Please don't just take a spot at a charter school because you want free care.

[Anonymous]

Yes, I'm ready for people to start throwing the eggs at this post, BUT....

Please don't just take a spot at a charter school because you want free care. Schools need families who REALLY WANT to be a part of that school's community. I overheard one dad say, "Well, you know how the lotteries work..." - implying that they were at our school only because they weren't lucky in the lottery with other schools or that they did not love our school. There are PLENTY of families who REALLY WANT to be a part of a particular school and really want to help the school to be the best that it can be. OR if you decide to take your child to a school that is not your number one choice, then at least support and help the school. Schools don't need grumpy - bumpy free riders.

Okay, I'm putting up my DCUM shield before clicking on "Submit." Let the egging beging.

[Anonymous]

yawn

[Anonymous]

Why do you post this if you knew you were going to get flamed for it. While I am all for being involved, there is only so much BS one needs to go through in pre-k. You do realize that these programs were made for people who work and can't afford day care, right?

[Anonymous]

What about families who really need free care? Aren't they more deserving than you, who have many options because of your income?

[Anonymous]

Please do not take a spot in a charter school if you don't pay federal/ state income taxes. Schools need families who help actively fund them. If you pay $10k or more in property taxes per year, OK, we can make an exception.

Well, I don't believe this, but let's just create a flame war for the sake of it, as OP intended!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about families who really need free care? Aren't they more deserving than you, who have many options because of your income?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Please do not take a spot in a charter school if you don't pay federal/ state income taxes. Schools need families who help actively fund them. If you pay $10k or more in property taxes per year, OK, we can make an exception.

Well, I don't believe this, but let's just create a flame war for the sake of it, as OP intended!

I really do wonder sometimes if half of the posts on this forum are created for shits and giggles or if people actually believe what they write. I can just see someone starting something like this and laughing her head off because we all fell for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Please do not take a spot in a charter school if you don't pay federal/ state income taxes. Schools need families who help actively fund them. If you pay $10k or more in property taxes per year, OK, we can make an exception.

Well, I don't believe this, but let's just create a flame war for the sake of it, as OP intended!

I really do wonder sometimes if half of the posts on this forum are created for shits and giggles or if people actually believe what they write. I can just see someone starting something like this and laughing her head off because we all fell for it.

Well I'm not OP but I think given the direction 2 of the other threads have gone in today, this is a legitimate expression. I don't know OPs intentions, but there are plenty of families at charters currently who would say/feel the same thing, in reaction to current parents who are so CLEARLY not happy that they didn't get their #1-3 choices and demonstrate their lack of willingness to engage because they are so sure they're leaving at the first waitlist call/next lottery.

Those parents exist, and whether OP was sincere or not, the sentiment expressed is definitely one felt by many real parents in DC.

[Anonymous]

OP Here - My point is that it upsets me when people just search for free care and then don't give a damn about the school. Sure, fine, get the free care BUT ALSO care and nuture the school! If getting free care is a family's ONLY standard then go to find a less sought out school that will give you the free care that you want. Why should a family only looking for free care take another's child's spot from a family that REALLY wants to attend the school - a family that will really help the school. We need families in our schools that care about the school they are attending. When I heard the dad imply that they really didn't care about our school, I was really upset - thinking to myself that our school was our number one choice and there are PLENTY of other families who would have loved to attend our school. I still have not idea why this family would take their child to a school they didn't like and then be grumpy about! No matter which school you go to, you should HELP the school. I'm tired of families who don't help and nuture their schools.

[Anonymous]

Not everyone has the time to help. Working families are stressed to the max. If you have so much free time, the go ahead and volunteer all day at the school.

Anonymous wrote:OP Here - My point is that it upsets me when people just search for free care and then don't give a damn about the school. Sure, fine, get the free care BUT ALSO care and nuture the school! If getting free care is a family's ONLY standard then go to find a less sought out school that will give you the free care that you want. Why should a family only looking for free care take another's child's spot from a family that REALLY wants to attend the school - a family that will really help the school. We need families in our schools that care about the school they are attending. When I heard the dad imply that they really didn't care about our school, I was really upset - thinking to myself that our school was our number one choice and there are PLENTY of other families who would have loved to attend our school. I still have not idea why this family would take their child to a school they didn't like and then be grumpy about! No matter which school you go to, you should HELP the school. I'm tired of families who don't help and nuture their schools.

[Anonymous]

OP Here. Quoting above poster -"to current parents who are so CLEARLY not happy that they didn't get their #1-3 choices and demonstrate their lack of willingness to engage because they are so sure they're leaving at the first waitlist call/next lottery."
THIS is part of my point. My post had nothing to do with a family's economic status. My point is that I don't understand how someone can take their child to a school that they don't even LIKE just because it is free. There are tons of options out there. If you take your child to a school that is not your first choice, then live with it, and help and embrace the school. Don't just exist in our school as a grumpy parent hoping that next year you will do better in the lottery - because chances are that you won't.

[Anonymous]

I would talk to the principal about it, see if something can be done about this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP Here. Quoting above poster -"to current parents who are so CLEARLY not happy that they didn't get their #1-3 choices and demonstrate their lack of willingness to engage because they are so sure they're leaving at the first waitlist call/next lottery."
THIS is part of my point. My post had nothing to do with a family's economic status. My point is that I don't understand how someone can take their child to a school that they don't even LIKE just because it is free. There are tons of options out there. If you take your child to a school that is not your first choice, then live with it, and help and embrace the school. Don't just exist in our school as a grumpy parent hoping that next year you will do better in the lottery - because chances are that you won't.

But op, what do you expect them to do? Not enroll their kid in any school and send their kid to their crappy IB school because they don't "want it" enough? Just because you want it MORE doesn't mean you should get it. That's not how life works, nor how it should work, imo.

[Anonymous]

My point is that I don't understand how someone can take their child to a school that they don't even LIKE just because it is free. There are tons of options out there. If you take your child to a school that is not your first choice, then live with it, and help and embrace the school.

actually there are not "tons of options" out there. I am going into the lottery with the knowledge that I could be completely shut out of all my choices except my crappy IB school, and we do not have the income to pay for private daycare. Does this mean I am going to diss on a school that my kid goes to? hopefully not, hopefully I'll make an effort to improve/participate in *any* school my kid goes to, including the crappy IB one. But to suggest that parents who are unhappy with their current school choice= parents looking for free care...well, that doesn't compute. the system is shitty and leaves a lot to be desired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP Here. Quoting above poster -"to current parents who are so CLEARLY not happy that they didn't get their #1-3 choices and demonstrate their lack of willingness to engage because they are so sure they're leaving at the first waitlist call/next lottery."
THIS is part of my point. My post had nothing to do with a family's economic status. My point is that I don't understand how someone can take their child to a school that they don't even LIKE just because it is free. There are tons of options out there. If you take your child to a school that is not your first choice, then live with it, and help and embrace the school. Don't just exist in our school as a grumpy parent hoping that next year you will do better in the lottery - because chances are that you won't.

But op, what do you expect them to do? Not enroll their kid in any school and send their kid to their crappy IB school because they don't "want it" enough? Just because you want it MORE doesn't mean you should get it. That's not how life works, nor how it should work, imo.

If a family DOES enroll their child in a school that they don't want - then they should still take a positive attitude and at least help the school for the year that they attend the school - don't come to school unhappy and just complain because there's nothing productive with a negative, disengaged family.