the aptitude to go to any one of DC's privates and they feel shut out.

Why should DC residents who can afford private move out of DC so suburban kids can get it? That is ridiculous. These schools have an implicit duty to educate DC residents. That's why they're located here. Over time they've started to abdicate that responsibility. If a class is less than 60% DC kids then that is a problem. DC taxpayers are at some level funding these institutions, some of them even have projects that were partially funded by DC muni bonds.

I don't care where people live. The onus isn't on the parents. Good job for applying and getting in. It is on the schools respond to their immediate community first (of course taking the most talented kids) then the wider area.

I would also say that I could exclude the Catholic schools from this list because the Catholic network is different from the stand alone schools like Maret or GDS and they draw kids from all over.

[Anonymous]

Do you know the percentage of students in these schools that come from the suburbs? It's my impression that most of the kids in my child's school live in the district. I know this only because of the amount of driving I have to do to get to their homes. I guess I could also look in the directory and figure out a percentage if I were so inclined.

[Anonymous]

OP,

So, Sidwell Lower School should only take residents of Bethesda?But then they get kicked out in Middle School, when only DC students can attend? Potomac, Holton, Landon, no DC residents?

This is ABSURD thinking on everyone's part. No day school should restrict its applicants by boundaries!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. When I started this thread I never guessed I would get so many responses. And I know I'm not the only one that feels this way. I know many parents from Capitol Hill to Georgetown who have the funds, and their kids the aptitude to go to any one of DC's privates and they feel shut out.

Why should DC residents who can afford private move out of DC so suburban kids can get it? That is ridiculous. These schools have an implicit duty to educate DC residents. That's why they're located here. Over time they've started to abdicate that responsibility. If a class is less than 60% DC kids then that is a problem. DC taxpayers are at some level funding these institutions, some of them even have projects that were partially funded by DC muni bonds.

I don't care where people live. The onus isn't on the parents. Good job for applying and getting in. It is on the schools respond to their immediate community first (of course taking the most talented kids) then the wider area.

I would also say that I could exclude the Catholic schools from this list because the Catholic network is different from the stand alone schools like Maret or GDS and they draw kids from all over.

You sound so entitled! It's amazing. I'm a third generation resident and we've lived 5 minutes from the DC border if not in DC proper through the generations. The thing is that this community is not divided by the city lines as you describe. Anyone that has lived here for as long as we have understand that this entire DC Metro area is the community. Sure, we complain about MD drivers in DC, etc. etc. etc. But that is where it ends. My house is probably closer to some of these schools than yours. You are no more entitled to these schools than I am. I don't care if you don't have a better alternative. If you get shut out you need to take what your given or move across the line with me. Heck, when my kids get out of school I'll probably join you in DC again.

These schools don't owe any of us anything. THEY DON'T OWE US ANYTHING. You don't matter to them and you should not matter to them. The only way you should matter to them is if they admit and educate your child.

[Anonymous]

I guess I don't get why people move to the burbs in the first place if they're going to use the private schools.

[Anonymous]

10:50 for President!!!!! Entitlement. That's what it is all about these days.

Let's finally put this RIDICULOUS thread to rest!!!!

[Anonymous]

"I guess I don't get why people move to the burbs in the first place if they're going to use the private schools."

I work in DC but live in Bethesda, so in case we can not get into the private schools of our choice, MoCo public school is our backup. If DCPS is anything like MoCo or Fairfax county, people will not be so nervous about private school application process. Beside, I really think your tax dollars are mainly subsidizing the poor areas of DC (SW, SE etc), not MD or VA residents who want the best for their kids.

[Anonymous]

DC should tax the students who are not resident, maybe at like 100% of the listed tuition. I think that would help get more DC children in.

[Anonymous]

pp -- interesting notion -- at least charge non-DC residents some percentage since the privates enjoy being tax-exempt meaning DC residents pick up the slack for them

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:pp -- interesting notion -- at least charge non-DC residents some percentage since the privates enjoy being tax-exempt meaning DC residents pick up the slack for them

That's not really what tax exempt means but whatever...... I don't have the energy to hash that out but you may want to do some reading.

The reason this thread is still going is because well off people who are used to getting what they want if they set their mind to it really can't come to terms with the fact that sometimes an education in a DC private for their children is beyond their reach. No amount of hard work or money can change it.

It's not the fault of the schools, it's not the fault of the DC, MD or VA government and it's not the fault of the families who happen to live across the line. It just is what it is. Your kid wasn't one of the lucky ones during admissions. This is by FAR a far healthier perspective.

There are plenty of privates over here in MoCo or NoVA that are lovely schools and aren't nearly as hard to get into. Come join us ..... we'd be happy to have you. YOu wouldn't even have to move if you can deal with the commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:pp -- interesting notion -- at least charge non-DC residents some percentage since the privates enjoy being tax-exempt meaning DC residents pick up the slack for them

That's not really what tax exempt means but whatever...... I don't have the energy to hash that out but you may want to do some reading.

The reason this thread is still going is because well off people who are used to getting what they want if they set their mind to it really can't come to terms with the fact that sometimes an education in a DC private for their children is beyond their reach. No amount of hard work or money can change it.

It's not the fault of the schools, it's not the fault of the DC, MD or VA government and it's not the fault of the families who happen to live across the line. It just is what it is. Your kid wasn't one of the lucky ones during admissions. This is by FAR a far healthier perspective.

There are plenty of privates over here in MoCo or NoVA that are lovely schools and aren't nearly as hard to get into. Come join us ..... we'd be happy to have you. YOu wouldn't even have to move if you can deal with the commute.

No thank you. Why should we move out of DC to Moco (Higher taxes) or Nova (longer commute) when we have the schools in our own back yards? You should be subordinated in DC not us District taxpayers. And yes I do deserve to get what I want if I'm paying property taxes on a $1MM house and income taxes up the wazoo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:pp -- interesting notion -- at least charge non-DC residents some percentage since the privates enjoy being tax-exempt meaning DC residents pick up the slack for them

That's not really what tax exempt means but whatever...... I don't have the energy to hash that out but you may want to do some reading.

The reason this thread is still going is because well off people who are used to getting what they want if they set their mind to it really can't come to terms with the fact that sometimes an education in a DC private for their children is beyond their reach. No amount of hard work or money can change it.

It's not the fault of the schools, it's not the fault of the DC, MD or VA government and it's not the fault of the families who happen to live across the line. It just is what it is. Your kid wasn't one of the lucky ones during admissions. This is by FAR a far healthier perspective.

There are plenty of privates over here in MoCo or NoVA that are lovely schools and aren't nearly as hard to get into. Come join us ..... we'd be happy to have you. YOu wouldn't even have to move if you can deal with the commute.

No thank you. Why should we move out of DC to Moco (Higher taxes) or Nova (longer commute) when we have the schools in our own back yards? You should be subordinated in DC not us District taxpayers. And yes I do deserve to get what I want if I'm paying property taxes on a $1MM house and income taxes up the wazoo.

You don't have to move. All I'm saying is that you can commute out of the city if you don't want your kid in DCPS. You are paying property taxes on a $1MM house because you decided to purchase a $1MM house. The bolded statement really says all that there is to say. You are so entitled. You are blinded by entitlement. It's really unhealthy to view life this way.

Here's the thing. A private school is a privately run institution. You don't have any rights to it. I don't care if you are the queen of England. You don't matter. You DO have the right to a decent public school education by which your taxes are subsidizing. Your time would be put to better use to start taking up the cause to raise the bar for your local publics because your city is letting you down. This has absolutely nothing to do with the private schools in the city.

There are so many non-profits in DC that are also tax exempt. The Human Rights Campaign for one. It's an org that supports Gay, Lesbian, Bi, & Transgendered people's rights. They are headquartered in DC and have tax exempt status. Do you think all the gays in the country that benefit from their work should be taxed by the DC government? Do you think you are owed something from this organization because you pay taxes on a $1MM house in the city that they are headquartered? The list of tax exempt institutions is enormous and I could provide one ridiculous example after another.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:pp -- interesting notion -- at least charge non-DC residents some percentage since the privates enjoy being tax-exempt meaning DC residents pick up the slack for them

That's not really what tax exempt means but whatever...... I don't have the energy to hash that out but you may want to do some reading.

The reason this thread is still going is because well off people who are used to getting what they want if they set their mind to it really can't come to terms with the fact that sometimes an education in a DC private for their children is beyond their reach. No amount of hard work or money can change it.

It's not the fault of the schools, it's not the fault of the DC, MD or VA government and it's not the fault of the families who happen to live across the line. It just is what it is. Your kid wasn't one of the lucky ones during admissions. This is by FAR a far healthier perspective.

There are plenty of privates over here in MoCo or NoVA that are lovely schools and aren't nearly as hard to get into. Come join us ..... we'd be happy to have you. YOu wouldn't even have to move if you can deal with the commute.

No thank you. Why should we move out of DC to Moco (Higher taxes) or Nova (longer commute) when we have the schools in our own back yards? You should be subordinated in DC not us District taxpayers. And yes I do deserve to get what I want if I'm paying property taxes on a $1MM house and income taxes up the wazoo.

Here's a little hint to people like you, PP. The admissions people in the good schools make a lot of their decisions based on whether or not they think that a child's family is a "good fit" for the school. That means do they like you. And I'm pretty sure the answer, in your particular case and in many of the other cases of rejected people on this thread, is that NO, they do not like you. Because you are awful and they don't want you in their school. This is as a good a reason as any. Unfortunately they do have to accept a lot of people like you just to help pay the bills. But I am very thankful that admissions people have the good sense to turn many of the worst of you entitled jerks down because that means that my kid, who got herself into a great school through hard work and nothing else, will not have to go to school with your kids who are probably a lot like you. I am also exceptionally grateful that I will not have to sit next to you at the auction!

[Anonymous]

And if this happens, taxing out of state students, the same thing will happens at colleges. Get a grip, folks! There are students from Westchester County in top day schools in Manhattan. This is the reality.

[Anonymous]

Typical liberal. Me, me, me.