Deal kid is floundering in private high school

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:My kid just started at a Big3 for 9th and the summer reading was the Autobiography of Malcolm X.

A classic.

Exactly. But PPs insist that only white authors can write classics.

Currently at Deal,
6th graders are reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
7th graders are reading Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
8th graders are reading Raisin in the Sun

Who insisted upon that?!
No one, that’s who.

The first PP that said “The books they read at Deal are not particularly advanced. And for some reason all the books are about racism or minority groups being oppressed. Like every single book”.

I’m sure they think Malcom X and Raisin in the Sun falls into the not advanced category.

I think the point is that these books don’t foster critical thinking. There is nothing to debate. There’s only one correct viewpoint. When the kids finish the book about segregated schools, they start a book about the Japanese internment camps. And when they finish that, they read about about the trail of tears. And then they learn about Jackie Robinson for the seventh consecutive year.

Nothing to debate??
Have you read any of these books? Maybe it's you that lacks critical thinking skills.

It would take a very brave 8th grader to publicly express any view that wasn’t 100% woke approved in a DCPS building. Very brave.

this. What does PP think there is to debate in any of those books; can they come up with a single topic that the whole class won't either agree on or know they have to agree on?

There is an orthodoxy in DCPS. It manifests itself in subtle and not so subtle ways. The choice of books to read. The choice of team names at Deal (Team Obama), the imagery of a curled fist on communications from school staff, the use of BLM curriculum, etc. In DCPS students are taught you are either a victim, a victimizer, or an ally. There is no room for honest dissent or debate. We are ruining these kids. The level of indoctrination is astounding and it comes at the expense of critical thinking and academic rigor. The privates are more insulated from this.

BS Alert -- several points here that tell every Deal parent this poster knows nothing about the school.

Which parts are untrue? This has been our experience.

Lol. Sure. Sure. You’re a joke. Move onto a school you know more about, PP.

So you can’t point to the parts that are untrue? Yes? No? Too hard?

PP let the cat out of the bag in a post on this page. You’re not a Deal parent or if you are…not a very bright one. Embarrassed for you.

So that would be a “no.” Too bad. You had a chance to add to the conversation but apparently you had nothing useful to say.

We can all move on.

[Anonymous]

People are really doubling down on "my kid wants to say some STUFF but people will not like them if they do" without actually telling us what they want to say. Are we just supposed to use our imaginations?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People are really doubling down on "my kid wants to say some STUFF but people will not like them if they do" without actually telling us what they want to say. Are we just supposed to use our imaginations?

Apparently, PP is against woke. The opposite of woke is racist. So PP feels the child can’t express racist statements.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are really doubling down on "my kid wants to say some STUFF but people will not like them if they do" without actually telling us what they want to say. Are we just supposed to use our imaginations?

Apparently, PP is against woke. The opposite of woke is racist. So PP feels the child can’t express racist statements.

No, the opposite of "woke" is educated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started at a Big3 for 9th and the summer reading was the Autobiography of Malcolm X.

A classic.

Exactly. But PPs insist that only white authors can write classics.

Currently at Deal,
6th graders are reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
7th graders are reading Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
8th graders are reading Raisin in the Sun

Who insisted upon that?!
No one, that’s who.

The first PP that said “The books they read at Deal are not particularly advanced. And for some reason all the books are about racism or minority groups being oppressed. Like every single book”.

I’m sure they think Malcom X and Raisin in the Sun falls into the not advanced category.

I think the point is that these books don’t foster critical thinking. There is nothing to debate. There’s only one correct viewpoint. When the kids finish the book about segregated schools, they start a book about the Japanese internment camps. And when they finish that, they read about about the trail of tears. And then they learn about Jackie Robinson for the seventh consecutive year.

Nothing to debate??
Have you read any of these books? Maybe it's you that lacks critical thinking skills.

It would take a very brave 8th grader to publicly express any view that wasn’t 100% woke approved in a DCPS building. Very brave.

Oh, please tell us what "brave" statement you think they want to say but don't.

NP. Please there are plenty of white students at Deal that have zero problems calling their fellow classmates the N word. There is a very vocal un-woke crowd for PP’s kid to join.

Hmm. Any examples you can cite? Direct personal experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People are really doubling down on "my kid wants to say some STUFF but people will not like them if they do" without actually telling us what they want to say. Are we just supposed to use our imaginations?

Apparently, PP is against woke. The opposite of woke is racist. So PP feels the child can’t express racist statements.

No, the opposite of "woke" is educated.

Okay, so what "educated" statements does the child not feel comfortable making?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started at a Big3 for 9th and the summer reading was the Autobiography of Malcolm X.

A classic.

Exactly. But PPs insist that only white authors can write classics.

Currently at Deal,
6th graders are reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
7th graders are reading Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
8th graders are reading Raisin in the Sun

Who insisted upon that?!
No one, that’s who.

The first PP that said “The books they read at Deal are not particularly advanced. And for some reason all the books are about racism or minority groups being oppressed. Like every single book”.

I’m sure they think Malcom X and Raisin in the Sun falls into the not advanced category.

I think the point is that these books don’t foster critical thinking. There is nothing to debate. There’s only one correct viewpoint. When the kids finish the book about segregated schools, they start a book about the Japanese internment camps. And when they finish that, they read about about the trail of tears. And then they learn about Jackie Robinson for the seventh consecutive year.

Nothing to debate??
Have you read any of these books? Maybe it's you that lacks critical thinking skills.

It would take a very brave 8th grader to publicly express any view that wasn’t 100% woke approved in a DCPS building. Very brave.

Oh, please tell us what "brave" statement you think they want to say but don't.

NP. Please there are plenty of white students at Deal that have zero problems calling their fellow classmates the N word. There is a very vocal un-woke crowd for PP’s kid to join.

Hmm. Any examples you can cite? Direct personal experience?

Yes, when my DC was in 6th grade there was a girl at the next lunch table who called a girl the N-word. The girl punched her in the face. There was a big fight. I also know a counselor at Deal and we were chatting about that incident and they said this was a common occurrence. I think woke isn’t as common among the students as you think it is. I don’t find any of the books/assignments woke. Although the term woke has been used so much by conservative media that it has lost meaning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid just started at a Big3 for 9th and the summer reading was the Autobiography of Malcolm X.

A classic.

Exactly. But PPs insist that only white authors can write classics.

Currently at Deal,
6th graders are reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
7th graders are reading Seedfolks by Paul Fleischman
8th graders are reading Raisin in the Sun

Who insisted upon that?!
No one, that’s who.

The first PP that said “The books they read at Deal are not particularly advanced. And for some reason all the books are about racism or minority groups being oppressed. Like every single book”.

I’m sure they think Malcom X and Raisin in the Sun falls into the not advanced category.

I think the point is that these books don’t foster critical thinking. There is nothing to debate. There’s only one correct viewpoint. When the kids finish the book about segregated schools, they start a book about the Japanese internment camps. And when they finish that, they read about about the trail of tears. And then they learn about Jackie Robinson for the seventh consecutive year.

Nothing to debate??
Have you read any of these books? Maybe it's you that lacks critical thinking skills.

It would take a very brave 8th grader to publicly express any view that wasn’t 100% woke approved in a DCPS building. Very brave.

Oh, please tell us what "brave" statement you think they want to say but don't.

NP. Please there are plenty of white students at Deal that have zero problems calling their fellow classmates the N word. There is a very vocal un-woke crowd for PP’s kid to join.

Hmm. Any examples you can cite? Direct personal experience?

Yes, when my DC was in 6th grade there was a girl at the next lunch table who called a girl the N-word. The girl punched her in the face. There was a big fight. I also know a counselor at Deal and we were chatting about that incident and they said this was a common occurrence. I think woke isn’t as common among the students as you think it is. I don’t find any of the books/assignments woke. Although the term woke has been used so much by conservative media that it has lost meaning.

By any chance is your DC now 65 years old?

[Anonymous]

Op just wanted to say hang in there. My DC transitioned from Deal to private HS and it is a different ball game. The volume of work is much greater. The type of learning is different. It is a different set of critical thinking skills (or at least it was for DC). For us providing a lot of structure helped with the transition. We sat down and talked about homework every night. Kept tabs on it getting done. The fall still had some rough patches but it got better by spring. With COVID the past 18 months I would think the transition would be tough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:


Your reaction is why Deal kids with different viewpoints don’t speak up in class. If you challenge the orthodoxy you get called names. It’s why most Deal kids are unable to think critically, as the OP notes. This is the opposite of education.

Yes, the main think my white kids learned at Deal was how to navigate the PC culture of the "woke" educational establishment - and to avoid talking in class whenever possible because there basically is not upside. I guess that is a true life skill. But it is interesting that this vibe is way stronger at Deal than at Wilson.

Wondering if it is because Wilson is so freaking diverse there is no need for 'wokeness' - you are living in it.

Also, whoever posted that Wilson kids are not being assigned homework....seriously??? My kids are already busy and skipping activities to get it done. Deal is getting better too. COVID was much, much harder on Deal. \And if you have ever dealt with kids that age...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:


Your reaction is why Deal kids with different viewpoints don’t speak up in class. If you challenge the orthodoxy you get called names. It’s why most Deal kids are unable to think critically, as the OP notes. This is the opposite of education.

Yes, the main think my white kids learned at Deal was how to navigate the PC culture of the "woke" educational establishment - and to avoid talking in class whenever possible because there basically is not upside. I guess that is a true life skill. But it is interesting that this vibe is way stronger at Deal than at Wilson.

Wondering if it is because Wilson is so freaking diverse there is no need for 'wokeness' - you are living in it.

Also, whoever posted that Wilson kids are not being assigned homework....seriously??? My kids are already busy and skipping activities to get it done. Deal is getting better too. COVID was much, much harder on Deal. \And if you have ever dealt with kids that age...

The education, administration, and culture at Deal have been declining since Principal Neal has been at the helm, and it won't get better while she's still there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid left Deal and is at a top private high school (Sidwell/NCS/STA/Potomac).
He/she was a top student at Deal: As every quarter in every class grades 6-8, top math track (Algebra 2), 5's on every PARCC since 3rd grade. 99% on the 6th grade Deal PARCC in both ELA and math.

Started private high school and it is an absolute SH$%T show. Currently getting Ds. My kid doesn't know how to study, how to read and annotate dense text in rapid fashion. He/she gets dozens of pages
a night to read and process (across history, ELA, science). Homework in every subject each evening. Has already written 5 essays and 2 lab lengthy reports. Has frequent pop quizzes. One class has one every single day.
Has a sequence of exams in every class this week.

It just f-ing frustrates me how little my kid learned at Deal. How he never learned to think critically or write well. So much wasted time in the pandemic. No Wednesdays, 45 minute classes twice a week. The chicken has come home to roost because my
kid is now having his/her ass kicked. And it all counts for college grades. Things will get better but we're quitting activities, hiring tutors and trying to right the course.

Not sure what the point of my post is except---if you have a kid in DCPS. Supplement like a mad person. We did but not enough. His/her classmates who are at Wilson report that they haven't done any
homework yet in most classes because with the 4x4 schedule, many teachers are only teaching for half of it and little or no homework is given (and what is given is done in class). So if you're at Wilson
(I have another kid likely headed there) continue to supplement.

I'm just so frustrated. I'm sure it is somewhat better in typical times but the pandemic learning was just a mess. Those of us who have left DCPS are seeing clearly just how bad it was.

I’m sorry, Op. that sounds scary and upsetting. Thanks for the PSA. You’re right that kids are definitely not learning those skills in public. My 8th grader looked at me like I had two heads when I told him how to annotate a text. It’s sad.

This is how I know you are lying. Annotating a text is a DCPS standard that is taught in ES. They definitely are familiar with it by 4th grade.

NP. Totally agree. My DC were taught to annotate at Shepherd in 4th grade. They do it with all books and articles read now that they attend Deal.

My kid was not taught at a JKLM