Can Gentrifers Use Their Skills and Resources to "Make" a Great School?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I hope you're well intentioned, but you come off as super condescending.

And naive, sheltered and stupid. And white, 30 years old, and from Evanston, IL. I have no doubt, however, that OP takes tests well and writes scintialting reports for her non-profit.

Yes. Publicly liberal, privately segregationist. Oh, Democrats...

You're going to blame them, after all the hate hurled in their direction?

Hate hurled in this city is rarely, if ever, at Democrats. We're all so busy vilifying Brian Williams for his lies, exaggerations, and outright fabrications that we're giving Hillary Clinton a free pass for doing the exact same thing.

The point remains that in this very Democrat city, we all talk a big game, but when push comes to shove everyone who isn't poor, either moves or becomes a closet segregationist.

You seem to be forgetting that the segregation was already in place before the gentrifiers came along.

Gentrifiers buying homes in already-segregated neighborhoods are the exact opposite of segregationists.
Gentrifiers sending their kids to already-segregated schools are the exact opposite of segregationists.
Gentrifiers trying to make those neighborhoods and schools more attractive to a more diverse group of people is the exact opposite of segregation.

Seems to me the argument is exactly backwards.

The resistance to gentrification is what is pro-segregationist.

Who is blaming gentrifiers? The derision, in this case, is being leveled at Democrat hypocrites.

[Anonymous]

^ You must be new here, because there is constant hate being leveled at gentrifiers. As for the supposed "Democrat hypocrites" that was something speculated on earlier in this thread, but not really proven...

[Anonymous]

Lessons learned:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/cover/2006/cover0616.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ You must be new here, because there is constant hate being leveled at gentrifiers. As for the supposed "Democrat hypocrites" that was something speculated on earlier in this thread, but not really proven...

I'm probably guilty of being too critical upthread. It's not hate for gentrifiers. I fit the bill myself.
But I can't stand the classicism. Things like "let's form a gentrifier pact". How about including all parents who care and are interested in improving the school. Maybe some other parents can't throw around as much cash, but they likely have other ways to contribute.
Also, please don't ask if "people" stay past X grade. Yes, people do. If you want to ask about white people or high SES people, just be up front about it. Or keep that to yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lessons learned:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/cover/2006/cover0616.html

1. Demographics need to be on your side. Ross was a small school with high OOB population in a neighborhood that was already gentrified.
2. The school is not going to change overnight. It's a long term process.
3. Raise money.
4. Work with the principal to spend it on things that will draw IB families. Improved facilities (the Ross playground update sent a positive message). Instructional support (led to improved test scores).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lessons learned:

http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/cover/2006/cover0616.html

1. Demographics need to be on your side. Ross was a small school with high OOB population in a neighborhood that was already gentrified.
2. The school is not going to change overnight. It's a long term process.
3. Raise money.
4. Work with the principal to spend it on things that will draw IB families. Improved facilities (the Ross playground update sent a positive message). Instructional support (led to improved test scores).

the other thing that helped rapidly changed Ross was the economy - private school tuition is 30K and as there was salary uncertainty, peopel tried it out and stuck around.

[Anonymous]

Try 35k+.

[Anonymous]

Most IB Ross families could easily get into John Eaton at that time, it was private, move or go to Eaton and Ross was on the chopping block to be sold off. The playground renovation literally saved it, as it attracted families of toddlers who grew up playing there on weekends, attending the school was inevitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP- Poster here. This is a great debate. I can take the criticism because I am willing to ask the questions that most of peers would not. Most people who can leave- don't ask what they can do for DC schools- they just leave or go private.

If I wanted to live in Arlington or Bethesda it wouldnt be a problem. But I'm not putting myself in that suburban nightmare. I'd prefer to stay in the city and really help to improve things.

When I look at the resources that DCPS has to spend its hard to think that an active PTA can't help transform any school into a great school. I'm just wondering if too many DC parents of underperforming schools aren't willing (or aren't able) to do all they can to turn things around.

The best thing you can do is convince like-minded people to move there in droves and enroll their kids in the public school. It's the parents helping their own kids that turns around a school. Tutoring programs help, but its hard to get enough tutors and to sustain them. I know because I've been involved in one at my school for the past two years. We have a major shortage of tutors. Strict teachers and administrators help, but many of them get pushed out. Can we say Michelle Rhee or Jaime Escalante? It all starts with the parents. You can't fire parents.

[Anonymous]

Where do Ross families go for middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where do Ross families go for middle school?

Bethesda.

Just kidding. Hardy, if they're lucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what would happen to Powell in say 5 years when say 50 Gentrifier families have sent their kids there in each year. Based on earlier posts these higher SES parents would have a really big difference.

In the past most people have just left the city when they could (if they had the money). But right now it seems like there is a chance for a tipping point- as so many people are buying the high priced renovations.

So why I suggest is a Gentrifiera pact- where we all agree to pick one school and send our kids there. Each year we sign up more and more parents- and when are kids are too young for school we get enough of us to help in advance of attendance. Kind of like a pay it forward pact.

Anyone else think this could work?

It could definitely work if you remember to all wear the uniform t-shirts that say "GREAT WHITE SAVIOR." This way, all of you will be able to find each other when you're out and about. Then you can compare notes while sitting in your high-priced renovated homes.

As unsavory as you may find it, yes, white kids help make schools better on paper - which is what many people look at. The tend to score the best on standardized tests, upping test scores for a school. Lots of education research supports this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what would happen to Powell in say 5 years when say 50 Gentrifier families have sent their kids there in each year. Based on earlier posts these higher SES parents would have a really big difference.

In the past most people have just left the city when they could (if they had the money). But right now it seems like there is a chance for a tipping point- as so many people are buying the high priced renovations.

So why I suggest is a Gentrifiera pact- where we all agree to pick one school and send our kids there. Each year we sign up more and more parents- and when are kids are too young for school we get enough of us to help in advance of attendance. Kind of like a pay it forward pact.

Anyone else think this could work?

It could definitely work if you remember to all wear the uniform t-shirts that say "GREAT WHITE SAVIOR." This way, all of you will be able to find each other when you're out and about. Then you can compare notes while sitting in your high-priced renovated homes.

As unsavory as you may find it, yes, white kids help make schools better on paper - which is what many people look at. The tend to score the best on standardized tests, upping test scores for a school. Lots of education research supports this.

Where in my 'T shirts" post does it say that I fail to understand that white children score higher than not-white children on DCCAS tests? Of course they do. They score higher than anyone else in the United States, as a cohort.

No, see, my issue is with the OP's loathsome attitude about how they're going to storm the targeted school and take it over with the sheer force of their awesomeness. Their noblesse oblige, too -- she's gonna "pay it forward" for the few old-timer kids, who it is assumed do not get to enjoy high-priced renovations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what would happen to Powell in say 5 years when say 50 Gentrifier families have sent their kids there in each year. Based on earlier posts these higher SES parents would have a really big difference.

In the past most people have just left the city when they could (if they had the money). But right now it seems like there is a chance for a tipping point- as so many people are buying the high priced renovations.

So why I suggest is a Gentrifiera pact- where we all agree to pick one school and send our kids there. Each year we sign up more and more parents- and when are kids are too young for school we get enough of us to help in advance of attendance. Kind of like a pay it forward pact.

Anyone else think this could work?

It could definitely work if you remember to all wear the uniform t-shirts that say "GREAT WHITE SAVIOR." This way, all of you will be able to find each other when you're out and about. Then you can compare notes while sitting in your high-priced renovated homes.

As unsavory as you may find it, yes, white kids help make schools better on paper - which is what many people look at. The tend to score the best on standardized tests, upping test scores for a school. Lots of education research supports this.

Where in my 'T shirts" post does it say that I fail to understand that white children score higher than not-white children on DCCAS tests? Of course they do. They score higher than anyone else in the United States, as a cohort.

No, see, my issue is with the OP's loathsome attitude about how they're going to storm the targeted school and take it over with the sheer force of their awesomeness. Their noblesse oblige, too -- she's gonna "pay it forward" for the few old-timer kids, who it is assumed do not get to enjoy high-priced renovations.

NP here wondering, "what the fuck is wrong with you" with your obsession with home renovation? People shouldn't invest in their homes, as opposed to letting them fall apart? A lot of gentrifiers are buying homes that are often 100+ years old, which in many cases suffered decades of neglect. Should they let the roof leak and let the wood continue to rot? Should they just grin and bear it when the fuses blow when they try toast a slice of bread? Chances are, they've already spent more money buying the place than the surrounding residents ever did, and as such they have an even greater stake in making sure the money they invested in that home doesn't go down the drain.

As for the "loathsome attitude" and all the rest of your hyperbole, I hope you some day realize that 98% of that interpretation is entirely in your own head. And oh, by the way, it's not white kids that score higher than anyone else in the United States, it's Asians.

[Anonymous]

Can we please let go of this storyline about white kids scoring high in DC, higher than the rest of the US?

If you compared them against similar SES in say, Greenwich, CT, or even (god forbid) Bethesda or Fairfax, I doubt they score higher in DC. You cannot lump people together by race, ignoring SES.

Just, can we please all let that go.