Powerful Letter to the Arlington County School Board about Diversity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't HUD be contacted about N Arlington? That is, before the new administration.

About what?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't HUD be contacted about N Arlington? That is, before the new administration.

They are far too busy updating their resumes to pay attention now to how much low-rent housing there is on Lee Highway.

[Anonymous]

I really don't see the issue with the use of the term "Neal". It seems similar to Larla or Larlo.
Banning the use seems extreme.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Or, you know, it was really outside of the scope of this boundary adjustment and the fuller discussion will happen when there's a fourth high school.

Right, because the populations can shift suddenly and dramatically so there's no point in worrying about FRL stats at all right now, but we can absolutely count on fixing the problem that is not a problem at some point in the future, based on projections and plans based on nothing, and we can be confident because everything has gone so well up 'til now.

Except, this demand for busing is a minority viewpoint in the county (no pun intended). There's not exactly a groundswell of support for it. And, again, this was a boundary ADJUSTMENT, not a comprehensive redo.

Exactly.

And many of the people climbing on board this silly bandwagon would likely stop in their tracks once they realize that the demographic alignment they are pretending is needed likely would need to start in elementary school, and not just when it was time to head off to Wakefield.

Speak for yourself. My south Arlington neighbors are ready for a complete overhaul. This isn't working for us.

Shorter you: You convinced yourself to buy into South Arlington, probably even thought the diversity would be cool! I bet you felt pretty smug, paying $200,000 less than those racists in North Arlington. And, then, you came face to face with reality when your kid entered schools. And so now, since things didn't really gentrify as you hoped, and diversity isn't really all it's cracked up to be, you want North Arlington to pay for your mistake.

Right?

Look, when you bought in South Arlington, things were exactly the same as they are now. You don't get to buy into that and then demand a change because you got smacked over the head with reality.

Deplorable. There really isn't a better word to describe a viewpoint like that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Or, you know, it was really outside of the scope of this boundary adjustment and the fuller discussion will happen when there's a fourth high school.

Right, because the populations can shift suddenly and dramatically so there's no point in worrying about FRL stats at all right now, but we can absolutely count on fixing the problem that is not a problem at some point in the future, based on projections and plans based on nothing, and we can be confident because everything has gone so well up 'til now.

Except, this demand for busing is a minority viewpoint in the county (no pun intended). There's not exactly a groundswell of support for it. And, again, this was a boundary ADJUSTMENT, not a comprehensive redo.

Exactly.

And many of the people climbing on board this silly bandwagon would likely stop in their tracks once they realize that the demographic alignment they are pretending is needed likely would need to start in elementary school, and not just when it was time to head off to Wakefield.

Speak for yourself. My south Arlington neighbors are ready for a complete overhaul. This isn't working for us.

Shorter you: You convinced yourself to buy into South Arlington, probably even thought the diversity would be cool! I bet you felt pretty smug, paying $200,000 less than those racists in North Arlington. And, then, you came face to face with reality when your kid entered schools. And so now, since things didn't really gentrify as you hoped, and diversity isn't really all it's cracked up to be, you want North Arlington to pay for your mistake.

Right?

Look, when you bought in South Arlington, things were exactly the same as they are now. You don't get to buy into that and then demand a change because you got smacked over the head with reality.

Deplorable. There really isn't a better word to describe a viewpoint like that.

Not the poster to whom you're responding, but "accurate" comes quickly to mind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Or, you know, it was really outside of the scope of this boundary adjustment and the fuller discussion will happen when there's a fourth high school.

Right, because the populations can shift suddenly and dramatically so there's no point in worrying about FRL stats at all right now, but we can absolutely count on fixing the problem that is not a problem at some point in the future, based on projections and plans based on nothing, and we can be confident because everything has gone so well up 'til now.

Except, this demand for busing is a minority viewpoint in the county (no pun intended). There's not exactly a groundswell of support for it. And, again, this was a boundary ADJUSTMENT, not a comprehensive redo.

Where is this "demand for busing?" You know the historically black neighborhood that is referenced is bused to W-L, a trip of approximately 3.3 miles. Now they will be bused to Wakefield, which is 3.1 miles away. Do you have a map of Arlington? There is NO HS SCHOOL IN ARLINGTON THAT STUDENTS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD CAN WALK TO. These students will be riding a bus to any of the three comprehensive HS. And Arlington Forest, in North Arlington, is 2.6 miles to W-L and 2.8 to Wakefield. Majority of those students were bus riders either way, despite their rhetoric, so it wouldn't have been absurd for the SB to shift them to Wakefield. This is not "mandatory busing." We're a small county, with many major roads. Buses will always have to be part of the equation, unless the SB suddenly finds the money and land to build many, many more schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Or, you know, it was really outside of the scope of this boundary adjustment and the fuller discussion will happen when there's a fourth high school.

Right, because the populations can shift suddenly and dramatically so there's no point in worrying about FRL stats at all right now, but we can absolutely count on fixing the problem that is not a problem at some point in the future, based on projections and plans based on nothing, and we can be confident because everything has gone so well up 'til now.

Except, this demand for busing is a minority viewpoint in the county (no pun intended). There's not exactly a groundswell of support for it. And, again, this was a boundary ADJUSTMENT, not a comprehensive redo.

Exactly.

And many of the people climbing on board this silly bandwagon would likely stop in their tracks once they realize that the demographic alignment they are pretending is needed likely would need to start in elementary school, and not just when it was time to head off to Wakefield.

Speak for yourself. My south Arlington neighbors are ready for a complete overhaul. This isn't working for us.

Shorter you: You convinced yourself to buy into South Arlington, probably even thought the diversity would be cool! I bet you felt pretty smug, paying $200,000 less than those racists in North Arlington. And, then, you came face to face with reality when your kid entered schools. And so now, since things didn't really gentrify as you hoped, and diversity isn't really all it's cracked up to be, you want North Arlington to pay for your mistake.

Right?

Look, when you bought in South Arlington, things were exactly the same as they are now. You don't get to buy into that and then demand a change because you got smacked over the head with reality.

Deplorable. There really isn't a better word to describe a viewpoint like that.

Agreed. It's truly disgusting. I have to say I'm grateful this letter has shown a light on such ugliness. Arlington has swept this under the rug for so long, and the denial is so deep. Of course this is an anonymous message board. People could be commenting that aren't even in Arlington.
I know that is wishful thinking.
Arlington has some deep issues.

[Anonymous]

Why should there be diversity in housing? I mean no one is prohibiting you from purchasing anything. It's just that you can't afford it. What's wrong with it?
So if I can't afford a private jet, something I believe I deserve, then I should cry about it and ask the tax payers to "diversity" myself in?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Or, you know, it was really outside of the scope of this boundary adjustment and the fuller discussion will happen when there's a fourth high school.

Right, because the populations can shift suddenly and dramatically so there's no point in worrying about FRL stats at all right now, but we can absolutely count on fixing the problem that is not a problem at some point in the future, based on projections and plans based on nothing, and we can be confident because everything has gone so well up 'til now.

Except, this demand for busing is a minority viewpoint in the county (no pun intended). There's not exactly a groundswell of support for it. And, again, this was a boundary ADJUSTMENT, not a comprehensive redo.

Where is this "demand for busing?" You know the historically black neighborhood that is referenced is bused to W-L, a trip of approximately 3.3 miles. Now they will be bused to Wakefield, which is 3.1 miles away. Do you have a map of Arlington? There is NO HS SCHOOL IN ARLINGTON THAT STUDENTS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD CAN WALK TO. These students will be riding a bus to any of the three comprehensive HS. And Arlington Forest, in North Arlington, is 2.6 miles to W-L and 2.8 to Wakefield. Majority of those students were bus riders either way, despite their rhetoric, so it wouldn't have been absurd for the SB to shift them to Wakefield. This is not "mandatory busing." We're a small county, with many major roads. Buses will always have to be part of the equation, unless the SB suddenly finds the money and land to build many, many more schools.

I don't know if you are being deliberately obtuse, but presumably PP's reference to busing was to the additional busing and longer bus trips that would be required if the reshuffling demanded by a minority to produce schools with near-identical demographics were implemented. It is not simply about Option 2 instead of Option 4, which by itself does not change the SES profiles at any of the three high schools very much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Or, you know, it was really outside of the scope of this boundary adjustment and the fuller discussion will happen when there's a fourth high school.

Right, because the populations can shift suddenly and dramatically so there's no point in worrying about FRL stats at all right now, but we can absolutely count on fixing the problem that is not a problem at some point in the future, based on projections and plans based on nothing, and we can be confident because everything has gone so well up 'til now.

Except, this demand for busing is a minority viewpoint in the county (no pun intended). There's not exactly a groundswell of support for it. And, again, this was a boundary ADJUSTMENT, not a comprehensive redo.

Where is this "demand for busing?" You know the historically black neighborhood that is referenced is bused to W-L, a trip of approximately 3.3 miles. Now they will be bused to Wakefield, which is 3.1 miles away. Do you have a map of Arlington? There is NO HS SCHOOL IN ARLINGTON THAT STUDENTS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD CAN WALK TO. These students will be riding a bus to any of the three comprehensive HS. And Arlington Forest, in North Arlington, is 2.6 miles to W-L and 2.8 to Wakefield. Majority of those students were bus riders either way, despite their rhetoric, so it wouldn't have been absurd for the SB to shift them to Wakefield. This is not "mandatory busing." We're a small county, with many major roads. Buses will always have to be part of the equation, unless the SB suddenly finds the money and land to build many, many more schools.

I don't know if you are being deliberately obtuse, but presumably PP's reference to busing was to the additional busing and longer bus trips that would be required if the reshuffling demanded by a minority to produce schools with near-identical demographics were implemented. It is not simply about Option 2 instead of Option 4, which by itself does not change the SES profiles at any of the three high schools very much.

I very much doubt it's a minority view to have better integrated schools. Half our county is being underserved. This issue isn't going away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why should there be diversity in housing? I mean no one is prohibiting you from purchasing anything. It's just that you can't afford it. What's wrong with it?
So if I can't afford a private jet, something I believe I deserve, then I should cry about it and ask the tax payers to "diversity" myself in?

We already devote millions to create and preserve affordable housing. We this has and is already happening. Keep up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really don't see the issue with the use of the term "Neal". It seems similar to Larla or Larlo.
Banning the use seems extreme.

Stop pouting. It's not at all like "Larla" -- it's not a DCUM meme, for one thing, and "Larla" isn't used derisively to attack others who have a different viewpoint than yours. Your posts have been deleted twice already after being reported. Jeff's pretty clear about having thin patience for people who don't take these hints. Persist in this at your own risk. If you want to fight with "Neal," stick to Arlnow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Shouldn't HUD be contacted about N Arlington? That is, before the new administration.

About what?

About locating affordable housing there. Say, in the Jamestown or Discovery areas. I mean, it can't keep being 1955.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why should there be diversity in housing? I mean no one is prohibiting you from purchasing anything. It's just that you can't afford it. What's wrong with it?
So if I can't afford a private jet, something I believe I deserve, then I should cry about it and ask the tax payers to "diversity" myself in?

It doesn't quite work that way. There are new HUD policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why should there be diversity in housing? I mean no one is prohibiting you from purchasing anything. It's just that you can't afford it. What's wrong with it?
So if I can't afford a private jet, something I believe I deserve, then I should cry about it and ask the tax payers to "diversity" myself in?

We already devote millions to create and preserve affordable housing. We this has and is already happening. Keep up.

DP. But it shouldn't be limited to s Arlington or lee highway. It needs to go where it matters.