The Gap Between Three APS High Schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Not PP, but really I think the county NEEDS to invest more in transportation infrastructure even if it means higher taxes, because we're just too dense and too urban to pretend like we're the sleepy suburb of yesteryear. MS kids are old enough to use public transportation by themselves safely, if we had a more robust transit network. There's no reason why the special snowflakes of NOVA must be driven door-to-door. NONE. There are students in Switzerland and Germany who ride public buses alone to Kindergarten. If our kids can't handle that by 6th grade, they deserve to fail. So much for American exceptionalism.

That may be, but it isn't going to happen by September 2019. Transportation is a huge cost. APS has insufficient busses, drivers, and bus storage. Public transport can't fill the gap. Turning large numbers of children walking to neighborhood schools into bus riders is inefficient, expensive, and totally against stated County and APS goals of walkability and car free diet community.

Wanting your child at their nearby, neighborhood school isn't ridiculous. It isn't racist. It's a common sense and quality of life factor for hundreds or maybe thousands of families. APS stated that they heard it loud and clear both from English and Spanish speaking families that they wanted their kids at neighborhood schools.

Think twice, Arlington parents, about who you vote for on November 7th at the County Board. Sure, the election was really last spring, but there's nothing wrong with sending a message that the County Board is screwing up our schools with bad development policy and urban planning.

[Anonymous]

^^ Who's the candidate though? Clement is a nut (though I'm pretty sure I protest-voted for her last time) and I just spent some time this morning reading about McCullough: his #1 priority is more affordable housing. It's hard to know where to turn. I'll probably protest-vote for him anyway, just because he's not the establishment pick boosted by that absurd caucus, but doesn't seem him winning would even help that much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not PP, but really I think the county NEEDS to invest more in transportation infrastructure even if it means higher taxes, because we're just too dense and too urban to pretend like we're the sleepy suburb of yesteryear. MS kids are old enough to use public transportation by themselves safely, if we had a more robust transit network. There's no reason why the special snowflakes of NOVA must be driven door-to-door. NONE. There are students in Switzerland and Germany who ride public buses alone to Kindergarten. If our kids can't handle that by 6th grade, they deserve to fail. So much for American exceptionalism.

That may be, but it isn't going to happen by September 2019. Transportation is a huge cost. APS has insufficient busses, drivers, and bus storage. Public transport can't fill the gap. Turning large numbers of children walking to neighborhood schools into bus riders is inefficient, expensive, and totally against stated County and APS goals of walkability and car free diet community.

Wanting your child at their nearby, neighborhood school isn't ridiculous. It isn't racist. It's a common sense and quality of life factor for hundreds or maybe thousands of families. APS stated that they heard it loud and clear both from English and Spanish speaking families that they wanted their kids at neighborhood schools.

OK. So let's get rid of all elementary-level choice programs except immersion. Then let's move towards eliminating school buses for middle schoolers and high schoolers -- not by 2019, but as we face an increasing school population and an increased population generally. Better public transit, used more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not PP, but really I think the county NEEDS to invest more in transportation infrastructure even if it means higher taxes, because we're just too dense and too urban to pretend like we're the sleepy suburb of yesteryear. MS kids are old enough to use public transportation by themselves safely, if we had a more robust transit network. There's no reason why the special snowflakes of NOVA must be driven door-to-door. NONE. There are students in Switzerland and Germany who ride public buses alone to Kindergarten. If our kids can't handle that by 6th grade, they deserve to fail. So much for American exceptionalism.

That may be, but it isn't going to happen by September 2019. Transportation is a huge cost. APS has insufficient busses, drivers, and bus storage. Public transport can't fill the gap. Turning large numbers of children walking to neighborhood schools into bus riders is inefficient, expensive, and totally against stated County and APS goals of walkability and car free diet community.

Wanting your child at their nearby, neighborhood school isn't ridiculous. It isn't racist. It's a common sense and quality of life factor for hundreds or maybe thousands of families. APS stated that they heard it loud and clear both from English and Spanish speaking families that they wanted their kids at neighborhood schools.

Think twice, Arlington parents, about who you vote for on November 7th at the County Board. Sure, the election was really last spring, but there's nothing wrong with sending a message that the County Board is screwing up our schools with bad development policy and urban planning.

This was not on the table, so stop repeating it again and again. They was no scenario that increased the overall number of bus riders, or took away "neighborhood schools" (bus ridership is going up w/number of students in the system). What was on the table was a compromise position, or doing nothing. What's on the table now is doing nothing or doing nothing, when promoting diversity is ALSO A STATED GOAL.

There is not candidate in Arlington who is EVER going to say that it's more important to be thoughtful about placement of AH rather than to build out the max number of units. We can only build out the max with infill development. Enjoy the segregation you're voting for!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not PP, but really I think the county NEEDS to invest more in transportation infrastructure even if it means higher taxes, because we're just too dense and too urban to pretend like we're the sleepy suburb of yesteryear. MS kids are old enough to use public transportation by themselves safely, if we had a more robust transit network. There's no reason why the special snowflakes of NOVA must be driven door-to-door. NONE. There are students in Switzerland and Germany who ride public buses alone to Kindergarten. If our kids can't handle that by 6th grade, they deserve to fail. So much for American exceptionalism.

That may be, but it isn't going to happen by September 2019. Transportation is a huge cost. APS has insufficient busses, drivers, and bus storage. Public transport can't fill the gap. Turning large numbers of children walking to neighborhood schools into bus riders is inefficient, expensive, and totally against stated County and APS goals of walkability and car free diet community.

Wanting your child at their nearby, neighborhood school isn't ridiculous. It isn't racist. It's a common sense and quality of life factor for hundreds or maybe thousands of families. APS stated that they heard it loud and clear both from English and Spanish speaking families that they wanted their kids at neighborhood schools.

OK. So let's get rid of all elementary-level choice programs except immersion. Then let's move towards eliminating school buses for middle schoolers and high schoolers -- not by 2019, but as we face an increasing school population and an increased population generally. Better public transit, used more.

No. First, eliminate all car drop-offs. If you're a walker, you'd better walk rain or shine, tuba and all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not PP, but really I think the county NEEDS to invest more in transportation infrastructure even if it means higher taxes, because we're just too dense and too urban to pretend like we're the sleepy suburb of yesteryear. MS kids are old enough to use public transportation by themselves safely, if we had a more robust transit network. There's no reason why the special snowflakes of NOVA must be driven door-to-door. NONE. There are students in Switzerland and Germany who ride public buses alone to Kindergarten. If our kids can't handle that by 6th grade, they deserve to fail. So much for American exceptionalism.

That may be, but it isn't going to happen by September 2019. Transportation is a huge cost. APS has insufficient busses, drivers, and bus storage. Public transport can't fill the gap. Turning large numbers of children walking to neighborhood schools into bus riders is inefficient, expensive, and totally against stated County and APS goals of walkability and car free diet community.

Wanting your child at their nearby, neighborhood school isn't ridiculous. It isn't racist. It's a common sense and quality of life factor for hundreds or maybe thousands of families. APS stated that they heard it loud and clear both from English and Spanish speaking families that they wanted their kids at neighborhood schools.

Think twice, Arlington parents, about who you vote for on November 7th at the County Board. Sure, the election was really last spring, but there's nothing wrong with sending a message that the County Board is screwing up our schools with bad development policy and urban planning.

This was not on the table, so stop repeating it again and again. They was no scenario that increased the overall number of bus riders, or took away "neighborhood schools" (bus ridership is going up w/number of students in the system). What was on the table was a compromise position, or doing nothing. What's on the table now is doing nothing or doing nothing, when promoting diversity is ALSO A STATED GOAL.

There is not candidate in Arlington who is EVER going to say that it's more important to be thoughtful about placement of AH rather than to build out the max number of units. We can only build out the max with infill development. Enjoy the segregation you're voting for!

Yes, for a number of us, proposals would have taken away neighborhood schools so I will repeat it again because it is factually accurate. Families who live two and three blocks from a school would be put on a bus to another school not in their neighborhood. This is turning neighborhood walkers into bus riders, to fix bad decisions at a county level. That's not a compromise. That's telling some kids "sorry, the adults fucked up and are continuing to make the same mistake again and again, so we need to use you to fix it."

[Anonymous]

Yes but the same thing is happening to kids in S Arlington too- with the proposals A & B. Or doesn't it count if the student lives in S Arlington?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes but the same thing is happening to kids in S Arlington too- with the proposals A & B. Or doesn't it count if the student lives in S Arlington?

It counts for all of them, and at the presentation last night the staff made it clear that they'd heard from parents in both north and south that they wanted their kids at neighborhood schools.

[Anonymous]

NEWS FLASH : Metro is broken and we taxpayers will be bailing out the system for many years to come! That doesn't leave extra $$ for expanding public bus service, including ART.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes but the same thing is happening to kids in S Arlington too- with the proposals A & B. Or doesn't it count if the student lives in S Arlington?

It counts for all of them, and at the presentation last night the staff made it clear that they'd heard from parents in both north and south that they wanted their kids at neighborhood schools.

Is their feedback on the 5 specific scenarios, and which of those did they prefer? Because none of the 5 scenarios had their kids being turned from walkers into bus riders. Next boundary change, you can send all their kids to Wakefield instead of W-L, and the Buckingham kids will go to Jefferson instead of Swanson. Because that's what the next boundary change is going to look like. We're out of other options, without "busing." You listen to them when it's convenient for you and it fits your narrative.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NEWS FLASH : Metro is broken and we taxpayers will be bailing out the system for many years to come! That doesn't leave extra $$ for expanding public bus service, including ART.

NEWS FLASH: Metro is a lost cause. We should focus our money and attention on what we can control.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not PP, but really I think the county NEEDS to invest more in transportation infrastructure even if it means higher taxes, because we're just too dense and too urban to pretend like we're the sleepy suburb of yesteryear. MS kids are old enough to use public transportation by themselves safely, if we had a more robust transit network. There's no reason why the special snowflakes of NOVA must be driven door-to-door. NONE. There are students in Switzerland and Germany who ride public buses alone to Kindergarten. If our kids can't handle that by 6th grade, they deserve to fail. So much for American exceptionalism.

That may be, but it isn't going to happen by September 2019. Transportation is a huge cost. APS has insufficient busses, drivers, and bus storage. Public transport can't fill the gap. Turning large numbers of children walking to neighborhood schools into bus riders is inefficient, expensive, and totally against stated County and APS goals of walkability and car free diet community.

Wanting your child at their nearby, neighborhood school isn't ridiculous. It isn't racist. It's a common sense and quality of life factor for hundreds or maybe thousands of families. APS stated that they heard it loud and clear both from English and Spanish speaking families that they wanted their kids at neighborhood schools.

Think twice, Arlington parents, about who you vote for on November 7th at the County Board. Sure, the election was really last spring, but there's nothing wrong with sending a message that the County Board is screwing up our schools with bad development policy and urban planning.

This was not on the table, so stop repeating it again and again. They was no scenario that increased the overall number of bus riders, or took away "neighborhood schools" (bus ridership is going up w/number of students in the system). What was on the table was a compromise position, or doing nothing. What's on the table now is doing nothing or doing nothing, when promoting diversity is ALSO A STATED GOAL.

There is not candidate in Arlington who is EVER going to say that it's more important to be thoughtful about placement of AH rather than to build out the max number of units. We can only build out the max with infill development. Enjoy the segregation you're voting for!

Yes, for a number of us, proposals would have taken away neighborhood schools so I will repeat it again because it is factually accurate. Families who live two and three blocks from a school would be put on a bus to another school not in their neighborhood. This is turning neighborhood walkers into bus riders, to fix bad decisions at a county level. That's not a compromise. That's telling some kids "sorry, the adults fucked up and are continuing to make the same mistake again and again, so we need to use you to fix it."

Neighborhood schools don't mean you get to pick where they draw the boundary, or that you'll always get to go to the closest school. Look at the two options they've given. They're moving kids who are closer to Swanson up to Williamsburg in both. In the HS decision, they moved kids who were closer to W-L over to Yorktown. Since they will always have to do this to some extent, because our schools aren't built in perfect locations, they should take each opportunity to address school segregation. It's not like it will get easier to do at some future point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry op, but marching band doesn’t have a rich tradition in Ethiopia and El Salvador. You can’t make people share your values.

do you know this for a fact? also YT band is probably all white but WL is quite diverse. that gap cannot be explained due to family background alone, can it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry op, but marching band doesn’t have a rich tradition in Ethiopia and El Salvador. You can’t make people share your values.

do you know this for a fact? also YT band is probably all white but WL is quite diverse. that gap cannot be explained due to family background alone, can it?

Sure it can. And yes I know for a fact that marching band is not really a thing in Ethiopia. Like, duh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again I will ask why middle schoolers cannot ride ART?

First, there isn't sufficient ART bus coverage to take kids to middle school, so Arlington County would instead have to invest money in dramatically expanded ART bus service (would you like higher taxes or fewer services to cover that?). If you look, for example, at Nottingham-zone kids (because we know how much you love to hate them) who would be bused to Kenmore instead of being able to walk a short distance to Williamsburg, they'd have to pick up their first of two ART buses before 6:30 am to get to Kenmore on time. At the end of the school day, if they really hustle after the bell and can get all of their stuff together and get to the ART bus stop in 12 minutes, they'll get home only a little less than an hour after school ends. If they miss that bus and have to wait for the next one, they get home a full two hours after school ends. Would you be willing to subject your child to upwards of three house of busing every day instead of 20 minutes of walking (30 if they take their time or stop to wait for a friend)? I doubt it, I imagine that would be something you think other people's kids should do.

Second, liability. If kids aren't within the walk zone and APS tells them to get on ART buses rather than providing school bus transportation and a child gets injured or disappears during their school transit, APS will get nailed for failing to provide safe transit to school. Because not all of these lines connect, you'll have kids walking a half mile or more along/across busy streets to reduce time spent on buses, which is just asking for someone to get hit by a car (especially in the winter when it will still be dark while they walk).

Not PP, but really I think the county NEEDS to invest more in transportation infrastructure even if it means higher taxes, because we're just too dense and too urban to pretend like we're the sleepy suburb of yesteryear. MS kids are old enough to use public transportation by themselves safely, if we had a more robust transit network. There's no reason why the special snowflakes of NOVA must be driven door-to-door. NONE. There are students in Switzerland and Germany who ride public buses alone to Kindergarten. If our kids can't handle that by 6th grade, they deserve to fail. So much for American exceptionalism.

Then take up that issue with the proper entity, which is the county board, not the school board (and definitely not your neighbors who don't want to put their kids on buses for 2-3 hours a day). Unless/until the county board decides to invest in expanding public transit around Arlington to allow students to take public transit to school, the school board can only work with the current system, which doesn't allow for students to take public transit to school on a widespread basis.