Bill introduced to declare the Old Hardy School surplus and extend long-term lease to the Lab School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

Is this the letter that you are talking about (page 6)?

http://foxhall.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/March-2019_FCCA_6.pdf

I don't think it really says what you think it says- they talk about wanting to be involved in the discussions and wanting to keep it either a private or public school

It was pretty clear from the meeting last night that the FCCA board thinks its more important for them to feel important than to serve the kids in their neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this the letter that you are talking about (page 6)?

http://foxhall.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/March-2019_FCCA_6.pdf

I don't think it really says what you think it says- they talk about wanting to be involved in the discussions and wanting to keep it either a private or public school

Hi Conrad. So nice of you to join us here! But no. The letter was sent to the council in the lead up to its consideration of emergency legislation to extend LAB’s lease. It notes that the FCCA “is very concerned that the present “the current occupant—the LAB School—[being driven] out of the Hardy School property for no good purpose” and then dismissss the public option by noting that “D.C. Public Schools has shown no interest in using the Hardy School as a public school, and we believe this to be the case still.” No amount of revisionism can claim that the letter is in any way advocating anything other than the passage of the emergency legislation.

I'm not Conrad, but I can vouch for him. I am in the complete opposite side to the FCCA letter, so please don't think I'm some sock-puppet. He needs to own putting his signature on that letter, but Conrad is a good guy and I expect he'll come around once he hears how people other than the FCCA board view this matter.

He was led astray here -- and, again, that's on him -- but he was not the impetus for the letter.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

Is this the letter that you are talking about (page 6)?

http://foxhall.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/March-2019_FCCA_6.pdf

I don't think it really says what you think it says- they talk about wanting to be involved in the discussions and wanting to keep it either a private or public school

It was pretty clear from the meeting last night that the FCCA board thinks its more important for them to feel important than to serve the kids in their neighborhood.

This. They are back peddling now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

Is this the letter that you are talking about (page 6)?

http://foxhall.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/March-2019_FCCA_6.pdf

I don't think it really says what you think it says- they talk about wanting to be involved in the discussions and wanting to keep it either a private or public school

It was pretty clear from the meeting last night that the FCCA board thinks its more important for them to feel important than to serve the kids in their neighborhood.

This. They are back peddling now.

I don't get the sense the FCCA board will back peddle. In fact, I think they're planning to dig in further for some ridiculously foolish reason. I think fellow residents of the FCCA area need to keep voicing their opposition to the FCCA letter and their support for making the Old Hardy School a public elementary school serving their community. Hearing that the board agrees with in principle is not enough: they need to start acting in support of making the site a public elementary.

[Anonymous]

Is there a neighboorhood listserv where you all can discuss this, and reach a larger audience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The “Foxhall Community Citizens Association” - read, a few people who live in the neighborhood and get their jollies from claiming to represent others without their permission - have sent a letter to Bowser and the council asking that the lease be renewed. What is confusing me, though, is whether they did this because: (a) LAB gave their “association” a fat donation; (b) they think public school kids are dirty and smelly and they want to be as far away from them as possible; or (c) both? As a resident of that neighborhood, i am extremely pissed that they are claiming to represent me.

Is this the letter that you are talking about (page 6)?

http://foxhall.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/March-2019_FCCA_6.pdf

I don't think it really says what you think it says- they talk about wanting to be involved in the discussions and wanting to keep it either a private or public school

It was pretty clear from the meeting last night that the FCCA board thinks its more important for them to feel important than to serve the kids in their neighborhood.

This. They are back peddling now.

I don't get the sense the FCCA board will back peddle. In fact, I think they're planning to dig in further for some ridiculously foolish reason. I think fellow residents of the FCCA area need to keep voicing their opposition to the FCCA letter and their support for making the Old Hardy School a public elementary school serving their community. Hearing that the board agrees with in principle is not enough: they need to start acting in support of making the site a public elementary.

So I admit I don’t know much about DC politics, but does it matter? Does this FCCA entity have any actual power? It seems the ANCs are supposed to be the hyperlocal entities and are actually elected by the residents whereas this seems to be a voluntary admission club of some
Sort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So I admit I don’t know much about DC politics, but does it matter? Does this FCCA entity have any actual power? It seems the ANCs are supposed to be the hyperlocal entities and are actually elected by the residents whereas this seems to be a voluntary admission club of some
Sort.

I would hope that this sham of a letter wouldn’t sway the council. However, Foxhall residents would be the primary beneficiaries of the conversion of Old Hardy to a public school. If a group purporting to represent that population says that the public school is not wanted by that population, then a good part of the rationale for not giving LAB what they want and extending the lease disappears. In sum, it certainly doesn’t help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So I admit I don’t know much about DC politics, but does it matter? Does this FCCA entity have any actual power? It seems the ANCs are supposed to be the hyperlocal entities and are actually elected by the residents whereas this seems to be a voluntary admission club of some
Sort.

It gives a fig leaf to the Mayor to say, "the community is split on this issue."