McLean to Explore Separating from FC & FCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

I am an immigrant as well and I live in McLean. Nobody here opposes other schools benefiting from a healthy tax base, what we have accepted is that “others” will be benefited at our expense while our kids sit in trailers. No, thanks!

Just move a couple streets over and your children can go to Langley in a lovely newly renovated building with no overcrowding.

What's the problem?

That is not the solution, to treat people in McLean with such dismissive attitude is the issue. You are happy to take our dollars but want us to shut up and never voice a concern. This Sorry, pocket dial attitude is driving this discussion.

The solution is to look at what you have and think about what the problem is.

Trailers aren't great but they're not a problem. McLean HS is a great high school. What is the problem?

If they weren't a problem, FCPS would factor them in when determining whether schools are over capacity. Even FCPS, for all its disingenuity, doesn't do that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

I am an immigrant as well and I live in McLean. Nobody here opposes other schools benefiting from a healthy tax base, what we have accepted is that “others” will be benefited at our expense while our kids sit in trailers. No, thanks!

Just move a couple streets over and your children can go to Langley in a lovely newly renovated building with no overcrowding.

What's the problem?

That is not the solution, to treat people in McLean with such dismissive attitude is the issue. You are happy to take our dollars but want us to shut up and never voice a concern. This Sorry, pocket dial attitude is driving this discussion.

The solution is to look at what you have and think about what the problem is.

Trailers aren't great but they're not a problem. McLean HS is a great high school. What is the problem?

who are you to decide what is a problem for other people's kids? if you are okay with your kids going to school in a trailer thats your business. Others are allowed to feel differently and act accordingly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

I am an immigrant as well and I live in McLean. Nobody here opposes other schools benefiting from a healthy tax base, what we have accepted is that “others” will be benefited at our expense while our kids sit in trailers. No, thanks!

Just move a couple streets over and your children can go to Langley in a lovely newly renovated building with no overcrowding.

What's the problem?

I love that FCPS is so progressive and focused on equity, but they'll spend $40 million to expand West Potomac so kids don't have to go to Mount Vernon, but next to nothing on McLean because maybe they'll get around eventually (just not in 2018, 2019, or 2020) to moving some kids to the richer school in town. Or people can just move or send their kids to privates, no big deal.

You have the same school board rep for both districts, she came through for Langley - maybe vote for someone who cares about your school (that's how West Potomac got its expansion)

Our current School Board rep just got elected last year. She tries, but gets steamrolled by other School Board members who want to invest capital dollars anywhere but McLean and staff members who just ignore her questions. Another reason why we want out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

I am an immigrant as well and I live in McLean. Nobody here opposes other schools benefiting from a healthy tax base, what we have accepted is that “others” will be benefited at our expense while our kids sit in trailers. No, thanks!

Just move a couple streets over and your children can go to Langley in a lovely newly renovated building with no overcrowding.

What's the problem?

I love that FCPS is so progressive and focused on equity, but they'll spend $40 million to expand West Potomac so kids don't have to go to Mount Vernon, but next to nothing on McLean because maybe they'll get around eventually (just not in 2018, 2019, or 2020) to moving some kids to the richer school in town. Or people can just move or send their kids to privates, no big deal.

You have the same school board rep for both districts, she came through for Langley - maybe vote for someone who cares about your school (that's how West Potomac got its expansion)

Our current School Board rep just got elected last year. She tries, but gets steamrolled by other School Board members who want to invest capital dollars anywhere but McLean and staff members who just ignore her questions. Another reason why we want out.

What happened to the one that got the Langley reno?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

I am an immigrant as well and I live in McLean. Nobody here opposes other schools benefiting from a healthy tax base, what we have accepted is that “others” will be benefited at our expense while our kids sit in trailers. No, thanks!

Just move a couple streets over and your children can go to Langley in a lovely newly renovated building with no overcrowding.

What's the problem?

I love that FCPS is so progressive and focused on equity, but they'll spend $40 million to expand West Potomac so kids don't have to go to Mount Vernon, but next to nothing on McLean because maybe they'll get around eventually (just not in 2018, 2019, or 2020) to moving some kids to the richer school in town. Or people can just move or send their kids to privates, no big deal.

You have the same school board rep for both districts, she came through for Langley - maybe vote for someone who cares about your school (that's how West Potomac got its expansion)

Our current School Board rep just got elected last year. She tries, but gets steamrolled by other School Board members who want to invest capital dollars anywhere but McLean and staff members who just ignore her questions. Another reason why we want out.

so your politicians aren't good politicians (well they were when it came to Langley)

[Anonymous]

I swear I don’t care if they double my taxes, I am so fed up with FCPS and Fairfax County that I am willing to pay double. We have the money and the will, we can make this work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I swear I don’t care if they double my taxes, I am so fed up with FCPS and Fairfax County that I am willing to pay double. We have the money and the will, we can make this work.

That's the pandemic talking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what the Langley parents think?

They are the ones at the MCA raising it in the first instance. They are worried about the county up-zoning their neighborhoods and adding density with no commitment to make further investments in the schools, and think Langley could either end up as overcrowded as McLean in a few years. Obviously they get a receptive audience with some of the McLean folks.

Ah, interesting - thank you. Am I correct that Langley parents (who probably actually pay more than McLean in real estate taxes) have more clout? It really always comes back to zoning it seems - schools add a good face argument - but zoning is where the $ is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I swear I don’t care if they double my taxes, I am so fed up with FCPS and Fairfax County that I am willing to pay double. We have the money and the will, we can make this work.

That's the pandemic talking.

Haha...maybe. But we are fed up here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what the Langley parents think?

They are the ones at the MCA raising it in the first instance. They are worried about the county up-zoning their neighborhoods and adding density with no commitment to make further investments in the schools, and think Langley could either end up as overcrowded as McLean in a few years. Obviously they get a receptive audience with some of the McLean folks.

Ah, interesting - thank you. Am I correct that Langley parents (who probably actually pay more than McLean in real estate taxes) have more clout? It really always comes back to zoning it seems - schools add a good face argument - but zoning is where the $ is.

it's about neighborhood character which is code for a lot of things

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

you are describing communism, America is capitalism and freedom. You are free to move to any community you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Y’all are thinking in partial equilibrium. If more affluent areas pursue this and leave less affluent areas on their own you could wind up with a situation like St Louis (where the city is independent of county), with massive inequality and crime, and that will affect you regardless of city borders. In St Louis many people are trying to re-merge the city and county.

This exactly. Having a poor and uneducated underclass creates more poverty and crime. This ultimately affects everyone regardless of how affluent they are or their zip code.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

you are describing communism, America is capitalism and freedom. You are free to move to any community you want.

Yes and no. There's enough wealth in this country that we do, in some areas, use our wealth to subsidize the less well-off. But there is a tension that the rich don't like it and there is the underlying knowledge that if you ask for too much, they'll get tired of it and stop altogether, as is being proposed. Capitalism is always regulated, never unfettered. But sometimes it is more unfettered than others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what the Langley parents think?

They are the ones at the MCA raising it in the first instance. They are worried about the county up-zoning their neighborhoods and adding density with no commitment to make further investments in the schools, and think Langley could either end up as overcrowded as McLean in a few years. Obviously they get a receptive audience with some of the McLean folks.

Ah, interesting - thank you. Am I correct that Langley parents (who probably actually pay more than McLean in real estate taxes) have more clout? It really always comes back to zoning it seems - schools add a good face argument - but zoning is where the $ is.

I don't know who has more "clout." The current Dranesville supervisor and School Board member both live in the Langley district, and the MCA seems dominated by people who live in the Langley area. But they are obviously finding a lot of receptivity to exploring a "McLean City" from people who live in the McLean HS areas, as you can see on this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As an immigrant, I could never understand why there was such a disparity in education quality across the U.S. I couldn't understand why poor black areas had such worse schools compared to more affluent (and usually white) areas. But this thread has been an eye-opener. I understand this much better now. It seems the more affluent folks want their money to benefit only them and their families. They don't see the benefit to society of elevating everyone and giving a good education to all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status. Don't people want the US to succeed long-term? How does keeping poor people less educated benefit a country in the long-run?

you are describing communism, America is capitalism and freedom. You are free to move to any community you want.

Yes and no. There's enough wealth in this country that we do, in some areas, use our wealth to subsidize the less well-off. But there is a tension that the rich don't like it and there is the underlying knowledge that if you ask for too much, they'll get tired of it and stop altogether, as is being proposed. Capitalism is always regulated, never unfettered. But sometimes it is more unfettered than others.

The truly "rich" in McLean mostly gave up on FCPS years ago and opted for privates.