South Arlington and North Arlington Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This chain hasn't quite gotten to the "if you don't fully embrace diversity, then you're a racist who's afraid of brown people" but it's getting close. Yes, there are upsides to a diverse school environment but some of the most racist people I know attended diverse/integrated schools. Going to a school with sizable populations of different ethnic groups can break down negative stereotypes OR reinforce them, depending on the experiences one has.

It's not really about racial diversity, it's about economic diversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This chain hasn't quite gotten to the "if you don't fully embrace diversity, then you're a racist who's afraid of brown people" but it's getting close. Yes, there are upsides to a diverse school environment but some of the most racist people I know attended diverse/integrated schools. Going to a school with sizable populations of different ethnic groups can break down negative stereotypes OR reinforce them, depending on the experiences one has.

Yeah, but I bet going to a school that is whiter and richer on average than the town you live in, because mommy and daddy paid hundreds of thousands of dollars more than comparable properties to make sure you ended up at that school, probably reinforces some pretty ugly perceptions about poorer and non-white people. "Revealed preferences" and such.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This chain hasn't quite gotten to the "if you don't fully embrace diversity, then you're a racist who's afraid of brown people" but it's getting close. Yes, there are upsides to a diverse school environment but some of the most racist people I know attended diverse/integrated schools. Going to a school with sizable populations of different ethnic groups can break down negative stereotypes OR reinforce them, depending on the experiences one has.

Yeah, but I bet going to a school that is whiter and richer on average than the town you live in, because mommy and daddy paid hundreds of thousands of dollars more than comparable properties to make sure you ended up at that school, probably reinforces some pretty ugly perceptions about poorer and non-white people. "Revealed preferences" and such.

And I'd double the bet that most of the people who worry about stuff like this just want more rich, white and Asian kids in their schools to increase the test scores and the local real estate values.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
What's up with the hate hard-on some of these Yorktown posters have for W-L? Are the posters actually, like, high school football players? Or kids who are mad that W-L had a better Ivy acceptance rate last year and a few years before that?

I'd bet you the so-called W-L hater isn't even a Yorktown person, but someone in Fairfax trying to push another IB school over W-L.

I guess I'm too stupid to understand this! Can you explain what you mean?

You flatter yourself if you think that people in Fairfax give a rats ass about your inside-Arlington bickering.

Hint: don't post like this if you want to keep up your little charade.

[Anonymous]

its funny ... Pointing out lack of diversity at Yorktown being one of the negatives sent Yorktown poster over the edge.

Not the lack of diversity - just that anyone would consider that a drawback.
So awesome.

[Anonymous]

Here's a tip: the streets with a n next to them signify north; s signifies south.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Yorktown is mostly wealthy and white. You'll pay a premium for that. Many people don't see that as a plus as that is not the world we live in. YMMV.

Please don't post something so patently false and offensive and hide behind "YMMV."

It's more diverse than many high schools in Iowa. Doesn't make it diverse for this area. Sorry, you don't get to have it both ways. No matter how much you spent on your house.

You don't seem to understand.

1) I challenge your premise that "many people" don't see being wealthy and white as a plus. On the contrary, most do. SOME people do not.
2) I challenge your premise that "diversity" is inherently virtuous. It's not.

Now, in the future, if you're going to post something obnoxious like you did, please just own it. Don't throw out the "YMMV" disclaimer. Doing so implies your viewpoint was valid. It's not.

Oh, yes. You are right. I misunderstood your point. You're an asshole. Got it.

You point a finger, but three point back at you, pp.

Wow, you're slaying us, pp.

Made me laugh out loud! Thanks poster!

[Anonymous]

But flight of richer people out of poor areas is real and there is a real basis for it sometimes. If you live in an area with single family homes and a block gets taken over with vacant homes that then fall to crime and drugs, etc., your property values go down and you can legitimately fear for your safety.

But there's no reason to flee if you live in 22213 or 22207 and the County builds one measly little affordable housing set of townhomes or apartment house in your zip code. The whole neighborhood isn't falling apart! And the rest of the neighborhood can't tilt over into chaos because the County doesn't have the money to buy more land in your zip code to push your zip code to the tilt point of low income housing. If it's just an apartment house or two, you guys can totally deal, AND SHOULD, because it is GOOD for your schools to have at least some have nots in with your haves.

It's funny to me that these zip codes are so against having FARMS kids in their schools because they're worried about these kids being a bad influence on theirs. I mean, I understand it's YOUR kids that have a problem with drugs once they get to high school since it's your kids who have extra disposable income lying around and no parents to supervise what they're doing because you're both working jobs with crazy hours to keep up with your neighbors.* Some of you could really learn something from the FARM families about sacrifice and togetherness.

*Not everyone in these zip codes, obviously. But it does seem to happen there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But flight of richer people out of poor areas is real and there is a real basis for it sometimes. If you live in an area with single family homes and a block gets taken over with vacant homes that then fall to crime and drugs, etc., your property values go down and you can legitimately fear for your safety.

But there's no reason to flee if you live in 22213 or 22207 and the County builds one measly little affordable housing set of townhomes or apartment house in your zip code. The whole neighborhood isn't falling apart! And the rest of the neighborhood can't tilt over into chaos because the County doesn't have the money to buy more land in your zip code to push your zip code to the tilt point of low income housing. If it's just an apartment house or two, you guys can totally deal, AND SHOULD, because it is GOOD for your schools to have at least some have nots in with your haves.

It's funny to me that these zip codes are so against having FARMS kids in their schools because they're worried about these kids being a bad influence on theirs. I mean, I understand it's YOUR kids that have a problem with drugs once they get to high school since it's your kids who have extra disposable income lying around and no parents to supervise what they're doing because you're both working jobs with crazy hours to keep up with your neighbors.* Some of you could really learn something from the FARM families about sacrifice and togetherness.

*Not everyone in these zip codes, obviously. But it does seem to happen there.

http://m.wikihow.com/Stop-Hyperventilating

You're welcome.

[Anonymous]

^^^Np- I don't know what that means.

[Anonymous]

The issue isn't having FARMs kids in school. The issue is when, as in several s arlington schools, the student population is overwhelming FARMs kids. Barcroft, randolf and carlin springs are 70% or more FARMs. And, they will get much higher in the next 20 years because the county plans to add thousands of more buildings to house Families whose kids qualifiy form free lunch. Abingdon is going to be up there too within the next several years because of new buildings already about to break ground. No new elementary school in s arlington is going to change that, no new boundaries can change it. The school board does not care and neither does the county board.

So, OP, since you are even considering n arlington and purchasing a home, I can assume you are too affluent for your kid to qualify for free lunch. Do you want your kid going to a school where 7-9 out of even 10 kids come from poor families? Do you think your child is gifted? If not, there is a very real possibility that your kid will be mostly ignored by the teacher. Are you willing to work hard in the PTA because there will be few involved parents, little PTA money and the "extras" that do not happen in these schools with poorer parents who work too many jobs to be involved? Sad to say, but reality.

It will certainly not be a bad education, but it will not be the excellent education people like to talk about in arlington. people in the better performing schools are getting much more for their respective tax dollars than those of us in the south.

I bought in s arlington not really understanding what it means to send a kid to a poor school. My house was cheaper than an equivalent home in n arlington. But, within 10 years it will be worth less because of the massive affordable housing plans in my neighborhood. I was unaware of that when I bought. So, if the equity in your home is the only asset you will have, like me, be VERY weary of s arlington, particularly anywhere near the western areas of columbia pike. Chances are I will have little equity in 20 years to pass along to pay for my kid's college. I hate to say this because I want families to buy here for my own property values, but I don't wish this on another unsuspecting family.
Signed, a south Arlington parent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The issue isn't having FARMs kids in school. The issue is when, as in several s arlington schools, the student population is overwhelming FARMs kids. Barcroft, randolf and carlin springs are 70% or more FARMs. And, they will get much higher in the next 20 years because the county plans to add thousands of more buildings to house Families whose kids qualifiy form free lunch. Abingdon is going to be up there too within the next several years because of new buildings already about to break ground. No new elementary school in s arlington is going to change that, no new boundaries can change it. The school board does not care and neither does the county board.

So, OP, since you are even considering n arlington and purchasing a home, I can assume you are too affluent for your kid to qualify for free lunch. Do you want your kid going to a school where 7-9 out of even 10 kids come from poor families? Do you think your child is gifted? If not, there is a very real possibility that your kid will be mostly ignored by the teacher. Are you willing to work hard in the PTA because there will be few involved parents, little PTA money and the "extras" that do not happen in these schools with poorer parents who work too many jobs to be involved? Sad to say, but reality.

It will certainly not be a bad education, but it will not be the excellent education people like to talk about in arlington. people in the better performing schools are getting much more for their respective tax dollars than those of us in the south.

I bought in s arlington not really understanding what it means to send a kid to a poor school. My house was cheaper than an equivalent home in n arlington. But, within 10 years it will be worth less because of the massive affordable housing plans in my neighborhood. I was unaware of that when I bought. So, if the equity in your home is the only asset you will have, like me, be VERY weary of s arlington, particularly anywhere near the western areas of columbia pike. Chances are I will have little equity in 20 years to pass along to pay for my kid's college. I hate to say this because I want families to buy here for my own property values, but I don't wish this on another unsuspecting family.
Signed, a south Arlington parent

All is not lost. There is still time for the county to change course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's up with the hate hard-on some of these Yorktown posters have for W-L? Are the posters actually, like, high school football players? Or kids who are mad that W-L had a better Ivy acceptance rate last year and a few years before that?

I'd bet you the so-called W-L hater isn't even a Yorktown person, but someone in Fairfax trying to push another IB school over W-L.

True, the only other equivalent places is probably falls church and stuart high school and there are posters who really go rabid if you suggest it is undesirable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's up with the hate hard-on some of these Yorktown posters have for W-L? Are the posters actually, like, high school football players? Or kids who are mad that W-L had a better Ivy acceptance rate last year and a few years before that?

I objected to the pp's prattling on about the homogeneity at Yorktown (as if that's a bad thing), but I have no issues with W-L. I think it's a fine school.

" I objected to having to acknowledge that Yorktown isn't a very diverse schools. Although the very reason I chose it, is because it isn't a very diverse school"


Fixed it for you.

Why do you keep insisting diversity is a virtue? It can be, but it isn't automatically so. Similarly, relative homogeneity doesn't mean a school is bad, yet you seem to believe this to be the case.
Do you hate historically black colleges and universities, too?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's up with the hate hard-on some of these Yorktown posters have for W-L? Are the posters actually, like, high school football players? Or kids who are mad that W-L had a better Ivy acceptance rate last year and a few years before that?

I objected to the pp's prattling on about the homogeneity at Yorktown (as if that's a bad thing), but I have no issues with W-L. I think it's a fine school.

" I objected to having to acknowledge that Yorktown isn't a very diverse schools. Although the very reason I chose it, is because it isn't a very diverse school"


Fixed it for you.

Why do you keep insisting diversity is a virtue? It can be, but it isn't automatically so. Similarly, relative homogeneity doesn't mean a school is bad, yet you seem to believe this to be the case.
Do you hate historically black colleges and universities, too?

No where has anyone said that other than you. I went to an extremely wealthy high school growing up. Granted, it was much wealthier than Yorktown, but Yorktown is close enough. I don't want my children surrounded almost exclusively by rich, elistest, entitled kids. I'm not alone in this fear. MANY ( not some) people on this board have echoed similar sentiments.
Do I want my kid in a school with a majority esol and farms? No!
I would like a reasonable mix. Arlington isn't doing a great job of that at the moment. W-L is pretty close. A few of the more centrally located elemetaries seem to have nice mix.
You think the homogeneous exclusivity of Yorktown is a plus. Great! Mant posters share your view and certainly the property values in 22207 reflect that.
Why get so defensive when others don't agree?