Landon School Scandal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:20:38 so nice to hide behind a cloak of anonymity. Amazing to think you say that about a bunch of people you don't know. Why can't you be more specific about your accusations and maybe identify yourself?
Here are some facts.
Landon had four of their 77 seniors qualify for Presidential Scholar Consideration. In the past ten years Landon has had the male Presidential Scholar from the State of Maryland three times. That means someone from the Dept. of Ed recognized a Landon Student as the best male student in the State of Maryland three times.
Two boys won Navy ROTC Scholarships to pay their tuition at MIT and UVA.
One boy, who happens to be multiracial and who happens to be the student council president, won a regional award for solo singing at a Competition in NYC.
The Music Program is the best in the Region.
Landon won the Founder's Cup- indicating it had the best overall athletic program of the IAC-Georgetown Prep, Bullis, St. Albans, St. Stephens St. Agnes, and Episcopal Academy.
A senior who will attend Princeton played on their State Championship Hockey Team and has art hanging in Congress as the winner of two National Art Competitions.

One Boy was a Parade All-American in Basketball.
One Boy was a Lacrosse All-American.
One Boy was an Academic Lacrosse All-American.
Two Boys will play in the Under Armor All American Game.

The College list is not too bad. I may have missed a boy or two unintentionally. Sorry. I don't know the exact college list of other classes, but I think this one is about average.
4 kids to U Colorado
4 Kids to Trinity College CT.
3 Kids to UMD
3 Kids to DAvidson
3 to UVA
2 to Tulane
2 to Princeton
2 to Bucknell
2 to Johns Hopkins
2 to Richmond
2 to Cornell
2 to Duke
2 to Wake Forrest
Yale
Pitzer
Claremont McKenna
Hampden-Sydney
College of Charleston
Bentley University
Colgate
George Washington U.
Washington U.
U Penn.
Penn State.
Ohio State
Tufts
Middlebury
Moorehouse
Wisconsin
Brown
Hillsdale College
Stetson U.
Coastal Carolina
UNLV
MIT
Rice
VA Tech
Georgetown
Carnegie Mellon
Lehigh

Every school is not for everyone, but Landon is a very good school for boys. If you are posting on this thread because you or your son had a bad experience, I hope you have moved on or your son has found a better place for him.

First, nice to meet you Pot. I'm Kettle.

This discussion is not about the school's achievements in their academic, athletic, or arts programs. You have listed some impressive achievements but many of the private schools in this area have similar stats. This discussion is about the culture and environment that these boys are raised in during their formative years. Everything I've said I have witnessed first hand.

I know the community well and many individuals specifically so I am not making these comments to a bunch of people I don't know. You are right, every school is not for everyone and the parents that keep their boys there past middle school make the choice to be a part of that community knowing full well it's an extremely disrespectful, chauvinistic environment. If that's the right choice for them they are most likely used to that environment already at home.

In my opinion, Landon is NOT a good school for boys. As I have stated several times now, I am not a parent from the school. I am a parent, however, and based on my direct experiences with the school community (parents, administration, faculty) I wouldn't send my kid there if it were free.

How are you affiliated with the school?

[Anonymous]

" If that's the right choice for them they are most likely used to that environment already at home."

Wow. You're going to paint every upper school student with that brush?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:" If that's the right choice for them they are most likely used to that environment already at home."

Wow. You're going to paint every upper school student with that brush?

Not every. Hence my use of the word "most". However, the moms are either like this or they tolerate it because there is no way they are not aware of it in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

We left Landon after MS. It was a clear choice--we either subscribed to the environment or we didn't.

[Anonymous]

My son loves it at Landon. Landon is not for everyone. No one says you have to love it while you are there. If you are not happy there, get out and look at other schools. There is a prep school in the DC area for everyone. I don't understand why so many posters on this website seem obsessed with taking shots at Landon or Sidwell for that matter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son loves it at Landon. Landon is not for everyone. No one says you have to love it while you are there. If you are not happy there, get out and look at other schools. There is a prep school in the DC area for everyone. I don't understand why so many posters on this website seem obsessed with taking shots at Landon or Sidwell for that matter.

I find it interesting that you and other posters keep saying things like, "my son loves it there" and "it's not for everyone." Not one person has said I'm a parent there and this culture and environment you describe does not exist at this school! I know it's because it DOES exist. I'm the pp, btw, that has first-hand experience with the school through employment.

You are absolutely right that Landon is not for everyone, but you are either in denial or you accept the type of behavior that has been described. People aren't taking shots at the school for no reason. A lot of what goes on there is not right.

If you are comfortable with this and your son is happy than stay and defend the school. But I'm hard pressed to imagine anyone could come on here and deny what I've said and really believe it themselves. Again, maybe a mom or two that is in complete denial or looks the other way but that's it.

[Anonymous]

Can you name a school that does not have some type of behavior that you do not agree with. Yes - every school has some type of behavior that I do not agree with. I discuss it with my children - I don't move them to another school that will inevitably have some sort of behavior I do not agree with.

[Anonymous]

Reading these independent school forums, it's pretty clear that Landon has many more negative posts. Real or deserved? But, sometimes perception is reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you name a school that does not have some type of behavior that you do not agree with. Yes - every school has some type of behavior that I do not agree with. I discuss it with my children - I don't move them to another school that will inevitably have some sort of behavior I do not agree with.

Every school may have isolated incidents, but Landon's entire culture is disturbing. No one is suggesting you move your children to another school if you are comfortable in that environment. Just don't pretend like it it doesn't exist.

[Anonymous]

I am a Landon Mom. Two of my sons are alums -- one is still at Princeton and one graduated from the US Naval Academy. My third is in Upper School. The school has evolved over the years since we first became Landon parents in 1994. Just one example, there is now a 'Gender Equity" task force, a greater emphasis on the arts, and a huge commitment to community service. The school was, and is, the best possible learning experience for all my sons.

No, Landon is not for everyone. If your son is not academically gifted, athletically competitive, and unwilling to stretch his comfort zone, it is not for him. If as a parent you want a "politically correct" education with emphasis on grievance studies and current educational fads, it is not for you either. It is a school for boys that are motivated learners and who are willing to push themselves. Landon truly does turn boys into men. Do some of the alpha male students take risks that they shouldn't? Yes. And the school works very hard to rein in that misbehavior -- punishing and expelling when needed. Most non-Landon parents have no idea how harsh the consequences are for honor code violations. The notion that cheating of any kind is tolerated is absurd.

My three boys are all very different -- in academic and athletic ability, in personality, and in motivation. In an interview for a prestigious college scholarship one of my sons was asked "so what is it like to be a starting lacrosse player who is also first chair clarinet?" His answer was "I'm really a just a musician who plays lacrosse". That perspective summed up Landon for me.

[Anonymous]

What is so funny about this last post is that this Landon mom thinks she did the school a favor by posting, but all she did was further the points that are being made by others.

[Anonymous]

How does a mom know about an answer to a college interview question? Unlikely most boys share those answers. Sounds coached. And, how nice for her to think that all the boys at Landon are exceptional - great students, great athletes and musically talented. Diversity much? Or the stereotypical white alpha male of the next generation .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does a mom know about an answer to a college interview question? Unlikely most boys share those answers. Sounds coached. And, how nice for her to think that all the boys at Landon are exceptional - great students, great athletes and musically talented. Diversity much? Or the stereotypical white alpha male of the next generation .

Likely because she asked and her son shared the interview question - doesn't sound very far fetched to me. Would you have been happier if the kid went to his college interview and his parents just pretended it never happened? Never asked him about it, didn't ask how the interview went, what questions were asked, etc. Of course the kid was coached, almost every kid going into college interviews are coached to some degree. This is the land of the WPPSI preppers so if you think any good DC parent is going to send their kid to college interviews COLD, then you are truly delusional. This board if full of examples of how "Big 3" schools are chock full of kids who are great students, great athletes and talented in art/music/drama. Why is it when the kid goes to Landon it is suddenly a diversity issue?

[Anonymous]

OMG, 13:01! I'm sure you meant to bolster Landon with your post. You summed it all up for me!

[Anonymous]

13:01 - you really shouldn't put that much personal info out here on an anonymous forum. Looks like your husband is a Landon administrator and knowing that means your post is that much less meaningful.