Troubles at GDS high school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As I reflect on many of the social and economic debates in America today, I realize that we are so much more alike, than we are different. And yet it is that 15% difference, and not the 85% of commonalities, that gets 95% of our attention. Whether those difference be attributable to race, sexuality, economics, nationality, or immigration status.

Honestly, GDS is the most diverse, varied, and socially engaged institution that any of my children have ever attended (and they have now been at several private schools and universities). Each and every time I walk into the Forum in the High School, I am inspired by seeing so many different students playing, working, studying, and socializing together. There is a real synergy and spirit to the school, and it is generally a happy place.

These kids and students - as well as the adults who teach, help, and guide them - are scholars, athletes, friends, best friends, allies, teammates, colleagues, and partners first and foremost. Together they aspire to learn, to educate, to contribute to their community, to promote and support their school activities, to engage their talents and minds, to volunteer, to play, and to make a difference. Those are the important things that bind us together.

Yes, there are conflicts, and GDS is not perfect, as in fact no school is. But at least you see a commitment at GDS to put those conflicts out in the open, and attempt to work through them.

So you ask, are there "troubles at GDS high school"? Yes there are, as there are everywhere, but the GDS community works through its problems -- together and resolvedly.

I posted the above and I am a minority parent of a minority student. And the many minority (race, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, economic, nationality, immigration status) students my child is friends and acquaintances with are enjoying their high school years at GDS very much, benefitting from a rigorous education, excellent teachers, strong extracurricular opportunities, and above all from a scholarly, diverse, talented, committed, vibrant, and supportive student community.

There are, and always will be, issues, differences, and conflicts at any high school in America, but GDS is as open and accepting a community as our family has ever encountered. In how many high schools do students feel totally and completely comfortable openly expressing their sexuality, no matter how different they feel or are? How many high schools have a critical mass of diverse or underrepresented students, and a sufficiently supportive community, such that its students can openly and honestly articulate and express their offense, anger, or fear without worry about repercussions? How many high schools are such safe and supportive spaces that its students can openly discuss, debate, and argue issues of consent, sex, force, hazing, violence, discrimination, language, racial offenses, or rape, when in other places those issues are only shamefully discussed in private, or often completely ignored? Both GDS students, and the School, are quite honest, direct, and forward-thinking in their approach to openly broaching these and other uncomfortable issues, and attempting to bridge the inherent divides in any school community. In the end we are defined and brought together by our commonalities and, if not complete love, then at least general admiration for those things GDS has taught and given us, more so than we are divided by our differences.

I am not saying there is nothing to see. I am simply saying that GDS is no different from any high school, private or public, in having conflicts and differences amongst its students. The important difference is that GDS students, and the School, actually attempt to address those conflicts and differences, and they do so openly.

If you are a current student, family or extended community, and you have specific questions, then talk to someone on the faculty or in the administration. If you are a potential parent or student, then please feel free to schedule a meeting with the school so that they can answer any questions that you might have.

However, if you are just a lookey-loo completely unassociated with, or uninterested in the School, but still expecting to get some "dirt" or a "scoop" on this anonymous forum, then look elsewhere because the students, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators, and extended school community, while more than willing to address these things in the safe space of the School, do not consider this a "safe space" in which to address its issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As I reflect on many of the social and economic debates in America today, I realize that we are so much more alike, than we are different. And yet it is that 15% difference, and not the 85% of commonalities, that gets 95% of our attention. Whether those difference be attributable to race, sexuality, economics, nationality, or immigration status.

Honestly, GDS is the most diverse, varied, and socially engaged institution that any of my children have ever attended (and they have now been at several private schools and universities). Each and every time I walk into the Forum in the High School, I am inspired by seeing so many different students playing, working, studying, and socializing together. There is a real synergy and spirit to the school, and it is generally a happy place.

These kids and students - as well as the adults who teach, help, and guide them - are scholars, athletes, friends, best friends, allies, teammates, colleagues, and partners first and foremost. Together they aspire to learn, to educate, to contribute to their community, to promote and support their school activities, to engage their talents and minds, to volunteer, to play, and to make a difference. Those are the important things that bind us together.

Yes, there are conflicts, and GDS is not perfect, as in fact no school is. But at least you see a commitment at GDS to put those conflicts out in the open, and attempt to work through them.

So you ask, are there "troubles at GDS high school"? Yes there are, as there are everywhere, but the GDS community works through its problems -- together and resolvedly.

I posted the above and I am a minority parent of a minority student. And the many minority (race, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, economic, nationality, immigration status) students my child is friends and acquaintances with are enjoying their high school years at GDS very much, benefitting from a rigorous education, excellent teachers, strong extracurricular opportunities, and above all from a scholarly, diverse, talented, committed, vibrant, and supportive student community.

There are, and always will be, issues, differences, and conflicts at any high school in America, but GDS is as open and accepting a community as our family has ever encountered. In how many high schools do students feel totally and completely comfortable openly expressing their sexuality, no matter how different they feel or are? How many high schools have a critical mass of diverse or underrepresented students, and a sufficiently supportive community, such that its students can openly and honestly articulate and express their offense, anger, or fear without worry about repercussions? How many high schools are such safe and supportive spaces that its students can openly discuss, debate, and argue issues of consent, sex, force, hazing, violence, discrimination, language, racial offenses, or rape, when in other places those issues are only shamefully discussed in private, or often completely ignored? Both GDS students, and the School, are quite honest, direct, and forward-thinking in their approach to openly broaching these and other uncomfortable issues, and attempting to bridge the inherent divides in any school community. In the end we are defined and brought together by our commonalities and, if not complete love, then at least general admiration for those things GDS has taught and given us, more so than we are divided by our differences.

I am not saying there is nothing to see. I am simply saying that GDS is no different from any school, private or public, in having conflicts and differences among its students. The difference is that GDS students, and the School, do address those conflicts and differences, and they do so openly.

Except here, on DCUM, an "open" forum, where no one will answer the questions about these conflicts and differences.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]It seems this is a case of GDS to the City: "Watch what we say, not what we do." The hypocrisy of the whole thing is of a piece with the school's high-handed treatment of the community and the city in its rezoning disaster. Character matters---personally and institutionally.[/quote]

Just the opposite.

When what you do is to confront and address issues and differences openly and head-on, no matter how difficult those may be - instead of sweeping them under a rug, or worse, tacitly suppressing their expression for fear of reprisals or repercussions - you demonstrate the ethical and beneficial characteristics of openness, honesty, and transparency, as well as a willingness to examine yourself, to change when necessary, and to work to improve. That is a good example for the students, the community, the neighbors, and the City. The students and families expect no less of their School, and the local government can expect the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:But can you give some specifics?

Anonymous wrote:It's not just a revolt of African American students. Parents and students of all races are questioning both the efficacy of GDS's current diversity curriculum and the fairness of the school's approach to discipline. Many HS students have lost all respect for the Head of School and parents increasingly understand why.

I can, but they'll probably be removed. That seems to be the pattern.

There have been a number of incidents this year at the HS and the MS involving consent, social media, racism, hazing (including a beating that caused welts), and sexism and its relationship to rape culture. Not infrequently, an incident involves more than one of these elements. An increasing number of students and parents see discipline at the school as "arbitrary and capricious." (That's the parents talking, obviously.) The administration vacillates between swift and ruthless vs. swept under the rug. Situations involving groups of kids, all of whom are doing something wrong, often lead to punishment for a few and not for others. Punishment almost always seems to involve some form of separation from the community and there's so much obfuscation around discipline that it's unclear who is being disciplined for what. That wouldn't inherently be a problem if there were clear rules and clear penalties, but there aren't. Throw in a 24/7 policy that enables the school to discipline students for incidents that occur off campus in contexts where the school is not in a supervisory role (e.g. private parties) and a complete lack of process into the mix, and you've got a perfect storm.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As I reflect on many of the social and economic debates in America today, I realize that we are so much more alike, than we are different. And yet it is that 15% difference, and not the 85% of commonalities, that gets 95% of our attention. Whether those difference be attributable to race, sexuality, economics, nationality, or immigration status.

Honestly, GDS is the most diverse, varied, and socially engaged institution that any of my children have ever attended (and they have now been at several private schools and universities). Each and every time I walk into the Forum in the High School, I am inspired by seeing so many different students playing, working, studying, and socializing together. There is a real synergy and spirit to the school, and it is generally a happy place.

These kids and students - as well as the adults who teach, help, and guide them - are scholars, athletes, friends, best friends, allies, teammates, colleagues, and partners first and foremost. Together they aspire to learn, to educate, to contribute to their community, to promote and support their school activities, to engage their talents and minds, to volunteer, to play, and to make a difference. Those are the important things that bind us together.

Yes, there are conflicts, and GDS is not perfect, as in fact no school is. But at least you see a commitment at GDS to put those conflicts out in the open, and attempt to work through them.

So you ask, are there "troubles at GDS high school"? Yes there are, as there are everywhere, but the GDS community works through its problems -- together and resolvedly.

I posted the above and I am a minority parent of a minority student. And the many minority (race, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, economic, nationality, immigration status) students my child is friends and acquaintances with are enjoying their high school years at GDS very much, benefitting from a rigorous education, excellent teachers, strong extracurricular opportunities, and above all from a scholarly, diverse, talented, committed, vibrant, and supportive student community.

There are, and always will be, issues, differences, and conflicts at any high school in America, but GDS is as open and accepting a community as our family has ever encountered. In how many high schools do students feel totally and completely comfortable openly expressing their sexuality, no matter how different they feel or are? How many high schools have a critical mass of diverse or underrepresented students, and a sufficiently supportive community, such that its students can openly and honestly articulate and express their offense, anger, or fear without worry about repercussions? How many high schools are such safe and supportive spaces that its students can openly discuss, debate, and argue issues of consent, sex, force, hazing, violence, discrimination, language, racial offenses, or rape, when in other places those issues are only shamefully discussed in private, or often completely ignored? Both GDS students, and the School, are quite honest, direct, and forward-thinking in their approach to openly broaching these and other uncomfortable issues, and attempting to bridge the inherent divides in any school community. In the end we are defined and brought together by our commonalities and, if not complete love, then at least general admiration for those things GDS has taught and given us, more so than we are divided by our differences.

I am not saying there is nothing to see. I am simply saying that GDS is no different from any high school, private or public, in having conflicts and differences amongst its students. The important difference is that GDS students, and the School, actually attempt to address those conflicts and differences, and they do so openly.

If you are a current student, family or extended community, and you have specific questions, then talk to someone on the faculty or in the administration. If you are a potential parent or student, then please feel free to schedule a meeting with the school so that they can answer any questions that you might have.

However, if you are just a lookey-loo completely unassociated with, or uninterested in the School, but still expecting to get some "dirt" or a "scoop" on this anonymous forum, then look elsewhere because the students, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators, and extended school community, while more than willing to address these things in the safe space of the School, do not consider this DCUM forum a "safe space" in which to address its issues.

That is because an anonymous DCUM forum, while certainly "open", is clearly not a "safe space" for any public or private school's students, families, or community to address their issues. I know that you understand that, and hopefully you respect the need of all schools to protect their students' privacy.

[Anonymous]

They make Trump look weak. Instead of building a wall, they annexed the Safeway.

Anonymous wrote:They need to build a wall between themselves and the Safeway. And have Safeway pay for the wall.

[Anonymous]

FIFY

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As I reflect on many of the social and economic debates in America today, I realize that we are so much more alike, than we are different. And yet it is that 15% difference, and not the 85% of commonalities, that gets 95% of our attention. Whether those difference be attributable to race, sexuality, economics, nationality, or immigration status.

Honestly, GDS is the most diverse, varied, and socially engaged institution that any of my children have ever attended (and they have now been at several private schools and universities). Each and every time I walk into the Forum in the High School, I am inspired by seeing so many different students playing, working, studying, and socializing together. There is a real synergy and spirit to the school, and it is generally a happy place.

These kids and students - as well as the adults who teach, help, and guide them - are scholars, athletes, friends, best friends, allies, teammates, colleagues, and partners first and foremost. Together they aspire to learn, to educate, to contribute to their community, to promote and support their school activities, to engage their talents and minds, to volunteer, to play, and to make a difference. Those are the important things that bind us together.

Yes, there are conflicts, and GDS is not perfect, as in fact no school is. But at least you see a commitment at GDS to put those conflicts out in the open, and attempt to work through them.

So you ask, are there "troubles at GDS high school"? Yes there are, as there are everywhere, but the GDS community works through its problems -- together and resolvedly.

I posted the above and I am a minority parent of a minority student. And the many minority (race, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, economic, nationality, immigration status) students my child is friends and acquaintances with are enjoying their high school years at GDS very much, benefitting from a rigorous education, excellent teachers, strong extracurricular opportunities, and above all from a scholarly, diverse, talented, committed, vibrant, and supportive student community.

There are, and always will be, issues, differences, and conflicts at any high school in America, but GDS is as open and accepting a community as our family has ever encountered. In how many high schools do students feel totally and completely comfortable openly expressing their sexuality, no matter how different they feel or are? How many high schools have a critical mass of diverse or underrepresented students, and a sufficiently supportive community, such that its students can openly and honestly articulate and express their offense, anger, or fear without worry about repercussions? How many high schools are such safe and supportive spaces that its students can openly discuss, debate, and argue issues of consent, sex, force, hazing, violence, discrimination, language, racial offenses, or rape, when in other places those issues are only shamefully discussed in private, or often completely ignored? Both GDS students, and the School, are quite honest, direct, and forward-thinking in their approach to openly broaching these and other uncomfortable issues, and attempting to bridge the inherent divides in any school community. In the end we are defined and brought together by our commonalities and, if not complete love, then at least general admiration for those things GDS has taught and given us, more so than we are divided by our differences.

I am not saying there is nothing to see. I am simply saying that GDS is no different from any high school, private or public, in having conflicts and differences amongst its students. The important difference is that GDS students, and the School, actually attempt to address those conflicts and differences, and they do so openly.

If you are a current student, family or extended community, and you have specific questions, then talk to someone on the faculty or in the administration. If you are a potential parent or student, then please feel free to schedule a meeting with the school so that they can answer any questions that you might have.

However, if you are just a lookey-loo then look elsewhere because the students, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators, and extended school community, don't air their dirty laundry in public, no matter how soiled it is, because that would dirty the perfect picture it presents to the outside world.

[Anonymous]

This is an example of keeping problems out of public view.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It seems this is a case of GDS to the City: "Watch what we say, not what we do." The hypocrisy of the whole thing is of a piece with the school's high-handed treatment of the community and the city in its rezoning disaster. Character matters---personally and institutionally.[/quote]

Just the opposite.

When what you do is to confront and address issues and differences openly and head-on, no matter how difficult those may be - instead of sweeping them under a rug, or worse, tacitly suppressing their expression for fear of reprisals or repercussions - you demonstrate the ethical and beneficial characteristics of openness, honesty, and transparency, as well as a willingness to examine yourself, to change when necessary, and to work to improve. That is a good example for the students, the community, the neighbors, and the City. The students and families expect no less of their School, and the local government can expect the same.[/quote]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FIFY

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As I reflect on many of the social and economic debates in America today, I realize that we are so much more alike, than we are different. And yet it is that 15% difference, and not the 85% of commonalities, that gets 95% of our attention. Whether those difference be attributable to race, sexuality, economics, nationality, or immigration status.

Honestly, GDS is the most diverse, varied, and socially engaged institution that any of my children have ever attended (and they have now been at several private schools and universities). Each and every time I walk into the Forum in the High School, I am inspired by seeing so many different students playing, working, studying, and socializing together. There is a real synergy and spirit to the school, and it is generally a happy place.

These kids and students - as well as the adults who teach, help, and guide them - are scholars, athletes, friends, best friends, allies, teammates, colleagues, and partners first and foremost. Together they aspire to learn, to educate, to contribute to their community, to promote and support their school activities, to engage their talents and minds, to volunteer, to play, and to make a difference. Those are the important things that bind us together.

Yes, there are conflicts, and GDS is not perfect, as in fact no school is. But at least you see a commitment at GDS to put those conflicts out in the open, and attempt to work through them.

So you ask, are there "troubles at GDS high school"? Yes there are, as there are everywhere, but the GDS community works through its problems -- together and resolvedly.

I posted the above and I am a minority parent of a minority student. And the many minority (race, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, economic, nationality, immigration status) students my child is friends and acquaintances with are enjoying their high school years at GDS very much, benefitting from a rigorous education, excellent teachers, strong extracurricular opportunities, and above all from a scholarly, diverse, talented, committed, vibrant, and supportive student community.

There are, and always will be, issues, differences, and conflicts at any high school in America, but GDS is as open and accepting a community as our family has ever encountered. In how many high schools do students feel totally and completely comfortable openly expressing their sexuality, no matter how different they feel or are? How many high schools have a critical mass of diverse or underrepresented students, and a sufficiently supportive community, such that its students can openly and honestly articulate and express their offense, anger, or fear without worry about repercussions? How many high schools are such safe and supportive spaces that its students can openly discuss, debate, and argue issues of consent, sex, force, hazing, violence, discrimination, language, racial offenses, or rape, when in other places those issues are only shamefully discussed in private, or often completely ignored? Both GDS students, and the School, are quite honest, direct, and forward-thinking in their approach to openly broaching these and other uncomfortable issues, and attempting to bridge the inherent divides in any school community. In the end we are defined and brought together by our commonalities and, if not complete love, then at least general admiration for those things GDS has taught and given us, more so than we are divided by our differences.

I am not saying there is nothing to see. I am simply saying that GDS is no different from any high school, private or public, in having conflicts and differences amongst its students. The important difference is that GDS students, and the School, actually attempt to address those conflicts and differences, and they do so openly.

If you are a current student, family or extended community, and you have specific questions, then talk to someone on the faculty or in the administration. If you are a potential parent or student, then please feel free to schedule a meeting with the school so that they can answer any questions that you might have.

However, if you are just a lookey-loo completely unassociated with, or uninterested in the School, but still expecting to get some "dirt" or a "scoop" on this anonymous forum, then look elsewhere because the students, parents, faculty, staff, and administrators, and extended school community, while more than willing to address these things in the safe space of the School, do not consider this DCUM forum a "safe space" in which to address its issues.

Yes, exactly my point as well.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]This is an example of keeping problems out of public view.

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]It seems this is a case of GDS to the City: "Watch what we say, not what we do." The hypocrisy of the whole thing is of a piece with the school's high-handed treatment of the community and the city in its rezoning disaster. Character matters---personally and institutionally.[/quote]

Just the opposite.

When what you do is to confront and address issues and differences openly and head-on, no matter how difficult those may be - instead of sweeping them under a rug, or worse, tacitly suppressing their expression for fear of reprisals or repercussions - you demonstrate the ethical and beneficial characteristics of openness, honesty, and transparency, as well as a willingness to examine yourself, to change when necessary, and to work to improve. That is a good example for the students, the community, the neighbors, and the City. The students and families expect no less of their School, and the local government can expect the same.[/quote][/quote]

Maybe if they had football at GDS the students could "confront and address issues and differences openly and head-on". Literally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But can you give some specifics?

Anonymous wrote:It's not just a revolt of African American students. Parents and students of all races are questioning both the efficacy of GDS's current diversity curriculum and the fairness of the school's approach to discipline. Many HS students have lost all respect for the Head of School and parents increasingly understand why.

I can, but they'll probably be removed. That seems to be the pattern.

There have been a number of incidents this year at the HS and the MS involving consent, social media, racism, hazing (including a beating that caused welts), and sexism and its relationship to rape culture. Not infrequently, an incident involves more than one of these elements. An increasing number of students and parents see discipline at the school as "arbitrary and capricious." (That's the parents talking, obviously.) The administration vacillates between swift and ruthless vs. swept under the rug. Situations involving groups of kids, all of whom are doing something wrong, often lead to punishment for a few and not for others. Punishment almost always seems to involve some form of separation from the community and there's so much obfuscation around discipline that it's unclear who is being disciplined for what. That wouldn't inherently be a problem if there were clear rules and clear penalties, but there aren't. Throw in a 24/7 policy that enables the school to discipline students for incidents that occur off campus in contexts where the school is not in a supervisory role (e.g. private parties) and a complete lack of process into the mix, and you've got a perfect storm.

You left out the part about the many parents who are legal bigwigs. That surely adds an interesting tint. Maybe GDS could learn something from Landon? They have a very open and transparent honor code and judicial system.

[Anonymous]

Are you kidding me? Landon?

[Anonymous]

Current parent not super connected to the administration - if you see a situation requiring discipline, make a decision then defend it. No need to make every situation a referendum on race relations which tells your students that genetics matter more than conduct.

[Anonymous]

Yes, one parent at last week's forum said she thought Landon handled these issues much better than GDS.

[Anonymous]

It's not about race; it's about due process. Whether the school can confiscate and download the contents of a (minor) student's cellphone without contacting the parent, whether it can pressure a minor to sign a written "apology" (again without the parent involved) that includes statements the student believes are false. Whether an investigation, once concluded, can be reopened. Whether the accused has the right to see evidence against him/her and have evidence in his/her own defense considered. What standard of proof will be used in contested cases. Whether there is an appeals process. Whether the school, lacking clear and consistent evidence sufficient to justify an expulsion, can ban a student from campus indefinitely. Really basic stuff like that.

It's important to disentangle these issues from any specific case. That's how process issues work -- we evaluate fairness by assuming an accused is innocent -- does a process like this give the accused a fair chance to disprove an allegation? Is this how you would want your private school to treat your child?