Mann and Janney PTAs called out in NYTs op-ed for perpetuating segregation in cities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this practice of PTAs raising large sums of money not allowed in almost every other jurisdiction in the US?

I doubt it but isn't the practice of substantial per pupil differences in funding illegal in almost every other jurisdiction in the US?

Can't have it both ways.

What are you talking about. The difference is supposed to help students who come from poor backgrounds. MCPS also has a lower student to staff ratio in less wealthy schools. That is common.

Do you know the difference between equity and equality?

[Anonymous]

$16k per @ Ross
$10k per @ Janney

That's over 50% more. That ain't right.

[Anonymous]

Ross is a tiiiny school. Not sure that is an apples to apples comparison.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ross is a tiiiny school. Not sure that is an apples to apples comparison.

That's why it's a per pupil comparison.

The underlying questions are what percentage should the privelege penalty be and how do we determine who it applies to?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this practice of PTAs raising large sums of money not allowed in almost every other jurisdiction in the US?

We’re in a neighboring jurisdiction. The State PTA org has no set limit on how much can be raised, but gives pretty clear guidance on how the money can be raised, and how it’s allowed to be spent, and even that the majority is to be spent within a certain timeframe of its being raised, so that it’s not just accumulating and not ever being spent. Then our district has even more restrictions on what PTAs may/may not fund. It’s all a little squishy and I’m not sure how often things have flown under the radar, but there’s been a concerted effort both from PTAs and the district to be more transparent and accountable to the rules, because it really does mask problems when a wealthy PTA just throws money to solve a problem for themselves, leaving the schools that don’t have the generous PTA funds (and Title 1 is very restricted in what it can be used for) at even greater disadvantage. Title 1 schools are supposed to get more money from the district, and have smaller class sizes and lower student:teacher ratios.

[Anonymous]

This thread is hilarious. Without NW residents, all of DC public schools would be a dump. But it doesn't really matter because it has been proven that throwing money at the problem won't change people who don't prioritize education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Without NW residents, all of DC public schools would be a dump. But it doesn't really matter because it has been proven that throwing money at the problem won't change people who don't prioritize education.

It is much easier to prioritize education when you do not need to worry about the physical safety of you and your family, having a roof over your head, and knowing where your next meal is going to come from. Given how liberal DC is, it surprises me how outspoken and out of touch the conservative minority is in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this practice of PTAs raising large sums of money not allowed in almost every other jurisdiction in the US?

I doubt it but isn't the practice of substantial per pupil differences in funding illegal in almost every other jurisdiction in the US?

Can't have it both ways.

I don’t think so. Our McLean elementary raises 400k a year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Without NW residents, all of DC public schools would be a dump. But it doesn't really matter because it has been proven that throwing money at the problem won't change people who don't prioritize education.

It is much easier to prioritize education when you do not need to worry about the physical safety of you and your family, having a roof over your head, and knowing where your next meal is going to come from. Given how liberal DC is, it surprises me how outspoken and out of touch the conservative minority is in DC.

Sure but come on. A large percentage of the parents really don’t care about education. Ask any teacher who teaches at a majority low income school. Many parents attitude is that their child’s education is not their responsibility. That’s the schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Without NW residents, all of DC public schools would be a dump. But it doesn't really matter because it has been proven that throwing money at the problem won't change people who don't prioritize education.

It is much easier to prioritize education when you do not need to worry about the physical safety of you and your family, having a roof over your head, and knowing where your next meal is going to come from. Given how liberal DC is, it surprises me how outspoken and out of touch the conservative minority is in DC.

Sure but come on. A large percentage of the parents really don’t care about education. Ask any teacher who teaches at a majority low income school. Many parents attitude is that their child’s education is not their responsibility. That’s the schools.

This. I'm one of those parents. I made sure that we live in a safer neighborhood (studio vs townhouse in need of repair since 1980) and have at least noodles to eat but don't call me about my child. I have my own work and problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Without NW residents, all of DC public schools would be a dump. But it doesn't really matter because it has been proven that throwing money at the problem won't change people who don't prioritize education.

It is much easier to prioritize education when you do not need to worry about the physical safety of you and your family, having a roof over your head, and knowing where your next meal is going to come from. Given how liberal DC is, it surprises me how outspoken and out of touch the conservative minority is in DC.

Sure but come on. A large percentage of the parents really don’t care about education. Ask any teacher who teaches at a majority low income school. Many parents attitude is that their child’s education is not their responsibility. That’s the schools.

This. I'm one of those parents. I made sure that we live in a safer neighborhood (studio vs townhouse in need of repair since 1980) and have at least noodles to eat but don't call me about my child. I have my own work and problems.

Ok then your child is going to turn out to be a thug

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Without NW residents, all of DC public schools would be a dump. But it doesn't really matter because it has been proven that throwing money at the problem won't change people who don't prioritize education.

It is much easier to prioritize education when you do not need to worry about the physical safety of you and your family, having a roof over your head, and knowing where your next meal is going to come from. Given how liberal DC is, it surprises me how outspoken and out of touch the conservative minority is in DC.

Sure but come on. A large percentage of the parents really don’t care about education. Ask any teacher who teaches at a majority low income school. Many parents attitude is that their child’s education is not their responsibility. That’s the schools.

This. I'm one of those parents. I made sure that we live in a safer neighborhood (studio vs townhouse in need of repair since 1980) and have at least noodles to eat but don't call me about my child. I have my own work and problems.

Ok then your child is going to turn out to be a thug

Actually, it sounds as if that parent does care about eduction and what they did was opt for a smaller home in a good school district. We all do what we can, some of us are lucky enough to b able to do more. I have my kids in good DCPS schools, they have supplies and technology, they are well fed and have as happy a home life as a tween and a teen can have, but their dad and I also have to trust in the schools to a certain extent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harshburger!

Even in cities where the rich and poor continue to live under the same local government, economic segregation saps political support for common, egalitarian infrastructure. Rich New Yorkers donate generously to beautify Central Park while resisting the taxation necessary to maintain parks in neighborhoods they never visit. In Washington, D.C., parents in wealthier neighborhoods contribute lavishly to parent-teacher organizations that provide extra money to public schools in their neighborhoods, but they do not vote for a similar level of funding for all city schools. Two schools in northwest Washington each raised more than half a million dollars in 2017, while several schools in southeast Washington don’t even have parent-teacher organizations. Last year, for the third time since 1970, the residents of Gwinnett County, Ga., which sits on the edge of Atlanta, refused to fund an expansion of the regional transit system into their suburban county.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-us-cities-inequality.html

That's not an op-ed. That's an actual editorial signed by the Editorial Board. HUGE difference.

But I'm curious why segregation is always white people's fault?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Without NW residents, all of DC public schools would be a dump. But it doesn't really matter because it has been proven that throwing money at the problem won't change people who don't prioritize education.

It is much easier to prioritize education when you do not need to worry about the physical safety of you and your family, having a roof over your head, and knowing where your next meal is going to come from. Given how liberal DC is, it surprises me how outspoken and out of touch the conservative minority is in DC.

Sure but come on. A large percentage of the parents really don’t care about education. Ask any teacher who teaches at a majority low income school. Many parents attitude is that their child’s education is not their responsibility. That’s the schools.

I've worked in organizations serving kids from low income families for years, and see the exact opposite from most families I've met, and same at my kid's school. This racist myth is really damaging. From my experience, a lot of parents from lower-income families are hustling to work as much as possible (or facing any other number of hard situations without the means to create their own support network/safety net) which means they aren't there to drop off or pick up their kids, or maybe can't make parent teacher conferences, etc, but is no indication of a lack of caring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is hilarious. Without NW residents, all of DC public schools would be a dump. But it doesn't really matter because it has been proven that throwing money at the problem won't change people who don't prioritize education.

It is much easier to prioritize education when you do not need to worry about the physical safety of you and your family, having a roof over your head, and knowing where your next meal is going to come from. Given how liberal DC is, it surprises me how outspoken and out of touch the conservative minority is in DC.

Sure but come on. A large percentage of the parents really don’t care about education. Ask any teacher who teaches at a majority low income school. Many parents attitude is that their child’s education is not their responsibility. That’s the schools.

This. I'm one of those parents. I made sure that we live in a safer neighborhood (studio vs townhouse in need of repair since 1980) and have at least noodles to eat but don't call me about my child. I have my own work and problems.

Ok then your child is going to turn out to be a thug

He might, he might not. He was in top 25 % of his class in one of the top elementary schools in DC. I knew he was smart and that was one of the reasons we moved. He needed to be around other kids like him. The other reason and a quite important one was the shootings in our former neighborhood- both of which we witnesses from our windows.
Studio was small but it was worth it. Lived there for 12 years.