Sidwell Basketball Article

[Anonymous]

I find it funny when Sidwell parents mock Bullis, Landon and Prep and the other IAC schools for recruiting. You don't think Singletary recruited this kid to Sidwell, despite his terrible grades. Personally, I see nothing wrong in what Sidwell's headmaster did to keep this kid in school.

[Anonymous]

The real shame here is that Farquhar agreed to admit this student knowing that he was not adequately prepared for Sidwell, but without taking any steps to put in place a support system from the outset. Then he -- and US administrators -- let the student flail through the year academically until the situation became sufficiently dire to warrant dismissal for academic failure. Only when other students rallied for the student (yes, because he was a b-ball star, but also b/c he was their friend and they saw the situation as unfair) and parents got involved, did Farquahar show any kindness or compassion. Now he's been able to spin it to look like he's the very model of Quakerism. As for the students who were punished for drinking at the prom, who also had friends rally in support of them, it's my understanding that the punishments were severe. In that case, Farquahar seems not to have seen any potential benefit to him in exercising mercy.

[Anonymous]

LOL. The Sidwell faithful circle the wagons. Sidwell parents claim the higher ground when it comes to college admission rates, focus on academics, etc. But at the end of the day, they are just trying to boost their athletic programs like most other private schools.

[Anonymous]

I think this problem arises often when a student is in a new environment whether it is private to public, public to private, or 1 private to another private.

You sort of need to learn the rules of the game, the model of the school, the new teaching methods.

I know a straight A student, all through his years K-8, scored very high on the high school entrance exam and then got straight C's with a threat of a D after the first few weeks his freshman year.

After a little mentoring and after school help from teachers he was well on his way to being a successful student.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this problem arises often when a student is in a new environment whether it is private to public, public to private, or 1 private to another private.

You sort of need to learn the rules of the game, the model of the school, the new teaching methods.

I know a straight A student, all through his years K-8, scored very high on the high school entrance exam and then got straight C's with a threat of a D after the first few weeks his freshman year.

After a little mentoring and after school help from teachers he was well on his way to being a successful student.

Total lie.

I am a teacher at a DC area independent, not Sidwell, and I have certainly seen this sort of "stumble out of the blocks" followed by a major turnaround. Fairly frequently over the years, in fact. I'm not sure why the previous poster finds this so hard to believe. The jump from middle school to 9th grade, even at a K-12 or 4-12 school where the student is just changing divisions, is a big one, especially if the child is doing a sport in the fall season (the time demands rocket up) -- and expectations do indeed change from school to school. A smart kid who gets by by listening in class and dashing off a few sheets of homework before breakfast can miscalculate/be overwhelmed initially at the high school level.

I have also seen unbelievable amounts of mentoring, extra help, and care going to kids who were never going to see the light of day on a varsity field or court. I don't think my school can be the only one where there are caring professionals and parents in the community, so while I agree the newspaper article gets written about the sports star, there is every likelihood that resources and empathy go to help the struggling non-athletes at Sidwell find their feet as well.

Lastly, I understand this thread, and the newspaper article, hit a lot of hot buttons but, speaking as a teacher, I would like to ask everyone to try to refrain from getting personal about the boy in question -- would you want people on the internet talking about your child's grades, study habits, etc? Particularly for those at Sidwell who might feel they have "inside information" from their kids or other parents, please think twice before you post.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

The defense of Sidwell on this thread is faulty and pathetic.
This is not a race or compassion issue.
The facts are that a highly regarded academic institution compromising its standards to elevate its basketball program. You can speculate as to the motives, but the result is too bad.
You can have a diversity of goals and talents, but a school like that should have a baseline of academic competence for all students. It's too bad they couldn't bother finding someone who could play bball and have adequate academic skills. Those kids are out there.

[Anonymous]

Maybe the applicant tested well, does 14:18 know? Really, the judgement and assumptions here are sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maybe the applicant tested well, does 14:18 know? Really, the judgement and assumptions here are sad.

+1 I think he was a well qualified applicant and is now a soon to be well qualified Villanova student. Not everybody is perfect and this is a great come back story.

[Anonymous]

Lets agree to disagree and move on before we hurt an innocent teenager and his family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The real shame here is that Farquhar agreed to admit this student knowing that he was not adequately prepared for Sidwell, but without taking any steps to put in place a support system from the outset. Then he -- and US administrators -- let the student flail through the year academically until the situation became sufficiently dire to warrant dismissal for academic failure. Only when other students rallied for the student (yes, because he was a b-ball star, but also b/c he was their friend and they saw the situation as unfair) and parents got involved, did Farquahar show any kindness or compassion. Now he's been able to spin it to look like he's the very model of Quakerism. As for the students who were punished for drinking at the prom, who also had friends rally in support of them, it's my understanding that the punishments were severe. In that case, Farquahar seems not to have seen any potential benefit to him in exercising mercy.

Just want to say that I don't see struggling academically and breaking a school rule by drinking at prom as being equivalent in the slightest degree. Every school in this area suspends for drinking at the prom. If a college rescinded, that is between that college and the applicant; a tough lesson for the student in question but I'm sure he/she ended up an an excellent college and might just have learned a lesson that they will value down the road. The idea that a school is responsible when, after reasonable discipline, a college reacts negatively seems crazy to me; it also seems really odd that parents don't recognize that the short-term sharp lesson may be a great long-term learning experience. If the "short-term sharp lesson" was a year in prison, I'd think differently, but losing a spot at a college when you've got many other options is not the end of the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lets agree to disagree and move on before we hurt an innocent teenager and his family.

Amen. Too bad the Washington Post sports writers and editors did not stop to consider the negative implications of reporting so extensively about a child's academic shortcomings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The real shame here is that Farquhar agreed to admit this student knowing that he was not adequately prepared for Sidwell, but without taking any steps to put in place a support system from the outset. Then he -- and US administrators -- let the student flail through the year academically until the situation became sufficiently dire to warrant dismissal for academic failure. Only when other students rallied for the student (yes, because he was a b-ball star, but also b/c he was their friend and they saw the situation as unfair) and parents got involved, did Farquahar show any kindness or compassion. Now he's been able to spin it to look like he's the very model of Quakerism. As for the students who were punished for drinking at the prom, who also had friends rally in support of them, it's my understanding that the punishments were severe. In that case, Farquahar seems not to have seen any potential benefit to him in exercising mercy.

Just want to say that I don't see struggling academically and breaking a school rule by drinking at prom as being equivalent in the slightest degree. Every school in this area suspends for drinking at the prom. If a college rescinded, that is between that college and the applicant; a tough lesson for the student in question but I'm sure he/she ended up an an excellent college and might just have learned a lesson that they will value down the road. The idea that a school is responsible when, after reasonable discipline, a college reacts negatively seems crazy to me; it also seems really odd that parents don't recognize that the short-term sharp lesson may be a great long-term learning experience. If the "short-term sharp lesson" was a year in prison, I'd think differently, but losing a spot at a college when you've got many other options is not the end of the world.

And every academically elite school gives the old boot for failure to meet academic standards. GDS does, Maret does, St. Albans does etc. So do elite private schools across the country (Andover, Lawrenceville, Peddy, Harvard-Westlake, Phillips Exeter etc.). Being kicked out for academic failure is also a "short-term sharp lesson". So by you're logic this should be a good thing too.

If you believe that these short-term lessons yield long term gain and that the prom punishment was the right consequence, that is a defensible belief. But, that you do not recognize the remarkable similarities between the two situations, especially under your logic, yields two options. First, you are a hypocrite, willing to apply your logic in one situation but not the other. Or, you do not recognize the similarity, and are, then, a complete moron.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The real shame here is that Farquhar agreed to admit this student knowing that he was not adequately prepared for Sidwell, but without taking any steps to put in place a support system from the outset. Then he -- and US administrators -- let the student flail through the year academically until the situation became sufficiently dire to warrant dismissal for academic failure. Only when other students rallied for the student (yes, because he was a b-ball star, but also b/c he was their friend and they saw the situation as unfair) and parents got involved, did Farquahar show any kindness or compassion. Now he's been able to spin it to look like he's the very model of Quakerism. As for the students who were punished for drinking at the prom, who also had friends rally in support of them, it's my understanding that the punishments were severe. In that case, Farquahar seems not to have seen any potential benefit to him in exercising mercy.

Just want to say that I don't see struggling academically and breaking a school rule by drinking at prom as being equivalent in the slightest degree. Every school in this area suspends for drinking at the prom. If a college rescinded, that is between that college and the applicant; a tough lesson for the student in question but I'm sure he/she ended up an an excellent college and might just have learned a lesson that they will value down the road. The idea that a school is responsible when, after reasonable discipline, a college reacts negatively seems crazy to me; it also seems really odd that parents don't recognize that the short-term sharp lesson may be a great long-term learning experience. If the "short-term sharp lesson" was a year in prison, I'd think differently, but losing a spot at a college when you've got many other options is not the end of the world.

+1000


And every academically elite school gives the old boot for failure to meet academic standards. GDS does, Maret does, St. Albans does etc. So do elite private schools across the country (Andover, Lawrenceville, Peddy, Harvard-Westlake, Phillips Exeter etc.). Being kicked out for academic failure is also a "short-term sharp lesson". So by you're logic this should be a good thing too.

If you believe that these short-term lessons yield long term gain and that the prom punishment was the right consequence, that is a defensible belief. But, that you do not recognize the remarkable similarities between the two situations, especially under your logic, yields two options. First, you are a hypocrite, willing to apply your logic in one situation but not the other. Or, you do not recognize the similarity, and are, then, a complete moron.

[Anonymous]

The same people who routinely bash Landon, Bullis and Sidwell never seem to stay off this website.

[Anonymous]

Folks, please put aside legalities and think about the Golden Rule. This is one high school student. If you are from the Sidwell community and don't like the decision/way this has played out, I'm sure you can share your views with other parents, the Board, the Head of School, etc., without the need to use the internet to make the dispute public through anonymous posts claiming to share factual information about the student.

I hope the moderators will consider locking this thread.