Ward 3 - Wilson feeders meeting last night: did anyone attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are dealing with both Deal and Wilson being overcrowded, why not make Deal for 6th and 7th grade only, and Hardy for 8th and 9th grade? Make it one big pool of students with the current feeders and make better use of Hardy.

How does that reduce overcrowding? I guess it shifts some of the excess students from Deal to soak up space at Hardy, but it doesn't do anything for Wilson, does it?

It moves 9th from Wilson to Hardy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are dealing with both Deal and Wilson being overcrowded, why not make Deal for 6th and 7th grade only, and Hardy for 8th and 9th grade? Make it one big pool of students with the current feeders and make better use of Hardy.

How does that reduce overcrowding? I guess it shifts some of the excess students from Deal to soak up space at Hardy, but it doesn't do anything for Wilson, does it?

Sure it does - 9th would not be at Wilson. So about 25% fewer students in the building.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is not a specific quota. But nobody wants it to get less diverse than it already is.

And yes, you are being willfully obtuse. Maybe try to be a little more realistic about politics, a little more circumspect in your remarks, and you could actually help instead of being a pain.

Calling people names isn't going to help move the process forward.

I frankly think this problem (and most problems) requires people to be less circumspect and more transparent in their language. If this is all really about race, then it's unhelpful to use code words to hide that. It sounds like we both appreciated the woman at the May 3 meeting who commented openly that we need to consider race and the fact that the city is largely segregated in evaluating the situation. I applaud her for saying it openly, and think that's how the conversation needs to move forward. I am frustrated that DCPS seems to be making decisions based on race, but won't say so.

You seem intent on imputing bad and oversimplified motives. What is code about "diversity"? It means diversity. It isn't just about race, we want many different kinds of diversity. Economic diversity, language diversity, diversity of culture, etc. It isn't as simple as you seem to think and it is much more than just race.

What "bad motives" do you think I'm imputing? I certainly do not see seeking racial diversity, or seeking to reduce residential segregation, as a bad motive. Do you think that's a bad motive? I'm clearly not understanding you.

I appreciate that diversity can take many forms, but let's be honest - we're talking here about ensuring access to Deal and Wilson for black and Hispanic students. That's a perfectly fine goal. But let's be clear that's what we're trying to do. This isn't about "language diversity" and we both know it.

[Anonymous]

I don't think the repeat poster is being obtuse at all. There is a real problem with the clarity of the language DCPS uses to justify its decisions.

Just look at the history of the boundary review and you will see that there are multiple reasons for refusing to create manageable boundaries for Wilson. If it were ONLY about overcrowding, then the boundary on Wilson's west side would end somewhere around Connecticut Avenue.

If it were ONLY about access and expectations, then the boundaries would change -- again, ending around Connecticut Avenue -- only after a certain cutoff date, starting sometime around the age of current third graders or so. But the Mayor's office only made a minimal effort at grandfathering and only made a tiny clip at the boundaries, which is effectively a meaningless clip because Wilson is not going to stop being overcrowded unless they try again at boundary review.

The MOST significant factor, imo, is race or "diversity" if you like, as the latter is a more milquetoast, politically acceptable term. Non-white kids very strongly need better access to a cohort of academically-achieving fellow students, who happen to be mostly white (or asian) in this country, and Wilson is the only non-test-in DCPS school that provides that experience. I do not think that this reason for our status quo at Wilson is in any way unreasonable or hard to understand, but it is surely also not a CLEARLY expressed reason.

I believe DCPS is afraid of the political backlash if it clearly expresses that "equity" means raising up students of color, and that this is admittedly not "fair" -- yes, they should admit "equity" is not fair -- to, predominantly, white kids. Because "equity" and "fairness" are two different things, at least as how those words are used within the sphere of public education professionals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are dealing with both Deal and Wilson being overcrowded, why not make Deal for 6th and 7th grade only, and Hardy for 8th and 9th grade? Make it one big pool of students with the current feeders and make better use of Hardy.

How does that reduce overcrowding? I guess it shifts some of the excess students from Deal to soak up space at Hardy, but it doesn't do anything for Wilson, does it?

Sure it does - 9th would not be at Wilson. So about 25% fewer students in the building.

Ahh, I missed that - sorry. Is Hardy big enough to absorb Wilson's entire 9th grade class? Because Deal is already overcrowded.

Also, what about the future OOB students who will be displaced from Hardy under that plan? Hardy is currently a big access point for OOB students. If one of the rules is that we cannot block any OOB students, then this plan will face headwinds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is not a specific quota. But nobody wants it to get less diverse than it already is.

And yes, you are being willfully obtuse. Maybe try to be a little more realistic about politics, a little more circumspect in your remarks, and you could actually help instead of being a pain.

Calling people names isn't going to help move the process forward.

I frankly think this problem (and most problems) requires people to be less circumspect and more transparent in their language. If this is all really about race, then it's unhelpful to use code words to hide that. It sounds like we both appreciated the woman at the May 3 meeting who commented openly that we need to consider race and the fact that the city is largely segregated in evaluating the situation. I applaud her for saying it openly, and think that's how the conversation needs to move forward. I am frustrated that DCPS seems to be making decisions based on race, but won't say so.

You seem intent on imputing bad and oversimplified motives. What is code about "diversity"? It means diversity. It isn't just about race, we want many different kinds of diversity. Economic diversity, language diversity, diversity of culture, etc. It isn't as simple as you seem to think and it is much more than just race.

What "bad motives" do you think I'm imputing? I certainly do not see seeking racial diversity, or seeking to reduce residential segregation, as a bad motive. Do you think that's a bad motive? I'm clearly not understanding you.

I appreciate that diversity can take many forms, but let's be honest - we're talking here about ensuring access to Deal and Wilson for black and Hispanic students. That's a perfectly fine goal. But let's be clear that's what we're trying to do. This isn't about "language diversity" and we both know it.

Ok, but it really truly is partly about economiv diversity. It would not be ok to serve affluent students of all races, but still not provide quality to the less affluent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are dealing with both Deal and Wilson being overcrowded, why not make Deal for 6th and 7th grade only, and Hardy for 8th and 9th grade? Make it one big pool of students with the current feeders and make better use of Hardy.

How does that reduce overcrowding? I guess it shifts some of the excess students from Deal to soak up space at Hardy, but it doesn't do anything for Wilson, does it?

Sure it does - 9th would not be at Wilson. So about 25% fewer students in the building.

Ahh, I missed that - sorry. Is Hardy big enough to absorb Wilson's entire 9th grade class? Because Deal is already overcrowded.

Also, what about the future OOB students who will be displaced from Hardy under that plan? Hardy is currently a big access point for OOB students. If one of the rules is that we cannot block any OOB students, then this plan will face headwinds.

You are right, it is a temporar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are dealing with both Deal and Wilson being overcrowded, why not make Deal for 6th and 7th grade only, and Hardy for 8th and 9th grade? Make it one big pool of students with the current feeders and make better use of Hardy.

How does that reduce overcrowding? I guess it shifts some of the excess students from Deal to soak up space at Hardy, but it doesn't do anything for Wilson, does it?

Sure it does - 9th would not be at Wilson. So about 25% fewer students in the building.

Ahh, I missed that - sorry. Is Hardy big enough to absorb Wilson's entire 9th grade class? Because Deal is already overcrowded.

Also, what about the future OOB students who will be displaced from Hardy under that plan? Hardy is currently a big access point for OOB students. If one of the rules is that we cannot block any OOB students, then this plan will face headwinds.

You are right, it is a temporary fix at best. The onlu real solution is to draw students to other high schools. Not sure how to do that, but it will probably be expensive. That is the bottom line here. All solutions are politically difficult or expensive. The expensive one (spending on quality at other schools) would get the best results, but where does the money come from?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are dealing with both Deal and Wilson being overcrowded, why not make Deal for 6th and 7th grade only, and Hardy for 8th and 9th grade? Make it one big pool of students with the current feeders and make better use of Hardy.

How does that reduce overcrowding? I guess it shifts some of the excess students from Deal to soak up space at Hardy, but it doesn't do anything for Wilson, does it?

Sure it does - 9th would not be at Wilson. So about 25% fewer students in the building.

Ahh, I missed that - sorry. Is Hardy big enough to absorb Wilson's entire 9th grade class? Because Deal is already overcrowded.

Also, what about the future OOB students who will be displaced from Hardy under that plan? Hardy is currently a big access point for OOB students. If one of the rules is that we cannot block any OOB students, then this plan will face headwinds.

The plan is not to change OOB feeder rights as kids will not be able to continue with their cohort. This trend is already changing as elementary feeders to Hardy are almost now all IB which will trickle up to Hardy soon. I actually like this idea. A lot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If we are dealing with both Deal and Wilson being overcrowded, why not make Deal for 6th and 7th grade only, and Hardy for 8th and 9th grade? Make it one big pool of students with the current feeders and make better use of Hardy.

How does that reduce overcrowding? I guess it shifts some of the excess students from Deal to soak up space at Hardy, but it doesn't do anything for Wilson, does it?

Sure it does - 9th would not be at Wilson. So about 25% fewer students in the building.

Ahh, I missed that - sorry. Is Hardy big enough to absorb Wilson's entire 9th grade class? Because Deal is already overcrowded.

Also, what about the future OOB students who will be displaced from Hardy under that plan? Hardy is currently a big access point for OOB students. If one of the rules is that we cannot block any OOB students, then this plan will face headwinds.

The plan is not to change OOB feeder rights as kids will not be able to continue with their cohort. This trend is already changing as elementary feeders to Hardy are almost now all IB which will trickle up to Hardy soon. I actually like this idea. A lot.

Hardy would be able to handle it because it would be serving only two grades instead of three. This is a good idea, maybe the best of a bad lot. But the commutes would suck.

[Anonymous]

The Fillmore schools will scream.

[Anonymous]

The 2-year plan would not work because it would be inequitable: only the Ward 3 kids would have the assured benefit of a 2-year school in the middle grades. No other DCPS school has that. A political non-starter for the rest of the City.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The 2-year plan would not work because it would be inequitable: only the Ward 3 kids would have the assured benefit of a 2-year school in the middle grades. No other DCPS school has that. A political non-starter for the rest of the City.

Do you realize that most of the kids who go to Wilson don't live in Ward 3?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The 2-year plan would not work because it would be inequitable: only the Ward 3 kids would have the assured benefit of a 2-year school in the middle grades. No other DCPS school has that. A political non-starter for the rest of the City.

Do you realize that most of the kids who go to Wilson don't live in Ward 3?

That part is equitable. But the part about giving special treatment to Deal and Hardy (Ward 3 schools) is not at all equitable.

[Anonymous]

This is a good example of why "equity" and "equitable" are just slippery code words. They can mean many different things, and anyone can easily show how almost any solution is not properly "equitable" to someone.