Ward 2/3 High School proposal in the NW Current

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The sheer audacity of these high SES Ward 2/3 parents suddenly eyeing Western HS for themselves after Ellington kids and families have spent 40 years there without a renovation just takes my breath away.

The renovation of the building as an arts high school has been planned for years, it will be a beautiful arts facility not only for the Ellington community but for the whole area. Ellington has a great track record of graduating kids on time (virtually 100%) and getting them into college or conservatory (98%). They have put up with a less-than-ideal building for years and years; cramped, dark, basement spaces, old carpeting, so-so studios and practice/rehearsal/performance areas. The renovation is currently scheduled for two years, which means that kids entering now would have at two years in swing space and then return to a newly renovated building for two years. The renovation will enable even better arts programming and equipment for all the departments.

Don't you see how grabbing at the nearest building takes away from the experience of 500 kids from all over the city who are college/conservatory bound, talented achievers? Can't you solve your problem some other way?

And don't propose the imaginary centrally located not-build-yet, no land available new building... that won't happen in time for my kid or any time this decade.

+1

I don't have a dog on this fight. I'm a stereotypical white male dad, and have always scoffed when people talk about the "The Plan." But when I see some of the posts on this board that simply assume that the kids at Ellington are second-rate citizens who should give way to the obviously-more deserving Ward 2 and 3 children, well, maybe I begin to understand the paranoia about The Plan.

[Anonymous]

What the hell are you talking about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The sheer audacity of these high SES Ward 2/3 parents suddenly eyeing Western HS for themselves after Ellington kids and families have spent 40 years there without a renovation just takes my breath away.

The renovation of the building as an arts high school has been planned for years, it will be a beautiful arts facility not only for the Ellington community but for the whole area. Ellington has a great track record of graduating kids on time (virtually 100%) and getting them into college or conservatory (98%). They have put up with a less-than-ideal building for years and years; cramped, dark, basement spaces, old carpeting, so-so studios and practice/rehearsal/performance areas. The renovation is currently scheduled for two years, which means that kids entering now would have at two years in swing space and then return to a newly renovated building for two years. The renovation will enable even better arts programming and equipment for all the departments.

Don't you see how grabbing at the nearest building takes away from the experience of 500 kids from all over the city who are college/conservatory bound, talented achievers? Can't you solve your problem some other way?

And don't propose the imaginary centrally located not-build-yet, no land available new building... that won't happen in time for my kid or any time this decade.

No one now at Ellington has been there for 40 years. If your argument is that a building can't be used for another purpose because it has been used for one purpose for a long time, then under your logic Ellington could never have been created because that building was Western High for a long time before it was Ellington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The sheer audacity of these high SES Ward 2/3 parents suddenly eyeing Western HS for themselves after Ellington kids and families have spent 40 years there without a renovation just takes my breath away.

The renovation of the building as an arts high school has been planned for years, it will be a beautiful arts facility not only for the Ellington community but for the whole area. Ellington has a great track record of graduating kids on time (virtually 100%) and getting them into college or conservatory (98%). They have put up with a less-than-ideal building for years and years; cramped, dark, basement spaces, old carpeting, so-so studios and practice/rehearsal/performance areas. The renovation is currently scheduled for two years, which means that kids entering now would have at two years in swing space and then return to a newly renovated building for two years. The renovation will enable even better arts programming and equipment for all the departments.

Don't you see how grabbing at the nearest building takes away from the experience of 500 kids from all over the city who are college/conservatory bound, talented achievers? Can't you solve your problem some other way?

And don't propose the imaginary centrally located not-build-yet, no land available new building... that won't happen in time for my kid or any time this decade.

No one now at Ellington has been there for 40 years. If your argument is that a building can't be used for another purpose because it has been used for one purpose for a long time, then under your logic Ellington could never have been created because that building was Western High for a long time before it was Ellington.

What a dumb strawman argument you just made.

The original poster made the point that Ellington is packed with families that have worked hard to make it a good school and is prepared to invest millions to make it even better. The contrast with the nearly empty Western High School that was closed decades ago could not be more clear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Someone who works for Jack Evans' council office has said that the Duke Ellington staying in its present facility is definitely NOT a done deal and that the site is very much a possibility for a future new HS west of Rock Creek Park. All this assumes that a new facility can be built for Ellington in a more central location.

Jack Evans has been mumbling this for years. When he asked Rhee to do a feasibility study of moving Ellington to Logan the outcry was deafening. Recommending Ellington move to a "more central" location is useless if you don't engage the school community that would be impacted by this decision. Building an arts high school close to a metro station would cost at least double what the current renovation budget is for Ellington.

Since NO ONE has actually approached the Ellington school community, they are moving forward with the renovation plans. The school is moving into swing space this summer. Millions have already been spent. Give it a rest.

Isn't that largely a reflection of the fact that Evan is the Councilmember from Ward 2? His Base is Penn Quarter and Foggy Bottom, education isn't really on his radar.

[Anonymous]

The current renovation for Ellington is $130m. Dunbary was $120m and built from scratch for a capacity of ~1200. Why would putting Ellington facility for ~600 at Shaw MS or Garnet-Patterson cost so much more?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The current renovation for Ellington is $130m. Dunbary was $120m and built from scratch for a capacity of ~1200. Why would putting Ellington facility for ~600 at Shaw MS or Garnet-Patterson cost so much more?

Looking at the renovation already underway answers your question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcd4hTLEGQg

I don't go to the school or have any plans to do so. But even from the outside and having no dog in the fight, this tiresome refrain looks entitled, chauvinistic and an ugly reminder of uglier times. Please stop.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current renovation for Ellington is $130m. Dunbary was $120m and built from scratch for a capacity of ~1200. Why would putting Ellington facility for ~600 at Shaw MS or Garnet-Patterson cost so much more?

Looking at the renovation already underway answers your question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcd4hTLEGQg

I don't go to the school or have any plans to do so. But even from the outside and having no dog in the fight, this tiresome refrain looks entitled, chauvinistic and an ugly reminder of uglier times. Please stop.

Wow. Simply stunning. Obviously, the Ellington folks are not going to walk away form that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current renovation for Ellington is $130m. Dunbary was $120m and built from scratch for a capacity of ~1200. Why would putting Ellington facility for ~600 at Shaw MS or Garnet-Patterson cost so much more?

Looking at the renovation already underway answers your question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcd4hTLEGQg

I don't go to the school or have any plans to do so. But even from the outside and having no dog in the fight, this tiresome refrain looks entitled, chauvinistic and an ugly reminder of uglier times. Please stop.

For the record, it is not underway. It can be stopped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current renovation for Ellington is $130m. Dunbary was $120m and built from scratch for a capacity of ~1200. Why would putting Ellington facility for ~600 at Shaw MS or Garnet-Patterson cost so much more?

Looking at the renovation already underway answers your question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcd4hTLEGQg

I don't go to the school or have any plans to do so. But even from the outside and having no dog in the fight, this tiresome refrain looks entitled, chauvinistic and an ugly reminder of uglier times. Please stop.

For the record, it is not underway. It can be stopped.

The award has been made, the plans set and groundbreaking is weeks away. http://dgs.dc.gov/page/dgs-duke-ellington-school-for-the-arts-modernization-project

Only selfish, small-minded people want to stop it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current renovation for Ellington is $130m. Dunbary was $120m and built from scratch for a capacity of ~1200. Why would putting Ellington facility for ~600 at Shaw MS or Garnet-Patterson cost so much more?

Looking at the renovation already underway answers your question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcd4hTLEGQg

I don't go to the school or have any plans to do so. But even from the outside and having no dog in the fight, this tiresome refrain looks entitled, chauvinistic and an ugly reminder of uglier times. Please stop.

For the record, it is not underway. It can be stopped.

The award has been made, the plans set and groundbreaking is weeks away. http://dgs.dc.gov/page/dgs-duke-ellington-school-for-the-arts-modernization-project

Only selfish, small-minded people want to stop it.

PP I don't think you follow me -- I think idea is great, but is has not broken ground yet, so there is always a chance it might be stopped.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The current renovation for Ellington is $130m. Dunbary was $120m and built from scratch for a capacity of ~1200. Why would putting Ellington facility for ~600 at Shaw MS or Garnet-Patterson cost so much more?

Looking at the renovation already underway answers your question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fcd4hTLEGQg

I don't go to the school or have any plans to do so. But even from the outside and having no dog in the fight, this tiresome refrain looks entitled, chauvinistic and an ugly reminder of uglier times. Please stop.

For the record, it is not underway. It can be stopped.

The award has been made, the plans set and groundbreaking is weeks away. http://dgs.dc.gov/page/dgs-duke-ellington-school-for-the-arts-modernization-project

Only selfish, small-minded people want to stop it.

PP I don't think you follow me -- I think idea is great, but is has not broken ground yet, so there is always a chance it might be stopped.

Different poster here, but I don't think you get it, poster who keeps insisting that it can be stopped.

The poster who responded to you was not denying that it could theoretically be stopped; he or she said that "Only selfish, small-minded people want to stop it."

That poster is correct; the idea of moving Ellington at this stage is offensive; lets move on.

[Anonymous]

What once could have been a good idea was dead the minute the renovation money got approved. Let's move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The sheer audacity of these high SES Ward 2/3 parents suddenly eyeing Western HS for themselves after Ellington kids and families have spent 40 years there without a renovation just takes my breath away.

The renovation of the building as an arts high school has been planned for years, it will be a beautiful arts facility not only for the Ellington community but for the whole area. Ellington has a great track record of graduating kids on time (virtually 100%) and getting them into college or conservatory (98%). They have put up with a less-than-ideal building for years and years; cramped, dark, basement spaces, old carpeting, so-so studios and practice/rehearsal/performance areas. The renovation is currently scheduled for two years, which means that kids entering now would have at two years in swing space and then return to a newly renovated building for two years. The renovation will enable even better arts programming and equipment for all the departments.

Don't you see how grabbing at the nearest building takes away from the experience of 500 kids from all over the city who are college/conservatory bound, talented achievers? Can't you solve your problem some other way?

And don't propose the imaginary centrally located not-build-yet, no land available new building... that won't happen in time for my kid or any time this decade.

No one now at Ellington has been there for 40 years. If your argument is that a building can't be used for another purpose because it has been used for one purpose for a long time, then under your logic Ellington could never have been created because that building was Western High for a long time before it was Ellington.

What a dumb strawman argument you just made.

The original poster made the point that Ellington is packed with families that have worked hard to make it a good school and is prepared to invest millions to make it even better. The contrast with the nearly empty Western High School that was closed decades ago could not be more clear.

Contrast that with the fact that every single family wanting/needing a Western High School was categorically unrelated to your "empty Western closed decades ago" argument. There is not a single person looking to go to new Western that was even remotely responsible for tepid support in the past. Not one. Talk about strawmen...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What once could have been a good idea was dead the minute the renovation money got approved. Let's move on.

+1