Why are the East County schools the way they are?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High FARMS rate, huge discipline issues, failing infrastructure—and before you guys say anything, I sent my kid to Briggs Chaney, so I have experience. I pulled him out for private after three months. It was a zoo and still is, from what I hear. The local high schools are also bad, even from what I hear from neighbors. If you guys have any insights, let me know. I’ve always wondered.

Lol - try harder, troll.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Socio-economics, OP. I used to live in Silver Spring and moved to Bethesda for the schools and a shorter work commute. The degree of wealth and education is not the same. East MoCo has more populations than West MoCo who lack the background, education, money or time to insist that their kids do their homework and pay attention to their teachers. There are lots of special needs that go undiagnosed and untreated, due to parental ignorance and lack of funds, and which contribute to classroom disruptions. In communities where education is not held to the stratospheric standards of the rich, it makes it harder for those families who do prioritize it, because classroom atmosphere is not conducive to learning.

Great summary. Not just an East County issue; I work at a Title 1 school at the opposite end of the county (Germantown), and I see the struggles of families who do prioritize education. Those kids often stand out like fish out of water and, unfortunately, I would not be okay with my children attending my school because of the number of students we have who are unable to regulate their emotional needs / responses. It’s a long process for kids to understand it’s okay to have BIG feelings but not okay to hit, kick, punch and destroy classrooms. Many of our families of students with behavior challenges refuse to engage with teachers and admin (don’t answer phone, respond to text or email messages, conference requests, letters home, etc.). A huge issue, as PP mentioned, are undiagnosed SpEd issues further compounding the problem. We also have a fairly high rate of students coming/leaving throughout the year, so when we get new students that have severe needs who haven’t started the Child Find or IEP process, it leaves many in limbo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The degree of wealth and education is not the same. East MoCo has more populations than West MoCo who lack the background, education, money or time to insist that their kids do their homework and pay attention to their teachers.

You left out desire of parents to prioritize their children's education. My elementary-aged kids like to visit libraries all over MoCo, so we've been doing this for years. We've probably been to 80% of all libraries in the county. One pattern I noticed in the kids section no matter where we go -- the vast majority of kids there are white or Asian, even when the demographics of the surrounding area is not like that.

It's not a cost thing. Libraries are free, open long hours (all are open as I write this, in fact), and many are easily accessibly by public transportation. All MCPS students can ride Ride-On for free.

Of course, going to libraries is not required, and there are many other activities children can do to improve their knowledge, but we see this consistently on our library trips and it seems like a sign.

PP you replied to. I didn't want to get into it, because that's loaded.

Low-income parents (income overlaps significantly with race and ethnicity) are not different from high-income parents, in that they want the best for their children. But a lot of them don't have the life background to understand what the educational options are out there, and because their frame of reference is so different they don't even know where to begin; a lot don't know what it takes to get into college these days, or even that college statistically increases the odds of financial stability. Maybe they can't fathom paying for college, even community college. If you don't know anyone who has gone to college who now holds a white collar job that pays more than 150K a year, maybe plumbing seems a safer choice (and maybe it is, if you can't help your child study and do well academically). If you don't like to read, because you've never been taught to like it, odds are your kids don't have a natural love of reading either and you're not going to think of encouraging that by going to the library. Maybe you're working on weekends anyway.

The wealthy neighborhoods are comparatively better-informed because they are seeded with more people who have reached the white-collar top and know how the system works. They talk to their friends and neighbors and the information gets disseminated from there. They also populate DCUM, and other forums and discuss options online. They know the basics of childhood development and how to get children to succeed academically.

My husband is an immigrant who survived a war, clawed his way out from poverty and became a doctor. His parents hit him if he didn't bring home good grades, but they didn't know how to help him. As a result he hates to read. He'd never of his own volition bring his kids to a library. He stuck our oldest in front of the TV when I was in grad school, which contributed to a language delay. Even though he's a terrific success on paper, there are lots of things he "missed" in his social education because of his childhood poverty and living in a poor, crime-ridden neighborhood from which practically nobody got out except him and his brothers (all science fields). So my secondary point is that one's environment is VERY important to achieve well-rounded growth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The degree of wealth and education is not the same. East MoCo has more populations than West MoCo who lack the background, education, money or time to insist that their kids do their homework and pay attention to their teachers.

You left out desire of parents to prioritize their children's education. My elementary-aged kids like to visit libraries all over MoCo, so we've been doing this for years. We've probably been to 80% of all libraries in the county. One pattern I noticed in the kids section no matter where we go -- the vast majority of kids there are white or Asian, even when the demographics of the surrounding area is not like that.

It's not a cost thing. Libraries are free, open long hours (all are open as I write this, in fact), and many are easily accessibly by public transportation. All MCPS students can ride Ride-On for free.

Of course, going to libraries is not required, and there are many other activities children can do to improve their knowledge, but we see this consistently on our library trips and it seems like a sign.

It likely also tells you which families earn their livings in jobs that do not have the flexibility to visit libraries during kid-friendly hours, or the clock time available to spend walking to a stop and waiting for a bus to get to a library when they already have to do that to get groceries. Availability of resources unfortunately does not create the luxury of the leisure to use them.

[Anonymous]

Poor people op. The ones who are bad get most of the attention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The degree of wealth and education is not the same. East MoCo has more populations than West MoCo who lack the background, education, money or time to insist that their kids do their homework and pay attention to their teachers.

You left out desire of parents to prioritize their children's education. My elementary-aged kids like to visit libraries all over MoCo, so we've been doing this for years. We've probably been to 80% of all libraries in the county. One pattern I noticed in the kids section no matter where we go -- the vast majority of kids there are white or Asian, even when the demographics of the surrounding area is not like that.

It's not a cost thing. Libraries are free, open long hours (all are open as I write this, in fact), and many are easily accessibly by public transportation. All MCPS students can ride Ride-On for free.

Of course, going to libraries is not required, and there are many other activities children can do to improve their knowledge, but we see this consistently on our library trips and it seems like a sign.

It likely also tells you which families earn their livings in jobs that do not have the flexibility to visit libraries during kid-friendly hours, or the clock time available to spend walking to a stop and waiting for a bus to get to a library when they already have to do that to get groceries. Availability of resources unfortunately does not create the luxury of the leisure to use them.

Correct. When people say something is easily accessible by public transportation they often mean the bus or train goes nearby. But they haven’t yet investigate how long it would actually take to get there. Also what times are you going to the library? Is it possible others are showing up at different times like later in the evening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The degree of wealth and education is not the same. East MoCo has more populations than West MoCo who lack the background, education, money or time to insist that their kids do their homework and pay attention to their teachers.

You left out desire of parents to prioritize their children's education. My elementary-aged kids like to visit libraries all over MoCo, so we've been doing this for years. We've probably been to 80% of all libraries in the county. One pattern I noticed in the kids section no matter where we go -- the vast majority of kids there are white or Asian, even when the demographics of the surrounding area is not like that.

It's not a cost thing. Libraries are free, open long hours (all are open as I write this, in fact), and many are easily accessibly by public transportation. All MCPS students can ride Ride-On for free.

Of course, going to libraries is not required, and there are many other activities children can do to improve their knowledge, but we see this consistently on our library trips and it seems like a sign.

PP you replied to. I didn't want to get into it, because that's loaded.

Low-income parents (income overlaps significantly with race and ethnicity) are not different from high-income parents, in that they want the best for their children. But a lot of them don't have the life background to understand what the educational options are out there, and because their frame of reference is so different they don't even know where to begin; a lot don't know what it takes to get into college these days, or even that college statistically increases the odds of financial stability. Maybe they can't fathom paying for college, even community college. If you don't know anyone who has gone to college who now holds a white collar job that pays more than 150K a year, maybe plumbing seems a safer choice (and maybe it is, if you can't help your child study and do well academically). If you don't like to read, because you've never been taught to like it, odds are your kids don't have a natural love of reading either and you're not going to think of encouraging that by going to the library. Maybe you're working on weekends anyway.

The wealthy neighborhoods are comparatively better-informed because they are seeded with more people who have reached the white-collar top and know how the system works. They talk to their friends and neighbors and the information gets disseminated from there. They also populate DCUM, and other forums and discuss options online. They know the basics of childhood development and how to get children to succeed academically.

My husband is an immigrant who survived a war, clawed his way out from poverty and became a doctor. His parents hit him if he didn't bring home good grades, but they didn't know how to help him. As a result he hates to read. He'd never of his own volition bring his kids to a library. He stuck our oldest in front of the TV when I was in grad school, which contributed to a language delay. Even though he's a terrific success on paper, there are lots of things he "missed" in his social education because of his childhood poverty and living in a poor, crime-ridden neighborhood from which practically nobody got out except him and his brothers (all science fields). So my secondary point is that one's environment is VERY important to achieve well-rounded growth.

TV doesn't contribute to language delays. Stop making excuses. Both of you failed to get the kid the help he need. My kid has a severe language disorder and we never allowed TV early on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The county concentrated all the pools in one area. A lot of them depend on the schools to do the parents job. Parents do not care to be involved with anything happening at the school. I know because u was a sub in that area and have lived there for 20
Years. I am a stones throw away from Briggs Chaney ms and refused to send my kids there. Shelled out for private. The schools don’t allow discipline and the parents can’t be bothered so this is what you get.

Our elementary school was very unwelcoming. We could only go to two parties a year. Teachers did not respond and principal was terrible. Schools need to partner with parents. Most parents care and do want to be involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The degree of wealth and education is not the same. East MoCo has more populations than West MoCo who lack the background, education, money or time to insist that their kids do their homework and pay attention to their teachers.

You left out desire of parents to prioritize their children's education. My elementary-aged kids like to visit libraries all over MoCo, so we've been doing this for years. We've probably been to 80% of all libraries in the county. One pattern I noticed in the kids section no matter where we go -- the vast majority of kids there are white or Asian, even when the demographics of the surrounding area is not like that.

It's not a cost thing. Libraries are free, open long hours (all are open as I write this, in fact), and many are easily accessibly by public transportation. All MCPS students can ride Ride-On for free.

Of course, going to libraries is not required, and there are many other activities children can do to improve their knowledge, but we see this consistently on our library trips and it seems like a sign.

Not everyone lives convienent to busses and those passes are for MS/HS only, not ES or parents. And, they are open limited hours.

[Anonymous]

It’s because of the concentration of wealth in western county

I am in down county consortium & it’s so cliche for an upwardly mobile family to leave SS for W zoned home just after 5th grade graduation

If mcps drew a circle for its school boundaries rather than what we have now things would be different

[Anonymous]

It’s because central office intentionally creates raced baiting decisions as a strategy to maintain control over the peasants. Those in central office who oppose this leave by one way or another, and those who support it get promoted. From a former MCPS central office administrator who watched it happen and didn’t have the clout to change it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The degree of wealth and education is not the same. East MoCo has more populations than West MoCo who lack the background, education, money or time to insist that their kids do their homework and pay attention to their teachers.

You left out desire of parents to prioritize their children's education. My elementary-aged kids like to visit libraries all over MoCo, so we've been doing this for years. We've probably been to 80% of all libraries in the county. One pattern I noticed in the kids section no matter where we go -- the vast majority of kids there are white or Asian, even when the demographics of the surrounding area is not like that.

It's not a cost thing. Libraries are free, open long hours (all are open as I write this, in fact), and many are easily accessibly by public transportation. All MCPS students can ride Ride-On for free.

Of course, going to libraries is not required, and there are many other activities children can do to improve their knowledge, but we see this consistently on our library trips and it seems like a sign.

It likely also tells you which families earn their livings in jobs that do not have the flexibility to visit libraries during kid-friendly hours, or the clock time available to spend walking to a stop and waiting for a bus to get to a library when they already have to do that to get groceries. Availability of resources unfortunately does not create the luxury of the leisure to use them.

Correct. When people say something is easily accessible by public transportation they often mean the bus or train goes nearby. But they haven’t yet investigate how long it would actually take to get there. Also what times are you going to the library? Is it possible others are showing up at different times like later in the evening.

All of this.

Try walking eight blocks with a first grader and a toddler after you worked 8 hours on your feet at a retail or food service job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Redlining determined the residential patterns of concentrated poverty. Kids living in concentrated poverty face more challenges than any school system can effectively address. Right now, these schools are doing their best.

Redlining? This isn’t the 1950’s. The east county areas were filled with white families until the 90’s. The issue is the older housing stock has become much cheaper housing. We have segregation due to housing costs. The county is more segregated now than we were in the 1970’s. Subrurb Neighborhoods dominated by older garden style apartments seem to concentrate the poverty the most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High FARMS rate, huge discipline issues, failing infrastructure—and before you guys say anything, I sent my kid to Briggs Chaney, so I have experience. I pulled him out for private after three months. It was a zoo and still is, from what I hear. The local high schools are also bad, even from what I hear from neighbors. If you guys have any insights, let me know. I’ve always wondered.

Let me see: You have experienced 1 MCPS school for about 3 months, and you think you know about all the East County schools?

[Anonymous]

Briggs Chaney specifically has a lot of kid bussed over from the Castle Blvd apts.
it’s sad but they don’t have the best home lives a lot of the time and it spills over into school life.
I have 2 friends with kids there though, both kids are smart and doing well.