Truth about being three coughs above FARMS at a high performing Charter School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She made serious accusations that charter schools sort and grade children by the amount of money their parents donate! She said that anyone who questions the school has their residency papers lost! And we're being accused of unfounded accusations?

I am not so sure that this statement of hers is so wild and outlandish. Why is it so difficult to believe that parents who give large sums of money to a school have some influence and may by request, not design, receive preferential treatment? Parents who are plugged into their children's school know which teachers are sought after and which are to be avoided. Do you not think that parents who have this information would not politely request that their child be placed in the classroom of their choice? If these parents have a close relationship with school administrators, as a result of their generous contributions, I can see how the request may be granted. Of course the school may not be providing this treatment with the intention of disadvantaging low SES children, but this may be an outcome nonetheless. School administrators are human and have been given a tremendous task of providing an excellent academic experience with little resources. The DC charter school market is competitive and underfunded. Charter schools depend on outside funds to keep their doors open. All of these facts must at times create an environment where administrators are eager to please those parents who are significant contributors. This happens with corporate and large individual donors in elections, I do not find it hard to believe that it happens at charter schools as well. Of course, the influence of high SES families at HRCS would be diminished if charter schools received funding equal to that of traditional public schools. Let's advocate for that!

p.s. The tone of the posts by those who "know" OP is strange to say the least. Although OP gave some descriptive information regarding the school, she did not name the school. I actually came to my conclusion as to the school by the way she was attacked by those who "know" her. There are only a couple of schools on this board who are known to have combative boosters. No need to name them we all know who they are.

I won't deny a parent who is "dialed in" might get a teacher they request, but that's a far cry from what OP accuses: an institutional discrimination against her children that involves a discounting of her parents' concerns, a denial of extra programs, and a threat to discount her enrollment if she "doesn't fall in line."

You, nor OP, have any evidence or accounting if that actually happening.

...still waiting...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She made serious accusations that charter schools sort and grade children by the amount of money their parents donate! She said that anyone who questions the school has their residency papers lost! And we're being accused of unfounded accusations?

I am not so sure that this statement of hers is so wild and outlandish. Why is it so difficult to believe that parents who give large sums of money to a school have some influence and may by request, not design, receive preferential treatment? Parents who are plugged into their children's school know which teachers are sought after and which are to be avoided. Do you not think that parents who have this information would not politely request that their child be placed in the classroom of their choice? If these parents have a close relationship with school administrators, as a result of their generous contributions, I can see how the request may be granted. Of course the school may not be providing this treatment with the intention of disadvantaging low SES children, but this may be an outcome nonetheless. School administrators are human and have been given a tremendous task of providing an excellent academic experience with little resources. The DC charter school market is competitive and underfunded. Charter schools depend on outside funds to keep their doors open. All of these facts must at times create an environment where administrators are eager to please those parents who are significant contributors. This happens with corporate and large individual donors in elections, I do not find it hard to believe that it happens at charter schools as well. Of course, the influence of high SES families at HRCS would be diminished if charter schools received funding equal to that of traditional public schools. Let's advocate for that!

p.s. The tone of the posts by those who "know" OP is strange to say the least. Although OP gave some descriptive information regarding the school, she did not name the school. I actually came to my conclusion as to the school by the way she was attacked by those who "know" her. There are only a couple of schools on this board who are known to have combative boosters. No need to name them we all know who they are.

Because it's a public school? So, having money doesn't in and of itself confer any benefits.

The entire premise of the OP's post is so trollish that it is laughable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, please come back and at least tell us what "coughs" mean! We are dying to know. I assumed it was an auto-correct error or a typo.

As a previous poster stated, "coughs" means that she is one illness away from being FARMS (low income). This is often used to describe the state of being barely middle class. Her financial situation is precarious. She makes barely too much to qualify for assistance, but far too little to live without having to constantly worry that a large bill might "sink the ship". Please don't ask what sink the ship means.

Well yes, I've heard of being one illness away from poverty, but I didn't realize "three coughs" was another way to say that. I read PP's post as speculating that that's what OP might have meant, not confirming that it is common parlance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know why people are trying to discredit her. She wrote the post to help other parents who are in similar situations by giving a different perspective than has been shared. Why fault her for views and desire to share her experience?

It seems to me that the negative responders are the ones who have an agenda.

Why did she write the post? To "help" other parents?

Yes, I believe she wrote the post to help other parents. She said that she was naive when she started out in charters. She assumed that because it was a highly-regarded charter that her child was "set" but now she realizes that that thinking was flawed. I thought she explained her background and financial situation to emphasis how resources or lack there of have hindered HER. I didn't see that she was blaming anyone. She seemed to blame herself and wanted to let others know what to expect.

Instead of offering understanding, some DCUM posters went as far as to put her down because she should have known that she needed to devote more time and effort. Well, she already said she didn't put in enough time/effort and doesn't have the money to catch up. I didn't see her post as a blame game when I read it, so I was surprised to see DCUM respond that way.

I don't think we should make a person who feels marginalized even more marginalized. Just because your experience is different, doesn't mean that hers is wrong. Yes, she sounded frustrated, but I could read through that and get her main points.

I am a new charter school parent and appreciated her point of view. Do I think negatively of charters now? NO! Will I think twice about projecting my views on someone else who may have a different opinion or feel marginalized? YES!

Really? She wasn't blaming anyone? She didn't accuse the admins and teachers at the "HRCS" for treating her child unfairly? Of revoking their residency papers and relegating them to second-class status? I didn't read one sentence that spoke to her blaming herself... Can you point that out?

She is frustrated, clearly! But what were her main points again? She and her kid are being discriminated right?

How does this possibly help you as a new charter school parent?

I'm the PP you're responding to. Here's the reference from her post:

"I do wish I'd not been so naive about academic program implementation however. My best suggestion is to supplement as much as you possibly can with outside enrichment. In that way no matter which way it goes, your child has a better change of not being behind his or her peers."

Here's what I took away from the post. Something VERY specific happened to the OP and she's upset about it. In her frustration, it occurred to her that other people she's spoken with have had similar experiences (or at least felt marginalized if what' she's saying is not completely true). She wished someone had given her a similar perspective when she first became a charter parent. She thought she'd help someone else by posting her experience (which was also therapeutic as confessions and personal accounts often are).

I thought it was harmless, but apparently I'm in the minority.

OP has been invited, repeatedly, to detail said VERY specific incident. Otherwise, I'm not buying t, and am inclined to think YOU are OP.

...still waiting...

No, I'm not OP. Now, it's apparent that YOU are the one with all of the conspiracy theories. Really, you have a hard time trusting or believing anyone, don't you. You even have issue with my post. Wow!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know why people are trying to discredit her. She wrote the post to help other parents who are in similar situations by giving a different perspective than has been shared. Why fault her for views and desire to share her experience?

It seems to me that the negative responders are the ones who have an agenda.

Why did she write the post? To "help" other parents?

Yes, I believe she wrote the post to help other parents. She said that she was naive when she started out in charters. She assumed that because it was a highly-regarded charter that her child was "set" but now she realizes that that thinking was flawed. I thought she explained her background and financial situation to emphasis how resources or lack there of have hindered HER. I didn't see that she was blaming anyone. She seemed to blame herself and wanted to let others know what to expect.

Instead of offering understanding, some DCUM posters went as far as to put her down because she should have known that she needed to devote more time and effort. Well, she already said she didn't put in enough time/effort and doesn't have the money to catch up. I didn't see her post as a blame game when I read it, so I was surprised to see DCUM respond that way.

I don't think we should make a person who feels marginalized even more marginalized. Just because your experience is different, doesn't mean that hers is wrong. Yes, she sounded frustrated, but I could read through that and get her main points.

I am a new charter school parent and appreciated her point of view. Do I think negatively of charters now? NO! Will I think twice about projecting my views on someone else who may have a different opinion or feel marginalized? YES!

Really? She wasn't blaming anyone? She didn't accuse the admins and teachers at the "HRCS" for treating her child unfairly? Of revoking their residency papers and relegating them to second-class status? I didn't read one sentence that spoke to her blaming herself... Can you point that out?

She is frustrated, clearly! But what were her main points again? She and her kid are being discriminated right?

How does this possibly help you as a new charter school parent?

I'm the PP you're responding to. Here's the reference from her post:

"I do wish I'd not been so naive about academic program implementation however. My best suggestion is to supplement as much as you possibly can with outside enrichment. In that way no matter which way it goes, your child has a better change of not being behind his or her peers."

Here's what I took away from the post. Something VERY specific happened to the OP and she's upset about it. In her frustration, it occurred to her that other people she's spoken with have had similar experiences (or at least felt marginalized if what' she's saying is not completely true). She wished someone had given her a similar perspective when she first became a charter parent. She thought she'd help someone else by posting her experience (which was also therapeutic as confessions and personal accounts often are).

I thought it was harmless, but apparently I'm in the minority.

OP has been invited, repeatedly, to detail said VERY specific incident. Otherwise, I'm not buying t, and am inclined to think YOU are OP.

...still waiting...

No, I'm not OP. Now, it's apparent that YOU are the one with all of the conspiracy theories. Really, you have a hard time trusting or believing anyone, don't you. You even have issue with my post. Wow!

I'm really wishing I knew which charter school this combative poster goes to. I sure hope it's not the one my DC will start this Fall. I have no problem going to OP's school, but this extremely negative conspiracy theorist is giving me pause. Yikes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to know why people are trying to discredit her. She wrote the post to help other parents who are in similar situations by giving a different perspective than has been shared. Why fault her for views and desire to share her experience?

It seems to me that the negative responders are the ones who have an agenda.

Why did she write the post? To "help" other parents?

Yes, I believe she wrote the post to help other parents. She said that she was naive when she started out in charters. She assumed that because it was a highly-regarded charter that her child was "set" but now she realizes that that thinking was flawed. I thought she explained her background and financial situation to emphasis how resources or lack there of have hindered HER. I didn't see that she was blaming anyone. She seemed to blame herself and wanted to let others know what to expect.

Instead of offering understanding, some DCUM posters went as far as to put her down because she should have known that she needed to devote more time and effort. Well, she already said she didn't put in enough time/effort and doesn't have the money to catch up. I didn't see her post as a blame game when I read it, so I was surprised to see DCUM respond that way.

I don't think we should make a person who feels marginalized even more marginalized. Just because your experience is different, doesn't mean that hers is wrong. Yes, she sounded frustrated, but I could read through that and get her main points.

I am a new charter school parent and appreciated her point of view. Do I think negatively of charters now? NO! Will I think twice about projecting my views on someone else who may have a different opinion or feel marginalized? YES!

Much of what she said has nothing to do with a great many charters and as such most parents won't go through what she went through. But, the lack of specificity is what ends up being unhelpful - without detail, it's a rant which won't help any prospective parent anywhere.

[Anonymous]

In my HRPCS, what I have seen is not consistent with the rich kids being given better teachers and better grades, while poor kids are thrown out with "lost" residency papers if they don't toe the line.

In fact, in four years, my DC has been classmates with everyone in his grade level. He's received his fair share of lower marks, and I agreed that in those areas he was actually struggling. As for marginalizing lower income families, the opposite is true: Any time -- EVERY time -- something is suggested that will cost money, or require being somewhere, or anything else that might impact a lower-income family differently, it is brought up, and people try to figure out ways to be inclusive.

Maybe other HRPCS are different, but it sounds more like OP is one of those crazy people who like to complain but who never seem to actually get involved in solving anything beyond the complaining.

As for the theory that HRPCS provide sub-par instruction to most, propped up only by the high SES parents' kids and their tutors: Why on Earth would the high-SES parents want to stay at such a school, where they have to pay through thousands of dollars of donations to get the supposedly "good" teacher, who isn't going to teach their children, but instead give them high marks based on the parents' donations, so the parents have to hire outside tutors, who DO teach the children, but then the school takes credit for that instruction and the high test scores it brings? Wouldn't they just go private, or at a minimum go public with the tutors, which at least saves them the donations?

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the post, OP. Gave me pause. I appreciate the insight.

[Anonymous]

It's ironic, but the level of vitriol against the OP makes her claims more credible to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's ironic, but the level of vitriol against the OP makes her claims more credible to me.

vitriol or skepticism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's ironic, but the level of vitriol against the OP makes her claims more credible to me.

I completely agree! It's astonishing that some posters seem to be attacking OP, who was giving her PERSONAL experience. She didn't say all charters, but she didn't want to give away the name of the school. I can understand that completely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's ironic, but the level of vitriol against the OP makes her claims more credible to me.

I completely agree! It's astonishing that some posters seem to be attacking OP, who was giving her PERSONAL experience. She didn't say all charters, but she didn't want to give away the name of the school. I can understand that completely.

New poster. I don't think she was purporting to provide only her personal experience, or to limit her comments to just one particular charter. It seems clear she was making sweeping statements about charters generally, about wealthy people, about working class people, about private schools, and about a host of other things:

I'd like to share a bit about my experience if you are considering sending your child to a highly demanded public school .... At high demand public charter schools, there is a clear understanding that the only families that have a real voice are the wealthy families .... The wealthy families are the ones that .... The children of working parents are relegated to .... At a private school, ... Alternatively, at the high demand public charter school, .... Wealthy parents are ....

Whether or not to agree with her is your choice, but to deny that she was making sweeping statements is inaccurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, please come back and at least tell us what "coughs" mean! We are dying to know. I assumed it was an auto-correct error or a typo.

As a previous poster stated, "coughs" means that she is one illness away from being FARMS (low income). This is often used to describe the state of being barely middle class. Her financial situation is precarious. She makes barely too much to qualify for assistance, but far too little to live without having to constantly worry that a large bill might "sink the ship". Please don't ask what sink the ship means.

Well yes, I've heard of being one illness away from poverty, but I didn't realize "three coughs" was another way to say that. I read PP's post as speculating that that's what OP might have meant, not confirming that it is common parlance.

Whether it's common parlance or not, it's pretty easy to understand for most people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's ironic, but the level of vitriol against the OP makes her claims more credible to me.

I completely agree! It's astonishing that some posters seem to be attacking OP, who was giving her PERSONAL experience. She didn't say all charters, but she didn't want to give away the name of the school. I can understand that completely.

New poster. I don't think she was purporting to provide only her personal experience, or to limit her comments to just one particular charter. It seems clear she was making sweeping statements about charters generally, about wealthy people, about working class people, about private schools, and about a host of other things:

I'd like to share a bit about my experience if you are considering sending your child to a highly demanded public school .... At high demand public charter schools, there is a clear understanding that the only families that have a real voice are the wealthy families .... The wealthy families are the ones that .... The children of working parents are relegated to .... At a private school, ... Alternatively, at the high demand public charter school, .... Wealthy parents are ....

Whether or not to agree with her is your choice, but to deny that she was making sweeping statements is inaccurate.

Ok, she was talking about her experience with 3 different charter schools - not all of them. I agree. She should have said "at OUR high demand public charter schools" but I took that as implicit.

[Anonymous]

My gut feeling was right and I'm glad we turned down our spot at a HRCS. This post gave me a breath of fresh air!