When did GDS become so well regarded?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:“You are wrong about this characterization, esp. the elitism and privilege assertion. The essence of GDS remains the same as before, academic excellence, social justice and leading change. Look no further than parents who have chosen GDS to educate their children: federal judges, law professors, progressive lawmakers, influential writers, public intellectuals, high level policy experts, nonprofit leaders, ethicists. They care deeply about equity and justice and the unique community of learning and service that is GDS.”

The school was lobbying to close off a public street just so it could have the campus that it wanted. If this isn’t elitism, I’m not sure what is.

And how many nuevo riche NoVA tech folks were/are on the board or making big donations to the renovation?

I think it was physical safety around cars and young children crossing across the campus.

And to configure the site to meet the security needs of future VVIP student protectees.

[Anonymous]

Cutting a street off may be obnoxious to neighbors but I don’t see why it’s elitist. If I ran a school and I could limit traffic nearby - i’d Certainly give it a shot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Cutting a street off may be obnoxious to neighbors but I don’t see why it’s elitist. If I ran a school and I could limit traffic nearby - i’d Certainly give it a shot.

The very definition of #clueless #elitist.

Hahaha #SocialJustice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burke is the new GDS. As GDS gets snootier and more uptight, the kinds of families who once sent their kids to GDS (academics, journalists, NGO types, ex-pats) not send their kids to Burke. Which may mean that Burke is doomed to go the way of GDS. (progressive/alternative school becomes hyper competitive and uptight).

This is exactly why our family and several others we know from three local K-8 are applying to Burke and not GDS. Here’s hoping the path predicted above is not the experience of those at Burke now. The Burke HOS and board seem committed to avoiding that, but who knows how well they can stick to their principals when they find the school in greater demand.

where is burke? along a subway line?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the Jewish thing, I'm not from this area, so I don't know about GDS. But I do remember when I was applying for colleges, a lot of college guides said that Brandeis had a diversity issue, because it was 2/3 Jewish. But I was also interested in Georgetown, which was not only even more Catholic, but at the time had a huge % from Catholic prep schools. Not a peep in the guides about Georgetown not being diverse.

Oh G-d.

You don't get stats, do you.

Hint: show me a school in Israel that is 2/3 Catholic

I get statistics perfectly well. That it's more *unusual* to have a 2/3 Jewish school than an 80% Catholic school in a country that 2% Jewish and 25% Catholic is undoubtedly true. That the Jewish school has a *diversity* problem but the Catholic school does not implies that Jews are inherently undiverse, but Catholics are not.

so 2/3s of the white students at GDS are Jewish?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up here in the 80s and it was considered a school where kids went that didn't "get in" - things have changed - what happened and when?

Around 1320 it became clear that GDS was something special.

Game of Thrones is inspired by some of the early parent teacher meetings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cutting a street off may be obnoxious to neighbors but I don’t see why it’s elitist. If I ran a school and I could limit traffic nearby - i’d Certainly give it a shot.

The very definition of #clueless #elitist.

Hahaha #SocialJustice

Don’t lose sight of the original plan, which is postponed for now. GDS wants to bring a vibrant mixed-use restaurant, residential and retail center facing Wisconsin Ave., adjacent to the consolidated campus. This would be an enormous community benefit because it would redevelop a couple of blocks in an otherwise somewhat rundown section of Tenleytown. Besides this direct benefit, the development would be a socially responsible investment by GDS, as it would contain at least ten percent affordable housing units, produce increased tax revenue for DC social services, and create an income stream for more school financial aid in furtherance of GDS’s social justice mission. Although the loud voices of the NIMBYs and those who are uncomfortable with mixed income housing in “their” neighborhood oppose GDS’s vision, the majority welcomes this needed investment in the community by an important institution.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I started at an ivy in 1995 and a kid from gds was there .. I was surprised because no one from my circle had even considered it. She was very "alternative" but I guess had to be smart. So I'd say mid to late 90s.

The market thing is more amusing. It is where rich kids went after getting rejected/kicked out of good schools. Last chance place.

Well, aren’t you special. ??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burke is the new GDS. As GDS gets snootier and more uptight, the kinds of families who once sent their kids to GDS (academics, journalists, NGO types, ex-pats) not send their kids to Burke. Which may mean that Burke is doomed to go the way of GDS. (progressive/alternative school becomes hyper competitive and uptight).

This is exactly why our family and several others we know from three local K-8 are applying to Burke and not GDS. Here’s hoping the path predicted above is not the experience of those at Burke now. The Burke HOS and board seem committed to avoiding that, but who knows how well they can stick to their principals when they find the school in greater demand.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cutting a street off may be obnoxious to neighbors but I don’t see why it’s elitist. If I ran a school and I could limit traffic nearby - i’d Certainly give it a shot.

The very definition of #clueless #elitist.

Hahaha #SocialJustice

Or just concerned about pedestrians safety and the lives of little kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Burke is the new GDS. As GDS gets snootier and more uptight, the kinds of families who once sent their kids to GDS (academics, journalists, NGO types, ex-pats) not send their kids to Burke. Which may mean that Burke is doomed to go the way of GDS. (progressive/alternative school becomes hyper competitive and uptight).

This is exactly why our family and several others we know from three local K-8 are applying to Burke and not GDS. Here’s hoping the path predicted above is not the experience of those at Burke now. The Burke HOS and board seem committed to avoiding that, but who knows how well they can stick to their principals when they find the school in greater demand.

+1

+2

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cutting a street off may be obnoxious to neighbors but I don’t see why it’s elitist. If I ran a school and I could limit traffic nearby - i’d Certainly give it a shot.

The very definition of #clueless #elitist.

Hahaha #SocialJustice

Or just concerned about pedestrians safety and the lives of little kids.

The plan would not have closed the street. It would have eliminated an easy “off ramp” from Wisconsin Ave. Currently the street serves as a cut-through bypass for Wisconsin traffic heading to Nebraska and vice-versa. A reconfigured intersection with Wisconsin would reduce the through traffic on the street, which south of GDS is residential. This is why many community residents, including those who were not completely thrilled with the school’s building plans, supported their street proposal. It would have been a win-win: keeping students safer, not just at GDScbut also at Janney (and seniors at Iona) and making the neighborhood safer for walkers. Perhaps some cut-thru drivers looking for a quick short cut through a residential neighborhood wouldn’t like it, but the major arterial is where through traffic is supposed to be, not on the side streets.

[Anonymous]

GDS became so well regarded once GDS parents learned how to post on DCUM . . .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:On the Jewish thing, I'm not from this area, so I don't know about GDS. But I do remember when I was applying for colleges, a lot of college guides said that Brandeis had a diversity issue, because it was 2/3 Jewish. But I was also interested in Georgetown, which was not only even more Catholic, but at the time had a huge % from Catholic prep schools. Not a peep in the guides about Georgetown not being diverse.

Oh G-d.

You don't get stats, do you.

Hint: show me a school in Israel that is 2/3 Catholic

I get statistics perfectly well. That it's more *unusual* to have a 2/3 Jewish school than an 80% Catholic school in a country that 2% Jewish and 25% Catholic is undoubtedly true. That the Jewish school has a *diversity* problem but the Catholic school does not implies that Jews are inherently undiverse, but Catholics are not.

so 2/3s of the white students at GDS are Jewish?

I don't think so

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GDS became so well regarded once GDS parents learned how to post on DCUM . . .

good point!