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Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)
Incident earlier this month at Carl Sandburg in Alexandria
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Anonymous
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Hi,
I read in our local Mt Vernon paper's police log this weekend that on March 15th the police were called to Sandburg Middle School and arrested I think 4 kids ages 13-15 for "mob assault" on a couple of other kids. This seems like more than a hallway fight if the police were called and kids were arrested. Does anyone have any insight into what happened there? Is this an isolated incident or not surprising. We are currently deciding if we want to send our child to pubilc or private school and I have always had concerns about Sandburg, but now this makes me really concerned. Thanks! |
Anonymous
| bump |
Anonymous
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From what I heard (one of our DC will attend next year), it was a gang fight at a bus stop up off Rte. 1 (Salvadorean kids). The school was locked down and they went through lockers. No weapons or drugs were found.
There's a new principal there - former Marine and long time administrator - who's very strict. Fights are down significantly (principal said 6 this year at open house last month) and from the lock-down results, kids are not bringing stuff to school. |
Anonymous
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Man, this is sad to hear. I was an 8th grader the very first year that Carl Sandburg was open, and I just don't remember anything like that going on. Same with West Potomac! They were good schools. Granted, that was the mid 1980's, but it still shocks me when I hear about things that kids have to deal with now in schools that they didn't have to worry about then. I remember worrying about grades and whether or not my BFF was ticked off because I talked to a boy that she liked, but getting shot, stabbed or attacked by another group of kids was not something that really entered my mind when I got on the bus in the morning. I had more important things to worry about, like was that wave of teased bags that I worked so hard on all morning hair sprayed enough to stay up all day? Was my blue eye liner and green mascara still in fashion?
Of course, I suppose a statement could be made about the Rt. 1 area and how dangerous it has become, but as someone who grew up in the area and remembers what it used to be like, it just makes me sad. |
Anonymous
| This is why I am thinking about sending my child to private school. I am very worried about these schools in my neighborhood. |
Anonymous
| We're in the Waynewood school district - zoned with Carl Sandburg and West Potomac. We've decided to go parochial until 8th grade, then probably a private high school, or again, parochial. My neighbhor once said to me "if a kid can get through CS, they can get through any school", well, that pretty much cinched the deal for us! |
Anonymous
Us too and we are leaning towards Catholic school. it's a shame because we bought our house in this area because we thought the schools were good. We had no idea about Sandburg! |
Anonymous
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M kids are going to WW elementary as well.
Honestly, I'm surprised so many people automatically rule out Carl Sandberg and West Potomac. It is like people want to shelter their kid from anybody other than white, middle class America. Sandberg is not a crappy school. It is not *as* good a middle school as some others in FFx Co., but that is it. Yes, like all middle schools and high schools, it has some problems. Sending your kid to Catholic school (especially the likes of BI) is no better. Trust me on that. Of all my friends who now have problems holding jobs, problems with alcohol and drugs, they ALL went to BI. Perhaps things have changed, but judging by some of the peopel I know who are sending their kids there...I doubt it. Hello entitled... |
Anonymous
I am not interested in my child only being with white middle class kids, I actually want diversity but what I am not interested in is a school where the police are called at 7:30 am for gang related activities with 13 yr olds. And I know plenty of very successful adults who went to Ireton...oh and one of them happens to be the Governor of VA. |
Anonymous
I call BS, especially if you are thinking of sending your kids to BI. But regardless, we all know that this isn't about one gang related incident. Trust me, you could find all kinds of incidents of kids who go to any middle school (BI included) that you don't like. Personally, I don't care if you decide to send your kid to BI (I'm assuming b/c St. Mary's doesn't go to HS and there are no other nearby Catholic Schools). But let's not pretend it is for the better BI education b/c that is just laughable... |
Anonymous
My kid is four so I am not thinking about sending him to Ireton any time soon. His current school is very diverse it is just that I hear lots of frsutrations about Sandburg from my neighbors who have kids that go there. And St. Mary's is not the only Catholic School in the area.... Please do not make assumptions abotu someone you don't even know...and Waynewood is is hardly diverse by the way.... |
Anonymous
So, when there's an incident, it's better not to call the police. Instead, it's apparently better to ignore the incident, which is what often happens in schools in other parts of the county, or sweep it under the rug. Personally, I'd be happier with a school where the administration doesn't put up with a lot of crap, and calls in the police when they need to. Maybe the young thugs will think twice next time. As to Ireton, it's long had a reputation as a school where students who are well acquainted with pharmaceuticals will find a welcoming peer group, composed primarily of white middle class kids. |
Anonymous
| So Ireton hasn't changed in the past 15 years, eh? It was known for the drugs (and the parents who said "My kid is a good kid - they would NEVER do THAT!" and therefore gave them more freedom) back when I was in high school at Mount Vernon. |
Anonymous
you are an idiot...of course if there is violence they should call the police...I just find it distrubing that Sandburg is an environment where they need to call the police on 13 yr olds and that people think that is the norm... |
Anonymous
LOL, someone living in Whitewood lecturing us for not being accepting of diversity. Hell, the area was recommended for a poster a few months ago that wanted to live among Whites. You do know your kids are going to the whitest elementary school in the county, right? |