Sidwell Paid a family $50K and agree to change grades??????????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've know of a couple of cases where private schools retaliated against kids with difficult, demanding parents and they wanted the family gone. It was generally done by disciplining every small infraction, not offering constructive help when it was obviously needed, then telling the parents that the child isn't a "fit."

It's hard when a family has been difficult, perhaps even abusive to check oneself and make sure that you are being completely fair. A lot of statements, facial expressions, and grading policies are open to interpretation. And, no, no one is happy interacting with people like this. Is it not fair to ask a a family who has taken a school to court multiple times "Are you sure you want to be here?"

Yes. In the school's attempt to hit back at parents, the minor student becomes collateral damage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But, at the end of the day, Sidwell still cant escape that it did not grade her correctly. They had a legit complaint, even if there was no discrimination.

But a federal case, it certainly ain’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nobody on DCUM really wants to hear that Sidwell acted fairly or at worst clumsily. Doesn’t everyone hear really always want to think they acted poorly? It’s like sharks circling. Weird vibe in the whole thread.

Agreed. Also a lot of angry Sidwell defended ranging from circle to smug to offensive.@

The college counselor who is referenced by the family as being discriminatory is AA, by the way.

No, you're talking about the head of college counseling at that time; she wasn't the plaintiff's counselor.

Some of us in fact know both the counselor and college director at the time. To accuse either one of bias and discrimination is not only false, but obscene and defamatory. It’s no wonder that the lower court ordered the family to pay Sidwell over $40,000 in legal costs. This is highly unusual, and likely reflects that the court considered that their lawsuit had no well-founded basis and possibly the court’s view that the family had no credibility.

I know them both as well since one of them was my child's assigned counselor. My point was not to suggest that either acted in a discriminatory manner, but to clarify that the assigned counselor is white. To my fellow SFS parents -- try to chill a bit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've know of a couple of cases where private schools retaliated against kids with difficult, demanding parents and they wanted the family gone. It was generally done by disciplining every small infraction, not offering constructive help when it was obviously needed, then telling the parents that the child isn't a "fit."

If only this could happen at public schools. The admin acts like everyone is a problem parent at some close in NVA schools, even when the parent has never once spoken to them. And no, it is not always the parents, sometimes the administration just sucks. OTOH, problem parents ruin it for everyone.

[Anonymous]

If a student from a public school has a C in the transcript, there is no way for him or her to be admitted into Ivies or the top 25 colleges. The kids in private are so lucky and money really talks.

[Anonymous]

Head of NCS is married to the number 2 at St Albans

[Anonymous]

As a current parent, who has never had a conversation with the current head of school, I am super curious about the Tom Farquhar story. Shocking to hear about a head of school threatening a family. I have heard the current head speak once; I don’t even now his name. Having had kids at other schools, I have never seen a more absent head of school than at Sidwell.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a current parent, who has never had a conversation with the current head of school, I am super curious about the Tom Farquhar story. Shocking to hear about a head of school threatening a family. I have heard the current head speak once; I don’t even now his name. Having had kids at other schools, I have never seen a more absent head of school than at Sidwell.

Wait a second. First, the remarks attribute to the former head of school come from the petition, which is prepared by the family’s lawyer to present everything in a light most favorable to them. We haven’t seen the schhol’s Response but we do know that the family is 0-2 so far in the courts. But even if the attributed remark is true, where do you go from the HoS venting frustration to “threatening” the family?! That’s an irresponsible statement.

The whole law suit is an abuse of the process. Too bad for them that “under-represented entitled whiny jerk” is not a special hook in the college application process.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If a student from a public school has a C in the transcript

This would never happen to any half-decent student in public due to the rampant grade inflation and ability to retake exams.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a current parent, who has never had a conversation with the current head of school, I am super curious about the Tom Farquhar story. Shocking to hear about a head of school threatening a family. I have heard the current head speak once; I don’t even now his name. Having had kids at other schools, I have never seen a more absent head of school than at Sidwell.

You must not go to the school much, which would be surprising if you are a parent. Bryan German is very much present around the schools at at sports event and evening programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Head of NCS is married to the number 2 at St Albans

What does this have to do with anything, even if it were true?

It’s inaccurate in any case. He is not the number 2 at STA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you translate this for the non-legal people? Did the Supreme Court rule against Sidwell?

Didn't rule against them, but in the complaint it says that Sidwell agreed to pay the family $50,000 and change grades as part of an earlier settlement. I didn't realize grades were for sale or could be part of a settlement. Seems extremely dishonest and unfair to other hardworking children without litigious parents.

If you read it, it says the initial grades were calculated incorrectly, and the change was a correction. So the change would then be the fair thing, not unfair.

Exactly. Anyone realize there may have been an issue of implicit bias?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the girl’s GPA and SAT scores were within the top 15% of her class, There was a problem with the application process considering her URM status. If not, they should not blame on the school. Any vague descriptions like national Achievement scholarship can’t convince people.

Nothing vague. See below. National semifinalist...

https://patch.com/district-columbia/georgetown/national-achievement-scholarship-semifinalists-include-14-dc-students

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a current parent, who has never had a conversation with the current head of school, I am super curious about the Tom Farquhar story. Shocking to hear about a head of school threatening a family. I have heard the current head speak once; I don’t even now his name. Having had kids at other schools, I have never seen a more absent head of school than at Sidwell.

Wait a second. First, the remarks attribute to the former head of school come from the petition, which is prepared by the family’s lawyer to present everything in a light most favorable to them. We haven’t seen the schhol’s Response but we do know that the family is 0-2 so far in the courts. But even if the attributed remark is true, where do you go from the HoS venting frustration to “threatening” the family?! That’s an irresponsible statement.

The whole law suit is an abuse of the process. Too bad for them that “under-represented entitled whiny jerk” is not a special hook in the college application process.

"Non-Retaliation if off the table": TF. If this is not a threat, what is?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And further, it does look bit unusual for a URM student with a national achievement scholarship and athletic record taking the toughest courses at Sidwell to be denied everywhere.

No wonder Tom Farquhar left the school. After his outburst threatening the family, I am surprised he retains a job in ed.

Everyone seems to be ignoring this point, and instead focusing on what a pain in the ass and entitled her family is, and how she was not an URM.

I’m sure that TF was frustrated with the parents. No one has a right to be at an independent school, and clearly the faculty had had it up to here with the parents’ sense of entitlement, litigiousness and unrealistic expectations about college choices for their daughters.

Actually, dealing with that frustration is part of the job description for HOS. Tom was an ass and regularly made impolitic comments about a variety of topics in a variety of settings.

Given our family's experience w TF: Fully agree.