WAPO/Just Up The Pike Blog post: Suggestions for How to Remedy the De Facto Segregation of MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He cites one example many people have cited before, about how the town of Kensington kids go to the more affluent Walter Johnson, which is 4 miles away, instead of Einstein, which is 1 mile away. Segregation doesn't just happen -- it's enforced by crazy boundaries like that, by people who stand to benefit.

That area is crazy. Houses are 200,000-300,000 more in WJ when on the same street as houses zones for Einstein.

Which is funny, because class sizes are like twice as large at KP as they are at Rock View and Oakland Terrace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He cites one example many people have cited before, about how the town of Kensington kids go to the more affluent Walter Johnson, which is 4 miles away, instead of Einstein, which is 1 mile away. Segregation doesn't just happen -- it's enforced by crazy boundaries like that, by people who stand to benefit.

Agreed. Einstein is five miles from us, and is our home school, rather than Blair, which is ONE mile from home.

Us, too. I have no problem with my kid ending up at Einstein, but it seems nuts to bus her so far when she could walk to Blair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi Dan Reed! How's it poppin'?

Lol, even if it is him posting here its an interesting topic.

[Anonymous]

If a group of kids are behind academically, the only way I can see them catching up is to make them study longer until they catch up. I am talking longer school days, longer school year, weekend sessions, early childhood education maybe.

I don't think mixing them with other kids or giving them new curriculums or giving them nicer buildings or giving them better teachers will close the gap. They just have to buckle down and work harder. That is my one takeway from the Jaime Escalante Stand and Deliver model. Those inner city kids did well on the AP exams because they studied extra hard outside of school. It was more than just giving them a demanding curriculum, they had to work harder.

The affluent kids are going home to music lessons, tutors, cool summer camps and afterschool ativities, and houses full of books. A lot of the achievement gap difference is taking place outside of the normal school day, not inside of it. I am all far paying for this extra schooling, but I have little faith that 'innovations' within the current school time will do much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He cites one example many people have cited before, about how the town of Kensington kids go to the more affluent Walter Johnson, which is 4 miles away, instead of Einstein, which is 1 mile away. Segregation doesn't just happen -- it's enforced by crazy boundaries like that, by people who stand to benefit.

That area is crazy. Houses are 200,000-300,000 more in WJ when on the same street as houses zones for Einstein.

What street goes to both Einstein and WJ?
Some of Kensington goes to BCC as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I do not care about segregation that happens because of school boundaries. It is not happening because there are different schools for black and whites.

You will not change the poor performance of the kids who come from impoverished backgrounds by sending them to "W" schools. That is crazy thinking. You cannot fix the home situation of these kids. Home-life and level of parents education is a very big factor that MCPS has no control of.

Here is what I think will work -
1) Send kids to their neighborhood schools.

2) Increase the number of HGC and magnet schools around the county.

3) Fail the kids who do not perform well in ES and MS. Let them repeat the class and put additional resources there to make them succeed. If there is no improvement after 2 years of repeating a class - the parents can pay fees for the child.

I agree with this, and really don't care for the tone of argument that depicts these schools as under performing. There are pockets of bright kids at all these schools, in fact, there is a wonderful mentoring program at one of the NEC schools that involve top performing students helping students that need academic assistance. Dan Reed, how about you report on this next time? There are great things happening at these schools. If you're not a part of the community (meaning you are not a current student, parent of a student or staff member, alumni does not count ), please stop spitting out data left and right, spinning it, and then coming up with some poor ideas on how to solve the so called "problem".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He cites one example many people have cited before, about how the town of Kensington kids go to the more affluent Walter Johnson, which is 4 miles away, instead of Einstein, which is 1 mile away. Segregation doesn't just happen -- it's enforced by crazy boundaries like that, by people who stand to benefit.

That area is crazy. Houses are 200,000-300,000 more in WJ when on the same street as houses zones for Einstein.

What street goes to both Einstein and WJ?
Some of Kensington goes to BCC as well.

I think that person is referring to the area around Farragut or St. Paul streets, or maybe Ferndale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He cites one example many people have cited before, about how the town of Kensington kids go to the more affluent Walter Johnson, which is 4 miles away, instead of Einstein, which is 1 mile away. Segregation doesn't just happen -- it's enforced by crazy boundaries like that, by people who stand to benefit.

That area is crazy. Houses are 200,000-300,000 more in WJ when on the same street as houses zones for Einstein.

What street goes to both Einstein and WJ?
Some of Kensington goes to BCC as well.

I think that person is referring to the area around Farragut or St. Paul streets, or maybe Ferndale.

Yes. Oberon top.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He cites one example many people have cited before, about how the town of Kensington kids go to the more affluent Walter Johnson, which is 4 miles away, instead of Einstein, which is 1 mile away. Segregation doesn't just happen -- it's enforced by crazy boundaries like that, by people who stand to benefit.

That area is crazy. Houses are 200,000-300,000 more in WJ when on the same street as houses zones for Einstein.

What street goes to both Einstein and WJ?
Some of Kensington goes to BCC as well.

I think that person is referring to the area around Farragut or St. Paul streets, or maybe Ferndale.

Yes. Oberon top.

I meant Oberon too.