Question for those who are doing the DCPS lotteries-- why did you choose to live where you live?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Not sure I understand the hate. If it matters, I live in a DC neighborhood with a good IB school. When we bought our house, we did not have kids and it wasn't on the horizon. But I am glad we decided not to buy in some of these other neighborhoods because now we don't have to stress about schools.

My friends who are in the lottery boat all report that they wanted to live in their particular neighborhoods because of commute, liked the diversity/urban flavor of their neighborhoods, and view the lottery as just the cost of living there. Others have moved out of the city upon hitting school age.

So really, if we boil it down, your post is nothing more than smug, self-congratulatory blather disguised as some sort high-minded research? Please go away now.

[Anonymous]

I'm not in exactly the situation OP describes, but similar. We moved to a gentrifying neighborhood pre-kids with every intention of leaving the city when our future kids were school-aged. We like the city, though, so entered a select few lotteries, got very lucky, and here we are. We'd have moved, though, if we hadn't.

So while it wasn't OUR plan (athough it certainly worked out that way), I completely get people wanting and planning to raise their kids in an urban environment, and being willing to roll the dice on charters/OOB. Also, we're fortunate enough to be able to move to a close-in suburb should we decide we need to move. Others may be faced with the choice of staying in DC or going to a far-flung suburd, with the hellish commute and shitty quality of life that entails.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to live in Brooklyn and loved it. If I was still living there I would have done just like your friend. No way, I would have moved to some borring suburbs with long commute when there are so many great places to live in Brooklyn. I would have found a solution for schools just like many of my friends who are now raising their families in NY city.
We all understand your friend very very well.

OP here. Having never lived in Brooklyn, I guess I don't understand it because for them it's just not sustainable. Not to give too much away about her personal situation, but her DH does not even work in Brooklyn--- he actually commutes an hour to work (!!). But they continue to live there because they love it, and their lottery situation DID work out for them (albeit with the last minute, literally day-before-school call). I think in retrospect she thinks it was all worth it but at the time it was quite stressful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Not sure I understand the hate. If it matters, I live in a DC neighborhood with a good IB school. When we bought our house, we did not have kids and it wasn't on the horizon. But I am glad we decided not to buy in some of these other neighborhoods because now we don't have to stress about schools.

My friends who are in the lottery boat all report that they wanted to live in their particular neighborhoods because of commute, liked the diversity/urban flavor of their neighborhoods, and view the lottery as just the cost of living there. Others have moved out of the city upon hitting school age.

So really, if we boil it down, your post is nothing more than smug, self-congratulatory blather disguised as some sort high-minded research? Please go away now.

No, again, I am simply curious. I've found people's stories very interesting, and certainly this is just as valid a topic for discussion on DCUM as some of the drivel that's discussed in Off-Topic, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm not in exactly the situation OP describes, but similar. We moved to a gentrifying neighborhood pre-kids with every intention of leaving the city when our future kids were school-aged. We like the city, though, so entered a select few lotteries, got very lucky, and here we are. We'd have moved, though, if we hadn't.

So while it wasn't OUR plan (athough it certainly worked out that way), I completely get people wanting and planning to raise their kids in an urban environment, and being willing to roll the dice on charters/OOB. Also, we're fortunate enough to be able to move to a close-in suburb should we decide we need to move. Others may be faced with the choice of staying in DC or going to a far-flung suburd, with the hellish commute and shitty quality of life that entails.

I'm the PP - seeing OP's first follow-up post, now I'm irritated I responded at all. As a PP said, she appears to be engaged in some sort of self-congratulatory "why didn't you all have the foresight I did" pat on the back to herself. I agree, please go away.

[Anonymous]

So tell us, were you kinda bummed the lottery worked out for her? Is she that friend who stuff always seems to work out for? I'm starting to understand your motivations, OP...

[Anonymous]

Also, I don't feel particularly self-congratulatory about my choice of neighborhood. Those who chose to live in the up and coming neighborhoods with poor IB schools probably wouldn't like my neighborhood very much at all even if it does have good IB schools (not diverse, farther from downtown, feels more suburban than urban).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So tell us, were you kinda bummed the lottery worked out for her? Is she that friend who stuff always seems to work out for? I'm starting to understand your motivations, OP...

Nope, I think it's great for her. She didn't want to move out of Brooklyn, and now she doesn't have to! And, her kid gets to go to a great public school.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

[Anonymous]

For 95% of people the lottery works out.

We live in a neighborhood that the OP would undoubtedly consider undesirable. We moved there before I was pregnant. We thought we would move before our kids were school aged.

I now have 3 kids OOB at one of the best EOP elementary schools in the city. My kids litterally run into the school like they were going to Disney World every day. Our house payment is slightly less than $1600 a month. We live 2 blocks from a metro station. Our house has doubled in value. Our commutes are very reasonable.

The middle school lottery craziness looms ahead, but if we strike out we can move to Takoma Park or whereever. I kind of think on the lottery stuff that you just have to fight letting it get to you, and getting obsessed with it. Go to a couple open houses. See where the chips fall.

I really don't think that NWDC was the safest bet for you OP. If I was going to be totally Ms. safe choice, I'd have gone with Arlington or Bethesda near a metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

I was one of those "I didn't think we could have kids" - I live in a two bedroom condo. So, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Again, another poster who is talking shit and doesn't see outside her little world.

We bought downtown where the school isn't good, didn't think we were going to have kids (couldn't) and now we do. So, before you start raging against those "crowding" out your kids - not everyone is living in large houses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

I was one of those "I didn't think we could have kids" - I live in a two bedroom condo. So, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Again, another poster who is talking shit and doesn't see outside her little world.

We bought downtown where the school isn't good, didn't think we were going to have kids (couldn't) and now we do. So, before you start raging against those "crowding" out your kids - not everyone is living in large houses.

Again, what's stopping you from moving?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't understand the posts that say "we bought a house 10 years ago and didn't think we could have kids." You can't put your house on the market in the 4 years (at least) that you knew that you had one?

Why don't we just get honest with each other and say we love our bigger homes that we would never be able to afford in a neighborhood with a great IB school. I think all of you who keep harping on the OP even asking the question are full of shit. You want a big house, close to work and you want your kid to go to a good school. Nothing wrong with that right? Not so much in DC. See, you start crowding out my kids who live in a tiny space because I made a choice that my kids' education is more important and moved accordingly. You preach diversity and gentrification as long you don't have to send your kids to the same schools. Puhhleeaseee

In other words, I hope none of you get in my kids' school.

OP here. Thanks for the defense (and no the PP is not a sock puppet post). My only quibble is that if you are IB for a good school, the OOB folks will not crowd you out because you will have admission as a matter of right, no?

Your points are similar to my friends' comments about living where they live (outer Hill, Bloomingdale, etc) vs where I live: they don't want to move up the Red line to Ward 3 because it takes longer to get to work, could only buy a crappy tiny house (see Real Estate threads on AU Park/Ch Ch DC etc). They are actively chosing to live there, and view the lottery/no good IB school as the price to pay for that. I was interested in what others' choices are/were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For 95% of people the lottery works out.

We live in a neighborhood that the OP would undoubtedly consider undesirable. We moved there before I was pregnant. We thought we would move before our kids were school aged.

I now have 3 kids OOB at one of the best EOP elementary schools in the city. My kids litterally run into the school like they were going to Disney World every day. Our house payment is slightly less than $1600 a month. We live 2 blocks from a metro station. Our house has doubled in value. Our commutes are very reasonable.

The middle school lottery craziness looms ahead, but if we strike out we can move to Takoma Park or whereever. I kind of think on the lottery stuff that you just have to fight letting it get to you, and getting obsessed with it. Go to a couple open houses. See where the chips fall.

I really don't think that NWDC was the safest bet for you OP. If I was going to be totally Ms. safe choice, I'd have gone with Arlington or Bethesda near a metro.

That's the key isn't it. OP probably considers a majority of the neighborhoods in DC undesirable - except maybe in her perfect Ward 3 world.

[Anonymous]

More than 40% of DC students go to charters now and that will only continue to grow, so honey, your xenophobic attitude whereby you want to protect the boarders of your higher tax bracket neighborhood from encroaching OOB is not all that necessary. Nevertheless, as much as you want it to, OOB is never going away...it is entrenched in the history of this divided city and DCPS will go bankrupt from the lawsuits that would ensue if any such move was attempted.