More reason for there to be zero available slots at bilingual schools...

[Anonymous]

There is no doomsday.

Just one or two loud, obnoxious critics who insist on running every new charter through their gauntlet.

People can make their own decisions. Let the market and the first year tell us if Sela is a success or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Folks there are multiple successful Hebrew public charter schools in the NY/NJ area that are almost 50% non-Jewish and completely secular. It has been done elsewhere, and can certainly be done well in DC. I only wish Sela had been around when my children were young.

I hear this from Jews who moved out of DC and don't have kids who can attend SELA but I would be curious how many DC Jewish families SELA ends up with. Immersion takes a lot of commitment and over the long haul, I would rather my child devote that energy to a more useful language and honestly, if I wanted DC to attend a Jewish school, I would send them to a Jewish school not one where the majority is non-Jewish and purports to be secular other than the immersion Hebrew. Given the lottery entrance and DC demographics, SELA will be majority non jewish in all likelihood - so not Jewish enough for Jews (same complaints as YY not being Chinese enough for the Chinese) - but teaching a language that's not broadly useful like Mandarin. Only time will tell...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So start a Dutch immersion charter. Nothing stopping you and it maybe as popular if not more than Hebrew

Exactly, although honesty, with all the DCUM nasties, it really makes you question whether to put in all of the blood, sweat, and tears to create a school when you have to deal with parents who pretty much have an Orwellian-esque "two minutes hate" on every new charter that pops us. I'm beginning to think the PP was right and we should just shut down all of the charters and go back to DCPS. Then all these entitled, not so closeted racists can go back to private school where they belong...

You're kidding, right? Don't make the mistake of thinking that either the PCSB or general public gives a damn about what is said on DCUM. Only an idiot would base their opinions on the comments in this cesspool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is no doomsday.

Just one or two loud, obnoxious critics who insist on running every new charter through their gauntlet.

People can make their own decisions. Let the market and the first year tell us if Sela is a success or not.

This. I doubt any of the actual SELA people are on DCUM to begin with. It's not like anything valuable happens here. This is just a bunch of bored moms (& dads) blowing off steam.


I have no association with SELA whatsoever, but I think it sounds like a fine idea - certainly more interesting than many other schools which have been around. The market will answer this, DCUM won't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Folks there are multiple successful Hebrew public charter schools in the NY/NJ area that are almost 50% non-Jewish and completely secular. It has been done elsewhere, and can certainly be done well in DC. I only wish Sela had been around when my children were young.

I hear this from Jews who moved out of DC and don't have kids who can attend SELA but I would be curious how many DC Jewish families SELA ends up with. Immersion takes a lot of commitment and over the long haul, I would rather my child devote that energy to a more useful language and honestly, if I wanted DC to attend a Jewish school, I would send them to a Jewish school not one where the majority is non-Jewish and purports to be secular other than the immersion Hebrew. Given the lottery entrance and DC demographics, SELA will be majority non jewish in all likelihood - so not Jewish enough for Jews (same complaints as YY not being Chinese enough for the Chinese) - but teaching a language that's not broadly useful like Mandarin. Only time will tell...

It is a more complicated conversation and probably too in-culture for DCUM, but actually, Hebrew immersion charter is preferable for our family in a lot of ways. First, as other people have noted language is a hook into what can become a lifelong cultural pairing. I was an exchange student in Denmark, and learned Danish, and keep in contact with my host "siblings" to this day. I enjoy Danish cinema and read the news online. As to Hebrew, I want my children to know Hebrew and hope that this is a lifetime thing for them. The level of conversational Hebrew at a day school often leaves much to be desired. And, our family is liberal, reform Jewish - and depending on the day school, their classmates will likely be more religious and conservative. Also, we chose to live in the city because we wanted to live in the city, and Jews are in the minority in DC, I want my kids to be surrounded by kids from a broad strata of SES, and different cultural backgrounds. Moreover, the tuition at day schools is borderline outrageous.

[Anonymous]

^. Thank you for the lovely, thoughtful response. If our kids weren't already at an immersion charter we are very happy with, your response would make me consider SELA for them. Wish your family the best!

[Anonymous]

Yes, 12:48, you have a lovely, yet entirely selfish response.

It's easy for me to recognize this because your family resembles mine. Listen to yourself. You want a free Hebrew language option because, among other things, the tuition at day schools is high. Seriously? You think that a Hebrew language immersion school is important in DC because...wait for it...it's preferable for your family and saves you money.

Have you learned nothing at all at your shul?

Let's ignore your foolishness about liking Danish cinema as being a good reason for Hebrew immersion. It just makes you sound crazier.

Good grief.

[Anonymous]

01:43 -- I guess we're all "selfish" here. We all want the best for our children, that they be educated well in the subjects we deem important. Perhaps that is selfish, but I think it is entirely reasonable for kids to get a good education in a foreign language from an early age.

Thankfully, in Washington DC, we have more and more options to give our children the type of education we want. Public charter school options in Spanish, French, Chinese or Hebrew -- all free for the asking. Call me selfish, but I love it, and hope that we'll see even more language-focused charters come on line in the years ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, 12:48, you have a lovely, yet entirely selfish response.

It's easy for me to recognize this because your family resembles mine. Listen to yourself. You want a free Hebrew language option because, among other things, the tuition at day schools is high. Seriously? You think that a Hebrew language immersion school is important in DC because...wait for it...it's preferable for your family and saves you money.

Have you learned nothing at all at your shul?

Let's ignore your foolishness about liking Danish cinema as being a good reason for Hebrew immersion. It just makes you sound crazier.

Good grief.

Wow, what an utter a**hole! Tell, me if there were no charter schools, how many of you would be in private schools? EXACTLY. Green-focused, Afro-centric, arts-based, project-based, Mandrin-based, Spanish-based, Hebrew-based. All of it is important and useful and all of it is waste of time not useful. Charters are an attempt to create public schools with unique approaches akin to private schools. People get choices and they can act on these choices. How many people who can afford private day care park their kids in pre-K taking up valuable spots from poor families? Or crucify charters for being any farther out than Dupont Circle. Neither of these choices are less "selfish" than any charter school out there with its quasi-private themes - including SELA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, 12:48, you have a lovely, yet entirely selfish response.

It's easy for me to recognize this because your family resembles mine. Listen to yourself. You want a free Hebrew language option because, among other things, the tuition at day schools is high. Seriously? You think that a Hebrew language immersion school is important in DC because...wait for it...it's preferable for your family and saves you money.

Have you learned nothing at all at your shul?

Let's ignore your foolishness about liking Danish cinema as being a good reason for Hebrew immersion. It just makes you sound crazier.

Good grief.

Wow, what an utter a**hole! Tell, me if there were no charter schools, how many of you would be in private schools? EXACTLY. Green-focused, Afro-centric, arts-based, project-based, Mandrin-based, Spanish-based, Hebrew-based. All of it is important and useful and all of it is waste of time not useful. Charters are an attempt to create public schools with unique approaches akin to private schools. People get choices and they can act on these choices. How many people who can afford private day care park their kids in pre-K taking up valuable spots from poor families? Or crucify charters for being any farther out than Dupont Circle. Neither of these choices are less "selfish" than any charter school out there with its quasi-private themes - including SELA.

One thing I don't follow: how is Sela quasi-private?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, 12:48, you have a lovely, yet entirely selfish response.

It's easy for me to recognize this because your family resembles mine. Listen to yourself. You want a free Hebrew language option because, among other things, the tuition at day schools is high. Seriously? You think that a Hebrew language immersion school is important in DC because...wait for it...it's preferable for your family and saves you money.

Have you learned nothing at all at your shul?

Let's ignore your foolishness about liking Danish cinema as being a good reason for Hebrew immersion. It just makes you sound crazier.

Good grief.

Wow, what an utter a**hole! Tell, me if there were no charter schools, how many of you would be in private schools? EXACTLY. Green-focused, Afro-centric, arts-based, project-based, Mandrin-based, Spanish-based, Hebrew-based. All of it is important and useful and all of it is waste of time not useful. Charters are an attempt to create public schools with unique approaches akin to private schools. People get choices and they can act on these choices. How many people who can afford private day care park their kids in pre-K taking up valuable spots from poor families? Or crucify charters for being any farther out than Dupont Circle. Neither of these choices are less "selfish" than any charter school out there with its quasi-private themes - including SELA.

One thing I don't follow: how is Sela quasi-private?

All of these immersion schools, and most other charters are "quasi-private" in their concept in the sense that they take a concept that was previously available only as Lycée Rochambeau, or Washington International, etc. and make it available to public school students. I think that this a great thing.

[Anonymous]

That's not true. Language immersion is available in DCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, 12:48, you have a lovely, yet entirely selfish response.

It's easy for me to recognize this because your family resembles mine. Listen to yourself. You want a free Hebrew language option because, among other things, the tuition at day schools is high. Seriously? You think that a Hebrew language immersion school is important in DC because...wait for it...it's preferable for your family and saves you money.

Have you learned nothing at all at your shul?

Let's ignore your foolishness about liking Danish cinema as being a good reason for Hebrew immersion. It just makes you sound crazier.

Good grief.

Wow, what an utter a**hole! Tell, me if there were no charter schools, how many of you would be in private schools? EXACTLY. Green-focused, Afro-centric, arts-based, project-based, Mandrin-based, Spanish-based, Hebrew-based. All of it is important and useful and all of it is waste of time not useful. Charters are an attempt to create public schools with unique approaches akin to private schools. People get choices and they can act on these choices. How many people who can afford private day care park their kids in pre-K taking up valuable spots from poor families? Or crucify charters for being any farther out than Dupont Circle. Neither of these choices are less "selfish" than any charter school out there with its quasi-private themes - including SELA.

One thing I don't follow: how is Sela quasi-private?

All of these immersion schools, and most other charters are "quasi-private" in their concept in the sense that they take a concept that was previously available only as Lycée Rochambeau, or Washington International, etc. and make it available to public school students. I think that this a great thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That's not true. Language immersion is available in DCPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, 12:48, you have a lovely, yet entirely selfish response.

It's easy for me to recognize this because your family resembles mine. Listen to yourself. You want a free Hebrew language option because, among other things, the tuition at day schools is high. Seriously? You think that a Hebrew language immersion school is important in DC because...wait for it...it's preferable for your family and saves you money.

Have you learned nothing at all at your shul?

Let's ignore your foolishness about liking Danish cinema as being a good reason for Hebrew immersion. It just makes you sound crazier.

Good grief.

Wow, what an utter a**hole! Tell, me if there were no charter schools, how many of you would be in private schools? EXACTLY. Green-focused, Afro-centric, arts-based, project-based, Mandrin-based, Spanish-based, Hebrew-based. All of it is important and useful and all of it is waste of time not useful. Charters are an attempt to create public schools with unique approaches akin to private schools. People get choices and they can act on these choices. How many people who can afford private day care park their kids in pre-K taking up valuable spots from poor families? Or crucify charters for being any farther out than Dupont Circle. Neither of these choices are less "selfish" than any charter school out there with its quasi-private themes - including SELA.

One thing I don't follow: how is Sela quasi-private?

All of these immersion schools, and most other charters are "quasi-private" in their concept in the sense that they take a concept that was previously available only as Lycée Rochambeau, or Washington International, etc. and make it available to public school students. I think that this a great thing.

These DCPS programs are all pretty new - and came about with the advent of charters.

[Anonymous]

Oyster came after charters? Also I believe all the DCPS language offers are Spanish/English only (no other languages) --probably modeled on Oyster, not charters.

[Anonymous]

I thought Marie Reed and a couple others also offered French?