Specifically on-topic contributors to the Drew boundary issue only please -

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think unless you also live in Columbia Heights and see how we are being used as pawns by both sides it is hard to understand why a lot of us are frustrated. Besides the other talking points Henry, understandably, wants to keep our PUs because we provide a lot of their diversity. Yet we are needed by Drew to provide a different type of diversity.

Btw, the worst thing I saw anyone say on those two AEM threads is “Don’t use my children as your social engineering experiment.” Would I have said it, no. That poster definitely shouldn’t have been so defensive but this is a tough situation for all of us who will potentially be moved (not just Henry parents).

But not many people from CH are speaking up. all I've seen is one poster on here who said that would rather move than send their kids to drew, the social Engineering comment on AEM. The poster on AEM who when asked by someone why they didn't want to send their kid to Drew replied with "I'd rather stay with Henry" and the matching tee shirts at the meeting at Kenmore. It doesn't make you all look good.

Abingdon students had to go to school during renovations. They had gym in a trailer. I get the point that henry parents are making regarding the new schools but Abingdon parents have a similar argument.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think unless you also live in Columbia Heights and see how we are being used as pawns by both sides it is hard to understand why a lot of us are frustrated. Besides the other talking points Henry, understandably, wants to keep our PUs because we provide a lot of their diversity. Yet we are needed by Drew to provide a different type of diversity.

Btw, the worst thing I saw anyone say on those two AEM threads is “Don’t use my children as your social engineering experiment.” Would I have said it, no. That poster definitely shouldn’t have been so defensive but this is a tough situation for all of us who will potentially be moved (not just Henry parents).

But not many people from CH are speaking up. all I've seen is one poster on here who said that would rather move than send their kids to drew, the social Engineering comment on AEM. The poster on AEM who when asked by someone why they didn't want to send their kid to Drew replied with "I'd rather stay with Henry" and the matching tee shirts at the meeting at Kenmore. It doesn't make you all look good.

Abingdon students had to go to school during renovations. They had gym in a trailer. I get the point that henry parents are making regarding the new schools but Abingdon parents have a similar argument.

I mean, what are we supposed to say? I have nothing to do with the t-shirt crowd, but of course I have a preference. I’m sure everyone in this process has a preference. Mine is for the school that yes, I chose when I bought my house. Drew was never on my radar. It’s an unknown, and like someone said has faced a number of leadership issues. I’m sure it’ll be completely different once this is all said and done, though, and the new principal sounds fantastic. It could be the next Henry or Hoffman-Boston for all we know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think unless you also live in Columbia Heights and see how we are being used as pawns by both sides it is hard to understand why a lot of us are frustrated. Besides the other talking points Henry, understandably, wants to keep our PUs because we provide a lot of their diversity. Yet we are needed by Drew to provide a different type of diversity.

Btw, the worst thing I saw anyone say on those two AEM threads is “Don’t use my children as your social engineering experiment.” Would I have said it, no. That poster definitely shouldn’t have been so defensive but this is a tough situation for all of us who will potentially be moved (not just Henry parents).

But not many people from CH are speaking up. all I've seen is one poster on here who said that would rather move than send their kids to drew, the social Engineering comment on AEM. The poster on AEM who when asked by someone why they didn't want to send their kid to Drew replied with "I'd rather stay with Henry" and the matching tee shirts at the meeting at Kenmore. It doesn't make you all look good.

Abingdon students had to go to school during renovations. They had gym in a trailer. I get the point that henry parents are making regarding the new schools but Abingdon parents have a similar argument.

I mean, what are we supposed to say? I have nothing to do with the t-shirt crowd, but of course I have a preference. I’m sure everyone in this process has a preference. Mine is for the school that yes, I chose when I bought my house. Drew was never on my radar. It’s an unknown, and like someone said has faced a number of leadership issues. I’m sure it’ll be completely different once this is all said and done, though, and the new principal sounds fantastic. It could be the next Henry or Hoffman-Boston for all we know.

Right but everyone is saying that. Everyone has their reasons to NOT go to Drew. having a school sit half empty with a high FARMS rate because nobody wants to move, while the rest of the schools sit at or over capacity isn’t going to solve anything.

Out of the 3 areas on the table for realignment to Drew that area makes the most sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think unless you also live in Columbia Heights and see how we are being used as pawns by both sides it is hard to understand why a lot of us are frustrated. Besides the other talking points Henry, understandably, wants to keep our PUs because we provide a lot of their diversity. Yet we are needed by Drew to provide a different type of diversity.

Btw, the worst thing I saw anyone say on those two AEM threads is “Don’t use my children as your social engineering experiment.” Would I have said it, no. That poster definitely shouldn’t have been so defensive but this is a tough situation for all of us who will potentially be moved (not just Henry parents).

But not many people from CH are speaking up. all I've seen is one poster on here who said that would rather move than send their kids to drew, the social Engineering comment on AEM. The poster on AEM who when asked by someone why they didn't want to send their kid to Drew replied with "I'd rather stay with Henry" and the matching tee shirts at the meeting at Kenmore. It doesn't make you all look good.

Abingdon students had to go to school during renovations. They had gym in a trailer. I get the point that henry parents are making regarding the new schools but Abingdon parents have a similar argument.

I mean, what are we supposed to say? I have nothing to do with the t-shirt crowd, but of course I have a preference. I’m sure everyone in this process has a preference. Mine is for the school that yes, I chose when I bought my house. Drew was never on my radar. It’s an unknown, and like someone said has faced a number of leadership issues. I’m sure it’ll be completely different once this is all said and done, though, and the new principal sounds fantastic. It could be the next Henry or Hoffman-Boston for all we know.

DP. Say or don’t say whatever you want, but you don’t get to wave the equality banner anymore if you said “for everyone but my kid” this time around. I don’t know if you personally had any part in CASE or not, but their absolute silence around this process says all we need to know about them.

[Anonymous]

You know, maybe there’s a deal to be struck here. Drew agrees to stop fighting it’s lousy situation in this process and the consequences for its students as long as the people in the people in the Fleet area agree to stop fighting their lousy high school situation in the Career Center process and the consequences for their students. Drew kids get the short end of elementary school but get zoned to the better high school, Henry gets the better end of the elementary deal but has to take the lesser high school. Seems fair. Or at least fairer than what Henry has been demanding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think unless you also live in Columbia Heights and see how we are being used as pawns by both sides it is hard to understand why a lot of us are frustrated. Besides the other talking points Henry, understandably, wants to keep our PUs because we provide a lot of their diversity. Yet we are needed by Drew to provide a different type of diversity.

Btw, the worst thing I saw anyone say on those two AEM threads is “Don’t use my children as your social engineering experiment.” Would I have said it, no. That poster definitely shouldn’t have been so defensive but this is a tough situation for all of us who will potentially be moved (not just Henry parents).

But not many people from CH are speaking up. all I've seen is one poster on here who said that would rather move than send their kids to drew, the social Engineering comment on AEM. The poster on AEM who when asked by someone why they didn't want to send their kid to Drew replied with "I'd rather stay with Henry" and the matching tee shirts at the meeting at Kenmore. It doesn't make you all look good.

Abingdon students had to go to school during renovations. They had gym in a trailer. I get the point that henry parents are making regarding the new schools but Abingdon parents have a similar argument.

Huh? Maybe they are working l, don’t care or never heard of this website. You’ve talked to two people and all of the sudden they represent 100s of people?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think unless you also live in Columbia Heights and see how we are being used as pawns by both sides it is hard to understand why a lot of us are frustrated. Besides the other talking points Henry, understandably, wants to keep our PUs because we provide a lot of their diversity. Yet we are needed by Drew to provide a different type of diversity.

Btw, the worst thing I saw anyone say on those two AEM threads is “Don’t use my children as your social engineering experiment.” Would I have said it, no. That poster definitely shouldn’t have been so defensive but this is a tough situation for all of us who will potentially be moved (not just Henry parents).

But not many people from CH are speaking up. all I've seen is one poster on here who said that would rather move than send their kids to drew, the social Engineering comment on AEM. The poster on AEM who when asked by someone why they didn't want to send their kid to Drew replied with "I'd rather stay with Henry" and the matching tee shirts at the meeting at Kenmore. It doesn't make you all look good.

Abingdon students had to go to school during renovations. They had gym in a trailer. I get the point that henry parents are making regarding the new schools but Abingdon parents have a similar argument.

I mean, what are we supposed to say? I have nothing to do with the t-shirt crowd, but of course I have a preference. I’m sure everyone in this process has a preference. Mine is for the school that yes, I chose when I bought my house. Drew was never on my radar. It’s an unknown, and like someone said has faced a number of leadership issues. I’m sure it’ll be completely different once this is all said and done, though, and the new principal sounds fantastic. It could be the next Henry or Hoffman-Boston for all we know.

DP. Say or don’t say whatever you want, but you don’t get to wave the equality banner anymore if you said “for everyone but my kid” this time around. I don’t know if you personally had any part in CASE or not, but their absolute silence around this process says all we need to know about them.

As far as I could tell that was an ad hoc group not really that organized beyond career center working group meetings. Why don’t you contact them and ask the group to get involved instead of making assumptions?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think unless you also live in Columbia Heights and see how we are being used as pawns by both sides it is hard to understand why a lot of us are frustrated. Besides the other talking points Henry, understandably, wants to keep our PUs because we provide a lot of their diversity. Yet we are needed by Drew to provide a different type of diversity.

Btw, the worst thing I saw anyone say on those two AEM threads is “Don’t use my children as your social engineering experiment.” Would I have said it, no. That poster definitely shouldn’t have been so defensive but this is a tough situation for all of us who will potentially be moved (not just Henry parents).

But not many people from CH are speaking up. all I've seen is one poster on here who said that would rather move than send their kids to drew, the social Engineering comment on AEM. The poster on AEM who when asked by someone why they didn't want to send their kid to Drew replied with "I'd rather stay with Henry" and the matching tee shirts at the meeting at Kenmore. It doesn't make you all look good.

Abingdon students had to go to school during renovations. They had gym in a trailer. I get the point that henry parents are making regarding the new schools but Abingdon parents have a similar argument.

Huh? Maybe they are working l, don’t care or never heard of this website. You’ve talked to two people and all of the sudden they represent 100s of people?

AEM is a FB group that’s been discussed here a few times.

What I’m saying is the people from that area that are speaking up are not saying a thing positive. I’m talking about 3 different sources (DCUM, Facebook and the public meeting) and nobody had anything to say that wasn’t just “keep us together we don’t want to go to Drew” all the schools can sag they want to stay together and have their reasons for wanting to stay together.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Come on, guys. Let's keep it on topic and civil. I have plenty of thoughts about the Henry/Fleet community but the reality is that Central Arlington gets squeezed because North Arlington refuses to play ball on diversity because they want walkability, and South Arlington is demanding that Central Arlington share what little balance it has. Plus, presumably the wanting to keep a school community together is not all a cover story. These are their kids' friends and classmates.

Oh come on. We're talking about families who have lived in these planning units less than ten years. At the very most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You know, maybe there’s a deal to be struck here. Drew agrees to stop fighting it’s lousy situation in this process and the consequences for its students as long as the people in the people in the Fleet area agree to stop fighting their lousy high school situation in the Career Center process and the consequences for their students. Drew kids get the short end of elementary school but get zoned to the better high school, Henry gets the better end of the elementary deal but has to take the lesser high school. Seems fair. Or at least fairer than what Henry has been demanding.

Total BS. Arlington heights got APS to build them a brand new school to their liking, and next they're going to get APD to build them a brand new high school to their liking. Drew's gonna get screwed twice, once the Henry parents ally with Oakridge to create a 30% farms high school and a 90% percent one at Wakefield.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know, maybe there’s a deal to be struck here. Drew agrees to stop fighting it’s lousy situation in this process and the consequences for its students as long as the people in the people in the Fleet area agree to stop fighting their lousy high school situation in the Career Center process and the consequences for their students. Drew kids get the short end of elementary school but get zoned to the better high school, Henry gets the better end of the elementary deal but has to take the lesser high school. Seems fair. Or at least fairer than what Henry has been demanding.

Total BS. Arlington heights got APS to build them a brand new school to their liking, and next they're going to get APD to build them a brand new high school to their liking. Drew's gonna get screwed twice, once the Henry parents ally with Oakridge to create a 30% farms high school and a 90% percent one at Wakefield.

Ah, I had been wondering why all the hostility, now I understand. Personally, I think the FARMs problem is easier to solve at the HS level, and if they open a 4th HS, I hope they will draw boundaries to balance all 4. It's a worthwhile exercise to do now, though. I assume it's possible to draw good boundaries, none of which are above 50% FARMs. Someone should start that process now. If it can't be done, and it really would screw Wakefield, I would not support a 4th HS.

I don't think that's the secret agenda, though, and I think most people would be horrified to see that happen. Is that why some people in S Arlington want a 4th HS to suck? I guess that makes sense if that's the secret fear, because I confess I don't understand it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:True, and I’m not even saying some of those planning units shouldn’t have to leave Henry. But Henry did agree to move and it agreed under a promise. That’s all. Things have changed and I get it. Henry isn’t “special.” But also Henry isn’t racist. If you’ve been there, if you knew the people, you would know how untrue and offensive that is. That’s all. It bothers me a lot that people are acting like it is. I also think it’s unfair to assume the desire to keep Henry’s most diverse planning units reeks of white privilege. Henry wants the 50 percent FARM to keep diversity. Drew wants them to reduce it.

First, there was no promise. Second, no, Henry parents aren't racist but how "woke" do you think the person who built your 700k house was, 70 years ago? Probably not very, and you are benefitting from that years later. Is your goldilocks level of diversity worth the creation of a school with an 85% poverty rate? You tell me. You cannot argue for one without recognizing the other as the consequence. That's life. You don't get to wash your hands of it. You lobbied the SB, and Drew's predicament is the result of catering to your loud, UMC voices. And by the way ... no one at the Henry "community" has said boo over the last ten years as the farms rate went from 60 to 30. It was only when UMC kids might get sent to Drew that this diversity argument got raised. So pardon me if I call BS.

[Anonymous]

Come on guys. We are better than this.

Repeat after me: we’re all on the same team.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know, maybe there’s a deal to be struck here. Drew agrees to stop fighting it’s lousy situation in this process and the consequences for its students as long as the people in the people in the Fleet area agree to stop fighting their lousy high school situation in the Career Center process and the consequences for their students. Drew kids get the short end of elementary school but get zoned to the better high school, Henry gets the better end of the elementary deal but has to take the lesser high school. Seems fair. Or at least fairer than what Henry has been demanding.

Total BS. Arlington heights got APS to build them a brand new school to their liking, and next they're going to get APD to build them a brand new high school to their liking. Drew's gonna get screwed twice, once the Henry parents ally with Oakridge to create a 30% farms high school and a 90% percent one at Wakefield.

Ah, I had been wondering why all the hostility, now I understand. Personally, I think the FARMs problem is easier to solve at the HS level, and if they open a 4th HS, I hope they will draw boundaries to balance all 4. It's a worthwhile exercise to do now, though. I assume it's possible to draw good boundaries, none of which are above 50% FARMs. Someone should start that process now. If it can't be done, and it really would screw Wakefield, I would not support a 4th HS.

I don't think that's the secret agenda, though, and I think most people would be horrified to see that happen. Is that why some people in S Arlington want a 4th HS to suck? I guess that makes sense if that's the secret fear, because I confess I don't understand it.

Not horrified to lift a finger to prevent it. All these "horrified" people seem pretty content to lament Drew's farms rate without helping a bit. So I think it's pretty safe to assume a 4th high school will be a repeat of this fall.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Come on guys. We are better than this.

Repeat after me: we’re all on the same team.

Can my team have some of your teams pta dollars?