Ballou's New $120 Million Building--With an 8 Lane POOL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What?? I am a white nw girl born and bred but I find these Comments offensive. There is no way white parents in nw would find ballou's current building accepted. Kids who live in se deserve nice schools, too.

Btwn, statistically, fewer African Americans swim. Historically blacks were excluded from country clubs and public schools so there is less of a tradition of swim ing. Plus many black girls and women do not want to swim because they have to get their hair wet. I say black because this is true also in countries like Jamaica, Trinidad, etc.

It is sad that a SE School is not allowed to better it self. Every activity from cheerleading (OMG..Deal has the nerve to have white cheerleaders) to sports gets critiqued because it is associated with AA culture. Now, stuck up jerks are upset that poor ol' Ballou is getting a pool. The nerve of them.
I.m not bothered by the black women don't like to get their hair wet commet. There is a little truth behind that statement.Lol! I'm sure some racsist troll will respond with an Asimov comment.

[Anonymous]

Correction. ASININE COMMENT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ballou has a kick-ass marching band so I guess if the kids can dance and make music, the school must be good for something. Those kids can be educated to entertain, not succeed in careers! Yes, massa.

They barely make music. They have a good large drum line and a bunch of hip-shakers, with a few musicians mixed in between.

Let's see the parades they have performed are quite prestigious e.g., Rose Bowl, Kentucky Derby, Macy's, Apple Blossom, Cherry Blossom and so many more. Let's do a roll call of schools that have music in their schools and produces a marchng band *crickets* You don't have to like'em or respect'em for that matter, they are getting a new school, so be it.

It's called affirmative action in polite company.

[Anonymous]

Be a little responsible with these comments, folks. Many students at Ballou sacrifice and sweat to be a part of that band. I can't imagine how discouraged they might feel if they read these comments.

Also, as far as AAs not swimming, Howard U (an HBCU here in DC) requires that ALL students take swimming and has for decades. Be careful about stereotypes. Additionally, the trend, particularly amongst young AAs, is natural hair, which does not involve straightening or chemicals. Swimming, getting hair wet, and then styling it afterwards is less of an issue if at all. You all sound a little stuck in the past if you ask me.

Glad to hear that Ballou is getting an updated facility. They need it for many reasons and the students deserve it just like your precious little NW and Hill tots. Get over it and fight for what you need in your communities.

[Anonymous]

DCUM boards are becoming ugly, ugly, ugly. Are there that many racists in DC or do they post more often?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be a little responsible with these comments, folks. Many students at Ballou sacrifice and sweat to be a part of that band. I can't imagine how discouraged they might feel if they read these comments.

Also, as far as AAs not swimming, Howard U (an HBCU here in DC) requires that ALL students take swimming and has for decades. Be careful about stereotypes. Additionally, the trend, particularly amongst young AAs, is natural hair, which does not involve straightening or chemicals. Swimming, getting hair wet, and then styling it afterwards is less of an issue if at all. You all sound a little stuck in the past if you ask me.

Glad to hear that Ballou is getting an updated facility. They need it for many reasons and the students deserve it just like your precious little NW and Hill tots. Get over it and fight for what you need in your communities.

+1 . Well said.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:14:26- Vouchers won't make the truant kids show up for school, especially if they have to go across town to get there. They're not skipping school because of the teachers or (in most cases) the other kids. They don't value education (for a wide variety of reasons).

I used to teach in SE. Had a kid miss 80 days of school in the 3rd grade. I didn't miss that many days of school in 13 years. That's mom's fault, not the school's. By the time these kids get to high school, they don't care anymore. He's dead now, BTW- gang shoot out.

Glad you're not teaching there anymore. You don't sound like you expect much out of the students.

Anyway, this is a good move fiscally. The hope is for more people to move/buy into Ward 8 once the DHS compound is built and feds/contractors are moving to the area. If they can turn around Ballou, its a bigger incentive for workers to buy near work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCUM boards are becoming ugly, ugly, ugly. Are there that many racists in DC or do they post more often?

Dear ugly, what are you talking about? Where is the racism in this thread, other than perhaps in your imagination?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What?? I am a white nw girl born and bred but I find these Comments offensive. There is no way white parents in nw would find ballou's current building accepted. Kids who live in se deserve nice schools, too.

Btwn, statistically, fewer African Americans swim. Historically blacks were excluded from country clubs and public schools so there is less of a tradition of swim ing. Plus many black girls and women do not want to swim because they have to get their hair wet. I say black because this is true also in countries like Jamaica, Trinidad, etc.

There's also no way white/middle class parents would find Ballou's attendance and proficiency rates acceptable either.

I don't think it's racism. I think the problems in Ballou will not be fixed by a state of the art building and that the money could've been used in ways that benefitted students in a very meaningful way.

[Anonymous]

Certain neighborhoods and schools that were "unacceptable" 10 years ago are now closed off to OOB kids today.

This is great news for the students and nearby residents.

[Anonymous]

During racial sensitivity workshops at my private dc school, one of the issues raised by the African American girls was that they should not have had to take the required swimming class because it messed up their hair and it was racially insensitive not to offer them an alternative sport where their hair did not get wet.

[Anonymous]

Ps. 2.33 here. I still think the ballou kids deserve a pool though. And I did know of dc swim teams with tons of black kids back in my day eve, girls and boys.

[Anonymous]

I hope they maintain the school so it doesn't become another HD woodson http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/34603/end-of-an-error

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:During racial sensitivity workshops at my private dc school, one of the issues raised by the African American girls was that they should not have had to take the required swimming class because it messed up their hair and it was racially insensitive not to offer them an alternative sport where their hair did not get wet.

this for real?

[Anonymous]

WTF, c'mon on now we are ragging on Ballou because they are getting a new school. This can't be an issue in 2013. Then for some asshole to jump on the band, clearly has a boil on the anus. This band has brought a sense of pride to the DCPS instrumental music program. To call it affirmative action, when a band is accepted to presitgious events insults the organizers.

I do believe they will represent DC in the Cherry Blossom Parade, why not give'em a call and say stop-it with the affirmative action selection process.

Getting your hair wet and not wanting to learn to swim is totally different and irrlevant to Ballou getting a new building.

Let's see not only becoming another HD Woodson we don't another Dunbar, Shaw, Fletcher-Johnson and Shaw.