On the chopping block: AAP Centers

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[code]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It feels almost subversive to say all this, but there's a palpable tension there with parents' outsized egos being conveyed to their supposedly superior children.

Also this, which is a terrible way to talk about a child. And comments like this continue throughout this thread. While some AAP parents on this thread clearly have issues with Gen Ed parents, I haven't seen any nasty comments about the Gen Ed KIDS.

Actually, the comments by AAP parents about gen ed kids and base school kids on this thread have been overall very kind and positive.

Comments by a few of the anti AAP posters about other gen ed kids are often unfavorable, and are definitely unkind when they talk about AAP kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

I don't think that is a bad idea.

HOWEVER there are going to be many EXTREMELY unhappy base school parents who are pleased with their school and happy to be able to have, for example, one kid in GE and a sibling in AAP, who are going to be furious when they are going to get reassigned to a different school so there school can be turned into a center only school.

I would bet money that there are far more people who would be upset by this and that there are many more people who would prefer the status quo over such an idea.

That is a can of worms fcps does not want to open.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

I don't think that is a bad idea.

HOWEVER there are going to be many EXTREMELY unhappy base school parents who are pleased with their school and happy to be able to have, for example, one kid in GE and a sibling in AAP, who are going to be furious when they are going to get reassigned to a different school so there school can be turned into a center only school.

I would bet money that there are far more people who would be upset by this and that there are many more people who would prefer the status quo over such an idea.

That is a can of worms fcps does not want to open.

Maybe though they could pilot it with one of the schools that dcum says is nothing but problems...perhaps Louise Archer.

Turn that school into a 3-6 AAP only magnet and reassign all the other kids to neighboring schools and see how it goes.

LA gen ed/anti AAP parent posting here, what say you? Could you get behind such an idea?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^ the whole system has the problem

This statement is incorrect.

There have been several posters indicating the problem is not at their school. (I recall seeing posts from at least Canterbury Woods and Mantua.)

Sangster is another with great parents and students, and an administration and teaching staff that does an outstanding job of making all of the kids "Sangster kids" and not us vs them. Some of the kids my now middle schooler is closest with from elementary were in the other program at Sangster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

I don't think that is a bad idea.

HOWEVER there are going to be many EXTREMELY unhappy base school parents who are pleased with their school and happy to be able to have, for example, one kid in GE and a sibling in AAP, who are going to be furious when they are going to get reassigned to a different school so there school can be turned into a center only school.

I would bet money that there are far more people who would be upset by this and that there are many more people who would prefer the status quo over such an idea.

That is a can of worms fcps does not want to open.

Maybe though they could pilot it with one of the schools that dcum says flier in this thread who have is nothing but problems...perhaps Louise Archer.

Turn that school into a 3-6 AAP only magnet and reassign all the other kids to neighboring schools and see how it goes.

LA gen ed/anti AAP parent posting here, what say you? Could you get behind such an idea?

AAP parent, and I like that DC goes to school with a mix of kids. She doesn't need all AAP peers (although she does need enough for at least 2 classes, which almost no base schools have). Also, this seems like you are setting up a TJ situation, with parents griping about kids having access to an elite super school and get busing there. But, there are certainly GE parents earlier in this thread who said they would welcome redistricting if it meant their kids didn't have to go to the same school as AAP kids. So presumably, they would nOT mind if there kids were sent to a different school so the local Center could become all AAP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

I don't think that is a bad idea.

HOWEVER there are going to be many EXTREMELY unhappy base school parents who are pleased with their school and happy to be able to have, for example, one kid in GE and a sibling in AAP, who are going to be furious when they are going to get reassigned to a different school so there school can be turned into a center only school.

I would bet money that there are far more people who would be upset by this and that there are many more people who would prefer the status quo over such an idea.

That is a can of worms fcps does not want to open.

PPs in this thread with Gen Ed kids have said that all Gen Ed parents are unhappy with with being at a Center school. So they should be fine with leaving. And that they would welcome redistricting if it meant getting rid of AAP kids. (But I imagine they meant they would be happy If OTHER PEOPLES KIDS were redistricted, not theirs). So how about it Gen Ed parents: you're okay with AAP kids being sent to different schools. You think it's fine to make up the difference by having other kids redistricted to make up the difference. You've talked the talk. Can you walk the walk? Are you also oaky with letting your school become all AAP, and having your kids redistricted?

Also, in response to PPs above, base schools would still need an AART. The play a big role in screening 2nd graders, and do the pull outs of Level I-III kids, and things like Young scholars. In our school, the AART's only interaction with LLIV kids is to do an hour a week in 5th & 6th grades with kids who need differentiation in math above standard compacted math. Maybe it is different in other schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

I don't think that is a bad idea.

HOWEVER there are going to be many EXTREMELY unhappy base school parents who are pleased with their school and happy to be able to have, for example, one kid in GE and a sibling in AAP, who are going to be furious when they are going to get reassigned to a different school so there school can be turned into a center only school.

I would bet money that there are far more people who would be upset by this and that there are many more people who would prefer the status quo over such an idea.

That is a can of worms fcps does not want to open.

Maybe though they could pilot it with one of the schools that dcum says flier in this thread who have is nothing but problems...perhaps Louise Archer.

Turn that school into a 3-6 AAP only magnet and reassign all the other kids to neighboring schools and see how it goes.

LA gen ed/anti AAP parent posting here, what say you? Could you get behind such an idea?

AAP parent, and I like that DC goes to school with a mix of kids. She doesn't need all AAP peers (although she does need enough for at least 2 classes, which almost no base schools have). Also, this seems like you are setting up a TJ situation, with parents griping about kids having access to an elite super school and get busing there. But, there are certainly GE parents earlier in this thread who said they would welcome redistricting if it meant their kids didn't have to go to the same school as AAP kids. So presumably, they would nOT mind if there kids were sent to a different school so the local Center could become all AAP.

PPs -- you raise good points.

I like the idea of a pilot "all AAP" school.

I seem to recall Greenbriar West did a survey of parents prior to the Poplar Tree change. Maybe survey the Louise Archer parents and ask for their feedback?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

I don't think that is a bad idea.

HOWEVER there are going to be many EXTREMELY unhappy base school parents who are pleased with their school and happy to be able to have, for example, one kid in GE and a sibling in AAP, who are going to be furious when they are going to get reassigned to a different school so there school can be turned into a center only school.

I would bet money that there are far more people who would be upset by this and that there are many more people who would prefer the status quo over such an idea.

That is a can of worms fcps does not want to open.

PPs in this thread with Gen Ed kids have said that all Gen Ed parents are unhappy with with being at a Center school. So they should be fine with leaving. And that they would welcome redistricting if it meant getting rid of AAP kids. (But I imagine they meant they would be happy If OTHER PEOPLES KIDS were redistricted, not theirs). So how about it Gen Ed parents: you're okay with AAP kids being sent to different schools. You think it's fine to make up the difference by having other kids redistricted to make up the difference. You've talked the talk. Can you walk the walk? Are you also oaky with letting your school become all AAP, and having your kids redistricted?

Also, in response to PPs above, base schools would still need an AART. The play a big role in screening 2nd graders, and do the pull outs of Level I-III kids, and things like Young scholars. In our school, the AART's only interaction with LLIV kids is to do an hour a week in 5th & 6th grades with kids who need differentiation in math above standard compacted math. Maybe it is different in other schools?

You are correct -- I missed that. Thanks for raising it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

I don't think that is a bad idea.

HOWEVER there are going to be many EXTREMELY unhappy base school parents who are pleased with their school and happy to be able to have, for example, one kid in GE and a sibling in AAP, who are going to be furious when they are going to get reassigned to a different school so there school can be turned into a center only school.

I would bet money that there are far more people who would be upset by this and that there are many more people who would prefer the status quo over such an idea.

That is a can of worms fcps does not want to open.

Maybe though they could pilot it with one of the schools that dcum says flier in this thread who have is nothing but problems...perhaps Louise Archer.

Turn that school into a 3-6 AAP only magnet and reassign all the other kids to neighboring schools and see how it goes.

LA gen ed/anti AAP parent posting here, what say you? Could you get behind such an idea?

AAP parent, and I like that DC goes to school with a mix of kids. She doesn't need all AAP peers (although she does need enough for at least 2 classes, which almost no base schools have). Also, this seems like you are setting up a TJ situation, with parents griping about kids having access to an elite super school and get busing there. But, there are certainly GE parents earlier in this thread who said they would welcome redistricting if it meant their kids didn't have to go to the same school as AAP kids. So presumably, they would nOT mind if there kids were sent to a different school so the local Center could become all AAP.

PPs -- you raise good points.

I like the idea of a pilot "all AAP" school.

I seem to recall Greenbriar West did a survey of parents prior to the Poplar Tree change. Maybe survey the Louise Archer parents and ask for their feedback?

If PPs are as unhappy with having their kids with AAP kids as they say, they should jump at the chance to send their kids somewhere else. Problem solved (I suspect not. I'm sure GE parents would hate this solution too).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I just troll, too....

when I fought like hell this past year to get the school board to change a decision re: our school. Wrote multiple letters, showed up at meetings, etc. And believe it or not, they did actually change their original position based on our input.

Thanks for playing this game.

I absolutely believe they did. But not because you posed anonymously on DCUM. Because you became actively involved IRL. There's a huge difference.

Not the PP, but isn't that what every single one of us is doing here (including you) - venting our frustrations on an anonymous message board? As another PP said, why shouldn't we come here vent AND be involved "in real life" in changing policies? It's so ridiculous to call someone a troll simply because you disagree with their opinion.

As the mom of two GE students who attend a center school, you'd better believe I'm also going to post on this forum whenever I feel like it. I think AAP parents pay a lot of lip service to the whole "we're all one big happy family/school" mantra, but when it comes to the GE parents discussing their experiences at center schools, the AAP parents love to shoot them down with moronic statements like, "Why are you here? It's kind of creepy for a non-AAP parent to be "trolling" or posting here". Kind of exemplifies the whole AAP parent mentality.

But I don't see the AAP parents consistently demonize the GE parents as we're often characterized as being driven, misdirected, self-serving. You don't see that?

GE parents aren't the ones insisting on special schools, programs, and busing for their kids. They don't act as if a public school system is there for one purpose only - to focus on the education of a select sub-group of kids. Why should GE parents be demonized? If anything, their kids aren't getting half the attention and resources that AAP kids are getting. And if your children were in this situation, you'd be speaking up too.

What resources, besides busing, are AAP kids getting? The AART spends most of their time preparing 2nd grade packets and doing pull outs with Level I-III kids. The AAP kids often have significantly larger class sizes, especially in Centers (DCs 4th grade class was 34 kids) and the classes are taught by a single teacher. They don't go on extra field trips or get extras in the classroom, like their own laptop or tablet. Laptop carts are shared by an entire grade's team. Academic extracurriculars in our school are PTA sponsored and open to all (and lots of GE kids participate). The teachers get some extra training, but AAP is a special Ed program, and all special Ed teachers get this. So, please tell me, what resources is my AAP DC getting from the school that your Gen Ed DC, or a Special Ed DC is not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

PP poster again, and I really want to know, what should happen to my ES Center based kids? Are you really saying you want them to have to switch schools twice in 4 years? How would you feel is someone was advocating jerking your kid around like that?

Seriously? You chose to place your child in a center. No one forced you. If they have to go back to their base school - like all the other kids - why is that somehow unacceptable to you? Sheesh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

You are correct, it's not fair. If some kids are given the option to switch schools, then all kids should be given this same option. Either everyone should benefit, or no one. And that's the reality of a public school system.

Actually, it is fair. Every child is given the same opportunity to qualify for center-based Level IV services based on one of two different test scores. That's a fact. The whole purpose of the process is to identify some range of the top scorers. It's also a fact that that means the majority of children will not meet the threshold for identification and will not be selected for Level IV services. That doesn't make it unfair. It's just the nature of the process, which is to identify the top range of students. The process then goes even further by allowing parents or teachers to refer children who they believe should be considered even though they didn't make the test score cut-offs. Level IV AAP students are not given the option to switch schools just because they don't like the color of the walls or the playground equipment at their base school; they're given the opportunity to go to a center to an AAP center because that is how FCPS meets the rmandates of Virginia law that requires each school system to identify some top range of gifted students and to provide services that help them reach their potential. Given the size and diversity of the school system, I think FCPS does a pretty good job meeting that legal obligation.

Regarding the bolded, above - yes, FCPS is mandated by the state to provide gifted services. They are not, in any way, shape, or form, mandated to provide special center schools for identified students. Arlington Co. - also mandated by the state to provide gifted services - does so within the walls of each assigned school. LLIV should be provided at every base school and centers should be a thing of the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just because parents choose to be cordial doesn't mean the school situation is healthy

Exactly. Most of the parents saying their school is just fine, has no problems with AAP/GE, etc. are, in fact, AAP parents. Of course they don't see the problems! And, as PP says, parents are generally going to be cordial and polite in person. You're probably never going to hear anything negative from a parent at your school if they feel what they have to say is going to be received negatively. That's why it was very interesting to read the comments on the FCPS message board, when they opened it up for discussion. Many parents were upset over centers and the way AAP is administered, and spoke freely in those comments - because it was anonymous.

I think the FCPS' User Voice suggestion of assigning some neighborhood schools to be all AAP is a good suggestion. There are some parts of the county where schools are located in close proximity to one another. Just take entire schools in various locations across the county and make them all AAP. There would be no need for Advanced Academic Resource Teachers in the base schools, either.

I don't think that is a bad idea.

HOWEVER there are going to be many EXTREMELY unhappy base school parents who are pleased with their school and happy to be able to have, for example, one kid in GE and a sibling in AAP, who are going to be furious when they are going to get reassigned to a different school so there school can be turned into a center only school.

I would bet money that there are far more people who would be upset by this and that there are many more people who would prefer the status quo over such an idea.

That is a can of worms fcps does not want to open.

Not if LLIV was provided in all base schools - no centers at all. Everyone can get what they need at their own community school, with no need to bus anyone anywhere else. I bet that most people would be completely behind this idea, and I can't imagine why anyone would object. Besides, I can't really feel too bad for anyone who is upset at the possible loss of centers. Many of us never wanted center schools to begin with; they were thrust upon us without any of the AAP parents feeling bad about it at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, I just troll, too....

when I fought like hell this past year to get the school board to change a decision re: our school. Wrote multiple letters, showed up at meetings, etc. And believe it or not, they did actually change their original position based on our input.

Thanks for playing this game.

I absolutely believe they did. But not because you posed anonymously on DCUM. Because you became actively involved IRL. There's a huge difference.

Not the PP, but isn't that what every single one of us is doing here (including you) - venting our frustrations on an anonymous message board? As another PP said, why shouldn't we come here vent AND be involved "in real life" in changing policies? It's so ridiculous to call someone a troll simply because you disagree with their opinion.

As the mom of two GE students who attend a center school, you'd better believe I'm also going to post on this forum whenever I feel like it. I think AAP parents pay a lot of lip service to the whole "we're all one big happy family/school" mantra, but when it comes to the GE parents discussing their experiences at center schools, the AAP parents love to shoot them down with moronic statements like, "Why are you here? It's kind of creepy for a non-AAP parent to be "trolling" or posting here". Kind of exemplifies the whole AAP parent mentality.

But I don't see the AAP parents consistently demonize the GE parents as we're often characterized as being driven, misdirected, self-serving. You don't see that?

GE parents aren't the ones insisting on special schools, programs, and busing for their kids. They don't act as if a public school system is there for one purpose only - to focus on the education of a select sub-group of kids. Why should GE parents be demonized? If anything, their kids aren't getting half the attention and resources that AAP kids are getting. And if your children were in this situation, you'd be speaking up too.

Take a deep breath. I am an AAP parent and I don't insist on special schools, programs and busing for my child. It is the system set up by the county and DD is part of it. As an AAP parent I don't act as if a public school system is there for the one purpose, to focus on my child and her classmates.

So when you lump us all together you are dead wrong. I do not lump all GE parents together. They are friends and neighbors and it doesn't matter whose kid is in which classroom. Whereas you, specifically, with your chip place firmly on shoulder should take this fight back to the administration. DCUM isn't going to help you practically and it doesn't seem like venting is good for you either, TBH.

Then let me ask you something: why are you here on this forum? It seems there are just as many AAP parents "belly-aching" (to use one of the choice words used earlier) about keeping center schools. Why shouldn't the other parents at centers voice their opinions on this forum as well? The only reason we've been called "trolls" and other dismissive insults is because the pro-center posters don't want our voices to be heard. And again - you seem to assume there's only one poster who feels this way. There are many.

So why is it that it's ok for you to vent your frustrations on this forum, but when the other side of the coin is expressed, we must have a "chip on our shoulders"? Many of us HAVE taken this to the administration already. Of course this forum isn't here for any reason other than to let off steam. But that goes for you as well. Mighty hypocritical to say that only some of you can vent here (if you believe centers should stay), but all the rest of us who want them gone, well, it's just creepy that we'd come here!