At DC privates - Why are VA parents considered "inferior"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "snotty" VA responses are just highlighting the issue. NOVA is not old money southern. It is tacky, new money, trying to pass for old, cheesy, and yes, akin to the "bridge and tunnel crowd." I grew up in the south and went to college in VA. Even then, I clearly remember the real southern Virginians ( from Richmond and Tidewater and Middleburg) making fun of the tacky NOVA kids. They were totally considered poseurs. Yes, i know it is and was ridiculous but it is how NOVA is regarded by true southerners and true Virginians. It is basically the same phenomenon, only reversed, for folks in NWDC and close-in MD. It doesn't matter if high tech companies are locating in Tysons or Reston, you don't live there unless you don't get it. You make a reverse commute if anything.

Now, I actually think its silly, but that is the why. NOVA is no-man's-land, no one likes you but you. ?

Darling, you're not old money. Do you know how I know? Old money doesn't brag about being old money. Old money doesn't TALK about being old money. Posers and wannabes do these things.

What were you reading, PP? Re-read my post, please. My post said nothing about my SES level or family background. I was just relating my memories of kids in college who were from the more southern parts of the state belittling NOVA kids for being cheesy, tacky poseurs.

[Anonymous]

To stir the pot....certain schools will have people like this and others will not. OP one of your children must be at the Cathedral Schools....maybe one that begins with a B?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "snotty" VA responses are just highlighting the issue. NOVA is not old money southern. It is tacky, new money, trying to pass for old, cheesy, and yes, akin to the "bridge and tunnel crowd." I grew up in the south and went to college in VA. Even then, I clearly remember the real southern Virginians ( from Richmond and Tidewater and Middleburg) making fun of the tacky NOVA kids. They were totally considered poseurs. Yes, i know it is and was ridiculous but it is how NOVA is regarded by true southerners and true Virginians. It is basically the same phenomenon, only reversed, for folks in NWDC and close-in MD. It doesn't matter if high tech companies are locating in Tysons or Reston, you don't live there unless you don't get it. You make a reverse commute if anything.

Now, I actually think its silly, but that is the why. NOVA is no-man's-land, no one likes you but you. ?

Darling, you're not old money. Do you know how I know? Old money doesn't brag about being old money. Old money doesn't TALK about being old money. Posers and wannabes do these things.

What were you reading, PP? Re-read my post, please. My post said nothing about my SES level or family background. I was just relating my memories of kids in college who were from the more southern parts of the state belittling NOVA kids for being cheesy, tacky poseurs.

Oh, and to add, your nasty, rude post saying "I am not old money because.... blah blah blah.". Well, PP, old money does not actually call others, "Darling" in a fake-Hollywood-producers vision of what old southern money is really like. I don't know who you are or where you are from but, next time, don't look to Hollywood for your script if you want to pose as some southern Grand Dame.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:[flash]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ridiculous. Don't feed the troll. - signed a Private school parent who lives in DC

OP: Actually I am not a troll but a VA parent with two children who just began at DC privates last fall and this is indeed what I have sensed unfortunately.......

Tough luck hon. Social climbing ain't easy.

OP: Love it! My pedigree is such that I do not need to climb, thankfully, but I do not need to prove it. I am not even sure what the term means!

Hi, OP. I am a several generation NW DC family and what I am reading is ridiculous. Only those relative newbies to DC with inferiority complexes would accuse people of being social climbers purely based on where they live. I am sure the Kennedy family is not climbing. But for a laugh, on wikipedia here is a definition!
" ....someone who seeks social prominence.... by obsequious behavior....one who has suddenly risen to a higher socioeconomic status [without the] social acceptance of others in that class"!

The Kennedy Fanily.

No they aren't social climbing. Instead they are exhibit some of the worse behavior ever.

The money comes from bootlegging. And Remember William Smith and his Uncle?

A number of the Kennedy's sent their boys across the river to Georgetown Prep where they were constant behavioral and academic problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[flash]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ridiculous. Don't feed the troll. - signed a Private school parent who lives in DC

OP: Actually I am not a troll but a VA parent with two children who just began at DC privates last fall and this is indeed what I have sensed unfortunately.......

Tough luck hon. Social climbing ain't easy.

OP: Love it! My pedigree is such that I do not need to climb, thankfully, but I do not need to prove it. I am not even sure what the term means!

Hi, OP. I am a several generation NW DC family and what I am reading is ridiculous. Only those relative newbies to DC with inferiority complexes would accuse people of being social climbers purely based on where they live. I am sure the Kennedy family is not climbing. But for a laugh, on wikipedia here is a definition!
" ....someone who seeks social prominence.... by obsequious behavior....one who has suddenly risen to a higher socioeconomic status [without the] social acceptance of others in that class"!

The Kennedy Fanily.

No they aren't social climbing. Instead they are exhibit some of the worse behavior ever.

The money comes from bootlegging. And Remember William Smith and his Uncle?

A number of the Kennedy's sent their boys across the river to Georgetown Prep where they were constant behavioral and academic problems.

Good point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ill bite. Even though I know I shouldn't buy I've had 3 glasses of wine. There is a gut reaction that I get when I meet the few parents from Virginia. I realize they live far away, may have different political views and I sure as hell don't want to drive out there for a play date. I also get the sense of social climbing and that stench is hard to ignore. So I say hi and then ignore them completely because if DD makes a friend who lives in McLean I sure as hell don't want to drive out there on a Saturday.

Social climbing? More Old Money and status in Virginia than in MD, darling. Probably DC, too.

Well I live in DC. And you know you're wrong. Nova is so new money it hurts. Everything is gaudy and flashy. People trying to live outside their means so they lease a new car yearly to try and create false status. Eh. Call me when your family has a crest and funded America's railroads.

This is hilarious, but true!!

[Anonymous]

To answer the OPs question, maybe because unless these VA parents live in close-in McLean or Arlington, they're choosing to send their kids to DC privates in spite of long commutes and few possibilities of nearby school friends. Their public school options are good and there are privates in VA they could attend that would afford more of a community for their kids. My read on these VA parents is that it's all about the perceived status of DC privates to them. They're climbers. Plain and simple.

[Anonymous]

I've lived in DC, Maryland, and Virginia, and can't imagine caring where anyone lives. There are good things about each place, and I"ve met really nice, interesting and fun people in each neighborhood I've been in. As far as a person's personal preferences about what kind of house to live in, whether she prefers additional property over walkability, or whether she has money or not (let alone whether it was initially earned by her or by prior generations), why would I care? Only on DCUM!

[Anonymous]

OP, you want the truth, well you can't handle the truth . . .

But here goes:

If you are VA parents at a DC private, upon finding out where you live, this is what I (many, most, some) who live in DC or Bethesda/CC will think:

1) You are a conservative. Maybe not a card carrying Republican, but conservative.

2) You are racist. Maybe not racist with a big R, but particularly when it comes to AA, you will hold stereotypical thoughts in your head and maybe experience discomfort if not disdain as you smile and make polite small talk with said individuals, even though in the back of your head you are thinking not so nice thingss.

3) You are possibly slightly or maybe even greatly anti-Semitic. You are certainly not Jewish. If by chance you are a Jewish private school family, and are living in VA, then you are either confused or are a sell out of sorts.

4) You are uptight. Yes, you might be reasonably entertaining after you've had that second martini or scotch, but otherwise you are just such a stick in the mud.

5) You are materialistic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you want the truth, well you can't handle the truth . . .

But here goes:

If you are VA parents at a DC private, upon finding out where you live, this is what I (many, most, some) who live in DC or Bethesda/CC will think:

1) You are a conservative. Maybe not a card carrying Republican, but conservative.

2) You are racist. Maybe not racist with a big R, but particularly when it comes to AA, you will hold stereotypical thoughts in your head and maybe experience discomfort if not disdain as you smile and make polite small talk with said individuals, even though in the back of your head you are thinking not so nice thingss.

3) You are possibly slightly or maybe even greatly anti-Semitic. You are certainly not Jewish. If by chance you are a Jewish private school family, and are living in VA, then you are either confused or are a sell out of sorts.

4) You are uptight. Yes, you might be reasonably entertaining after you've had that second martini or scotch, but otherwise you are just such a stick in the mud.

5) You are materialistic.

Wow. That's one of the most ridiculous posts I've ever read. You do realize that two of your five points are prejudices about Virginians being, well, prejudiced. I grew up in Virginia, am a far left liberal, am neither racist nor antisemitic, and don't believe I'm either uptight or materialistic. I live in NW DC now, not because I had to flee the racists in Virginia, but because I wanted to live closer to work (I changed jobs) and to my husband's family. What's wrong with you people? Are you so narrow that you can't imagine nice, reasonable people living in different places?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, you want the truth, well you can't handle the truth . . .

But here goes:

If you are VA parents at a DC private, upon finding out where you live, this is what I (many, most, some) who live in DC or Bethesda/CC will think:

1) You are a conservative. Maybe not a card carrying Republican, but conservative.

2) You are racist. Maybe not racist with a big R, but particularly when it comes to AA, you will hold stereotypical thoughts in your head and maybe experience discomfort if not disdain as you smile and make polite small talk with said individuals, even though in the back of your head you are thinking not so nice thingss.

3) You are possibly slightly or maybe even greatly anti-Semitic. You are certainly not Jewish. If by chance you are a Jewish private school family, and are living in VA, then you are either confused or are a sell out of sorts.

4) You are uptight. Yes, you might be reasonably entertaining after you've had that second martini or scotch, but otherwise you are just such a stick in the mud.

5) You are materialistic.

Um, you do realize the Virginia went for Obama, during the last two elections????

[Anonymous]

PP, while Virginia went for Obama in the 2nd, it was too close to call initially and it was NoVa that carried the Obama vote not middle or more southern VA. But that's water under the bridge.

We are a private school family for years, and I have met wonderful people from Virginia. With that being said, I have noticed a hint of more conservatism (not frugal) for specific fundraisers or community service activities. Not a bad thing but I wonder if it is because of the political Virginia climate? But one could say you could have that attitude regardless where you live.

[Anonymous]

As a born and bred Virginian whose family was FFV, I find this post very entertaining and hilarious. I did not grow up in NOVA but live in NOVA bc DC taxes are too high. I agree with the poster that people in other parts of Va make fun of NOVA, but you definitely don't want to know what they have to say about DC and MD, it isn't even on our radar of topics to consider. Both MD and DC have their stereotypes too, MD especially has no identity, filled with new money and mcmasions (ever drivien on River road in Potomac) and DC is just, blah. I send my children to a nice NOVA private because I feel the quality of NOVA privates rivals those of DC and I don't want to commute to take my children to school. I agree something seems fishy when someone from VA sends their kid to Holton or Maret or Beauvoir, but I don't understand why the suspicion isn't held for MD families. Md has great public (better than VA) and privates, so why is someone from MD driving to the cathedral schools or GDS or Sidewell, etc? I live 3 miles from the 14th street bridge in VA, takes DH about 12-15 minutes to get to his K street office, so I don't understand the hang up that because I am in NOVA I am more of an outside than someone from Bethesda or CC or MoCo who is commuting 30+ minute?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The "snotty" VA responses are just highlighting the issue. NOVA is not old money southern. It is tacky, new money, trying to pass for old, cheesy, and yes, akin to the "bridge and tunnel crowd." I grew up in the south and went to college in VA. Even then, I clearly remember the real southern Virginians ( from Richmond and Tidewater and Middleburg) making fun of the tacky NOVA kids. They were totally considered poseurs. Yes, i know it is and was ridiculous but it is how NOVA is regarded by true southerners and true Virginians. It is basically the same phenomenon, only reversed, for folks in NWDC and close-in MD. It doesn't matter if high tech companies are locating in Tysons or Reston, you don't live there unless you don't get it. You make a reverse commute if anything.

Now, I actually think its silly, but that is the why. NOVA is no-man's-land, no one likes you but you. ?

Darling, you're not old money. Do you know how I know? Old money doesn't brag about being old money. Old money doesn't TALK about being old money. Posers and wannabes do these things.

What were you reading, PP? Re-read my post, please. My post said nothing about my SES level or family background. I was just relating my memories of kids in college who were from the more southern parts of the state belittling NOVA kids for being cheesy, tacky poseurs.

Oh, and to add, your nasty, rude post saying "I am not old money because.... blah blah blah.". Well, PP, old money does not actually call others, "Darling" in a fake-Hollywood-producers vision of what old southern money is really like. I don't know who you are or where you are from but, next time, don't look to Hollywood for your script if you want to pose as some southern Grand Dame.

The differences between you and me, darling, are as follows:

1) I never claimed to be Old Money. You did. I just said there's a lot more Old Money in Virginia than in DC or MD, and that is indisputably true.
2) I know about what I write.
3) I kicked your ass FTW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, while Virginia went for Obama in the 2nd, it was too close to call initially and it was NoVa that carried the Obama vote not middle or more southern VA. But that's water under the bridge.

We are a private school family for years, and I have met wonderful people from Virginia. With that being said, I have noticed a hint of more conservatism (not frugal) for specific fundraisers or community service activities. Not a bad thing but I wonder if it is because of the political Virginia climate? But one could say you could have that attitude regardless where you live.

It was never too close to call in Virginia. What are you going on about? There was never any doubt.

But it's Old Money that tend to vote mindlessly Republican, anyway. So your argument really contradicts your thesis.