Joe Weedon wants permission to send his daughter to Walls

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The valedictorian at Eastern last year had a full ride to Duke.

This reflects even worse on JW and his oh so agonizing decision.

[Anonymous]

I don't know where I come out on this issue, because it is nuanced and complicated. But I am absolutely certain that most of you are bitter cowards, so insecure about your own choices and what may come that you find nothing at all odd about posting anonymously on DCUM.

No one makes you feel any way; that's on you. If Joe or anyone else judged you for sending your kid to a charter and it bothers you (still) many years later then the issue is you, not him. If you are certain of your own choices then what one man had to say should have washed off you like water off a duck's back.

You are all kind of missing the point here; he's acknowledging that this is a hard choice. That it forces reconciliation of public policy vs reality. That it requires preteens to help make real world decisions that have possible lifelong impacts.

I can't tell if you are bothered by his lack of certainty? His certainty? It's confusing.

I am not an elected official. I don't have to put myself out there and let the likes of you (and me) take shots, or act like there are easy answers, or have my preteen kids used as checkers pieces in a silly forum. People who do are to be commended. You know what elected officials don't usually worry about? People who sit at home in judgment on anonymous chat boards. You people aren't going to run against them. Or vote. Or canvas for better candidates. Your howling at the wind doesn't accomplish much.

I'm sure Joe appreciates you all helping him to understand what his daughter thinks. Or helpfully suggesting that she should be allowed to participate. I'm certain that the only feedback he received from his daughter was the two lines in the Post article. And that it hasn't occurred to him to consider (or discount) what his daughter thinks. Thank heavens for you insightful people.

Most of the people posting on here are trolls; I get it. You people are amusing. But there are people chiming in here who truly think they are adding something to the discussion, or providing unique views or considerations to the Wheedon family. I feel sorry for that group of people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know where I come out on this issue, because it is nuanced and complicated. But I am absolutely certain that most of you are bitter cowards, so insecure about your own choices and what may come that you find nothing at all odd about posting anonymously on DCUM.

No one makes you feel any way; that's on you. If Joe or anyone else judged you for sending your kid to a charter and it bothers you (still) many years later then the issue is you, not him. If you are certain of your own choices then what one man had to say should have washed off you like water off a duck's back.

You are all kind of missing the point here; he's acknowledging that this is a hard choice. That it forces reconciliation of public policy vs reality. That it requires preteens to help make real world decisions that have possible lifelong impacts.

I can't tell if you are bothered by his lack of certainty? His certainty? It's confusing.

I am not an elected official. I don't have to put myself out there and let the likes of you (and me) take shots, or act like there are easy answers, or have my preteen kids used as checkers pieces in a silly forum. People who do are to be commended. You know what elected officials don't usually worry about? People who sit at home in judgment on anonymous chat boards. You people aren't going to run against them. Or vote. Or canvas for better candidates. Your howling at the wind doesn't accomplish much.

I'm sure Joe appreciates you all helping him to understand what his daughter thinks. Or helpfully suggesting that she should be allowed to participate. I'm certain that the only feedback he received from his daughter was the two lines in the Post article. And that it hasn't occurred to him to consider (or discount) what his daughter thinks. Thank heavens for you insightful people.

Most of the people posting on here are trolls; I get it. You people are amusing. But there are people chiming in here who truly think they are adding something to the discussion, or providing unique views or considerations to the Wheedon family. I feel sorry for that group of people.

I don't think most are trolls on here. Several of us have commented about Joe and Amy's words and disdain after we were faced with the same choices, just with older kids and before they did. IMHO we aren't being any harder on him than he was on us.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, Joe, but no — most people here are not trolls.

And, yes, it’s okay to criticize hypocrisy. He was sure it was *not* a difficult choice until it became personal. That’s lame.

[Anonymous]

I’m not a troll. I teach in dcps & hate this kinda reverse field of dreams crap he & others peddle. If you come- they will build it. It breeds bossy ES parents who think they are ‘transforming’ dcps with STEM & aftercare. Then- when we really need them- they bail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m not a troll. I teach in dcps & hate this kinda reverse field of dreams crap he & others peddle. If you come- they will build it. It breeds bossy ES parents who think they are ‘transforming’ dcps with STEM & aftercare. Then- when we really need them- they bail.

OK, so what does DCPS "really" need?

[Anonymous]

He was just such an ass about people in similar situations in the past.

It is very funny to see him twist in knots to be any different from the people he criticized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s one thing to criticize Mr. Weedon if his child was going to elementary or even middle school and he lotteries his child outside of his IB school. But the article makes it sound like this is what his rising high schooler wants. He should take his daughter’s opinion into consideration when making a choice about schools. That’s what a good parent would do even if it goes against your policy preferences.

The article clearly indicated that his daughter would prefer Eastern:

"Malia — a confident, self-described nerd — said she would rather go to Eastern and commute by foot each day. "

OMG. Good catch; I forgot that in all the posts. But didn’t she also say she worried about the education?

Yes. It wasn’t a quote but the article said she wanted a row challenging academic experience than she had at EH.

So, if the daughter wants to go to a school outside of their boundary, how does that make Weedon a hypocrite? Are posters on here suggesting that he should force his daughter, a high school student, to go to Eastern to “keep it real”? Because that’s stupid. And that quote from Malia just shows that’s she torn about being separated from her community school and friends but the rest of the article suggests she wanted to go to a more challenging school.

What you’re missing is that Weedon did this, over and over again to others.

I don't know Joe Weedon but he sounds just like someone we have WOTP - Rachel Laser. She lectured us on white privilege, white atonement, white fragility, "equity", and the supposed evils of tracking (i.e., honors classes), and then shoved the ludicrous "Honors for All" down Wilson High School's throat and wrapped it "equity" to squash discussion. To top it off, she sends her child to the $40k/year private Georgetown Day School (GDS) instead of Wilson which is akin to a super strong version of tracking. You can't make this shit up. These people have no shame.

Wow, that is pretty bad. Why is she even involved in Wilson? Does she have other kids there?

I feel like these types of people are like the education versions of NIMBYs. Fine for other to send their kids to DCPS but heaven forbid MY kid go to school with black kids.

[Anonymous]

Are we talking about the same Joe Weedon? He’s never given me grief for exercising choice. Sure, he’s a known neighborhood school advocate but he’s never acted like an ass toward me or called me a racist. It might be your perception. He’s been critical of certain aspects or charters but he’s equally critical of dcps. Stop the gloating and let this family go about their business.

[Anonymous]

Its really weird how it seems to be the parents choice. Obviously elementary and maybe more child input for middle, but we definitely gave our child final say for high school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not a troll. I teach in dcps & hate this kinda reverse field of dreams crap he & others peddle. If you come- they will build it. It breeds bossy ES parents who think they are ‘transforming’ dcps with STEM & aftercare. Then- when we really need them- they bail.

OK, so what does DCPS "really" need?

Stem & aftercare. Keep up the good fight, you urban warrior you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know where I come out on this issue, because it is nuanced and complicated. But I am absolutely certain that most of you are bitter cowards, so insecure about your own choices and what may come that you find nothing at all odd about posting anonymously on DCUM.

No one makes you feel any way; that's on you. If Joe or anyone else judged you for sending your kid to a charter and it bothers you (still) many years later then the issue is you, not him. If you are certain of your own choices then what one man had to say should have washed off you like water off a duck's back.

You are all kind of missing the point here; he's acknowledging that this is a hard choice. That it forces reconciliation of public policy vs reality. That it requires preteens to help make real world decisions that have possible lifelong impacts.

I can't tell if you are bothered by his lack of certainty? His certainty? It's confusing.

I am not an elected official. I don't have to put myself out there and let the likes of you (and me) take shots, or act like there are easy answers, or have my preteen kids used as checkers pieces in a silly forum. People who do are to be commended. You know what elected officials don't usually worry about? People who sit at home in judgment on anonymous chat boards. You people aren't going to run against them. Or vote. Or canvas for better candidates. Your howling at the wind doesn't accomplish much.

I'm sure Joe appreciates you all helping him to understand what his daughter thinks. Or helpfully suggesting that she should be allowed to participate. I'm certain that the only feedback he received from his daughter was the two lines in the Post article. And that it hasn't occurred to him to consider (or discount) what his daughter thinks. Thank heavens for you insightful people.

Most of the people posting on here are trolls; I get it. You people are amusing. But there are people chiming in here who truly think they are adding something to the discussion, or providing unique views or considerations to the Wheedon family. I feel sorry for that group of people.

I don't think most are trolls on here. Several of us have commented about Joe and Amy's words and disdain after we were faced with the same choices, just with older kids and before they did. IMHO we aren't being any harder on him than he was on us.

Right, it is a hard decision. But when lots of other people were going through the exact same thing, he did not acknowledge that it was a hard decision and was fiercely critical, both generally and specifically to particular people, who wrestled with the hard decision and came out the way he didn't prefer - at least for other people's kids.

If he had always acknowledged it was a hard decision, people wouldn't be annoyed now.

[Anonymous]

Sorry forgot: bake sales, iPads, school t shirts, some dumb *ass behavior program (champs/pbis/conscious discipline)).
But mostly iPads

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The valedictorian at Eastern last year had a full ride to Duke.

that just means his/her income was low enough for Duke to cover everything

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know where I come out on this issue, because it is nuanced and complicated. But I am absolutely certain that most of you are bitter cowards, so insecure about your own choices and what may come that you find nothing at all odd about posting anonymously on DCUM.

No one makes you feel any way; that's on you. If Joe or anyone else judged you for sending your kid to a charter and it bothers you (still) many years later then the issue is you, not him. If you are certain of your own choices then what one man had to say should have washed off you like water off a duck's back.

You are all kind of missing the point here; he's acknowledging that this is a hard choice. That it forces reconciliation of public policy vs reality. That it requires preteens to help make real world decisions that have possible lifelong impacts.

I can't tell if you are bothered by his lack of certainty? His certainty? It's confusing.

I am not an elected official. I don't have to put myself out there and let the likes of you (and me) take shots, or act like there are easy answers, or have my preteen kids used as checkers pieces in a silly forum. People who do are to be commended. You know what elected officials don't usually worry about? People who sit at home in judgment on anonymous chat boards. You people aren't going to run against them. Or vote. Or canvas for better candidates. Your howling at the wind doesn't accomplish much.

I'm sure Joe appreciates you all helping him to understand what his daughter thinks. Or helpfully suggesting that she should be allowed to participate. I'm certain that the only feedback he received from his daughter was the two lines in the Post article. And that it hasn't occurred to him to consider (or discount) what his daughter thinks. Thank heavens for you insightful people.

Most of the people posting on here are trolls; I get it. You people are amusing. But there are people chiming in here who truly think they are adding something to the discussion, or providing unique views or considerations to the Wheedon family. I feel sorry for that group of people.

I don't think most are trolls on here. Several of us have commented about Joe and Amy's words and disdain after we were faced with the same choices, just with older kids and before they did. IMHO we aren't being any harder on him than he was on us.

Right, it is a hard decision. But when lots of other people were going through the exact same thing, he did not acknowledge that it was a hard decision and was fiercely critical, both generally and specifically to particular people, who wrestled with the hard decision and came out the way he didn't prefer - at least for other people's kids.

If he had always acknowledged it was a hard decision, people wouldn't be annoyed now.

To PP (and others with the same juvenile response). First, I repeat my position that your insecurity is about you, not him. I send my kid to a charter school. I don't care a bit what others have to say to me or about me. I make the best choice I can for my kid and my family. If Joe made you feel bad or insecure or inadequate or guilty then that's on you, not him. But what amuses me most is the idea that he was mean to you and made you feel sad or insecure (not that anyone can make you feel any way if you don't let them) so your answer now is to try and make him feel bad? Because he's a hypocrite? And you didn't like it, so you're going to treat him how you feel he treated you to teach him a lesson? Or to justify your previous choices to him? Sincere question: why or how did this man get so far in your heads that you cared what he said or thought, and that you have carried these feelings for this long? I feel sorry for you all, sincerely.