Sidwell Obsession

[Anonymous]

Well said

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

In a country of 350 mm people, the fact that two of the last three Presidents chose to send their daughters there is extraordinary. And it is obviously an excellent school too.

Where would Presidents send their 6,7,8,9,10 and 11 year-old daughters if they lived in the White House (in D.C. the last time I checked) .... local primary school.

Well why on earth not? Amy Carter attended an inner city public school. The Obamas visited several schools before choosing Sidwell Friends. It was well publicized at the time. Why pretend that an amazing school isn't amazing? What purpose does that serve?

LOL! Amy Carter went to Horace Mann, in the Foxhall/ Spring Valley neighborhood of "DC" where the average home sells for 2-4 Million Dollars. Technically, 1/4 mile from the DC/MD boarder, so yes, she did go to a "DC school" however,Horace Mann with its IMF, World Bank, and upper Middle Class families in general is hardly "inner city". H.M also only goes to 5th grade and then you are stuck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I also am a public school graduate and an Ivy college and grad school graduate, and I think the prior posters make a good point--you do not send your kids to private school because you want them to go to a specific type of college--you send them because there is some compelling reason to place them in a different kind of environment. No reason to fear the good public schools! Cream rises to the top anywhere. And I say this as the parent of one kid in public and one kid in private school--work with the information and child you have in front of you, not some future Ivy goal. And don't be afraid to make changes along the way as necessary.

Really, does "the cream rise to the top" at the average DC Public school like Dunbar, Roosevelt, Cordoza ? I read that the valedictorian at Dunbar flunked out of of Eastern Maryland State her freshman year and had not been educated in how to write a research paper . So, please keep in mind that for DC residents, private schools are the only option short of moving.

[Anonymous]

''LOL! Amy Carter went to Horace Mann, in the Foxhall/ Spring Valley neighborhood of "DC" where the average home sells for 2-4 Million Dollars. Technically, 1/4 mile from the DC/MD boarder, so yes, she did go to a "DC school" however,Horace Mann with its IMF, World Bank, and upper Middle Class families in general is hardly "inner city". H.M also only goes to 5th grade and then you are stuck.''

WRONG. She went to Stevens which is downtown

[Anonymous]

Sidwell has a strong academic reputation, though it's on the decline. Has a mediocre athletic program.

[Anonymous]

Academic decline based on what? What a bizarrely general statement for a PK-12 school. Please sight examples and experience. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I think every school has a cadre of parents who are obsessed with it. Certainly true of STA and Landon. I break down that obsession in two groups; people obessed because they are applying and people obsessed because they were rejected. Sidwell may have a third group, which is people who are obsesed for political reasons and/or celebrity issues related to current and past first families. Now that I think about it, Landon also has its own cadre of people who can't stand that school because of its perceiverd reputation whether fair or unfair.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell has a strong academic reputation, though it's on the decline. Has a mediocre athletic program.

I frankly could care less about Sidwell's athletic program. In fact, I could care less about the athletic programs at Amherst, Swarthmore, Harvard or Cal Tech. This is not a metric I judge these schools by. None of my kids are seeking to get into the NFL, NBA or searching for an athletic scholarship. Ironically, I am told by their peers and coaches they are excellent athletes. But what do I know or care about this as long as they enjoy these extracurricular activities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:''LOL! Amy Carter went to Horace Mann, in the Foxhall/ Spring Valley neighborhood of "DC" where the average home sells for 2-4 Million Dollars. Technically, 1/4 mile from the DC/MD boarder, so yes, she did go to a "DC school" however,Horace Mann with its IMF, World Bank, and upper Middle Class families in general is hardly "inner city". H.M also only goes to 5th grade and then you are stuck.''

WRONG. She went to Stevens which is downtown

For a few months and then she went to Mann

[Anonymous]

I thought someone said she went to Holton?

[Anonymous]

Susan Ford went to Holton.

[Anonymous]

I heard the same thing about Amy Carter attending Holton, I know Jackie Kennedy went to Holton for a few years, never heard Amy attended Mann.

[Anonymous]

Sidwell obsession is ridiculous. The Washington Post ran a story earlier this week about how the cafeteria served Asian food on Pearl Harbor Day. As if that is newsworthy.

I wonder if the kids at the school recognized or feel the affects of this scrutiny and interest among outsiders.

[Anonymous]

How 'bout this: Occupy Sidwell! Isn't a place like Sidwell the prime symbol of the 1%????? Talk about the haves and the have-nots.

Oh, and since the President is such a supporter of the occupy movement, I'm sure he won't have any problem with a group setting up camp at the school. Right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How 'bout this: Occupy Sidwell! Isn't a place like Sidwell the prime symbol of the 1%????? Talk about the haves and the have-nots.

Oh, and since the President is such a supporter of the occupy movement, I'm sure he won't have any problem with a group setting up camp at the school. Right?

The "campers" might first have to negotiate the noticeable number of patrol cars (and those are just the marked ones) parked around the perimeter of the school.