Mann and Janney PTAs called out in NYTs op-ed for perpetuating segregation in cities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harshburger!

Even in cities where the rich and poor continue to live under the same local government, economic segregation saps political support for common, egalitarian infrastructure. Rich New Yorkers donate generously to beautify Central Park while resisting the taxation necessary to maintain parks in neighborhoods they never visit. In Washington, D.C., parents in wealthier neighborhoods contribute lavishly to parent-teacher organizations that provide extra money to public schools in their neighborhoods, but they do not vote for a similar level of funding for all city schools. Two schools in northwest Washington each raised more than half a million dollars in 2017, while several schools in southeast Washington don’t even have parent-teacher organizations. Last year, for the third time since 1970, the residents of Gwinnett County, Ga., which sits on the edge of Atlanta, refused to fund an expansion of the regional transit system into their suburban county.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-us-cities-inequality.html

Citizens in D.C. do not directly vote on school budgets. So the statement in bold is factually incorrect, and I believe also wrong in spirit. Just another example of the demise of the once great NY Times. I was so sad to cancel my subscription four years ago after reading the paper for over 20 years. We need to develop a replacement for the Times. There are a few bright spots such as Quillette - which I recommend for thoughtful, non-click bait articles which often provide a different perspective from the simplistic narratives peddled by some of the media. Would love to hear from DCUM about other news sources that are thoughtful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harshburger!

Even in cities where the rich and poor continue to live under the same local government, economic segregation saps political support for common, egalitarian infrastructure. Rich New Yorkers donate generously to beautify Central Park while resisting the taxation necessary to maintain parks in neighborhoods they never visit. In Washington, D.C., parents in wealthier neighborhoods contribute lavishly to parent-teacher organizations that provide extra money to public schools in their neighborhoods, but they do not vote for a similar level of funding for all city schools. Two schools in northwest Washington each raised more than half a million dollars in 2017, while several schools in southeast Washington don’t even have parent-teacher organizations. Last year, for the third time since 1970, the residents of Gwinnett County, Ga., which sits on the edge of Atlanta, refused to fund an expansion of the regional transit system into their suburban county.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-us-cities-inequality.html

We've paid our taxes. It's up to the government to figure out how to spend it, equitably (however you define it) or otherwise. If you don't like it, vote them out. Stop shaming people for not voting for an extra special assessment. It's just a way for politicians to divide and conquer.

I'll stop thinking that these inequitable PTA budgets are shameful if you promise not to object if the D.C. Council proposes raising your taxes to add $500,000 in funds to every elementary school in the city besides Janney and Mann. That way, everybody wins!

I have zero issue with that. DC already has low property taxes.

[Anonymous]

You should have an issue with it, mate. As has been pointed out, tossing piles of money at low capacity schools, where admins mostly blow it, isn't the answer to helping kids learn and grow. Good budget planning and oversight is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harshburger!

Even in cities where the rich and poor continue to live under the same local government, economic segregation saps political support for common, egalitarian infrastructure. Rich New Yorkers donate generously to beautify Central Park while resisting the taxation necessary to maintain parks in neighborhoods they never visit. In Washington, D.C., parents in wealthier neighborhoods contribute lavishly to parent-teacher organizations that provide extra money to public schools in their neighborhoods, but they do not vote for a similar level of funding for all city schools. Two schools in northwest Washington each raised more than half a million dollars in 2017, while several schools in southeast Washington don’t even have parent-teacher organizations. Last year, for the third time since 1970, the residents of Gwinnett County, Ga., which sits on the edge of Atlanta, refused to fund an expansion of the regional transit system into their suburban county.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-us-cities-inequality.html

We've paid our taxes. It's up to the government to figure out how to spend it, equitably (however you define it) or otherwise. If you don't like it, vote them out. Stop shaming people for not voting for an extra special assessment. It's just a way for politicians to divide and conquer.

I'll stop thinking that these inequitable PTA budgets are shameful if you promise not to object if the D.C. Council proposes raising your taxes to add $500,000 in funds to every elementary school in the city besides Janney and Mann. That way, everybody wins!

I have zero issue with that. DC already has low property taxes.

no it doesnt

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harshburger!

Even in cities where the rich and poor continue to live under the same local government, economic segregation saps political support for common, egalitarian infrastructure. Rich New Yorkers donate generously to beautify Central Park while resisting the taxation necessary to maintain parks in neighborhoods they never visit. In Washington, D.C., parents in wealthier neighborhoods contribute lavishly to parent-teacher organizations that provide extra money to public schools in their neighborhoods, but they do not vote for a similar level of funding for all city schools. Two schools in northwest Washington each raised more than half a million dollars in 2017, while several schools in southeast Washington don’t even have parent-teacher organizations. Last year, for the third time since 1970, the residents of Gwinnett County, Ga., which sits on the edge of Atlanta, refused to fund an expansion of the regional transit system into their suburban county.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-us-cities-inequality.html

We've paid our taxes. It's up to the government to figure out how to spend it, equitably (however you define it) or otherwise. If you don't like it, vote them out. Stop shaming people for not voting for an extra special assessment. It's just a way for politicians to divide and conquer.

I'll stop thinking that these inequitable PTA budgets are shameful if you promise not to object if the D.C. Council proposes raising your taxes to add $500,000 in funds to every elementary school in the city besides Janney and Mann. That way, everybody wins!

I have zero issue with that. DC already has low property taxes.

no it doesnt

Yes it does. Look at tax rate, not your million dollar assessment. DC is very low.

[Anonymous]

It’s sad, but “equity” no longer means what it originally did. It used to be more about finding solutions in the middle. But now it’s been perverted and used as a tool to bludgeon well meaning high SES folks. It’s more punitive now than anything. The poor will still suffer but the rich no longer have incentive to be partner. Great job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s sad, but “equity” no longer means what it originally did. It used to be more about finding solutions in the middle. But now it’s been perverted and used as a tool to bludgeon well meaning high SES folks. It’s more punitive now than anything. The poor will still suffer but the rich no longer have incentive to be partner. Great job.

Well said. I hope it's just a few very loud SJWs who resort to shaming. A lot of high SES folks do want to help, but now they (I) feel that people just want us to write them a check and get the hell out. It's very antagonizing, and not the best way to build partnerships. That's true on the issue of public schools as well as other issues in the city.

Echoing other PPs, for this reason, I have refrained from subscribing to the NYT despite the excellent writing and the need to support media in these times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harshburger!

Even in cities where the rich and poor continue to live under the same local government, economic segregation saps political support for common, egalitarian infrastructure. Rich New Yorkers donate generously to beautify Central Park while resisting the taxation necessary to maintain parks in neighborhoods they never visit. In Washington, D.C., parents in wealthier neighborhoods contribute lavishly to parent-teacher organizations that provide extra money to public schools in their neighborhoods, but they do not vote for a similar level of funding for all city schools. Two schools in northwest Washington each raised more than half a million dollars in 2017, while several schools in southeast Washington don’t even have parent-teacher organizations. Last year, for the third time since 1970, the residents of Gwinnett County, Ga., which sits on the edge of Atlanta, refused to fund an expansion of the regional transit system into their suburban county.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-us-cities-inequality.html

We've paid our taxes. It's up to the government to figure out how to spend it, equitably (however you define it) or otherwise. If you don't like it, vote them out. Stop shaming people for not voting for an extra special assessment. It's just a way for politicians to divide and conquer.

I'll stop thinking that these inequitable PTA budgets are shameful if you promise not to object if the D.C. Council proposes raising your taxes to add $500,000 in funds to every elementary school in the city besides Janney and Mann. That way, everybody wins!

I have zero issue with that. DC already has low property taxes.

no it doesnt

Yes it does. Look at tax rate, not your million dollar assessment. DC is very low.

DC = 0.85%
MoCo = 0.7166%
Falls Church City (the highest in Virginia) = 0.8%

stop lying. you aren't comparing like to like

[Anonymous]

BTW if you're looking for money to fund schools then I'd suggest starting with the multi-million dollar EventsDC patronage slush fund.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This does not take into account that schools EOTP have free PK3, more funding per child, free meals, and many other resources that are not given to WOTP schools. And no one is complaining about that.

The reality is that WOTP schools are overcrowded and the parents have to make up the difference between what DCPS provides and what is needed.

I'll give you some examples of what our PTA funds are used for in our WOTP school: field trip costs because DCPS charges us for the bus, smartboard repairs because they break and we need them repaired, classroom supplies for teachers so they don't have to spend their own money, etc.

As parents, we are expected to bring a huge box of supplies for the school at the beginning of the year because IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE DCPS BUDGET. Clorox wipes, paper towels, tissues, dry erase markers, pencils, crayons, paper, and so on.

We still have the same DCPS curriculum as everyone else. We have overcrowded classrooms. Not sure what folks are up in arms about.

My EOTP school is also overcrowded (27 kids in our classes last year, no aide). We've cut positions elsewhere in the school to add classroom teachers and reduce class sizes, so we also don't have full specials blocks because there aren't enough specials teachers.

I'll give you some examples of what our PTA funds can't cover: field trips because DCPS doesn't provide buses (and our kids don't have SmartTrip cards), SmartBoard repairs because they break (but we don't have money to repair them so we don't), classroom supplies (so I spend my own money).

Our parents aren't expected to bring any supplies because they can't. Also not covered by our DCPS budget: Clorox wipes, paper towels, tissues, dry erase markers, pencils, crayons, paper, and so on.

We still have the same DCPS curriculum as everyone else. We have overcrowded classrooms.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This does not take into account that schools EOTP have free PK3, more funding per child, free meals, and many other resources that are not given to WOTP schools. And no one is complaining about that.

The reality is that WOTP schools are overcrowded and the parents have to make up the difference between what DCPS provides and what is needed.

I'll give you some examples of what our PTA funds are used for in our WOTP school: field trip costs because DCPS charges us for the bus, smartboard repairs because they break and we need them repaired, classroom supplies for teachers so they don't have to spend their own money, etc.

As parents, we are expected to bring a huge box of supplies for the school at the beginning of the year because IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE DCPS BUDGET. Clorox wipes, paper towels, tissues, dry erase markers, pencils, crayons, paper, and so on.

We still have the same DCPS curriculum as everyone else. We have overcrowded classrooms. Not sure what folks are up in arms about.

My EOTP school is also overcrowded (27 kids in our classes last year, no aide). We've cut positions elsewhere in the school to add classroom teachers and reduce class sizes, so we also don't have full specials blocks because there aren't enough specials teachers.

I'll give you some examples of what our PTA funds can't cover: field trips because DCPS doesn't provide buses (and our kids don't have SmartTrip cards), SmartBoard repairs because they break (but we don't have money to repair them so we don't), classroom supplies (so I spend my own money).

Our parents aren't expected to bring any supplies because they can't. Also not covered by our DCPS budget: Clorox wipes, paper towels, tissues, dry erase markers, pencils, crayons, paper, and so on.

We still have the same DCPS curriculum as everyone else. We have overcrowded classrooms.

I think you need a principal who is better at management.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This does not take into account that schools EOTP have free PK3, more funding per child, free meals, and many other resources that are not given to WOTP schools. And no one is complaining about that.

The reality is that WOTP schools are overcrowded and the parents have to make up the difference between what DCPS provides and what is needed.

I'll give you some examples of what our PTA funds are used for in our WOTP school: field trip costs because DCPS charges us for the bus, smartboard repairs because they break and we need them repaired, classroom supplies for teachers so they don't have to spend their own money, etc.

As parents, we are expected to bring a huge box of supplies for the school at the beginning of the year because IT IS NOT COVERED BY THE DCPS BUDGET. Clorox wipes, paper towels, tissues, dry erase markers, pencils, crayons, paper, and so on.

We still have the same DCPS curriculum as everyone else. We have overcrowded classrooms. Not sure what folks are up in arms about.

My EOTP school is also overcrowded (27 kids in our classes last year, no aide). We've cut positions elsewhere in the school to add classroom teachers and reduce class sizes, so we also don't have full specials blocks because there aren't enough specials teachers.

I'll give you some examples of what our PTA funds can't cover: field trips because DCPS doesn't provide buses (and our kids don't have SmartTrip cards), SmartBoard repairs because they break (but we don't have money to repair them so we don't), classroom supplies (so I spend my own money).

Our parents aren't expected to bring any supplies because they can't. Also not covered by our DCPS budget: Clorox wipes, paper towels, tissues, dry erase markers, pencils, crayons, paper, and so on.

We still have the same DCPS curriculum as everyone else. We have overcrowded classrooms.

So your nsokutiom to what is clearly a citywide problem is to stop parents in other neighborhoods from covering their own gap? that doesnt make sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harshburger!

Even in cities where the rich and poor continue to live under the same local government, economic segregation saps political support for common, egalitarian infrastructure. Rich New Yorkers donate generously to beautify Central Park while resisting the taxation necessary to maintain parks in neighborhoods they never visit. In Washington, D.C., parents in wealthier neighborhoods contribute lavishly to parent-teacher organizations that provide extra money to public schools in their neighborhoods, but they do not vote for a similar level of funding for all city schools. Two schools in northwest Washington each raised more than half a million dollars in 2017, while several schools in southeast Washington don’t even have parent-teacher organizations. Last year, for the third time since 1970, the residents of Gwinnett County, Ga., which sits on the edge of Atlanta, refused to fund an expansion of the regional transit system into their suburban county.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-us-cities-inequality.html

The NYT has become a joke.

Time to bring back the Public Editor and robust editorial standards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Harshburger!

Even in cities where the rich and poor continue to live under the same local government, economic segregation saps political support for common, egalitarian infrastructure. Rich New Yorkers donate generously to beautify Central Park while resisting the taxation necessary to maintain parks in neighborhoods they never visit. In Washington, D.C., parents in wealthier neighborhoods contribute lavishly to parent-teacher organizations that provide extra money to public schools in their neighborhoods, but they do not vote for a similar level of funding for all city schools. Two schools in northwest Washington each raised more than half a million dollars in 2017, while several schools in southeast Washington don’t even have parent-teacher organizations. Last year, for the third time since 1970, the residents of Gwinnett County, Ga., which sits on the edge of Atlanta, refused to fund an expansion of the regional transit system into their suburban county.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/opinion/coronavirus-us-cities-inequality.html

Citizens in D.C. do not directly vote on school budgets. So the statement in bold is factually incorrect, and I believe also wrong in spirit. Just another example of the demise of the once great NY Times. I was so sad to cancel my subscription four years ago after reading the paper for over 20 years. We need to develop a replacement for the Times. There are a few bright spots such as Quillette - which I recommend for thoughtful, non-click bait articles which often provide a different perspective from the simplistic narratives peddled by some of the media. Would love to hear from DCUM about other news sources that are thoughtful.

Same here.

We cancelled the NYT after 20+ years, now read realclearpolitics for a general review of what's going on, the WSJ for business and tech stuff, and a range of books -- our Kindles always have a few books ready to enjoy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s sad, but “equity” no longer means what it originally did. It used to be more about finding solutions in the middle. But now it’s been perverted and used as a tool to bludgeon well meaning high SES folks. It’s more punitive now than anything. The poor will still suffer but the rich no longer have incentive to be partner. Great job.

+1