Unhappy teachers and parents - what is the solution?

[Anonymous]

The principal is very important. Years ago parents tried to help Ross improve and the then-principal stood in their way by accusing them of all kinds of racist, gentrifying, generally nefarious intent. A lot of families gave up on Ross at that juncture and it was three or maybe even four years until the local families tried again.

Now, Ross is a hot commodity on the lottery circuit because the principal did not stand in the way of neighborhood investment in the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The principal is very important. Years ago parents tried to help Ross improve and the then-principal stood in their way by accusing them of all kinds of racist, gentrifying, generally nefarious intent. A lot of families gave up on Ross at that juncture and it was three or maybe even four years until the local families tried again.

Now, Ross is a hot commodity on the lottery circuit because the principal did not stand in the way of neighborhood investment in the school.

Agreed. Bancroft similarly had a principal who shut down the last serious community effort to improve the school. Will be interesting to see if the new principal supports or smothers the next such effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[
17:46 here. I also see this attitude, and it annoys me as well. But I've managed to tune it out somewhat. I tend to figure it all comes from parents who are either in-bounds (or sibling-preferenced) at one of the Good Schools, or folks who at worst could afford private school, or a move to MoCo. Me, I have to be a DCPS optimist, because I know that my family is stuck. We're just shy of upside-down on a mortgage in Petworth, a block from a now-shuttered neighborhood school and re-zoned into a school a mile-long walk along Georgia Ave. No move, no private for us--which I think has made it much easier for me to be open to the possibility that there are great schools besides JKLMO.

Hey Petworth, I'm OP in Brightwood. If we moved now, we'd definitly take a hit on our house, so I feel your pain. Beyond that, we really don't want to move. We love our house and neighbors. It's just the #$%%^%W schools that are so frustrating. Our kids turn 2 this spring, so we have some time, which is why I want to get involved now. Maybe I can help get some community momentum going in the next 1-2 years. I'm willing to try.