Things my 8th grader will not miss once leaving Deal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As we get to the end of the school year, my DD is sharing more:
Classmate disciplined for vaping in the bathroom
Classmate expelled for selling edibles
Classmate with a ankle monitor

It is common to have two or more periods a week that no teacher shows up for

Multiple classes of more than 30 students due to teachers going out (most recently science teacher out for the rest of the year) and the administration just dividing the students up and placing them in other core classes that are meeting at that time.

i have a current and a former Deal student but this is a new. how is it possible to have a under 14 yr old with an ankle monitor? WTH?? what did he/she do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:We had a lovely dinner conversation this evening and this is the short list that was talked about:
1 - Avoiding Nerf Gun Battles in the Hallways
2 - Locked Bathrooms
3 - Going to the Bathroom and watching others give stick and poke tattoos
4 - Fights
5- Classmates pulling fire alarms
6 - Bathrooms without soap
7 - Smell of pot while walking to / from school
8 - Going to class and there not being any adults there
9 - Going to class and there being a bunch of kids there who are not in the class
10 - Having an assembly to talk about school rules and knowing it is a joke and will never be enforced

Should’ve added in my first response but all of these things also happened at my ivy so hope your child eventually weans themself off the snowflake juice you feed them

Wtf college did you attend where people were pulling fire alarms and having behavior assemblies?

You’ve never had an RA go over rules? And never had a kid pull an alarm in a dorm in the middle of the night? are you sure you went to college

NP. I definitely graduated from college (and law school), and I experienced none of what is described above. It sounds like I went to a much better college than you.

On some level, I’m disturbed by adults who have grown up never experiencing any of these things, because then how can you relate to the needs of those who have? I feel that it’s people like these who create policies believing “everyone can succeed if they work hard enough!” etc, because they’ve never seen what others have to deal with to survive.

Alternatively, we think more effort should be put into making schools safe and organized and dealing with behavioral problems.

+1. same for the other thread about the out of control kid throwing slurs at Jackson Reed. there are kids with emotional problems, these kids need to be helped according to their problems. just letting them stay in school and being verbally or physically violent with no consequences because poor kids is not a solution. it's bad for teachers and for the other kids, but it is bad for the kids with problems too because they are just let go through the system, often learn nothing and graduate with bigger problems and no education, the Jail Track basically

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid goes to Deal now. She's a tiny 6th grader and she can handle it. Not sure why your family can't.

Y’all are focusing on taking the OP down v summoning some outrage over the experience she describes and the fact that it costs $50k/yr to avoid it?
Despicable. OP, normal people are with you; that’s outrageous.

Hardy posters - when your best school stops crime during the lunch break, maybe speak up then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a lovely dinner conversation this evening and this is the short list that was talked about:
1 - Avoiding Nerf Gun Battles in the Hallways
2 - Locked Bathrooms
3 - Going to the Bathroom and watching others give stick and poke tattoos
4 - Fights
5- Classmates pulling fire alarms
6 - Bathrooms without soap
7 - Smell of pot while walking to / from school
8 - Going to class and there not being any adults there
9 - Going to class and there being a bunch of kids there who are not in the class
10 - Having an assembly to talk about school rules and knowing it is a joke and will never be enforced

Should’ve added in my first response but all of these things also happened at my ivy so hope your child eventually weans themself off the snowflake juice you feed them

Wtf college did you attend where people were pulling fire alarms and having behavior assemblies?

You’ve never had an RA go over rules? And never had a kid pull an alarm in a dorm in the middle of the night? are you sure you went to college

NP. I definitely graduated from college (and law school), and I experienced none of what is described above. It sounds like I went to a much better college than you.

On some level, I’m disturbed by adults who have grown up never experiencing any of these things, because then how can you relate to the needs of those who have? I feel that it’s people like these who create policies believing “everyone can succeed if they work hard enough!” etc, because they’ve never seen what others have to deal with to survive.

TBH, no interest in my young child “relating to it”. Every time I tried, things just got worse. Take legalization of marijuana. Did it willingly and now the entire city is full of smokers (ew) and smells like an old shoe. More fool me. Not relating to the lowest common denominator again, thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a lovely dinner conversation this evening and this is the short list that was talked about:
1 - Avoiding Nerf Gun Battles in the Hallways
2 - Locked Bathrooms
3 - Going to the Bathroom and watching others give stick and poke tattoos
4 - Fights
5- Classmates pulling fire alarms
6 - Bathrooms without soap
7 - Smell of pot while walking to / from school
8 - Going to class and there not being any adults there
9 - Going to class and there being a bunch of kids there who are not in the class
10 - Having an assembly to talk about school rules and knowing it is a joke and will never be enforced

Should’ve added in my first response but all of these things also happened at my ivy so hope your child eventually weans themself off the snowflake juice you feed them

Wtf college did you attend where people were pulling fire alarms and having behavior assemblies?

You’ve never had an RA go over rules? And never had a kid pull an alarm in a dorm in the middle of the night? are you sure you went to college

NP. I definitely graduated from college (and law school), and I experienced none of what is described above. It sounds like I went to a much better college than you.

On some level, I’m disturbed by adults who have grown up never experiencing any of these things, because then how can you relate to the needs of those who have? I feel that it’s people like these who create policies believing “everyone can succeed if they work hard enough!” etc, because they’ve never seen what others have to deal with to survive.

Alternatively, we think more effort should be put into making schools safe and organized and dealing with behavioral problems.

+1. same for the other thread about the out of control kid throwing slurs at Jackson Reed. there are kids with emotional problems, these kids need to be helped according to their problems. just letting them stay in school and being verbally or physically violent with no consequences because poor kids is not a solution. it's bad for teachers and for the other kids, but it is bad for the kids with problems too because they are just let go through the system, often learn nothing and graduate with bigger problems and no education, the Jail Track basically

What’s different about that thread is that it very quickly veered off into “things white peoples must never say and do”. Quite frankly a bit of normalcy, no taboos and mutual understanding won’t kill anyone

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a lovely dinner conversation this evening and this is the short list that was talked about:
1 - Avoiding Nerf Gun Battles in the Hallways
2 - Locked Bathrooms
3 - Going to the Bathroom and watching others give stick and poke tattoos
4 - Fights
5- Classmates pulling fire alarms
6 - Bathrooms without soap
7 - Smell of pot while walking to / from school
8 - Going to class and there not being any adults there
9 - Going to class and there being a bunch of kids there who are not in the class
10 - Having an assembly to talk about school rules and knowing it is a joke and will never be enforced

So, parents with students at Deal, how much of this is correct? Has your child encountered any or all of these? Either as a participant or as a bystander?

All of DC reeks of pot at all times. I smell pot often driving my kids to school. It’s like everyone has become Cheech and Chong waking and baking on their way to work in the morning…and afternoon and evening. It’s the smell of DC!

it's so nasty and I'm so readyf or a repeal. Does anyone know how to initiate that? No one can believe the disgusting stink everywhere.

Agreed! At first I didn't really care. But you can't breath air damn near anywhere in the city now.

I’m with you. Need a normal person to run for the office

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a lovely dinner conversation this evening and this is the short list that was talked about:
1 - Avoiding Nerf Gun Battles in the Hallways
2 - Locked Bathrooms
3 - Going to the Bathroom and watching others give stick and poke tattoos
4 - Fights
5- Classmates pulling fire alarms
6 - Bathrooms without soap
7 - Smell of pot while walking to / from school
8 - Going to class and there not being any adults there
9 - Going to class and there being a bunch of kids there who are not in the class
10 - Having an assembly to talk about school rules and knowing it is a joke and will never be enforced

Fights, locked bathrooms, and unsupervised kids in the classroom are not things that should be tolerated at school. Period. I'm surprised some parents here are condoning these activities as something that's expected, as opposed to demanding that the school to do better. I wonder how many have already invested in Deal being their choice (they bought homes there assuming the public schools were good all the way through) and now will defend it no matter what happens there.

For the person who compared it to their ivy, I should probably remind you these are children we're talking about. Not adults.

Well, many parents demanded that school reopen last year, it doesn’t change anything. Parents have no collective or individual power to effect change.

I'm the ivy PP and am curious what you think parent demands will do. This isn't a situation with conflicting ideas of how to run a school; this is the reality of an urban MS, and has been for decades. Teachers and admin would obviously prefer better as well but you have a building with 1,500 hormonal teens in it and occasionally things like this happen.

This sounds like UPenn or like you hung out with losers in your Ivy. Also where do you get off comparing your college to a 10-year old

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a lovely dinner conversation this evening and this is the short list that was talked about:
1 - Avoiding Nerf Gun Battles in the Hallways
2 - Locked Bathrooms
3 - Going to the Bathroom and watching others give stick and poke tattoos
4 - Fights
5- Classmates pulling fire alarms
6 - Bathrooms without soap
7 - Smell of pot while walking to / from school
8 - Going to class and there not being any adults there
9 - Going to class and there being a bunch of kids there who are not in the class
10 - Having an assembly to talk about school rules and knowing it is a joke and will never be enforced

So, middle school. Great attempt to slam deal tho

I went to a private middle school and encountered none of this

+1. My kids haven’t encountered these things at their private middle school either. They’re intrigued by our neighbor’s stories of fights at our zoned-middle school and couldn’t believe it when they heard condoms were found in the bathroom.

Your kids are growing up sheltered.

No, they are growing up as kids. In an age-appropriate forum.

Amen. Grit is overrated (yes, that’s directed at Deal - the minute they gave me that spiel we put in the app for private; I didn’t raise these beautiful children for someone to grind them down into a disillusioned teen with grit)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know I was thinking about sex, cussing, etc, especially as an 8th grader in the late 80s. Most parents just choose to forget! Keep it 100. Guess what I graduated college in 4 years, work for the govt, and overall have a great life!

+1..My middle school was a magnet and all types of shenanigans occurred. There were no fire alarm pulls that I recall. That was an automatic expulsion and no one wanted that. Middle school is very difficult for kids and parents. The hormones are all over the place.

You are recalling an occasional incident; the OP is talking about a daily set of issues kids shouldn’t worry about

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a lovely dinner conversation this evening and this is the short list that was talked about:
1 - Avoiding Nerf Gun Battles in the Hallways
2 - Locked Bathrooms
3 - Going to the Bathroom and watching others give stick and poke tattoos
4 - Fights
5- Classmates pulling fire alarms
6 - Bathrooms without soap
7 - Smell of pot while walking to / from school
8 - Going to class and there not being any adults there
9 - Going to class and there being a bunch of kids there who are not in the class
10 - Having an assembly to talk about school rules and knowing it is a joke and will never be enforced

Fights, locked bathrooms, and unsupervised kids in the classroom are not things that should be tolerated at school. Period. I'm surprised some parents here are condoning these activities as something that's expected, as opposed to demanding that the school to do better. I wonder how many have already invested in Deal being their choice (they bought homes there assuming the public schools were good all the way through) and now will defend it no matter what happens there.

For the person who compared it to their ivy, I should probably remind you these are children we're talking about. Not adults.

Well, many parents demanded that school reopen last year, it doesn’t change anything. Parents have no collective or individual power to effect change.

I'm the ivy PP and am curious what you think parent demands will do. This isn't a situation with conflicting ideas of how to run a school; this is the reality of an urban MS, and has been for decades. Teachers and admin would obviously prefer better as well but you have a building with 1,500 hormonal teens in it and occasionally things like this happen.

Smart parents will vote with their feet and leave.

Exactly and PP above is saying locked bathrooms, the prevalent smell of pot, kids in classrooms with no adults, kids wandering the halls and going to classes where they don’t belong, and not having consequences for behavioral problems with the restorative justice BS is all normal in an urban middle school.

I think not but you can keep your head in the sand PP

It wasn’t normal for Deal even 3 years ago.

I have a feeling you are right because it seemed lots Of people wanted their kids to attend in years past. Did it change with the pandemic? If so how and why do you think? Or some other reason? It’s very curious to me.

It has metal detectors way before the pandemic. That’s your first sign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^Yet another problem attributable to subpar leadership, in the Mayor's Office, up the chain in DCPS and at Deal.

If DC voters won't vote in another mayor, and mayor control of schools remains, I don't see a way out.

Yes, but who? The other two are way worse by any standard that would stand to make this a safe city again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:4 fights at recess today….

okay. Did you lose one of them? Who cares about ms kids fighting

What the hell is wrong with you???? I have a boy in middle school and I care very much if someone tries to or is successful at fighting him. Physical safety is paramount. Not everyone's child grew up with physical violence.

Exactly. It’s like you’re debating with a Gallagher family

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a lovely dinner conversation this evening and this is the short list that was talked about:
1 - Avoiding Nerf Gun Battles in the Hallways
2 - Locked Bathrooms
3 - Going to the Bathroom and watching others give stick and poke tattoos
4 - Fights
5- Classmates pulling fire alarms
6 - Bathrooms without soap
7 - Smell of pot while walking to / from school
8 - Going to class and there not being any adults there
9 - Going to class and there being a bunch of kids there who are not in the class
10 - Having an assembly to talk about school rules and knowing it is a joke and will never be enforced

So, middle school. Great attempt to slam deal tho

I went to a private middle school and encountered none of this

I went to a PUBLIC middle school and encountered none of this.

I went to a public suburban middle school 30 years ago and encountered all of this, and much worse. DC must be full of snowflakes for so many of you to never have seen any of this.

Either many people have blocked out what their own experiences were like in the 80s/90s, or there really are too many people in the DMV who grew up in posh private schools all their lives.

I went to public MS and HS and never experienced that kind of disarray. There were “bad” kids but they had one spot to smoke in outside of school. It was not Disneyland - there was actually a murder after school- but day to day, organized and safe.

Exactly, and most importantly that behavior wasn’t normalized, kids weren’t crushed. The most disturbing thing in this whole thread for me was the son who tells his mother he hadn’t realize what normal is until he left to go to private. Who are we raising in this manner and what does that mean for the society?

[Anonymous]

3/6 teachers were absent today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:3/6 teachers were absent today.

Sounds like a Friday in June shrug