Murch- Getting screwed again?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have outgrown Murch now, so I suppose I don't really have a dog in this fight anymore. But, when they were there, they were good friends with many of their OOB classmates. I don't think they thought about it at the time - they were just friends with their classmates (one of the great things about Murch, btw - if you were part of the school community, no one cared where you lived). The reason I say this is because this battle seems to have this EOTP vs WOTP tinge, which is really unfair here. Every time someone says Murch doesn't deserve their renovation because the school is located in upper NW, is denying the fact that kids from all over the city attend this school. Do those kids who get themselves across town to attend Murch not deserve the renovation either?

But even if that weren't the case, and every single one of those Murch kids were IB and living in big houses, they are still DCPS kids. They deserve a safe, decent place to learn, just like everyone else. The fact that they fought the boundary process to stay with their friends and their community is irrelevant. You would do the same thing if you were in their position. And, just because they did, does not mean they get to "pay for it" with unsanitary, unsafe, deplorable building conditions. That's just ridiculous.

I find it unconscionable that DCPS/DGS has a process that is so ridiculous, that parents need to fight them to get their school renovated, no matter where the school is located. I find it absurd that a school system, that is looking at a successful school despite the conditions, is punishing that very school for asking for what it was promised.

The battle here is with the school system that refuses to do what it is charged with doing - for ALL the kids, no matter where they live.

Whoever you are, you should run for the Council seat for Ward 3 (do you live in Ward 3?) You are eloquently, succinctly, brilliant.

+1. If only PP has the ability and willingness to fight our often very petty and corrupt local politics...

[Anonymous]

This is the problem. Somehow DCPS has shifted the blame away from themselves, and fed the flames between neighborhoods. It's not healthy. They have the means to fix ALL the schools. And they should.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids have outgrown Murch now, so I suppose I don't really have a dog in this fight anymore. But, when they were there, they were good friends with many of their OOB classmates. I don't think they thought about it at the time - they were just friends with their classmates (one of the great things about Murch, btw - if you were part of the school community, no one cared where you lived). The reason I say this is because this battle seems to have this EOTP vs WOTP tinge, which is really unfair here. Every time someone says Murch doesn't deserve their renovation because the school is located in upper NW, is denying the fact that kids from all over the city attend this school. Do those kids who get themselves across town to attend Murch not deserve the renovation either?

But even if that weren't the case, and every single one of those Murch kids were IB and living in big houses, they are still DCPS kids. They deserve a safe, decent place to learn, just like everyone else. The fact that they fought the boundary process to stay with their friends and their community is irrelevant. You would do the same thing if you were in their position. And, just because they did, does not mean they get to "pay for it" with unsanitary, unsafe, deplorable building conditions. That's just ridiculous.

I find it unconscionable that DCPS/DGS has a process that is so ridiculous, that parents need to fight them to get their school renovated, no matter where the school is located. I find it absurd that a school system, that is looking at a successful school despite the conditions, is punishing that very school for asking for what it was promised.

The battle here is with the school system that refuses to do what it is charged with doing - for ALL the kids, no matter where they live.

Whoever you are, you should run for the Council seat for Ward 3 (do you live in Ward 3?) You are eloquently, succinctly, brilliant.

Thank you. Very nice of you to say. Thankless job, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the problem. Somehow DCPS has shifted the blame away from themselves, and fed the flames between neighborhoods. It's not healthy. They have the means to fix ALL the schools. And they should.

+1. DCPS is playing racial politics an doing very strange things with budgets. I'm frankly surprised there's no more open backlash.

[Anonymous]

THIS.

The backlash should be city wide and the Washington Post should be all over the failure and mismanagement. There are tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars that the Fenty and now Bowser administrations are fleecing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is the problem. Somehow DCPS has shifted the blame away from themselves, and fed the flames between neighborhoods. It's not healthy. They have the means to fix ALL the schools. And they should.

You should contact the mayor right away.

Oh, wait, she's on a junket in Havana.

[Anonymous]

There's a community meeting at Murch tomorrow night (7pm, Wed, 2/24) to discuss the modernization.

[Anonymous]

This from the HSA/SIT tonight:

...Why, despite the mayor’s office allocating an additional $10 million a few days ago, DCPS insists it still can’t afford to build the school as designed.

What the hell is going on?! What is DCPS's agenda? What constituency is being served by blocking the modernization in its originally conceived, compromised, and agreed form? I'm so exhausted by this process (lord only knows how the SIT feels!!). Even beyond getting the school done the way it should be done, I just want to understand DCPS's motivations and agenda. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This from the HSA/SIT tonight:

...Why, despite the mayor’s office allocating an additional $10 million a few days ago, DCPS insists it still can’t afford to build the school as designed.

What the hell is going on?! What is DCPS's agenda? What constituency is being served by blocking the modernization in its originally conceived, compromised, and agreed form? I'm so exhausted by this process (lord only knows how the SIT feels!!). Even beyond getting the school done the way it should be done, I just want to understand DCPS's motivations and agenda. It just doesn't make any sense to me.

Wait, so they found they money but still can't build what they need?

[Anonymous]

Why does it seem like DCPS and DGS are trying to come up with excuses not to move forward on this project? Could it be that DCPS can't fully promise that the UDC swing space is a go and doesn't want to admit that? Has anyone seen an actual agreement with UDC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is the problem. Somehow DCPS has shifted the blame away from themselves, and fed the flames between neighborhoods. It's not healthy. They have the means to fix ALL the schools. And they should.

You should contact the mayor right away.

Oh, wait, she's on a junket in Havana.

HAHAHAHA! I love this post. Thanks for reminding us where the mayors priorities are- herself and being reelected.

[Anonymous]

What is Dcps claiming can't be completed from the plans? The cafeteria? The parking? What? Who was speaking on behalf of Dcps? And dgs?

[Anonymous]

I have the same questions. I can't go to the meeting. Can someone please clarify what on earth the problem is. They said it was $10 million, and now the Mayor gave the money --- so what is the issue?????

[Anonymous]

Great. $10 million less for the rest of us, and now you all are going to go after more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great. $10 million less for the rest of us, and now you all are going to go after more.

What about Ellington? Does this mean they will need to cancel the private saunas and hot tubs? For the dancers, you know.