Maret’s brand of progressive

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maret has no trouble filling its classrooms with top students if you disagree with part of their curriculum the great things about private school is that you don't have to choose that one (assuming you even applied or got in). Why should a private school change what their student body/school community is comfortable with to appease some random person who went on a tour.

Don't send your kids there. Catholic schools have far better traditional family values.

[Anonymous]

Their brand of being progressive seems like the worst kind -- very performative but they don't walk the walk given that they are restricting access to a public field. SMH

https://wamu.org/story/19/09/02/a-d-c-private-school-has-had-special-access-to-a-public-field-for-almost-a-decade/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How progressive are they? Toured last year and saw some interesting things like a “Unapologetically Queer” in the elementary school library. Do they talk to elementary aged kids about gender identity? Any insight is appreciated.

Are you referring to an adult, a child, a poster, a book? What exactly did you see? And if anything being unapologetically queer bothers you, go elsewhere.

This. Also, there are all types of kids there but it is a progressive school. More power to them.

Not OP, but I think many parents are somewhat concerned about the extent to which progressive political sloganeering has become part of the educational environment. I don't think the concern is with queer people per se, but rather, having everything be such a main focus of time and attention. Of course, everyone wants their kids to be accepting and welcoming. That is not the same thing as having an environment where certain groups are essentially put on a pedestal, and then there is social pressure to be like that or to go out of your way to praise it (when other kids aren't getting that praise just for being who they happen to be).

The entire culture is designed to support cisgendered heterosexual relationships. Straight kids get validation for who they happen to be every day - that's the default in our culture. Every plotline in a movie where a man and a woman fall in love, every ad that shows an opposite sex couple, every story that talks about a family with a mom and a dad -- that's praise, and it's been the default for centuries. It's more than a little disingenuous to claim that straight kids are harmed when they aren't centered for 30 seconds.

The vast super majority of the world population is not gay, or trans, or confused about their gender. That is a tiny sliver of people, so no that doesn’t warrant all the wall space in an elementary school library or half the book list, or every assembly.
To do that is the glorification of a small tiny minority, and no time to study actual topics helpful to science or math or reading comp.

If you want to be an activist or a social worker, do it as an EC, not 5-10 hours a week at elementary school curricula.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How progressive are they? Toured last year and saw some interesting things like a “Unapologetically Queer” in the elementary school library. Do they talk to elementary aged kids about gender identity? Any insight is appreciated.

Are you referring to an adult, a child, a poster, a book? What exactly did you see? And if anything being unapologetically queer bothers you, go elsewhere.

This. Also, there are all types of kids there but it is a progressive school. More power to them.

Not OP, but I think many parents are somewhat concerned about the extent to which progressive political sloganeering has become part of the educational environment. I don't think the concern is with queer people per se, but rather, having everything be such a main focus of time and attention. Of course, everyone wants their kids to be accepting and welcoming. That is not the same thing as having an environment where certain groups are essentially put on a pedestal, and then there is social pressure to be like that or to go out of your way to praise it (when other kids aren't getting that praise just for being who they happen to be).

The entire culture is designed to support cisgendered heterosexual relationships. Straight kids get validation for who they happen to be every day - that's the default in our culture. Every plotline in a movie where a man and a woman fall in love, every ad that shows an opposite sex couple, every story that talks about a family with a mom and a dad -- that's praise, and it's been the default for centuries. It's more than a little disingenuous to claim that straight kids are harmed when they aren't centered for 30 seconds.

The vast super majority of the world population is not gay, or trans, or confused about their gender. That is a tiny sliver of people, so no that doesn’t warrant all the wall space in an elementary school library or half the book list, or every assembly.
To do that is the glorification of a small tiny minority, and no time to study actual topics helpful to science or math or reading comp.

If you want to be an activist or a social worker, do it as an EC, not 5-10 hours a week at elementary school curricula.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How progressive are they? Toured last year and saw some interesting things like a “Unapologetically Queer” in the elementary school library. Do they talk to elementary aged kids about gender identity? Any insight is appreciated.

Are you referring to an adult, a child, a poster, a book? What exactly did you see? And if anything being unapologetically queer bothers you, go elsewhere.

This. Also, there are all types of kids there but it is a progressive school. More power to them.

Not OP, but I think many parents are somewhat concerned about the extent to which progressive political sloganeering has become part of the educational environment. I don't think the concern is with queer people per se, but rather, having everything be such a main focus of time and attention. Of course, everyone wants their kids to be accepting and welcoming. That is not the same thing as having an environment where certain groups are essentially put on a pedestal, and then there is social pressure to be like that or to go out of your way to praise it (when other kids aren't getting that praise just for being who they happen to be).

No one is being put on a pedestal. They are sending the message that the kids should feel safe on campus and safe to express themselves and represent themselves how they wish as they grow up in that environment.

This is the ELEMENTARY school library - very different from High School or even middle school. Kids in elementary haven’t gone through puberty yet. So we don’t need to think about anyone’s sexual orientation at that age!

I wasn’t aware we waited until middle school to talk about sex, maturation, puberty, relationship, family dynamics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How progressive are they? Toured last year and saw some interesting things like a “Unapologetically Queer” in the elementary school library. Do they talk to elementary aged kids about gender identity? Any insight is appreciated.

EVERY school talks to elementary school kids about gender identity. What you’re asking is if they acknowledge and discuss the existence of trans and non-binary people. Just be precise.

I am so, SO glad our kids had already graduated their DC private K-8 barely before this hyperfocus set in.

At one time, in the aughts, this school had a sweet, natural and organic approach to inclusion when my kids were in the early grades. We were so pleased that the kids were part of a truly diverse study body, and staff, while the curriculum explored diverse cultures and people without weirdness.

Then this school went over the cliff.

Kids are in college now and facing uninhibited hateful comments in class directed at their "type" for being the root cause of all evil. The commentary goes unchecked, of COURSE, because white people. I do think my young adults are able to take this stuff in stride because, thankfully, their critical formative years weren't filled with lessons on how they implicitly suck.

[Anonymous]

This is one of the most off the rails threads in DCUM history. Amazing!

Responding to the actual initial question:

1) Maret is a lot more progressive than most DC area privates, including having a much more diverse faculty and leadership team than most area schools. It does have a new head after three decades this year, who knows what changes that brings. It is also still a very expensive elite private in NW DC, so it's socioeconomic footprint remains relatively narrow.

2) There is some internal discomfort, including quiet grumbling about diversity initiatives and affinity groups. This seems to be more of any issue with some parents than within the student body. There is inescapably some pushback about "elevating" certain things by actually calling attention to them.

3) There has been, as with many schools, more teacher turnover in the last three years than previously. Hard to say whether that's an indictment of any kind on the school, or a function of long term leadership turnover and covid.

4) College placement is quite strong but not as Ivy heavy as some other locals.

5) The school is held in high regard for lots of different kinds of kids with different interests being able to find their way there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is one of the most off the rails threads in DCUM history. Amazing!

Responding to the actual initial question:

1) Maret is a lot more progressive than most DC area privates, including having a much more diverse faculty and leadership team than most area schools. It does have a new head after three decades this year, who knows what changes that brings. It is also still a very expensive elite private in NW DC, so it's socioeconomic footprint remains relatively narrow.

2) There is some internal discomfort, including quiet grumbling about diversity initiatives and affinity groups. This seems to be more of any issue with some parents than within the student body. There is inescapably some pushback about "elevating" certain things by actually calling attention to them.

3) There has been, as with many schools, more teacher turnover in the last three years than previously. Hard to say whether that's an indictment of any kind on the school, or a function of long term leadership turnover and covid.

4) College placement is quite strong but not as Ivy heavy as some other locals.

5) The school is held in high regard for lots of different kinds of kids with different interests being able to find their way there.

How can anyone think of this school as progressive when they are taking a public playground away from public school kids and the overall community? That is the exact opposite of progressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is one of the most off the rails threads in DCUM history. Amazing!

Responding to the actual initial question:

1) Maret is a lot more progressive than most DC area privates, including having a much more diverse faculty and leadership team than most area schools. It does have a new head after three decades this year, who knows what changes that brings. It is also still a very expensive elite private in NW DC, so it's socioeconomic footprint remains relatively narrow.

2) There is some internal discomfort, including quiet grumbling about diversity initiatives and affinity groups. This seems to be more of any issue with some parents than within the student body. There is inescapably some pushback about "elevating" certain things by actually calling attention to them.

3) There has been, as with many schools, more teacher turnover in the last three years than previously. Hard to say whether that's an indictment of any kind on the school, or a function of long term leadership turnover and covid.

4) College placement is quite strong but not as Ivy heavy as some other locals.

5) The school is held in high regard for lots of different kinds of kids with different interests being able to find their way there.

How can anyone think of this school as progressive when they are taking a public playground away from public school kids and the overall community? That is the exact opposite of progressive.

This is fairly misleading. They use Jelleff Rec Center for several hours a day in the spring and fall for Upper School sports only, and my understanding is that they paid to develop the facility, which benefits all people who use it. They haven't taken a "public playground."

Additionally, they are moving out of that space entirely as they are building new athletic facilities on a privately owned location.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is one of the most off the rails threads in DCUM history. Amazing!

Responding to the actual initial question:

1) Maret is a lot more progressive than most DC area privates, including having a much more diverse faculty and leadership team than most area schools. It does have a new head after three decades this year, who knows what changes that brings. It is also still a very expensive elite private in NW DC, so it's socioeconomic footprint remains relatively narrow.

2) There is some internal discomfort, including quiet grumbling about diversity initiatives and affinity groups. This seems to be more of any issue with some parents than within the student body. There is inescapably some pushback about "elevating" certain things by actually calling attention to them.

3) There has been, as with many schools, more teacher turnover in the last three years than previously. Hard to say whether that's an indictment of any kind on the school, or a function of long term leadership turnover and covid.

4) College placement is quite strong but not as Ivy heavy as some other locals.

5) The school is held in high regard for lots of different kinds of kids with different interests being able to find their way there.

How can anyone think of this school as progressive when they are taking a public playground away from public school kids and the overall community? That is the exact opposite of progressive.

This is fairly misleading. They use Jelleff Rec Center for several hours a day in the spring and fall for Upper School sports only, and my understanding is that they paid to develop the facility, which benefits all people who use it. They haven't taken a "public playground."

Additionally, they are moving out of that space entirely as they are building new athletic facilities on a privately owned location.

Well until they move they are taking a public field from use by a public school. Yes they paid for it to be renovated but they paid via a no-bid deal I am sure the public school kids would rather have full access to an unrenovated field than minimal access to a renovated one. It is the opposite of progressive and totally hypocritical for the school to talk about equity. it may be a great school but it is definitely not walking the walk on equity or being progressive.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/a-private-school-saved-a-public-dc-field-should-it-get-preference-for-play-time/2019/10/21/7030f9c8-f412-11e9-a285-882a8e386a96_story.html

D.C. lawmakers heard hours of emotional testimony on Monday from parents and students about a controversial arrangement that allows the private Maret School near-exclusive access to a public field across the street from Hardy Middle School in Georgetown. City officials and Maret leaders defended a no-bid deal that allows the elite K-12 school the right to use the field at Jelleff Recreation Center during prime after-school hours until 2029.

“No one ever explained why public school students couldn’t use the public field across the street from us,” said Tracy, now a freshman at School Without Walls. “To allow a private school five days a week at the prime time is the epitome of private-school privilege.”

[Anonymous]

And remember that a then-councilmember's kids were also at Maret when that deal went through . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maret has no trouble filling its classrooms with top students if you disagree with part of their curriculum the great things about private school is that you don't have to choose that one (assuming you even applied or got in). Why should a private school change what their student body/school community is comfortable with to appease some random person who went on a tour.

Don't send your kids there. Catholic schools have far better traditional family values.

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And remember that a then-councilmember's kids were also at Maret when that deal went through . . .

Exactly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is one of the most off the rails threads in DCUM history. Amazing!

Responding to the actual initial question:

1) Maret is a lot more progressive than most DC area privates, including having a much more diverse faculty and leadership team than most area schools. It does have a new head after three decades this year, who knows what changes that brings. It is also still a very expensive elite private in NW DC, so it's socioeconomic footprint remains relatively narrow.

2) There is some internal discomfort, including quiet grumbling about diversity initiatives and affinity groups. This seems to be more of any issue with some parents than within the student body. There is inescapably some pushback about "elevating" certain things by actually calling attention to them.

3) There has been, as with many schools, more teacher turnover in the last three years than previously. Hard to say whether that's an indictment of any kind on the school, or a function of long term leadership turnover and covid.

4) College placement is quite strong but not as Ivy heavy as some other locals.

5) The school is held in high regard for lots of different kinds of kids with different interests being able to find their way there.

How can anyone think of this school as progressive when they are taking a public playground away from public school kids and the overall community? That is the exact opposite of progressive.

This is fairly misleading. They use Jelleff Rec Center for several hours a day in the spring and fall for Upper School sports only, and my understanding is that they paid to develop the facility, which benefits all people who use it. They haven't taken a "public playground."

Additionally, they are moving out of that space entirely as they are building new athletic facilities on a privately owned location.

Well until they move they are taking a public field from use by a public school. Yes they paid for it to be renovated but they paid via a no-bid deal I am sure the public school kids would rather have full access to an unrenovated field than minimal access to a renovated one. It is the opposite of progressive and totally hypocritical for the school to talk about equity. it may be a great school but it is definitely not walking the walk on equity or being progressive.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/a-private-school-saved-a-public-dc-field-should-it-get-preference-for-play-time/2019/10/21/7030f9c8-f412-11e9-a285-882a8e386a96_story.html

D.C. lawmakers heard hours of emotional testimony on Monday from parents and students about a controversial arrangement that allows the private Maret School near-exclusive access to a public field across the street from Hardy Middle School in Georgetown. City officials and Maret leaders defended a no-bid deal that allows the elite K-12 school the right to use the field at Jelleff Recreation Center during prime after-school hours until 2029.

“No one ever explained why public school students couldn’t use the public field across the street from us,” said Tracy, now a freshman at School Without Walls. “To allow a private school five days a week at the prime time is the epitome of private-school privilege.”

Well that is just a lie. Jelleff Rec Center is a DCPR property(budget in 2020 53 million) not a DCPS property(budget over 700 million). Hardy moved to it’s current location in 1974 and did not use Jelleff Rec for 30 plus years before the Maret deal with DCPR. Hardy has never used Jelleff Rec Center field and has no plans on using the field or rec center(which is in sh#tty shape) once Maret’s lease ends. Hardy has tennis courts, a large parking lot and a field on its property. I know maybe Hardy can transfer funds from their budget to renovate Jelleff’s center? The estimate for renovation is 30 million. Just so you know the British School uses Jelleff during the school hour.

Now if Hardy needed a field there was a huge DCPS field a few blocks away. This field is/was never used by any DCPS school. Guess what? DCPS did not want the field and transferred it to DCPR in 2019 or 2020. It’s the Duke Ellington Field. Where is you outrage now? You want more outrage? The Field School occasionally uses that field during school hour! Also Georgetown University renovated and maintains the track. So they get to use it during school hours!

Here the kicker. If you go by Jelleff it is always being use by travel and rec sports teams in the evening and weekends. The Duke Ellington Field can not be reserved or used by anyone. It sits unused during the day, evening and weekends. Well to be fair, people take their dogs there. Field space is so scarce in DC the travel soccer clubs had to play their home games in Gaithersburg.

It is extremely hypocritical to b#tch and moan about a Hardy not being able to use a field when Hardy has a field on it’s property, has no desire to use the field/rec center, refuses to fund the field/re center and another large field(owned by DCPS) sits unused(and no one is allowed to reserve that field).

I wish some private school would renovate Duke Ellington field so kids could actual use it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How progressive are they? Toured last year and saw some interesting things like a “Unapologetically Queer” in the elementary school library. Do they talk to elementary aged kids about gender identity? Any insight is appreciated.

EVERY school talks to elementary school kids about gender identity. What you’re asking is if they acknowledge and discuss the existence of trans and non-binary people. Just be precise.

Not the case. Experience with multiple independent schools. Some are silent on the subject, as many feel they should be in elementary schools. What is the driving force to have these discussions at such a young age?