Resentful and annoyed

[Anonymous]

Can't we all just agree that the real problem is not one of resenting that "someone has more than I do." The real issue isn't folks west of the Park decide to opt into the charter school system. The problem is the number of families in this city that literally don't have an elementary school option where kids are testing above 40% proficient -- that is frustrating and troubling and should be cause for concern, aggravation, and, perhaps, bitterness. We're not necessarily talking about folks who are upset their kids can't go to the best public school or the best private school -- we're talking about folks whose IB option may literally be a FAILING school.

Now, real talk, low income families have been facing this conundrum in cities for generations, so let's not pretend this is a new phenomenon. However, the answer to the frustration shouldn't be - "you should've engaged in better life planning." The answer should be that we're all up in arms that so many of this nation's children (and perhaps our own) don't have access to quality education.

It's insane that you need to spend $800,000+ plus to buy an average sized home in DC that's zoned for a decent elementary/middle/high school. That said, it's also not very productive to blame or be bitter towards the folks who were able to do this.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

An EOP Parent whose kid attends a charter school (and whose inbound school had a 21% proficiency rate)

[Anonymous]

Well said

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't we all just agree that the real problem is not one of resenting that "someone has more than I do." The real issue isn't folks west of the Park decide to opt into the charter school system. The problem is the number of families in this city that literally don't have an elementary school option where kids are testing above 40% proficient -- that is frustrating and troubling and should be cause for concern, aggravation, and, perhaps, bitterness. We're not necessarily talking about folks who are upset their kids can't go to the best public school or the best private school -- we're talking about folks whose IB option may literally be a FAILING school.

Now, real talk, low income families have been facing this conundrum in cities for generations, so let's not pretend this is a new phenomenon. However, the answer to the frustration shouldn't be - "you should've engaged in better life planning." The answer should be that we're all up in arms that so many of this nation's children (and perhaps our own) don't have access to quality education.

It's insane that you need to spend $800,000+ plus to buy an average sized home in DC that's zoned for a decent elementary/middle/high school. That said, it's also not very productive to blame or be bitter towards the folks who were able to do this.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

An EOP Parent whose kid attends a charter school (and whose inbound school had a 21% proficiency rate)

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

Please do not blame "failing schools" entirely for the low proficiency ratings. When students do not have academic supports at home, or structure, or read on their own, it is a very different classroom than students who do. I am not saying this is ALL students of low SES, but it is common. And it has an incredible effect on achievement and instruction.

-title 1 school teacher, outside DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can't we all just agree that the real problem is not one of resenting that "someone has more than I do." The real issue isn't folks west of the Park decide to opt into the charter school system. The problem is the number of families in this city that literally don't have an elementary school option where kids are testing above 40% proficient -- that is frustrating and troubling and should be cause for concern, aggravation, and, perhaps, bitterness. We're not necessarily talking about folks who are upset their kids can't go to the best public school or the best private school -- we're talking about folks whose IB option may literally be a FAILING school.

Now, real talk, low income families have been facing this conundrum in cities for generations, so let's not pretend this is a new phenomenon. However, the answer to the frustration shouldn't be - "you should've engaged in better life planning." The answer should be that we're all up in arms that so many of this nation's children (and perhaps our own) don't have access to quality education.

It's insane that you need to spend $800,000+ plus to buy an average sized home in DC that's zoned for a decent elementary/middle/high school. That said, it's also not very productive to blame or be bitter towards the folks who were able to do this.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

An EOP Parent whose kid attends a charter school (and whose inbound school had a 21% proficiency rate)

Well the solution to this is easy: Eradicate poverty in DCPS. If you do that, the proficiency level at even DCPS school will be fine.

[Anonymous]

every

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't we all just agree that the real problem is not one of resenting that "someone has more than I do." The real issue isn't folks west of the Park decide to opt into the charter school system. The problem is the number of families in this city that literally don't have an elementary school option where kids are testing above 40% proficient -- that is frustrating and troubling and should be cause for concern, aggravation, and, perhaps, bitterness. We're not necessarily talking about folks who are upset their kids can't go to the best public school or the best private school -- we're talking about folks whose IB option may literally be a FAILING school.

Now, real talk, low income families have been facing this conundrum in cities for generations, so let's not pretend this is a new phenomenon. However, the answer to the frustration shouldn't be - "you should've engaged in better life planning." The answer should be that we're all up in arms that so many of this nation's children (and perhaps our own) don't have access to quality education.

It's insane that you need to spend $800,000+ plus to buy an average sized home in DC that's zoned for a decent elementary/middle/high school. That said, it's also not very productive to blame or be bitter towards the folks who were able to do this.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

An EOP Parent whose kid attends a charter school (and whose inbound school had a 21% proficiency rate)

Exactly.

Then move and rent west of the park. Life choices. Government can't solve all your problems. You are all growns up now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't we all just agree that the real problem is not one of resenting that "someone has more than I do." The real issue isn't folks west of the Park decide to opt into the charter school system. The problem is the number of families in this city that literally don't have an elementary school option where kids are testing above 40% proficient -- that is frustrating and troubling and should be cause for concern, aggravation, and, perhaps, bitterness. We're not necessarily talking about folks who are upset their kids can't go to the best public school or the best private school -- we're talking about folks whose IB option may literally be a FAILING school.

Now, real talk, low income families have been facing this conundrum in cities for generations, so let's not pretend this is a new phenomenon. However, the answer to the frustration shouldn't be - "you should've engaged in better life planning." The answer should be that we're all up in arms that so many of this nation's children (and perhaps our own) don't have access to quality education.

It's insane that you need to spend $800,000+ plus to buy an average sized home in DC that's zoned for a decent elementary/middle/high school. That said, it's also not very productive to blame or be bitter towards the folks who were able to do this.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

An EOP Parent whose kid attends a charter school (and whose inbound school had a 21% proficiency rate)

Exactly.

Then move and rent west of the park. Life choices. Government can't solve all your problems. You are all growns up now.

By this logic, it's perfectly acceptable that there are children who cannot read at grade level? They are not grown ups. They cannot just move west of the park. Do they not deserve to have high quality schools too? Or is that something only rich children deserve?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It's insane that you need to spend $800,000+ plus to buy an average sized home in DC that's zoned for a decent elementary/middle/high school. That said, it's also not very productive to blame or be bitter towards the folks who were able to do this.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

An EOP Parent whose kid attends a charter school (and whose inbound school had a 21% proficiency rate)

Exactly.

Then move and rent west of the park. Life choices. Government can't solve all your problems. You are all growns up now.

Except that we pay some of the highest "state" income taxes in the nation for the privilege of living in this non-state with its corrupt and incompetent government. Your statement would make sense in a small government state with no income tax, where families have more disposable income to pay for private schools. But this is DC. The per capita govt budget (and educational budget) is huge and the govt functions as an employment program.

Yes, it's another life choice, we could all move to Virginia or Texas. But in my view people have a right to be upset when they are paying high taxes and getting poor government services in return.

When DCUM posters say stuff like "what are you expecting, for the DC govt to open a bunch of great charter schools catering to affluent families?", my thinking is yes, for the amount we collectively pay in taxes, that sounds reasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can't we all just agree that the real problem is not one of resenting that "someone has more than I do." The real issue isn't folks west of the Park decide to opt into the charter school system. The problem is the number of families in this city that literally don't have an elementary school option where kids are testing above 40% proficient -- that is frustrating and troubling and should be cause for concern, aggravation, and, perhaps, bitterness. We're not necessarily talking about folks who are upset their kids can't go to the best public school or the best private school -- we're talking about folks whose IB option may literally be a FAILING school.

Now, real talk, low income families have been facing this conundrum in cities for generations, so let's not pretend this is a new phenomenon. However, the answer to the frustration shouldn't be - "you should've engaged in better life planning." The answer should be that we're all up in arms that so many of this nation's children (and perhaps our own) don't have access to quality education.

It's insane that you need to spend $800,000+ plus to buy an average sized home in DC that's zoned for a decent elementary/middle/high school. That said, it's also not very productive to blame or be bitter towards the folks who were able to do this.

Just my thoughts on the matter,

An EOP Parent whose kid attends a charter school (and whose inbound school had a 21% proficiency rate)

Exactly.

Then move and rent west of the park. Life choices. Government can't solve all your problems. You are all growns up now.

You would love it, PP, if all the families in wards 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 moved to ward 3 to take advantage of your schools? How about they just set up a little tent city? This is a ridiculous "non-solution" which, if you think about it, makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

God, what a loving and empathetic community we live in. The repeated failure to comprehend the situation of others, to the point of blaming them for not moving to, say, Ward 3, plus the failure to comprehend the inherent inequity of a city-wide lottery that doesn't at least try to maximize opportunities for those without high-performing IB schools (i.e., by somehow weighting the lottery in favor of such students), is staggering to me. This is not to say the lottery should be designed differently. But it is inherently inequitable for this reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:God, what a loving and empathetic community we live in. The repeated failure to comprehend the situation of others, to the point of blaming them for not moving to, say, Ward 3, plus the failure to comprehend the inherent inequity of a city-wide lottery that doesn't at least try to maximize opportunities for those without high-performing IB schools (i.e., by somehow weighting the lottery in favor of such students), is staggering to me. This is not to say the lottery should be designed differently. But it is inherently inequitable for this reason.

It's not inequitable. It's a lottery for PUBLIC schools or PUBLIC charter schools. Everyone, yes even Ward 3 families, are entitled to a public school education.

[Anonymous]

dumb. it is inequitable. think about it for more than ten seconds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why did you choose to live in a place that does not have a school that is an option for your child?

Is there absolutely no where else in the city that you can afford? I know families w 3 kids in a 2 bedroom apt so that they can be in a good IB school.

I know a familiy in a 1 bedroom apt.

How important is your child's education?

Wow, judgmental much? Sorry OP, I think it is very unfair and I'm in a similar situation and I bought my house before kids. The neighborhood school wasn't on my radar bc I was sure I wouldn't still be in it by the time my child was school age.

[Anonymous]

I've heard really good things about St. Anthony's in Brookland. Catholic schools are very reasonable. Might be worth a look.