Eaton Thrown Under the Bus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happened to all the faith in Principal Pride?

Faith and pride are important, and so it hope. But alas, hope fades against reality.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
Then by all means you should fight it. There's nothing democratic about how this process is being run. Instead, it's largely the brainchild of a deputy mayor and her staff who are accountable to no one but a repudiated lame duck mayor. And one who's under a serious ethical cloud to put it delicately.

Yes, of course we are going to fight it. But, not by reacting hysterically and trashing good schools. If you think you have a legitimate case that Eaton should feed to Deal, you should make that case honestly. Not by spewing a bunch of falsehoods about Hardy and threatening to support an alternative plan that causes far more damage simply because you aren't getting your way. If you think you have a better idea for easing overcrowding at Deal, make that case. But, bashing Hardy is not going to get you anywhere.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Then by all means you should fight it. There's nothing democratic about how this process is being run. Instead, it's largely the brainchild of a deputy mayor and her staff who are accountable to no one but a repudiated lame duck mayor. And one who's under a serious ethical cloud to put it delicately.

Yes, of course we are going to fight it. But, not by reacting hysterically and trashing good schools. If you think you have a legitimate case that Eaton should feed to Deal, you should make that case honestly. Not by spewing a bunch of falsehoods about Hardy and threatening to support an alternative plan that causes far more damage simply because you aren't getting your way. If you think you have a better idea for easing overcrowding at Deal, make that case. But, bashing Hardy is not going to get you anywhere.

I am not the one who suggested the universal lottery. That would be hare-brained in the exteme.

[Anonymous]

Hardy is not the worst middle school in DC, but as a parent are you going to willingly send your child to a worse school than what you counted on? Especially when classmates are heading to private. DCPS is actually counting on the fact that Cleveland Park parents will suck it up and send their kids to private school without raising too much of a fuss. They won't go to Hardy, but the OOB kids will in larger numbers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hardy is not the worst middle school in DC, but as a parent are you going to willingly send your child to a worse school than what you counted on? Especially when classmates are heading to private. DCPS is actually counting on the fact that Cleveland Park parents will suck it up and send their kids to private school without raising too much of a fuss. They won't go to Hardy, but the OOB kids will in larger numbers.

I think parents really should consider Hardy -- take a look at the changes being implemented and achieved -- before bashing it as a bad school. However, as stated earlier in this thread, the real threat to Hardy's progress as a school is DCPS's openness to taking Hardy out as a Wilson feeder. That, right there, kills any promise that Hardy may have. The only way to cure the harm this has caused is for DCPS to commit to a new high school, feeding from Ward 2 and Ward 3, immediately. Otherwise, no parent with access to better options is going to consider Hardy as worth their child's middle school years. All of Principal Pride's efforts will die on the vine she's trying to grow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hardy is not the worst middle school in DC, but as a parent are you going to willingly send your child to a worse school than what you counted on? Especially when classmates are heading to private. DCPS is actually counting on the fact that Cleveland Park parents will suck it up and send their kids to private school without raising too much of a fuss. They won't go to Hardy, but the OOB kids will in larger numbers.

DCPS may assume that but they ignore the fact that the John Eaton boundary area is pretty economically diverse, with many students living in small apartments and not just Victorian homes in Cleveland Park historic district. Private school is beyond the means of many, admission odds can be tough and, most importantly, many parents want to be committed to public school through 12th grade. With Deal and Wilson as next steps, they have been comfortable doing so. Without Deal and with a possible unnamed high school assignment in the future, parents will be wondering what they committed to. Put another way, they committed to DCPS even before Wilson was renovated, But DCPS has not reciprocated their commitment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hardy is not the worst middle school in DC, but as a parent are you going to willingly send your child to a worse school than what you counted on? Especially when classmates are heading to private. DCPS is actually counting on the fact that Cleveland Park parents will suck it up and send their kids to private school without raising too much of a fuss. They won't go to Hardy, but the OOB kids will in larger numbers.

DCPS may assume that but they ignore the fact that the John Eaton boundary area is pretty economically diverse, with many students living in small apartments and not just Victorian homes in Cleveland Park historic district. Private school is beyond the means of many, admission odds can be tough and, most importantly, many parents want to be committed to public school through 12th grade. With Deal and Wilson as next steps, they have been comfortable doing so. Without Deal and with a possible unnamed high school assignment in the future, parents will be wondering what they committed to. Put another way, they committed to DCPS even before Wilson was renovated, But DCPS has not reciprocated their commitment.

So true. It's an issue of trust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hardy is not the worst middle school in DC, but as a parent are you going to willingly send your child to a worse school than what you counted on? Especially when classmates are heading to private. DCPS is actually counting on the fact that Cleveland Park parents will suck it up and send their kids to private school without raising too much of a fuss. They won't go to Hardy, but the OOB kids will in larger numbers.

This assumption that private school is a viable option is misplaced.

[Anonymous]

Then hopefully Eaton families will rally against the Hardy option.

[Anonymous]

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If Eaton is to be thrown under, the parents should advocate for the full lottery plan. That way they'd have at least a chance at a sect school . Hardy is awful.

Great logic. Let's screw the whole damn system if we are unhappy with a completely predictable outcome?

Just go to Hardy, it will get better. Don't vindictively advocate for the nuclear option C.

People just want the best for their kids. A chance at a decent high school education is better than none. There is little chance at Hardy.

Now you see why there is support for choice sets outside of Ward 3. The only difference is the others would give up a kidney for the opportunity to attend Hardy, which you won't consider.

Then let them have the opportunity, as it will likely be better than their other options. However, for schools that are being moved to Hardy unwillingly, you are forcing them to accept an inferior opportunity compared to what they had before.

You may not know the history of Hardy, which btw, is far from a failing school, but once "they" did get the opportunity. Michelle Rhee, at the behest of inbounds families, changed all that. Now the school is increasingly popular with inbounds families. The drop off from Deal to Hardy is not all that big and probably won't exist at all soon. Come over to my neighborhood where we are being switched from Deal to West. Then talk to me about being forced to accept an inferior opportunity.

The Deal to West shift is the essence of a tragedy. It is unthinkable that this would be a realistic plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The proposals provide that John Eaton ES will be forced out of Deal, and be assigned to Hardy, What do Eaton parents think of that??

Eaton and Oyster were always the most vulnerable. They're both closer to Hardy than Deal anyway. Even if there weren't a re-alignment of the boundaries in the political works, it always made sense to anyone who can read a map.

\

Can't remember if I posted in this thread or another, but reading a map doesn't mean much unless it had an overlay of bus and metro lines. However close Eaton and Oyster may be to Hardy, the commute will be twice or three times as long than the one the kids would make via the red line.

Have no horse in this race, just know that there is basically no easy east-west bus route (bit better for Eaton, but pretty bad for Oyster) for those two neighborhoods.

Working with the very unlikely assumption that all Eaton students begin their trip from Eaton itself (as opposed to an OOB location)

Assuming walking:

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 1.6 miles

shortest Eaton to Deal = 1.8 miles

Assuming driving (Google maps):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 5 min. driving, 16 min. public transit

shortest Eaton to Deal = 5 min. driving, 17 min. public transit

Assuming Public Transportation (WMATA trip planner):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = $1.60

shortest Eaton to Deal = $1.60

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There will be plenty of room at Wilson because this plan will inspire most people to consider private. Why on earth would a family who could afford private take the chance of sending a kid to Hardy? Eaton kids have had the Hardy option for years, but I've never seen a single kid take that option.

1) many families cannot afford private

2) many IB feeder families for Mann, etc are voluntarily sending their children to Hardy as it is.

IF this were true (hint - it's not) then why is Hardy majority OOB, with Mann being the least represented among its IB schools?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The proposals provide that John Eaton ES will be forced out of Deal, and be assigned to Hardy, What do Eaton parents think of that??

Eaton and Oyster were always the most vulnerable. They're both closer to Hardy than Deal anyway. Even if there weren't a re-alignment of the boundaries in the political works, it always made sense to anyone who can read a map.

\

Can't remember if I posted in this thread or another, but reading a map doesn't mean much unless it had an overlay of bus and metro lines. However close Eaton and Oyster may be to Hardy, the commute will be twice or three times as long than the one the kids would make via the red line.

Have no horse in this race, just know that there is basically no easy east-west bus route (bit better for Eaton, but pretty bad for Oyster) for those two neighborhoods.

Working with the very unlikely assumption that all Eaton students begin their trip from Eaton itself (as opposed to an OOB location)

Assuming walking:

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 1.6 miles

shortest Eaton to Deal = 1.8 miles

Assuming driving (Google maps):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 5 min. driving, 16 min. public transit

shortest Eaton to Deal = 5 min. driving, 17 min. public transit

Assuming Public Transportation (WMATA trip planner):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = $1.60

shortest Eaton to Deal = $1.60

The Cleveland Park Metro stop might be a better starting point, ,because that is the major transit point in the Eaton district. From there, Deal and Wilson are two stops north on the Red line. How to get to Hardy? You could take a bus up Porter to Wisconsin Ave, Then wait and transfer to another bus. Then take the notoriously slow (and bunched) 30s line down Wisconsin Avenue at rush hour. By car, in the morning you are going to Deal northbound against traffic. Driving to Hardy requires going with rush hour traffic, when there's no way of avoiding constrained Wisconsin through Glover Park.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The proposals provide that John Eaton ES will be forced out of Deal, and be assigned to Hardy, What do Eaton parents think of that??

Eaton and Oyster were always the most vulnerable. They're both closer to Hardy than Deal anyway. Even if there weren't a re-alignment of the boundaries in the political works, it always made sense to anyone who can read a map.

\

Can't remember if I posted in this thread or another, but reading a map doesn't mean much unless it had an overlay of bus and metro lines. However close Eaton and Oyster may be to Hardy, the commute will be twice or three times as long than the one the kids would make via the red line.

Have no horse in this race, just know that there is basically no easy east-west bus route (bit better for Eaton, but pretty bad for Oyster) for those two neighborhoods.

Working with the very unlikely assumption that all Eaton students begin their trip from Eaton itself (as opposed to an OOB location)

Assuming walking:

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 1.6 miles

shortest Eaton to Deal = 1.8 miles

Assuming driving (Google maps):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = 5 min. driving, 16 min. public transit

shortest Eaton to Deal = 5 min. driving, 17 min. public transit

Assuming Public Transportation (WMATA trip planner):

shortest Eaton to Hardy = $1.60

shortest Eaton to Deal = $1.60

The Cleveland Park Metro stop might be a better starting point, ,because that is the major transit point in the Eaton district. From there, Deal and Wilson are two stops north on the Red line. How to get to Hardy? You could take a bus up Porter to Wisconsin Ave, Then wait and transfer to another bus. Then take the notoriously slow (and bunched) 30s line down Wisconsin Avenue at rush hour. By car, in the morning you are going to Deal northbound against traffic. Driving to Hardy requires going with rush hour traffic, when there's no way of avoiding constrained Wisconsin through Glover Park.

I doubt the "I prefer the red line to the bus" argument will gain traction, or anything other than eye-rolling. Eaton is closer to Hardy. Period. If you can map out the majority of student commutes to get to Eaton in the first place, go for it but considering how many are OOB, that is unlikely to be persuasive.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There will be plenty of room at Wilson because this plan will inspire most people to consider private. Why on earth would a family who could afford private take the chance of sending a kid to Hardy? Eaton kids have had the Hardy option for years, but I've never seen a single kid take that option.

1) many families cannot afford private

2) many IB feeder families for Mann, etc are voluntarily sending their children to Hardy as it is.

IF this were true (hint - it's not) then why is Hardy majority OOB, with Mann being the least represented among its IB schools?!

See this thread:

HARDY MIDDLE SCHOOL: Record numbers from feeder schools for 2014-2015
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/365916.page