Tenley Chick Filet takes measures against loitering after school by students, including Wilson

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chick Filet wants their business - but just does not want them hanging around. They clearly went into that spot considering Wilson as a revenue stream.

It is Chick-Fil-A. Not Filet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a policing issue-why aren't more police in the area if there are laws being broken daily?

They aren't. Read the crime reports.

Yelling and hanging out isn't a crime. Even if the middle aged mom is intimidated by your coarse language.

Good thing you will never be middle-aged yourself!

I'm 50. And white. And the mom of 2 teens. And this is all pearl clutching to me.

If someone assaults or steals or damages your property, call the police. The rest - deal.

I do agree that giving kids more options and space to hang out after school would help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a policing issue-why aren't more police in the area if there are laws being broken daily?

They aren't. Read the crime reports.

Yelling and hanging out isn't a crime. Even if the middle aged mom is intimidated by your coarse language.

No the police are not interested. It not like providing escort duty to a motorcade = lots of overtime for hanging out and doing nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a policing issue-why aren't more police in the area if there are laws being broken daily?

They aren't. Read the crime reports.

Yelling and hanging out isn't a crime. Even if the middle aged mom is intimidated by your coarse language.

Good thing you will never be middle-aged yourself!

Its about it being a shared space. A police officer or two who know the kids and are posted strategically would be an excellent deterrent to excessive behavior. And out of curiosity as you are a legal expert, how much yelling legal? I was at guapos outdoor patio and a group of kids stood nearby shouting nostop cuss words at each other. Is this legal? I'm just curious. I totally get it if someone has tourettes, but don't we have live and let live laws in our society where it does become a breaching the peace complaint? Fill me in. I thought you couldn't yell fire in a crowded theater. Not all speech is legal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It may be there is also good that comes from the school (vibrancy, money spent at businesses) and that could be discussed too.

You think it's only a possibility that public high schools do some good?

Np. Read and think critical for a sec. She didn't say what you think she said ("are public high schools at all worthwhile?")

I, for one, know the area would be every bit as vibrant and lined with businesses even if the same area was trafficked by adults and lined with businesses that aren't fast food joints catering to the 14-22 set. (Wilson, deal, gds, AU and Janney after school for good measure).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a policing issue-why aren't more police in the area if there are laws being broken daily?

They aren't. Read the crime reports.

Yelling and hanging out isn't a crime. Even if the middle aged mom is intimidated by your coarse language.

Good thing you will never be middle-aged yourself!

Its about it being a shared space. A police officer or two who know the kids and are posted strategically would be an excellent deterrent to excessive behavior. And out of curiosity as you are a legal expert, how much yelling legal? I was at guapos outdoor patio and a group of kids stood nearby shouting nostop cuss words at each other. Is this legal? I'm just curious. I totally get it if someone has tourettes, but don't we have live and let live laws in our society where it does become a breaching the peace complaint? Fill me in. I thought you couldn't yell fire in a crowded theater. Not all speech is legal.

Yes cursing is legal. Vulgar but legal.

Asking others to please tone it down is legal. But no one seems to want to do that because they are scared of these children (and yes high school kids are children).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A recap:

Apparently, the new and very popular Tenleyown Chick Filet has instituted a carry-out only policy for the period after school, 3:30 to 4:30 (roughly--I don't have every fact, just what I've gleaned so please speak up if you know better).

The neighborhood list serve is blowing up with people arguing that the policy is draconian and others arguing that it is the right of area businesses to look out for their own well-being, avoid nuisance situations (a full table with one drink purchased) or fire code violations (too many customers in the store). What is interesting is this policy has touched the nerve of how much area residents and businesses should accommodate the through traffic of 1,000s of young people while turning a blind eye to some behaviors such as rowdiness by or in metro, or being attacked (iceballs, thrown drinks) by said students.

Many people who live in the neighborhood detail altering their shopping routines to avoid this crowd (kind of like Chick Filet is altering its business plan). Obviously, this is mainly a Wilson let out issue as that is the main stream of students that hit Tenley every day at school dismissal time, though the area supports a vast group of students and young adults in transit.

Some calls for more policing coordination on the list serve have led to an equal amount of hand wringing ("in this climate we can't respond with more police which could lead to violence"). This defies logic, as more police presence can also lessen violence. It just depends how its deployed. Anyhow, noticeably silent on the brewing debate (as well as historically silent when concerns have been brought up in the past) are the school's principal as well as Ward 3 rep Mary Cheh as well as the police or Bowser.


Nearly all 7-eleven's do the same thing. The one near Coolidge Cap. City is crazy in the morning. At one time they even had separate lines for adults and students because of the chaos, even corner stores, CVS,and Dollar stores sometimes have a poster stating that students must be either accompanied or no more than 3 at a time. Kids in the hood have been discriminated when shopping for a long time, it's just only now making waves in Tenleytown.

The ANC rep poked his head out to comment on the need for reasonable dialogue, but no meeting date on this issue has been provided.

My take:

It's time for a full discussion, involving elected politicians, police and school leaders, about the impact of Wilson High School on the locale: metro, local businesses and quality of life. They need to talk to each other and talk to the neighborhood. It may be there is also good that comes from the school (vibrancy, money spent at businesses) and that could be discussed too. As long as there is resounding silence, I personally support local businesses right to do as they see fit as long as it's one size fits all. As a local resident, I have to carry out my food just like every one else under this policy--yet another impact.

It would be good to get past this, and coordinate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chick Filet wants their business - but just does not want them hanging around. They clearly went into that spot considering Wilson as a revenue stream.

It is Chick-Fil-A. Not Filet.

OP has been told 3 times now. Probably never going to get through to her/him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I too have been menaced by these rowdy, intimidating and nasty kids. the businesses are right in taking measures to make for a more peaceful experience.

What bothers me more though is people, especially mostly African Americans, who just can't seem to call it for what it is. They cry racism at every turn, trying to silence the voices of concern among citizens for what IS clearly a group of mostly African American kids who mostly DO NOT live in the neighborhood but who attend Wilson, who clearly WANT to rile up racial tensions and don't give a damn about it.

No one has stood up and said, yes, it is mostly this group, and we are working to address this. No one. Not even the kids themselves. What are they learning anyway at school and at home? No one ever talks to them about the fact that they belong to a society and need to beware of how they speak, act, dress, address people so as to not call them into question?

The blame always falls on the victims, not the perpetrators.

This is another good example, by the way, as to why the homeless shelter should not be built near McLean Gardens. More of the same will happen and even worse. Those idealists out there of a cumbaya existence are only dreaming.

Just curious PP - how do you know these kids don't live in the neighborhood? And why is it relevant where they live: did Tenleytown suddenly become a gated community?

[Anonymous]

kumbaya not cumbaya

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I too have been menaced by these rowdy, intimidating and nasty kids. the businesses are right in taking measures to make for a more peaceful experience.

What bothers me more though is people, especially mostly African Americans, who just can't seem to call it for what it is. They cry racism at every turn, trying to silence the voices of concern among citizens for what IS clearly a group of mostly African American kids who mostly DO NOT live in the neighborhood but who attend Wilson, who clearly WANT to rile up racial tensions and don't give a damn about it.

No one has stood up and said, yes, it is mostly this group, and we are working to address this. No one. Not even the kids themselves. What are they learning anyway at school and at home? No one ever talks to them about the fact that they belong to a society and need to beware of how they speak, act, dress, address people so as to not call them into question?

The blame always falls on the victims, not the perpetrators.

This is another good example, by the way, as to why the homeless shelter should not be built near McLean Gardens. More of the same will happen and even worse. Those idealists out there of a cumbaya existence are only dreaming.

Just curious PP - how do you know these kids don't live in the neighborhood? And why is it relevant where they live: did Tenleytown suddenly become a gated community?

I'm not PP but I'm guessing right now assumptions because the community has not been invited to air their concerns by the governing bodies and have replies given. They could certainly fill us in. Without addressing neighborhood concerns, everyone is free to take a guess at what they observe . This has been going on too long without being acknowledged. Let's not have another school year without addressing the elephant in the room: that Wilson let out needs to be better managed.

[Anonymous]

Every DC police district holds monthly meeting a to hear community concerns. Go to the one that's relevant to Tenleytown and talk to the district commander.

The ANC reps regularly attend as do business owners. School officials sometimes come too. No need to create another forum. Start with the ones that already exist.

[Anonymous]

The community should rather be focused on boycotting the Hate Chicken. The Chicken company is run but bigots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not in the neighborhood but have to eyeroll. If businesses are trying to taking steps to avoid congestion at a high traffic period of time and residents are "altering their shopping routines to avoid this crowd," why is this a problem? Individuals have the right to shop when it suits them best, business have the right to configure their customer service setup in the most effective way.

Why is this some kind of emergency that requires government intervention? I live in MoCo and I can assure you that lots of us plan around rush hour traffic etc.

OP, you seem to think the policy should apply only to "this crowd" from Wilson. Oh, the horror, for an hour each day, you can only get takeout from Chick Fil A...I never understand why people who clearly don't want to live in a city choose to live in the city. If you want bucolic suburbia, all you have to do is move.

Great thoughts. To clarify: residents are altering their routine because they feel (or have been) physically and verbally violated. It ranges from jostling, shouted bad language (near them, sometimes at them), to projectile throwing. I have personally witnessed students throwing rocks at cars and also hitting a pedestrian; when safely distanced, I pointed them out to a police officer at 7-11. There have also been (hopefully this will not be repeated this year) after school brawls including knifings on the area where people enter the metro. There is also shoplifting.

I have not eaten at Chick Filet and I am not asking that the policy apply only to Wilson. You did not read closely. I am making the point that it affects all of us.

It's Chick Fil-A. You sound like an effing racist idiot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like a policing issue-why aren't more police in the area if there are laws being broken daily?

They aren't. Read the crime reports.

Yelling and hanging out isn't a crime. Even if the middle aged mom is intimidated by your coarse language.

Good thing you will never be middle-aged yourself!

I'm 50. And white. And the mom of 2 teens. And this is all pearl clutching to me.

If someone assaults or steals or damages your property, call the police. The rest - deal.

I do agree that giving kids more options and space to hang out after school would help.

+1 with younger kids. I honestly and strongly believe that OP is in the minority.

And I think the police presence already there is possibly even a bit excessive, so I'm stunned that PPs don't know they are already there. It is the one place in the area where you are guaranteed to find a police officer if you are looking for one. Police should be focused on actual crime and vandalism and underaged drinking/drugs in the neighborhood, not loud kids swearing and buying food after school.