Wilson is 50% over enrolled.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

DP: Public schools exist to educate *all* children, rich and poor. They don’t get to choose to what demographics or personalities they prefer.

And you can send your kids to DCPS schools and they will be educated. No one is stopping you.

You want something entirely different though. You want to dictate to the schools how they should run and what programs they should offer. You want schools to jump through hoops to meet your expectation in hopes that maybe you might choose to grace them with your kids’ presence. Jumping through hoops to meet the expectations of people who don’t use the schools system is not and should not be the priority of the system. The system exists to educate all children WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

DP: Public schools exist to educate *all* children, rich and poor. They don’t get to choose to what demographics or personalities they prefer.

And you can send your kids to DCPS schools and they will be educated. No one is stopping you.

You want something entirely different though. You want to dictate to the schools how they should run and what programs they should offer. You want schools to jump through hoops to meet your expectation in hopes that maybe you might choose to grace them with your kids’ presence. Jumping through hoops to meet the expectations of people who don’t use the schools system is not and should not be the priority of the system. The system exists to educate all children WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

Most of the children attending public schools in DC are not attending their IB DCPS. DCPS is trying to make regional middle and high schools more attractive. This is a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

DP: Public schools exist to educate *all* children, rich and poor. They don’t get to choose to what demographics or personalities they prefer.

And you can send your kids to DCPS schools and they will be educated. No one is stopping you.

You want something entirely different though. You want to dictate to the schools how they should run and what programs they should offer. You want schools to jump through hoops to meet your expectation in hopes that maybe you might choose to grace them with your kids’ presence. Jumping through hoops to meet the expectations of people who don’t use the schools system is not and should not be the priority of the system. The system exists to educate all children WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

Most of the children attending public schools in DC are not attending their IB DCPS. DCPS is trying to make regional middle and high schools more attractive. This is a good idea.

What do you mean by “regional?”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

DP: Public schools exist to educate *all* children, rich and poor. They don’t get to choose to what demographics or personalities they prefer.

And you can send your kids to DCPS schools and they will be educated. No one is stopping you.

You want something entirely different though. You want to dictate to the schools how they should run and what programs they should offer. You want schools to jump through hoops to meet your expectation in hopes that maybe you might choose to grace them with your kids’ presence. Jumping through hoops to meet the expectations of people who don’t use the schools system is not and should not be the priority of the system. The system exists to educate all children WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

Most of the children attending public schools in DC are not attending their IB DCPS. DCPS is trying to make regional middle and high schools more attractive. This is a good idea.

Huh? This is a city not a rural county. Maybe I'm just missing what you are trying to convey.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

DP: Public schools exist to educate *all* children, rich and poor. They don’t get to choose to what demographics or personalities they prefer.

And you can send your kids to DCPS schools and they will be educated. No one is stopping you.

You want something entirely different though. You want to dictate to the schools how they should run and what programs they should offer. You want schools to jump through hoops to meet your expectation in hopes that maybe you might choose to grace them with your kids’ presence. Jumping through hoops to meet the expectations of people who don’t use the schools system is not and should not be the priority of the system. The system exists to educate all children WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

Most of the children attending public schools in DC are not attending their IB DCPS. DCPS is trying to make regional middle and high schools more attractive. This is a good idea.

Did you mean in-boundary by "regional"? I don't think anyone disagrees that it would solve a lot of problems to make in-boundary schools more attractive. DCPS just doesn't know how to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

DP: Public schools exist to educate *all* children, rich and poor. They don’t get to choose to what demographics or personalities they prefer.

And you can send your kids to DCPS schools and they will be educated. No one is stopping you.

You want something entirely different though. You want to dictate to the schools how they should run and what programs they should offer. You want schools to jump through hoops to meet your expectation in hopes that maybe you might choose to grace them with your kids’ presence. Jumping through hoops to meet the expectations of people who don’t use the schools system is not and should not be the priority of the system. The system exists to educate all children WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

Most of the children attending public schools in DC are not attending their IB DCPS. DCPS is trying to make regional middle and high schools more attractive. This is a good idea.

Did you mean in-boundary by "regional"? I don't think anyone disagrees that it would solve a lot of problems to make in-boundary schools more attractive. DCPS just doesn't know how to do it.

Yes, the ones that are assigned by where you live, as opposed to charters or city-wide schools. And the person I was responding to was disagreeing with that!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

Why are you assuming PP is UMC? Are not parents of any class interested in advanced instruction if that is appropriate for their child? Talk about classist.

I wasn't going to bother to respond because I thought their assumptions said more about them and their views of class than it did about me. I did find it pretty funny that they just assumed they knew who or what I was. The idea that only white people with trust funds care about sending their kids to quality schools or having access to legitimate advanced classes is precisely what I would expect from DC Urban moms.

They also glossed over the part that tells us that there is little demand for all but Wilson high School in the traditional high school track and very little demand for most middle schools. At least in my family the reason those are not options is because they do not offer classes at an advanced level. Minority parents understand their children need to be at the top of their class with the best possible credentials to overcome systemic racism. I guess it would surprise a lot of the people on this blog that black people are probably the first to opt out of a school without sufficient academic rigor.

You are absolutely refusing to see that by saying “parents are not going to send kids to DCPS…” you negate the existence of the thousands of parents who DO send their kids to DCPS schools. You can write about parents that choose charters and parents that send their kids to privates, but you are refusing to see the point. There are currently thousands of kids in the high schools that you blithely dismiss. You don’t seem to see them as people or their families as people. You talk about DC schools like those kids don’t exist and/or aren’t important.

Please check your persecution complex at the door. You seem to be looking to be a martyr or to play the victim card where no one victimized you (or anyone). It should have been quite clear from the context of what I posted that the reference to "parents will need to see a commitment" was a reference to those "parents who at present are not willing to send their kids to these under enrolled or IB schools". There is no arguing that these schools do not yet have buy-in from the IB families and that a large portion of the highest performing cohorts are still choosing charters or a Deal/Wilson path. And that's the question we are all grappling with!

Your position seems to be that the schools are great the way they are; no formal advanced track and kids who are below grade level being put in AP classes to make them feel better (and to satisfy some perverse concept of "equity"). Further it seems like your position is that you don't think schools should give 2 seconds of thought about how to attract kids who are opting out. I think that's insane and short-sighted, but you are entitled to your opinion. But if that is your opinion then you ought not weigh in on how schools should or should not change, adapt or offer enhanced opportunities (because you think everything is "great"). Please stop with this BS martyr complex where you focus on the apparently offensive use of "families" to include all families (including those who do not currently choose IB) and not just those that are are OK with mediocre schools and academic offerings.

In answer to your question, "No, I don't think it negates the existence of those families because I think many of those families would love advanced classes and larger cohorts of high performing kids."

The difference between you and me is you see an entire population of victims for whom the status quo is ok because you think so very little of them. I see opportunity for all families (including those who are currently attending those schools) to get a better education than they receive today and for those kids who are advanced to be surrounded by other high performing kids. I see an opportunity for schools where people like you don't imply to my black kids that somehow wanting better or more is "white" or "selling out", which is what this faux victim complex actually is and does.

Go away and play on your cross, confident in your belief that everything is fine and advanced academics are somehow selling out our community. The adults will continue on with our discussion about how to improve public education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

DP: Public schools exist to educate *all* children, rich and poor. They don’t get to choose to what demographics or personalities they prefer.

And you can send your kids to DCPS schools and they will be educated. No one is stopping you.

You want something entirely different though. You want to dictate to the schools how they should run and what programs they should offer. You want schools to jump through hoops to meet your expectation in hopes that maybe you might choose to grace them with your kids’ presence. Jumping through hoops to meet the expectations of people who don’t use the schools system is not and should not be the priority of the system. The system exists to educate all children WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

Most of the children attending public schools in DC are not attending their IB DCPS. DCPS is trying to make regional middle and high schools more attractive. This is a good idea.

Huh? This is a city not a rural county. Maybe I'm just missing what you are trying to convey.

Huh lady returns!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

DP: Public schools exist to educate *all* children, rich and poor. They don’t get to choose to what demographics or personalities they prefer.

And you can send your kids to DCPS schools and they will be educated. No one is stopping you.

You want something entirely different though. You want to dictate to the schools how they should run and what programs they should offer. You want schools to jump through hoops to meet your expectation in hopes that maybe you might choose to grace them with your kids’ presence. Jumping through hoops to meet the expectations of people who don’t use the schools system is not and should not be the priority of the system. The system exists to educate all children WHO ATTEND THE SCHOOLS.

Most of the children attending public schools in DC are not attending their IB DCPS. DCPS is trying to make regional middle and high schools more attractive. This is a good idea.

Huh? This is a city not a rural county. Maybe I'm just missing what you are trying to convey.

Huh lady returns!

lady who says people returns has returned!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

Why are you assuming PP is UMC? Are not parents of any class interested in advanced instruction if that is appropriate for their child? Talk about classist.

I wasn't going to bother to respond because I thought their assumptions said more about them and their views of class than it did about me. I did find it pretty funny that they just assumed they knew who or what I was. The idea that only white people with trust funds care about sending their kids to quality schools or having access to legitimate advanced classes is precisely what I would expect from DC Urban moms.

They also glossed over the part that tells us that there is little demand for all but Wilson high School in the traditional high school track and very little demand for most middle schools. At least in my family the reason those are not options is because they do not offer classes at an advanced level. Minority parents understand their children need to be at the top of their class with the best possible credentials to overcome systemic racism. I guess it would surprise a lot of the people on this blog that black people are probably the first to opt out of a school without sufficient academic rigor.

You are absolutely refusing to see that by saying “parents are not going to send kids to DCPS…” you negate the existence of the thousands of parents who DO send their kids to DCPS schools. You can write about parents that choose charters and parents that send their kids to privates, but you are refusing to see the point. There are currently thousands of kids in the high schools that you blithely dismiss. You don’t seem to see them as people or their families as people. You talk about DC schools like those kids don’t exist and/or aren’t important.

Please check your persecution complex at the door. You seem to be looking to be a martyr or to play the victim card where no one victimized you (or anyone). It should have been quite clear from the context of what I posted that the reference to "parents will need to see a commitment" was a reference to those "parents who at present are not willing to send their kids to these under enrolled or IB schools". There is no arguing that these schools do not yet have buy-in from the IB families and that a large portion of the highest performing cohorts are still choosing charters or a Deal/Wilson path. And that's the question we are all grappling with!

Your position seems to be that the schools are great the way they are; no formal advanced track and kids who are below grade level being put in AP classes to make them feel better (and to satisfy some perverse concept of "equity"). Further it seems like your position is that you don't think schools should give 2 seconds of thought about how to attract kids who are opting out. I think that's insane and short-sighted, but you are entitled to your opinion. But if that is your opinion then you ought not weigh in on how schools should or should not change, adapt or offer enhanced opportunities (because you think everything is "great"). Please stop with this BS martyr complex where you focus on the apparently offensive use of "families" to include all families (including those who do not currently choose IB) and not just those that are are OK with mediocre schools and academic offerings.

In answer to your question, "No, I don't think it negates the existence of those families because I think many of those families would love advanced classes and larger cohorts of high performing kids."

The difference between you and me is you see an entire population of victims for whom the status quo is ok because you think so very little of them. I see opportunity for all families (including those who are currently attending those schools) to get a better education than they receive today and for those kids who are advanced to be surrounded by other high performing kids. I see an opportunity for schools where people like you don't imply to my black kids that somehow wanting better or more is "white" or "selling out", which is what this faux victim complex actually is and does.

Go away and play on your cross, confident in your belief that everything is fine and advanced academics are somehow selling out our community. The adults will continue on with our discussion about how to improve public education.

“It should have been clear from context that when I dismissed the existence of thousands of kids I didn’t mean it.”

This is how your comments sound. You can bleat about victimhood and other non sequiturs and ignore the truth you are being told or you can do better. The choice is yours.

[Anonymous]

Took my kid to robeks just now and could not believe the throngs of kids looking for fights. Lots of good kids too, but the tension between the ones itching to beef and throwing down was palpable. At one point the street cleared as a group ran around the corner in a way that literally seemed like an old time Western where the townfolk go inside and draw the curtains . Needless to say we hustled along too There should be some kind of school or policies or parental presence out there (or all three) at dismissal. It's a disaster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:better than tracking and more accurate (I think) is, "some harder classes."

But they go together. For instance, at one zoned middle school, they teach algebra and they have an accelerated math program on paper. But there are about 7 kids getting 5s on the math parcc as opposed to about 250 at Deal, so are they really teaching an algebra class that's comparable? Because if they're basically just taking the top 30 eighth graders, that's including a big chunk of kids who are not at grade level on math, and either the class is not an algebra class or those kids are massively struggling.

That is a challenge. There is an element of "if you build it they will come" required to make this work, I think. And it cannot be a one year test case with no follow-through because parents will need to see a commitment over a number of years to feel comfortable that the program will remain in place if they send their kids to DCPS. That requires Central to have credibility. Which honestly isn't going to happen. Which means it would really take a Mayoral decree and accountability to make it stick. And that isn't going to happen. So I have no idea how this gets done.

Do you see that when you write about what “parents” need to see before they send their kids to DCPS, it comes off as crazy classist? Thousands of parents send our kids to DCPS right now. When you write as you did, it makes it seem like we are not people to you.

Also, can you explain why you think that having more parents like you in our schools is a good thing that DCPS should prioritize (particularly given the decades long track record of UMC parents in cities of making demands of schools systems based on a promise of sending their kids there only for those parents to opt out in the end)?

Why are you assuming PP is UMC? Are not parents of any class interested in advanced instruction if that is appropriate for their child? Talk about classist.

I wasn't going to bother to respond because I thought their assumptions said more about them and their views of class than it did about me. I did find it pretty funny that they just assumed they knew who or what I was. The idea that only white people with trust funds care about sending their kids to quality schools or having access to legitimate advanced classes is precisely what I would expect from DC Urban moms.

They also glossed over the part that tells us that there is little demand for all but Wilson high School in the traditional high school track and very little demand for most middle schools. At least in my family the reason those are not options is because they do not offer classes at an advanced level. Minority parents understand their children need to be at the top of their class with the best possible credentials to overcome systemic racism. I guess it would surprise a lot of the people on this blog that black people are probably the first to opt out of a school without sufficient academic rigor.

You are absolutely refusing to see that by saying “parents are not going to send kids to DCPS…” you negate the existence of the thousands of parents who DO send their kids to DCPS schools. You can write about parents that choose charters and parents that send their kids to privates, but you are refusing to see the point. There are currently thousands of kids in the high schools that you blithely dismiss. You don’t seem to see them as people or their families as people. You talk about DC schools like those kids don’t exist and/or aren’t important.

Please check your persecution complex at the door. You seem to be looking to be a martyr or to play the victim card where no one victimized you (or anyone). It should have been quite clear from the context of what I posted that the reference to "parents will need to see a commitment" was a reference to those "parents who at present are not willing to send their kids to these under enrolled or IB schools". There is no arguing that these schools do not yet have buy-in from the IB families and that a large portion of the highest performing cohorts are still choosing charters or a Deal/Wilson path. And that's the question we are all grappling with!

Your position seems to be that the schools are great the way they are; no formal advanced track and kids who are below grade level being put in AP classes to make them feel better (and to satisfy some perverse concept of "equity"). Further it seems like your position is that you don't think schools should give 2 seconds of thought about how to attract kids who are opting out. I think that's insane and short-sighted, but you are entitled to your opinion. But if that is your opinion then you ought not weigh in on how schools should or should not change, adapt or offer enhanced opportunities (because you think everything is "great"). Please stop with this BS martyr complex where you focus on the apparently offensive use of "families" to include all families (including those who do not currently choose IB) and not just those that are are OK with mediocre schools and academic offerings.

In answer to your question, "No, I don't think it negates the existence of those families because I think many of those families would love advanced classes and larger cohorts of high performing kids."

The difference between you and me is you see an entire population of victims for whom the status quo is ok because you think so very little of them. I see opportunity for all families (including those who are currently attending those schools) to get a better education than they receive today and for those kids who are advanced to be surrounded by other high performing kids. I see an opportunity for schools where people like you don't imply to my black kids that somehow wanting better or more is "white" or "selling out", which is what this faux victim complex actually is and does.

Go away and play on your cross, confident in your belief that everything is fine and advanced academics are somehow selling out our community. The adults will continue on with our discussion about how to improve public education.

“It should have been clear from context that when I dismissed the existence of thousands of kids I didn’t mean it.”

This is how your comments sound. You can bleat about victimhood and other non sequiturs and ignore the truth you are being told or you can do better. The choice is yours.

Huh?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Took my kid to robeks just now and could not believe the throngs of kids looking for fights. Lots of good kids too, but the tension between the ones itching to beef and throwing down was palpable. At one point the street cleared as a group ran around the corner in a way that literally seemed like an old time Western where the townfolk go inside and draw the curtains . Needless to say we hustled along too There should be some kind of school or policies or parental presence out there (or all three) at dismissal. It's a disaster.

None if this matters until we hear what the lady who lives "across the street" from SH thinks about these students' behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Took my kid to robeks just now and could not believe the throngs of kids looking for fights. Lots of good kids too, but the tension between the ones itching to beef and throwing down was palpable. At one point the street cleared as a group ran around the corner in a way that literally seemed like an old time Western where the townfolk go inside and draw the curtains . Needless to say we hustled along too There should be some kind of school or policies or parental presence out there (or all three) at dismissal. It's a disaster.

None if this matters until we hear what the lady who lives "across the street" from SH thinks about these students' behavior.

Across the street where? Whole foods bus stop?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Took my kid to robeks just now and could not believe the throngs of kids looking for fights. Lots of good kids too, but the tension between the ones itching to beef and throwing down was palpable. At one point the street cleared as a group ran around the corner in a way that literally seemed like an old time Western where the townfolk go inside and draw the curtains . Needless to say we hustled along too There should be some kind of school or policies or parental presence out there (or all three) at dismissal. It's a disaster.

None if this matters until we hear what the lady who lives "across the street" from SH thinks about these students' behavior.

Across the street where? Whole foods bus stop?

omg can we please talk about the whole foods hot bar again