Sound off - Ivy grads & high income earners who chose public schools over privates

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP. I have two kids in a MCPS public school with a FARMS rate just under 20% and an ever-FARMS rate just over 20%.

So what are you arguing about? You just don't want anyone to go to the public schools with lower farms rates? If what you want is more varied housing so the economic mix is more equitable throughout the county, go advocate for that. But don't dump on the parents who send kids to publics in higher SES areas.

I am arguing that the public schools attended by people who live in Bethesda and Potomac exclude a significant part of the public. But, as I said, I think that MCPS is better off if the Bethesda/Potomac parents send their children to MCPS than if they send their children to private schools. And actually, I do advocate for less residential economic segregation in Montgomery County.

So you're completely off-point, then. You AGREE that the parents who send their kids to MCPS public schools (even the high-SES ones) are in fact getting more economic diversity than the privates, and being better educational citizens than those who send their kids to the privates. But you're clouding the issue by saying that they're not being as good as you are, because you send your kids to a somewhat lower SES public school. Yay you. You do know that there are schools that have higher FARMS rates than yours, right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes, that's true. A variety of income levels, ranging from not-poor to rich. At Wood Acres ES, the FARMS rate (the percent of kids now on FARMS) is <5%, and the ever-FARMS rate (the percent of kids who have ever been on FARMS) is <5%. Wood Acres is 72% white, 10% Asian, 8% Hispanic, <5% black. I'm glad you're in MCPS; it's true that the facilities at Wood Acre don't compare to (some) private schools; but the fact remains that Wood Acres ES is a public school for kids whose parents can afford it -- and many, many parents in Montgomery County can't.

For comparison, in MCPS overall:

FARMS: 35%
Ever-FARMS: 43%
White: 32%
Asian: 14%
Hispanic: 27%
Black: 21%

Yeah, and what's the FARMS rate at your private? 0% you say? thought so.

I'm the PP. I have two kids in a MCPS public school with a FARMS rate just under 20% and an ever-FARMS rate just over 20%.

So what are you arguing about? You just don't want anyone to go to the public schools with lower farms rates? If what you want is more varied housing so the economic mix is more equitable throughout the county, go advocate for that. But don't dump on the parents who send kids to publics in higher SES areas.

Oh, I'm not dumping on parents for sending their kids to top public schools -- I'm dumping on them for being smug and patting themselves in the back for being so "smart" without recognizing their own privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP. I have two kids in a MCPS public school with a FARMS rate just under 20% and an ever-FARMS rate just over 20%.

So what are you arguing about? You just don't want anyone to go to the public schools with lower farms rates? If what you want is more varied housing so the economic mix is more equitable throughout the county, go advocate for that. But don't dump on the parents who send kids to publics in higher SES areas.

I am arguing that the public schools attended by people who live in Bethesda and Potomac exclude a significant part of the public. But, as I said, I think that MCPS is better off if the Bethesda/Potomac parents send their children to MCPS than if they send their children to private schools. And actually, I do advocate for less residential economic segregation in Montgomery County.

So you're completely off-point, then. You AGREE that the parents who send their kids to MCPS public schools (even the high-SES ones) are in fact getting more economic diversity than the privates, and being better educational citizens than those who send their kids to the privates. But you're clouding the issue by saying that they're not being as good as you are, because you send your kids to a somewhat lower SES public school. Yay you. You do know that there are schools that have higher FARMS rates than yours, right?

No, I didn't say that. I said that MCPS is better off if the Bethesda/Potomac parents send their kids to public schools. Whether the kids themselves are better off is up to their parents to decide.

And I also didn't say that I'm better than the Bethesda/Potomac parents. I'm certainly less affluent than they are. I couldn't afford to send my kids to private school, even if I wanted to. And there are poor kids in my kids' school. Those aren't value judgments; those are facts.

And yes, I know very well that there are lots of schools in MCPS with much higher FARMS rates.

Why so defensive, PP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Oh, I'm not dumping on parents for sending their kids to top public schools -- I'm dumping on them for being smug and patting themselves in the back for being so "smart" without recognizing their own privilege.

This is a different PP from me (I'm the PP saying that MCPS is better off if affluent parents send their kids to public schools), but basically this is what I am saying. (Except that I don't necessarily agree that the Bethesda/Potomac publilc schools are the best public schools in MCPS.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the PP. I have two kids in a MCPS public school with a FARMS rate just under 20% and an ever-FARMS rate just over 20%.

So what are you arguing about? You just don't want anyone to go to the public schools with lower farms rates? If what you want is more varied housing so the economic mix is more equitable throughout the county, go advocate for that. But don't dump on the parents who send kids to publics in higher SES areas.

I am arguing that the public schools attended by people who live in Bethesda and Potomac exclude a significant part of the public. But, as I said, I think that MCPS is better off if the Bethesda/Potomac parents send their children to MCPS than if they send their children to private schools. And actually, I do advocate for less residential economic segregation in Montgomery County.

So you're completely off-point, then. You AGREE that the parents who send their kids to MCPS public schools (even the high-SES ones) are in fact getting more economic diversity than the privates, and being better educational citizens than those who send their kids to the privates. But you're clouding the issue by saying that they're not being as good as you are, because you send your kids to a somewhat lower SES public school. Yay you. You do know that there are schools that have higher FARMS rates than yours, right?

No, I didn't say that. I said that MCPS is better off if the Bethesda/Potomac parents send their kids to public schools. Whether the kids themselves are better off is up to their parents to decide.

And I also didn't say that I'm better than the Bethesda/Potomac parents. I'm certainly less affluent than they are. I couldn't afford to send my kids to private school, even if I wanted to. And there are poor kids in my kids' school. Those aren't value judgments; those are facts.

And yes, I know very well that there are lots of schools in MCPS with much higher FARMS rates.

Why so defensive, PP?

Not defensive, but I am tired of hearing private school parents say that their private is more "diverse" than the higher-SES public schools around here. At least economically speaking, it's not true. Yes, a Bethesda/CC elementary will have fewer FARMS kids than a Takoma Park Elementary. But so what? It doesn't help when you bolster the private school parents' ridiculous justification that sending little Charlotte to private school is actually not abandoning the public school systems. Of course they have the right to do that, but stop pretending it's an egalitarian choice.
I am not one of the smug that goes around saying we do public because "we believe in public schooling" or whatever. For our family, at this time, public makes more sense. And we live in a great public school district. Because we are lucky that we can do that. Not because we're smarter than someone in a public school district with a higher FARMS rate. The backbiting between parents in different ends of MCPS is so counterproductive. Like I said before, the only answer to that problem is higher rates of mixed-income housing. That's where the focus ought to be.
As someone who grew up in a much more economically diverse area, I'd be all for it. I think it would make my kids' schools better too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not defensive, but I am tired of hearing private school parents say that their private is more "diverse" than the higher-SES public schools around here. At least economically speaking, it's not true. Yes, a Bethesda/CC elementary will have fewer FARMS kids than a Takoma Park Elementary. But so what? It doesn't help when you bolster the private school parents' ridiculous justification that sending little Charlotte to private school is actually not abandoning the public school systems. Of course they have the right to do that, but stop pretending it's an egalitarian choice.
I am not one of the smug that goes around saying we do public because "we believe in public schooling" or whatever. For our family, at this time, public makes more sense. And we live in a great public school district. Because we are lucky that we can do that. Not because we're smarter than someone in a public school district with a higher FARMS rate. The backbiting between parents in different ends of MCPS is so counterproductive. Like I said before, the only answer to that problem is higher rates of mixed-income housing. That's where the focus ought to be.
As someone who grew up in a much more economically diverse area, I'd be all for it. I think it would make my kids' schools better too.

I agree, that's ridiculous! People really say that?

And I agree that MCPS is segregated because Montgomery County is segregated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not defensive, but I am tired of hearing private school parents say that their private is more "diverse" than the higher-SES public schools around here. At least economically speaking, it's not true. Yes, a Bethesda/CC elementary will have fewer FARMS kids than a Takoma Park Elementary. But so what? It doesn't help when you bolster the private school parents' ridiculous justification that sending little Charlotte to private school is actually not abandoning the public school systems. Of course they have the right to do that, but stop pretending it's an egalitarian choice.
I am not one of the smug that goes around saying we do public because "we believe in public schooling" or whatever. For our family, at this time, public makes more sense. And we live in a great public school district. Because we are lucky that we can do that. Not because we're smarter than someone in a public school district with a higher FARMS rate. The backbiting between parents in different ends of MCPS is so counterproductive. Like I said before, the only answer to that problem is higher rates of mixed-income housing. That's where the focus ought to be.
As someone who grew up in a much more economically diverse area, I'd be all for it. I think it would make my kids' schools better too.

I agree, that's ridiculous! People really say that?

And I agree that MCPS is segregated because Montgomery County is segregated.

Oh, yeah, they say it! That's what I (PP) was reacting to. If you read the title of this thread, it's about public/private choice, not public / high-SES public choice. If you want to really lose your lunch, read some of the crap they write over on the Private Schools forum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[

Not defensive, but I am tired of hearing private school parents say that their private is more "diverse" than the higher-SES public schools around here. At least economically speaking, it's not true. Yes, a Bethesda/CC elementary will have fewer FARMS kids than a Takoma Park Elementary. But so what? It doesn't help when you bolster the private school parents' ridiculous justification that sending little Charlotte to private school is actually not abandoning the public school systems. Of course they have the right to do that, but stop pretending it's an egalitarian choice.
I am not one of the smug that goes around saying we do public because "we believe in public schooling" or whatever. For our family, at this time, public makes more sense. And we live in a great public school district. Because we are lucky that we can do that. Not because we're smarter than someone in a public school district with a higher FARMS rate. The backbiting between parents in different ends of MCPS is so counterproductive. Like I said before, the only answer to that problem is higher rates of mixed-income housing. That's where the focus ought to be.
As someone who grew up in a much more economically diverse area, I'd be all for it. I think it would make my kids' schools better too.

Hear, hear! I'm the poster that someone ridiculed for pointing out that, for my family, private school is actually far more affordable than living in a better school district would be. If there were more mixed income housing, the situation would be different. I'm darned lucky that my DC was/is a desirable enough candidate to be offered a lot of financial aid. But, if she weren't? She would still deserve a great education. We're getting her an excellent education through a loophole. It shouldn't have to be that way.

[Anonymous]

^^ You do know that affordable housing is mandated throughout Montgomery County, right? That means that in every single school cluster, families with lower incomes are represented.

[Anonymous]

^^By that I mean subsidized housing -- not just housing that has a variety of price points.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^By that I mean subsidized housing -- not just housing that has a variety of price points.

Yes. Some of them have 4% and others have 70%.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ You do know that affordable housing is mandated throughout Montgomery County, right? That means that in every single school cluster, families with lower incomes are represented.

No, affordable housing is not mandated throughout Montgomery County. Montgomery County mandates a 12.5-15% of moderately-priced dwelling units (MPDUs) in new subdivisions with 20 or more units. There are also MPDUs in some rental apartments. That's different.

Note also that a family may qualify for an MPDU but not for FARMS. For purchase of an MPDU, the maximum income for a household of 3 is $67,500. For FARMS, the maximum income for a household of 3 is $36,131.

I support the MPDU program. But the dent it's making a dent in the residential segregation of Montgomery County by income is very small.

[Anonymous]

Not Ivy. HHI Income > $500K. One kid in DCPS, other in all boys Cath high school.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I don't believe the most Ivy/HHI people send kids to public. The executives at my company send their kids to elite privates. I don't know their education backgrounds but they definitely meet the HHI threshold. I am a graduate of a big ten school and I send my kids to private. I am not in the target salary range nor target institution for this thread but among my friends the higher their household income, the more likely they are to send their kids to private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, I don't believe the most Ivy/HHI people send kids to public. The executives at my company send their kids to elite privates. I don't know their education backgrounds but they definitely meet the HHI threshold. I am a graduate of a big ten school and I send my kids to private. I am not in the target salary range nor target institution for this thread but among my friends the higher their household income, the more likely they are to send their kids to private.

So, you don't even know if the people you're talking about are Ivy grads, but you think they prove that Ivy grads don't send their kids to public. Ok.