Middle Schools

[Anonymous]

Ward 5 received more school construction funds -- $152 million -- than any other ward in 2008 and 2009. Ward 8 was second at $117 million. See this link:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic...010/06/05/AR2010060503976.html

I am willing to entertain the idea that Deal got/gets more resources than other middle schools, but I have yet to see data, or a cogent argument that proves it.

Noyes is the only neighborhood school in Ward 5 to receive renovations. Oh, change that. Trees and a new playground was placed at Langdon ES. However, the inside of the school still house mice and cock roaches. The halls still remain dirty, dingy and dusty. Yes, Langdon is still ragged, rotten and rusty, but the modernization of the playground would go into your figure.

The other renovations were for McKinley and Phelps. That's great, but your children and children from all Wards are immediately eligible to attend those schools.

Renovations were to occur at Brookland ES and Burroughs ES, but those renovations never materialized.

Again, those figures are misleading, but I know that you can make numbers fit the way you want. It all depends on what column of the accounting sheet the numbers are recorded.

[Anonymous]

Dunbar and Spingarn are the two Ward 5 neighborhod schools. They are both dumps. I have been following the Maryland/Virginia thread with great interest. I know that my family will have to make a choice in the not-too-distant future. No middle school to start with and the choice for HS quite, quite horrifying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where's the SQ FT # for Modernization in the Rhee/Fenty time? No one asked how many sq ft the students get, nor was the capital spending per pupil the query. It was and is, break down the modernization/facilities upgrades of Deal vs. everywhere else.

Quoting from a piece by Mary Filardo of the 21st Century School Fund: "When looking at school construction funding per student, DCPS schools in Ward 3, rather than being the second highest falls to the fourth highest in spending per student." See link:http://www.21csf.org/csf-home/DocUploads/DataShop/DS_274.pdf

[Anonymous]

I support reform that will make good options for all DCPS students and I find the state of schools across the city appalling. I also recognize that there are many people and children in this city without a lot of choices as to where they live and what school they will go to. I do not, however, think that is the majority of the parents that post to DCUM.

There are some people who live in great houses in nice neighborhoods with crappy schools. I live in a mediocre house in a neighborhood I like (but it is by no means my first choice) with well regarded schools. That was a choice I made because I was having children that needed to be educated in a public school (meaning I am not one of the JKLM families that can afford private school for my kids). If I could not have afforded upper NW DC, I would not be in DC complaining about my crappy school choices, I would likely be in Virginia or MD, because I would need to be where there are good schools and I would be complaining about my commute or living in the burbs or something else.

It sounds like what most people resent is the choices they will have to make to get their children into good schools, not that they are going to have no option but to send their children to these unacceptable schools. Am I wrong, will the people complaining about the lack of desirable middle schools send their children to whatever is available or will they make other choices (move, charter) if things have not improved when they reach that point?

[Anonymous]

Thank you PP. This post reminds me of how many choices I have and I'm grateful. I forget that reality sometimes in my quest for the perfect solution for my family. I get tired of listening to the constant bitching about schools vs. commute times, SAHM vs. WOHM, nannys vs. daycare, etc., as if we have no other options than the ones we've made. And honestly, I often hear my own bemoaning voice in the crowd at times. In the end, we're very fortunate (as are many on this board, I suspect). Thank you for that reminder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I support reform that will make good options for all DCPS students and I find the state of schools across the city appalling. I also recognize that there are many people and children in this city without a lot of choices as to where they live and what school they will go to. I do not, however, think that is the majority of the parents that post to DCUM.

There are some people who live in great houses in nice neighborhoods with crappy schools. I live in a mediocre house in a neighborhood I like (but it is by no means my first choice) with well regarded schools. That was a choice I made because I was having children that needed to be educated in a public school (meaning I am not one of the JKLM families that can afford private school for my kids). If I could not have afforded upper NW DC, I would not be in DC complaining about my crappy school choices, I would likely be in Virginia or MD, because I would need to be where there are good schools and I would be complaining about my commute or living in the burbs or something else.

It sounds like what most people resent is the choices they will have to make to get their children into good schools, not that they are going to have no option but to send their children to these unacceptable schools. Am I wrong, will the people complaining about the lack of desirable middle schools send their children to whatever is available or will they make other choices (move, charter) if things have not improved when they reach that point?

Take this snide, self-congratulatory tone to Ward 7 and see how far it gets you.

I don't have any resentment whatsoever about my children's public school - I think we're in the best public school in the city, bar none. However, I have a lot of sympathy for anyone who thinks the quality options should be equally spread across the district as opposed to being concentrated in one area.

[Anonymous]

Down here in Southwest we'd love to have some of the options available west of the park, or in Ward 5, or in Ward 1, or on the Hill, or Sousa. I'm not angry, not complaining, just saying . . .

[Anonymous]

So this thread started out discussing strong middle schools in DC. Schools that were mentioned were: Deal, Hardy, Stuart Hobson, Cap City, Washington Latin, and perhaps the new Jefferson thing. Is that is? Are there any other DCPS or charter middle schools to consider?

[Anonymous]

I'd guess you would have to toss EL Haynes in the mix you described above. No personal experience though and to be honest, as the list goes, most are piss poor.

Middle school, the public options, are a hot mess in DC. It sucks, but it's the reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Middle school, the public options, are a hot mess in DC. It sucks, but it's the reality.

I don't think Deal qualifies as a hot mess. And it depends on the student whether or not DC middle schools can get it done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support reform that will make good options for all DCPS students and I find the state of schools across the city appalling. I also recognize that there are many people and children in this city without a lot of choices as to where they live and what school they will go to. I do not, however, think that is the majority of the parents that post to DCUM.

There are some people who live in great houses in nice neighborhoods with crappy schools. I live in a mediocre house in a neighborhood I like (but it is by no means my first choice) with well regarded schools. That was a choice I made because I was having children that needed to be educated in a public school (meaning I am not one of the JKLM families that can afford private school for my kids). If I could not have afforded upper NW DC, I would not be in DC complaining about my crappy school choices, I would likely be in Virginia or MD, because I would need to be where there are good schools and I would be complaining about my commute or living in the burbs or something else.

It sounds like what most people resent is the choices they will have to make to get their children into good schools, not that they are going to have no option but to send their children to these unacceptable schools. Am I wrong, will the people complaining about the lack of desirable middle schools send their children to whatever is available or will they make other choices (move, charter) if things have not improved when they reach that point?

Take this snide, self-congratulatory tone to Ward 7 and see how far it gets you.

I don't have any resentment whatsoever about my children's public school - I think we're in the best public school in the city, bar none. However, I have a lot of sympathy for anyone who thinks the quality options should be equally spread across the district as opposed to being concentrated in one area.

I tried my best to acknowledge that there are many people in this city with few choices (OOB and Charter), many children in difficult family circumstances have even fewer and I have tremendous sympathy for them. I also think that good choices should be available to all, wherever they live, although I do not personally have the answer to how to solve this problem. What bothers me is the resentment by people that do have choices towards the schools that are doing well, without as far as I can tell any special treatment over other city schools other than the circumstances of the kids that go there and the support of their families. My question was directed at people who have that resentment and do have choices. I discern from the writing style of most posters that they are educated, employed and able to make choices and trade-offs to ensure that their children have educational options that are acceptable to the parents. I made choices and trade-offs to make sure that mine do and if my circumstances were different I would have made different choices, but I would certainly make sure my kids were in good schools. Do you really think that all the good schools in the DC/MD/VA metro area are only accessible to those that live in areas as expensive as JKLM?

[Anonymous]

Do you really think that all the good schools in the DC/MD/VA metro area are only accessible to those that live in areas as expensive as JKLM?

Yes, I actually do. And you are right, my family had a choice. Our DC was accepted into one of the often mentioned charter. We however were primed to move and was looking at properties when the call came. However that means naught. Are you implying that because we are fortunate to have options, we have no right to be outraged by the state of te schools in our communities. What about those who are without options and are SOL. Who speaks for them. I guess I was never one of those individuals who believed that "I got mine, get yours the best way you can".

[Anonymous]

No, the places you want to live that have good schools are that expensive. There are places with good schools that are much more affordable, they just have longer commutes, the houses may be smaller, you are not living in the city. etc.

It is fine to be outraged, I am outraged, we should all be outraged by the state of schools. In each post, I have tried to acknowledge this fact. This is about resentment at a school that is actually doing well because the kids that are in-boundary are, for the most part, financially well off.

My question goes to the motivation of posters on this board that are angry Deal middle school is doing well and think that it is the result of favoritism. Are they really outraged on behalf of people with no choices or on behalf of themselves, because they will have to move. I tried for charters and it turns out I have no luck. I was hoping to be able to move anywhere in the city if I had my kids in a charter I trusted. Am I annoyed, yes. Can I sit on this board and say it is not fair to have a great charter school available to educate a few students when the rest of us cannot get in. Not really, because the people who started the well performing charters are doing something to help educate kids in this city. That is more than I am doing and I applaud them even though I do not personally benefit from it. The people running Deal have done something to benefit the group of kids they are tasked with educating, why should they be torn down for it?

[Anonymous]

Pp..is this really that hard to understand? As far as i can tell no one on this thread thinks Deal should not exist. No one is angry AT Deal. No one resents Deal itself. People want more Deals around the city. Therenis no way to point out the fact that so far that isn't happening except to highlight the inequity among schools...pointing to Deal as one extreme of success/ability to muster resources.

And the answer to this problem is decisively not to move away and all take care of ourselves. The answer is to point out the inequities, throw ourselves in the mix and try to change it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No, the places you want to live that have good schools are that expensive. There are places with good schools that are much more affordable, they just have longer commutes, the houses may be smaller, you are not living in the city. etc.

It is fine to be outraged, I am outraged, we should all be outraged by the state of schools. In each post, I have tried to acknowledge this fact. This is about resentment at a school that is actually doing well because the kids that are in-boundary are, for the most part, financially well off.

My question goes to the motivation of posters on this board that are angry Deal middle school is doing well and think that it is the result of favoritism. Are they really outraged on behalf of people with no choices or on behalf of themselves, because they will have to move. I tried for charters and it turns out I have no luck. I was hoping to be able to move anywhere in the city if I had my kids in a charter I trusted. Am I annoyed, yes. Can I sit on this board and say it is not fair to have a great charter school available to educate a few students when the rest of us cannot get in. Not really, because the people who started the well performing charters are doing something to help educate kids in this city. That is more than I am doing and I applaud them even though I do not personally benefit from it. The people running Deal have done something to benefit the group of kids they are tasked with educating, why should they be torn down for it?

No PP, I think you miss the point. No one is begrudging Deal for its accomplishments. The problem is that the city has failed to replicate Deal. The city has failed to replicate Deal. Your answer is move into the Deal boundaries or move into the outer burbs and commute. Why, are not the people who pay taxes in DC entitled to the same educational opportunities as your children. Are you suggesting that because we have options to move to the outer burbs or are fortunate to obtain lottery slots we should not complain because substandard educational opportunities are provided for our inbound schools. BTW--Although my child is attending a selective charter, I volunteer at both my child's school of choice as well as the neighborhood dysfunctional inbound school. I am outraged for the schools stuck at the school who were not so lucky. And one more thing, although I do not begrudge Deal, I do think there is favortism. But heck, this is America and money and affluence always rule the day.