First day drop off -- MD tags

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Argue all you'd like that (1) it's not a good use of DCPS resources to investigate the huge number of MD plates at schools, or (2) many of the MD plates are actually legitimate users of the schools, either because they live in DC but didn't update their plates, because it's a nanny or grandparent, because of divorced spouses with joint custody.

But do NOT try and argue that a MD person who has no ties to DC, pays no taxes in DC, fraudulently signs the DCPS residency form, and takes a spot in PK3 that by necessity now means that a DC resident kid will not have access to free PK this year (because there are not enough spots in DCPS preschools) is somehow the same thing as me borrowing a book from a MD library or driving on a VA road.

You guys are lunatics. And the more people on hear who stand behind such absurd arguments makes me think there are actually way more MD residency cheaters than I initially thought. Because the only way you'd possibly stand behind such an argument is because you had something to lose.

BS. I have lived in DC for 2 years. I don't know anyone who moved from MD and didn't eventually change their tags and no one who is divorced with one parent in DC and one parent in MD. DCPS needs a zero tolerance policy on this. Al cheaters should be investigated especially at high demand schools. If you want your kids to go to school in DC then move the eff into the City.

Amen

I'm the PP that you're quoting here, and we're in agreement - I don't know why you're calling BS! Of course I think all those things I mentioned in the first paragraph are ridiculous. But the point is that there's always going to be some person on here who anecdotally hasn't changed their plates. I also totally think it's BS that apparently 40% of the kids at DCPS schools have nannies and grandparents and custodial parents in another state, but without proof otherwise, the anecdotes are going to stand on this forum. So stupid, but not worth getting into an argument over.

But no one can possibly argue that I should just chill out about someone with no ties to DC who uses DCPS.

How did we get from the OP reporting 2 MD cars, to 40% of the kids. Is this some weird DCPS school with only 5 students?

I think it's interesting that someone who has lived in DC for two whole years considers themselves an expert on the city. In my experience, the families that are most likely to be families spread across both sides of the border, are families like mine who have been in DC or the DC area for multiple generations. If you moved here within the last couple years then it's likely that your kids' grandparents and uncles and aunts are out of the area, but for families who have long histories here, it's not uncommon to have some members who have moved over the line, which often means that kids are going back and forth due to custody, childcare, or other reasons.

I've taught in DC for many years, and most classes will have at least one kid in a complicated joint custody situation, kinship care, foster care, or covered under McKinney-Vinto. These things are reality for many many kids in the city. Just because that isn't your particular experience, doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Who said I'd only lived here for 2 years? I've lived in the district since 1997.

Sorry, I wasn't replying only to you. I was also replying to the poster you quoted who started "BS. I have lived in DC for 2 years . . . "

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These. Women. Need. Therapy.

If there is a 1 in 100 hot of your child getting into pk3, a program that does not exist in most of the US AT ALL, you should be more concerned with expanding the program, rather than the 5 students put of the hundred lotterying with you who "might" be cheating the system.

But I'm rich, and I have a 2 year old, so let's play pretend.

We live in Mount pleasant. If I rent a studio apartment next year zoned foruch, I've "bought" the right to lottery in boundary? Correct? You'd have no problem with that?

If you live in it, fine. If not, fraud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The custodial parent in a divorce must have an in bound residence to register a student. At Wilson they are grilling parents--You have to show your divorce decree as proof. Additionally, the parent who originally enrolled the child in school must be PRESENT at the time you are registering your kid--even if circumstances have changed. In this way they avoid getting in the middle of a battle between parents.

They mean business--I saw them doing this. There are cameras everywhere to record plates and interactions with parents. I've never seen them be so strict.

Thanks for clarifying, b/c I was going to ask. No dog in this hunt for me, but my brother had to take legal primary custody of my niece for her to be inbound for her school in another state. He and mom share custody, but now with him 60% so that DN could attend the school for which he is inbounds. Does DCPS require primary custody? Bro and Ex had to arrange respective nights at each home in order to meet the requirement. Still, the Ex is doing some drop offs during the school week, even though she is out of bounds. Can't tell in the other state because they just cross school district lines, not state lines.

Frankly, I have never understood why anyone would want to have kids in DCPS, but that's me.

I was waiting for this because of course there's always a VA or MoCo person stalking DC school threads. Oh wait, you were intrigued about a DC school thread because it was in hottest topics. Dear, DC white students (I'd add high SES black but there is no national measure for that) outperformed EVERY single state in the nation. Also, DC has free PK3 and PK4. So yes, there are MANY reasons why people cheat to get their kids into DC schools. But go ahead and insist on thinking all DC schools are like the poorest and most dilapidated like you see on Oprah. Kind of ignorant not to know the difference about a school system that neighbors you.

And I was waiting for you to post, because, God forbid, someone ask what is so f'ing hot shit about DC public schools that someone is willing to commit a crime to have their child attend one. And yup, it's up on recent topics, I read these threads every year and wonder in awe, because it must be one long assed car ride to get from where there are crappy MD schools to get to where there are good DC schools.

All I want is for someone to explain to me why the DC schools are so good that someone is willing to cheat to put their kids there, because they are free? PGCPS has preK in Title 1 Schools. Are DCPS's so much better? Or is just that you are so uptight that someone might have a MD plate and drop off a kid at a DC school?

Are you denying it happens or saying you personally wouldn't do it?

Lots of rough schools in PG county, and if you drive to work in DC, lots of convenient schools, some of them better than your PG options. That residency cheating exists is well-known and documented. The DC govt spends (insufficient) resources policing it and reports on their progress.

If your point was that you live in Bethesda and prefer those schools to DC, who cares, that says nothing about other MD residents.

This whole debate has a lot in common with the church parking issue. Churchgoers at many DC churches actually live in Md. They feel entitled to violate zoned parking laws and double park etc to attend church. They are defended by many native washingtonian AAs and by some long time resident white liberals. And so far, by parking enforcement. And they are criticized by newcomers of all races who think the practice is bullshit and they should move the churches to where they live, or else respect parking laws in Dc.

Same idea with MD people using DC schools (ward 9). Used to be no big deal, but as more and more newcomers arrive and the schools become popular and so on, there is more and more protest. So when you see people defending cheaters here, maybe they are cheaters, but maybe they are just old time washington and they don't like the change that is afoot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel like it is just well-off white people who are fired up about this.

White people don't use pk3 and pk4 at the same rates others do. It's not them complaining on these boards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel like it is just well-off white people who are fired up about this.

White people don't use pk3 and pk4 at the same rates others do. It's not them complaining on these boards.

+1

More generally, the people most negatively impacted by residency cheating are the people most dependent on public schools. And that would not be well-off white people (or well-off anybody).

[Anonymous]

So when you see people defending cheaters here, maybe they are cheaters, but maybe they are just old time washington and they don't like the change that is afoot.

I strongly suspect this too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The custodial parent in a divorce must have an in bound residence to register a student. At Wilson they are grilling parents--You have to show your divorce decree as proof. Additionally, the parent who originally enrolled the child in school must be PRESENT at the time you are registering your kid--even if circumstances have changed. In this way they avoid getting in the middle of a battle between parents.

They mean business--I saw them doing this. There are cameras everywhere to record plates and interactions with parents. I've never seen them be so strict.

Thanks for clarifying, b/c I was going to ask. No dog in this hunt for me, but my brother had to take legal primary custody of my niece for her to be inbound for her school in another state. He and mom share custody, but now with him 60% so that DN could attend the school for which he is inbounds. Does DCPS require primary custody? Bro and Ex had to arrange respective nights at each home in order to meet the requirement. Still, the Ex is doing some drop offs during the school week, even though she is out of bounds. Can't tell in the other state because they just cross school district lines, not state lines.

Frankly, I have never understood why anyone would want to have kids in DCPS, but that's me.

I was waiting for this because of course there's always a VA or MoCo person stalking DC school threads. Oh wait, you were intrigued about a DC school thread because it was in hottest topics. Dear, DC white students (I'd add high SES black but there is no national measure for that) outperformed EVERY single state in the nation. Also, DC has free PK3 and PK4. So yes, there are MANY reasons why people cheat to get their kids into DC schools. But go ahead and insist on thinking all DC schools are like the poorest and most dilapidated like you see on Oprah. Kind of ignorant not to know the difference about a school system that neighbors you.

And I was waiting for you to post, because, God forbid, someone ask what is so f'ing hot shit about DC public schools that someone is willing to commit a crime to have their child attend one. And yup, it's up on recent topics, I read these threads every year and wonder in awe, because it must be one long assed car ride to get from where there are crappy MD schools to get to where there are good DC schools.

All I want is for someone to explain to me why the DC schools are so good that someone is willing to cheat to put their kids there, because they are free? PGCPS has preK in Title 1 Schools. Are DCPS's so much better? Or is just that you are so uptight that someone might have a MD plate and drop off a kid at a DC school?

Well if it was truly your intent to say "why do people risk breaking the law" then my apologies. Many, many people come on a thread with this topic to literally say "why do people cheat to go to shitty DC schools"...shoot MD/VA folks were even saying that when the cops were cheating to go to Eaton and Deal. So people easily get defensive when they feel like outsiders are attacking DC schools...especially when they have some of the top performing students in the country

[Anonymous]

Fraud = Fraud. It's stealing. Principals should be held accountable for not reporting this. The PTA's should push compliance or start going up the food chain in DCPS to report principals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fraud = Fraud. It's stealing. Principals should be held accountable for not reporting this. The PTA's should push compliance or start going up the food chain in DCPS to report principals.

Well, part of the problem is that old-time DC residents regard residency cheating as something that's appropriate for them to do; and many of these sort still work at DCPS. It all goes back to the grafty stealy Barry era where DC govt jobs were handed out as paid loaf time. I hope the current Mayor continues to make progress in cleaning out the old crew and replacing them with law-abiding citizens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- I'd really like to think it was one of the legitimate reasons stated in prior posts, but it sure didn't seem like it. It seemed like people that live in Maryland dropping their kids off on the way to work.

Not a rental car, not a foster parent, not grandma, not military -- kids calling parents "mom" and very much looking like they'd just been on a 40 minute car ride.

It seemed very casual. That was the most jarring part.

Give me a break.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't put too much stock in what you see on the first day of school anyway. Lots of parents/grandparents want to be there for the first day, so who knows who all came to school.

License plate is never enough to report, but if you get some real information on residency fraud, by all means report.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, how could someone get away this?? Would they never have anyone over to their house to play, lie to everyone's faces about where they live, rush in and out every day with MD plates? It's just hard to imagine doing this day in and out without anyone getting suspicious.

Or they live in DC and are ducking DC taxes by keeping their cars registered in MD (where there is no inspection/personal property tax obligation). I have a coworker who lives in my neighborhood in the VA 'burbs and still has MD tags on her car (it's been more than a year since she moved to VA).

What the hell are you talking about? You have to get your car inspected in MD just like DC. Also, MD has no personal property tax on cars. My nanny drops our kids off and she has MD tags.

Who cares how long. We moved here from NC and had NC plates until we bought our house, when I actually got a ticket for parking on my street even though DC lost the title 3 times (couldn't register the car until title arrived at DMV).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have an incoming pk3 at 2R I have md tags as does grandma ... report me and you will be wasting time as other parent lives and owns property in dc ...grandma also owns property in dc and md and a business in dc... so many variables here and the school has all residency documentation they need. Don't take or personal just because our norm differs from yours. BTW as a single mom I'm looking for a place near 2R to rent and we'll let's just say I'm saving fir the 2500 plus a month rent and deposit with no go assistance.

I have an incoming PK3 at 2R too. Are you at Young or 4th Street? We are at 4th Street!

[Anonymous]

Your residency parking stickers are just another example of how effed this city is. The entire place seems be designed to keep people in their tribes. And the fact that some of you are obsessed with license plates only emphasizes this more.

I see someone with MD plates dropping off a kid? I assume it's extended family or a grandparent. You see MD plates? You call the fraud department.

How can DC of all places be so full of people who are so obsessed with jockeying for their place that they automatically assume everyone is out to cheat them? It's gross. And tacky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your residency parking stickers are just another example of how effed this city is. The entire place seems be designed to keep people in their tribes. And the fact that some of you are obsessed with license plates only emphasizes this more.

I see someone with MD plates dropping off a kid? I assume it's extended family or a grandparent. You see MD plates? You call the fraud department.

How can DC of all places be so full of people who are so obsessed with jockeying for their place that they automatically assume everyone is out to cheat them? It's gross. And tacky.

This is what happens when there are long wait lists to get into schools.