What could a new Mayor mean for schools - DCPS and charters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will change unless DC somehow elects a mayor who is more conservative than Bowser who is willing to challenge the status quo.

I think that you may have found yourself in the wrong city if you think that DC will ever become conservative. I certainly don't believe conservatism is required for a leader to create better schools. Fenty did more than any other mayor to push forward our schools and make change and he was far from conservative.

PP here. You've misread what I wrote. I said "more conservative than Bowser." Not "a conservative." Fenty is precisely the kind of person I was talking about. He was "more conservative than Bowser" (not to mention everyone on the city council). We need someone who will stand up to the status quo, and raise standards and introduce a measure of accountability. You don't get that when you vote for extremely liberal Democrats. That's like voting for extremely conservative Republicans and expecting them to raise taxes on the rich. It's simply not in the cards.

I disagree that Fenty was more conservative than Bowser. He went to Oberlin. Bowser is in the pockets of every developer she ever met.

What does that have to do with anything? If she is corrupt, please out her and tell the prosecutors. Or is she just pro-development, and that is the issue.

DP being in the pockets of developers doesn't necessarily mean she is doing something illegal or that is randos would have evidence admissible in court. But we all know where we add citizens relative to moneyed interest groups. It doesn't have to be like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:if people who post here and vote in DC want to have 'great' schools and get that from the next mayor, they are going to have to offer explanations that don't boil down to "great = demographics" like "you need a selective school that duplicates BASIS or attracts Asians."

I hope that folks can articulate that greatness as a list of plus and minuses, not a version of 'if Black children who are behind grade level are in this school I will not send my kids.'

My list:

*Well funded schools -- you don't need a well-resourced PTO to have decent aftercare, field trips, etc.
*Disciplined schools--where disruptive kids are kept away from those actually attempting to learn.
*Balanced schools--something that has advanced coursework for those that need it, remedial coursework for those that need that, with impressive facilities and non-academic programming for all.
*A respectable degree--do NOT graduate students that cannot even pass a test showing they are proficient in reading comprehension and math.

Not sure any of that will happen given the maddening array of charters and a lottery system where everyone is waitlisted trying to get into the few "good" schools with that "good cohort." From what I can see, the one thing we do have is great pay and good teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will change unless DC somehow elects a mayor who is more conservative than Bowser who is willing to challenge the status quo.

I think that you may have found yourself in the wrong city if you think that DC will ever become conservative. I certainly don't believe conservatism is required for a leader to create better schools. Fenty did more than any other mayor to push forward our schools and make change and he was far from conservative.

PP here. You've misread what I wrote. I said "more conservative than Bowser." Not "a conservative." Fenty is precisely the kind of person I was talking about. He was "more conservative than Bowser" (not to mention everyone on the city council). We need someone who will stand up to the status quo, and raise standards and introduce a measure of accountability. You don't get that when you vote for extremely liberal Democrats. That's like voting for extremely conservative Republicans and expecting them to raise taxes on the rich. It's simply not in the cards.

I disagree that Fenty was more conservative than Bowser. He went to Oberlin. Bowser is in the pockets of every developer she ever met.

Ok, well, you're just totally wrong. It was Adrian Fenty who put Michelle Rhee in charge of schools. It sounds Michelle Rhee was before your time. The short version is that Michelle Rhee did more to improve schools in DC than anyone else in our lifetime and she did it by doing the exact opposite of what Bowser and the rest of our city council does today re: schools. Michelle Rhee was a parent's dream and a liberal politician's nightmare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will change unless DC somehow elects a mayor who is more conservative than Bowser who is willing to challenge the status quo.

I think that you may have found yourself in the wrong city if you think that DC will ever become conservative. I certainly don't believe conservatism is required for a leader to create better schools. Fenty did more than any other mayor to push forward our schools and make change and he was far from conservative.

PP here. You've misread what I wrote. I said "more conservative than Bowser." Not "a conservative." Fenty is precisely the kind of person I was talking about. He was "more conservative than Bowser" (not to mention everyone on the city council). We need someone who will stand up to the status quo, and raise standards and introduce a measure of accountability. You don't get that when you vote for extremely liberal Democrats. That's like voting for extremely conservative Republicans and expecting them to raise taxes on the rich. It's simply not in the cards.

I disagree that Fenty was more conservative than Bowser. He went to Oberlin. Bowser is in the pockets of every developer she ever met.

What does that have to do with anything? If she is corrupt, please out her and tell the prosecutors. Or is she just pro-development, and that is the issue.

DP being in the pockets of developers doesn't necessarily mean she is doing something illegal or that is randos would have evidence admissible in court. But we all know where we add citizens relative to moneyed interest groups. It doesn't have to be like that.

"we all know where we add citizens relative to moneyed interest groups." Still unclear. You mean we are allowing development in certain areas and moneyed interest groups are preventing development in other areas? If so, good luck with that. Happy to support a general upzoning and by right development so we don't have endless fights over relatively puny projects. Interest groups can't stand up to an actual broad coalition of voters willing to show they will push for policy.

[Anonymous]

Bring back high standards:

If you can't read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, repeat.

After that, no more social promotion in any grade.

Admissions tests for Walls, Banneker and McKinley. (In addition to the other factors)

Advanced options for students starting in late elementary/middle school. This should be fluid -- you can always try to test in (if you don't make it one year, try again the following year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will change unless DC somehow elects a mayor who is more conservative than Bowser who is willing to challenge the status quo.

I think that you may have found yourself in the wrong city if you think that DC will ever become conservative. I certainly don't believe conservatism is required for a leader to create better schools. Fenty did more than any other mayor to push forward our schools and make change and he was far from conservative.

PP here. You've misread what I wrote. I said "more conservative than Bowser." Not "a conservative." Fenty is precisely the kind of person I was talking about. He was "more conservative than Bowser" (not to mention everyone on the city council). We need someone who will stand up to the status quo, and raise standards and introduce a measure of accountability. You don't get that when you vote for extremely liberal Democrats. That's like voting for extremely conservative Republicans and expecting them to raise taxes on the rich. It's simply not in the cards.

I disagree that Fenty was more conservative than Bowser. He went to Oberlin. Bowser is in the pockets of every developer she ever met.

What does that have to do with anything? If she is corrupt, please out her and tell the prosecutors. Or is she just pro-development, and that is the issue.

DP being in the pockets of developers doesn't necessarily mean she is doing something illegal or that is randos would have evidence admissible in court. But we all know where we add citizens relative to moneyed interest groups. It doesn't have to be like that.

"we all know where we add citizens relative to moneyed interest groups." Still unclear. You mean we are allowing development in certain areas and moneyed interest groups are preventing development in other areas? If so, good luck with that. Happy to support a general upzoning and by right development so we don't have endless fights over relatively puny projects. Interest groups can't stand up to an actual broad coalition of voters willing to show they will push for policy.

I don't have a problem with development. I have a problem with developers getting unfair deals due to political favors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bring back high standards:

If you can't read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, repeat.

After that, no more social promotion in any grade.

Admissions tests for Walls, Banneker and McKinley. (In addition to the other factors)

Advanced options for students starting in late elementary/middle school. This should be fluid -- you can always try to test in (if you don't make it one year, try again the following year).

This is literally the opposite of what Bowser, Janeese Lewis George, etc. want to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bring back high standards:

If you can't read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, repeat.

After that, no more social promotion in any grade.

Admissions tests for Walls, Banneker and McKinley. (In addition to the other factors)

Advanced options for students starting in late elementary/middle school. This should be fluid -- you can always try to test in (if you don't make it one year, try again the following year).




+1 - Transparent test-in selective schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Bring back high standards:

If you can't read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, repeat.

After that, no more social promotion in any grade.

Admissions tests for Walls, Banneker and McKinley. (In addition to the other factors)

Advanced options for students starting in late elementary/middle school. This should be fluid -- you can always try to test in (if you don't make it one year, try again the following year).

You need to vote for *completely* different people if this is what you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will change unless DC somehow elects a mayor who is more conservative than Bowser who is willing to challenge the status quo.

I think that you may have found yourself in the wrong city if you think that DC will ever become conservative. I certainly don't believe conservatism is required for a leader to create better schools. Fenty did more than any other mayor to push forward our schools and make change and he was far from conservative.

PP here. You've misread what I wrote. I said "more conservative than Bowser." Not "a conservative." Fenty is precisely the kind of person I was talking about. He was "more conservative than Bowser" (not to mention everyone on the city council). We need someone who will stand up to the status quo, and raise standards and introduce a measure of accountability. You don't get that when you vote for extremely liberal Democrats. That's like voting for extremely conservative Republicans and expecting them to raise taxes on the rich. It's simply not in the cards.

I disagree that Fenty was more conservative than Bowser. He went to Oberlin. Bowser is in the pockets of every developer she ever met.

What does that have to do with anything? If she is corrupt, please out her and tell the prosecutors. Or is she just pro-development, and that is the issue.

DP being in the pockets of developers doesn't necessarily mean she is doing something illegal or that is randos would have evidence admissible in court. But we all know where we add citizens relative to moneyed interest groups. It doesn't have to be like that.

"we all know where we add citizens relative to moneyed interest groups." Still unclear. You mean we are allowing development in certain areas and moneyed interest groups are preventing development in other areas? If so, good luck with that. Happy to support a general upzoning and by right development so we don't have endless fights over relatively puny projects. Interest groups can't stand up to an actual broad coalition of voters willing to show they will push for policy.

I don't have a problem with development. I have a problem with developers getting unfair deals due to political favors.

That is corruption-maybe legal-but still. And the way to avoid that is just let people build without the need for any deals whatsoever. We have a system where you need government approval to build almost anything. So negotiations will happen, favors will occur, and outright pay to play corruption is more likely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bring back high standards:

If you can't read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, repeat.

After that, no more social promotion in any grade.

Admissions tests for Walls, Banneker and McKinley. (In addition to the other factors)

Advanced options for students starting in late elementary/middle school. This should be fluid -- you can always try to test in (if you don't make it one year, try again the following year).

You need to vote for *completely* different people if this is what you want.

This is what I want.

There is still time for someone to come out of nowhere and actually "make DC great again."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bring back high standards:

If you can't read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, repeat.

After that, no more social promotion in any grade.

Admissions tests for Walls, Banneker and McKinley. (In addition to the other factors)

Advanced options for students starting in late elementary/middle school. This should be fluid -- you can always try to test in (if you don't make it one year, try again the following year).

You need to vote for *completely* different people if this is what you want.

This is what I want.

There is still time for someone to come out of nowhere and actually "make DC great again."

I think the issue is that people want to vote for the very liberal candidates but the very liberal candidates would never in a million years support this agenda:

Bring back high standards:

If you can't read proficiently by the end of 3rd grade, repeat.

After that, no more social promotion in any grade.

Admissions tests for Walls, Banneker and McKinley. (In addition to the other factors)

Advanced options for students starting in late elementary/middle school. This should be fluid -- you can always try to test in (if you don't make it one year, try again the following year).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will change unless DC somehow elects a mayor who is more conservative than Bowser who is willing to challenge the status quo.

I think that you may have found yourself in the wrong city if you think that DC will ever become conservative. I certainly don't believe conservatism is required for a leader to create better schools. Fenty did more than any other mayor to push forward our schools and make change and he was far from conservative.

PP here. You've misread what I wrote. I said "more conservative than Bowser." Not "a conservative." Fenty is precisely the kind of person I was talking about. He was "more conservative than Bowser" (not to mention everyone on the city council). We need someone who will stand up to the status quo, and raise standards and introduce a measure of accountability. You don't get that when you vote for extremely liberal Democrats. That's like voting for extremely conservative Republicans and expecting them to raise taxes on the rich. It's simply not in the cards.

I disagree that Fenty was more conservative than Bowser. He went to Oberlin. Bowser is in the pockets of every developer she ever met.

Ok, well, you're just totally wrong. It was Adrian Fenty who put Michelle Rhee in charge of schools. It sounds Michelle Rhee was before your time. The short version is that Michelle Rhee did more to improve schools in DC than anyone else in our lifetime and she did it by doing the exact opposite of what Bowser and the rest of our city council does today re: schools. Michelle Rhee was a parent's dream and a liberal politician's nightmare.

Totally agree, and I am old enough to remember. One of the few brave acts from a politician (and one of his appointees) that I can point to in my lifetime. It completely changed the trajectory of the DC school system for the better. And of course he was rewarded by being voted out of office.

[Anonymous]

Rhee was a disaster. Performative. Unsustained, unsustainable clowning for national media.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing will change unless DC somehow elects a mayor who is more conservative than Bowser who is willing to challenge the status quo.

I think that you may have found yourself in the wrong city if you think that DC will ever become conservative. I certainly don't believe conservatism is required for a leader to create better schools. Fenty did more than any other mayor to push forward our schools and make change and he was far from conservative.

PP here. You've misread what I wrote. I said "more conservative than Bowser." Not "a conservative." Fenty is precisely the kind of person I was talking about. He was "more conservative than Bowser" (not to mention everyone on the city council). We need someone who will stand up to the status quo, and raise standards and introduce a measure of accountability. You don't get that when you vote for extremely liberal Democrats. That's like voting for extremely conservative Republicans and expecting them to raise taxes on the rich. It's simply not in the cards.

I disagree that Fenty was more conservative than Bowser. He went to Oberlin. Bowser is in the pockets of every developer she ever met.

Ok, well, you're just totally wrong. It was Adrian Fenty who put Michelle Rhee in charge of schools. It sounds Michelle Rhee was before your time. The short version is that Michelle Rhee did more to improve schools in DC than anyone else in our lifetime and she did it by doing the exact opposite of what Bowser and the rest of our city council does today re: schools. Michelle Rhee was a parent's dream and a liberal politician's nightmare.

The only candidate that’s declared so far is Lewis-George. Is she more or less conservative and what might that mean for schools?