JLG vs McDuffie on public schools

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:The business establishment isn’t backing him because they like Duff’s smile.
DC’s entire business and real estate lobby has consolidated behind McDuffie.
Opportunity DC, a super PAC backed by real estate executives and large donors, spent heavily to elect him to the at-large seat in 2022, unseating the progressive incumbent Elissa Silverman.

These groups don’t back candidates out of civic spirit. They back candidates they believe will govern in their interest. When the chain restaurants lobby, the real estate lobby, and the business establishment all line up behind the same person, the reasonable question is: who is he going to govern for?

How do you not understand that this EXACTLY the criticism of JLG being made in this thread regarding her adherence to WTU dogma? And also the people who defend McDuffie's business ties do so in the exact same way that people defend JLG's special interest relationships. They'll say "well, what's wrong with business and real estate? don't we want the city to be friendly to business interests in order to encourage economic development that leads to jobs, tax dollars, and more civic spirit?" And yes, there's cynicism in this argument but there is also truth -- I do actually want a mayor who will seek to advance economic investment in the city, and who will make the city more attractive to (gasp!) real estate developers and businesses of all size who are willing to put money into the city, hire people, and make this a good place to live.

I don't like Kenyon McDuffie, but this cynical argument is actually more compelling to me than the idea that JLG will magically be better on education because she sits in the back pocket of a teachers union that I can assure you has not always worked in the best interests of my kids or my family.

I'm confused as to why you think a teachers union is set up to work for the best interest of YOUR kids and family. A teachers union is in place to advocate for labor rights for educators- such as negotiating salaries, improving work environments for them, etc. Secondly, are you that narcissistic to believe that everything should always work in the favor of your kids and your family? That's not the way life works- the world doesn't revolve around you and you don't get what you want 100% of the time. This is what it means to live in a community.

NP but that PP doesn't think that the WTU exists to serve their kids' best interests - that's their point. So people in this thread repeatedly screaming "YOU HATE TEACHERS" if anyone pushes back against the WTU's positions are very, very dumb. Teachers are entitled to a union that supports their labor rights, but they're not entitled to anyone who has other priorities being demonized because the teachers union is not their moral compass.

PP here and yes, exactly. It's the job of the WTU to advocate for its members. But it's the job of the mayor to advocate for all constituents, not just teachers. Not all DCPS teachers are even DC residents. I don't want the mayor and the teacher's union to be completely unified on school issues, that doesn't make sense. Of course WTU should exist and advocate as it sees fit. I want a voice too, though.

Parents and kids will have zero say in schools if JLG is elected. You can't have a mayor who is backing WTU 100 percent of the time. Sometimes their interests do not align with anyone else's.

If JLG is elected, WTU will demand next year that school ends every Wednesday at noon (early release on Wednesday is a growing and ugly trend). They'll say teachers need time to plan or recharge or whatever. Who will say no to them if not the mayor? JLG will never say no to the union.

This is what I worry about. Parents will be completely cut out and have no say in anything.

It's hard for me to understand why any parent could vote for JLG. You're voting to ensure you have no voice in school related decisions.

Can't wait to see what kind of *insane* demands WTU makes next year if she's elected. It will be a great moment for them to have truly crazy demands.

Unfortunately, this thread has gone off the rails. But I keep coming back to it.

I don’t think the WTU will make insane demands. I think the biggest ask will be to improve IMPACT, and I think if she can do it, it will make DCPS better. Overhauling IMPACT will be an enormous task that requires a lot of care to ensure it’s being replaced with something better.

IMPACT was initially useful for two specific reasons:

One — it helped clear out the worst teachers in DCPS when it was first implemented. But for the most part, that had already happened through RIFs.

Two — it helped change the culture to one of extremely high expectations for DCPS teachers. If you want to teach in DCPS you have to be a very hard worker.

However, IMPACT has probably reached its limit for how much it will improve schools. We don’t need it to keep a culture of high expectations. It is a distraction from other things that are not working. And for every terrible teacher that it drives out (that could also be driven out with a better evaluation system), it is also drives out talented people who would rather find a new school system or even a new career than play the IMPACT game every year.

I also think the most ardent pro-charter people on this thread should honestly be pleased that Lewis George is talking about improving IMPACT. That will take considerable time, effort and political capital, meaning it will leave very little time for meddling with charters. And here is what anyone who is honest and knows the landscape knows about charters: maybe one-third of charters are either very good or at least comparable to the average DCPS (most of those are the ones mentioned on this forum and then a few others); the other two-thirds range from barely mediocre to significant messes, with some bordering on total incompetency and wastes of taxpayer dollars. It’s a compromise that DC has made over the past thirty years — we get some truly excellent charter schools but it means we also fund and allow kids to go to some very, very questionable charter schools. This is why DCPS now routinely outperforms the charter sector on just about every standardized test. One day we will have to grapple with that fact, but many posts on this thread are good examples of what happens when a politician even says the word charter — people go crazy and accuse you of hating all charter schools.

My shorter take is this: I think it’s good that Lewis George wants to improve IMPACT. I think it’s even better she talks about truancy and middle schools as needing attention. I really don’t think she will be a puppet of the WTU. And I think the charter panic happening in this thread is way over the top.

I’m ranking Lewis George #1 and Rini #2

Just to speak from this perspective... so our child is currently at BASIS and loving it and learning a ton, and I have no doubt he will be well prepared to succeed in college. He getting a very rigorous STEM education and can compete on the debate team and is being supported by a system that gets kids all the way through 12th and into very, very good colleges.

If we didn't have that charter school, he would be at Cardozo High School.

Those are the options. Is there any doubt in my mind that his life path would be dramatically different if he had to go through Cardozo instead of BASIS?

So that's why charter parents feel nervous about voting for a mayor who doesn't like charters. I personally will not be ranking here, and will hold my nose and vote for McDuffie.

But where is this idea that she doesn’t like charters even coming from? I honestly hadn’t heard that except people on this thread saying it.

Also, even if someone did hate charters, schools like BASIS would be the last place they’d be looking to make changes! The first place would be the plethora of charter schools that are terrible. I think we should normalize being pro-charter but also willing to question if all charters are the best use of taxpayer dollars.

Here is every instance that she mentions charters in her WTU questionaire. I don't see any love here:

The vast majority of mid-year mobility flows into our high-need DCPS schools, often from
charter schools after Count Day. The current system of funding DCPS based on its projected
October enrollment and charter schools based on their actual October enrollment provides too
much incentive for charter schools to push students out.

I believe that if charter schools want to be funded like DCPS, they should adhere to the same
transparency requirements as the traditional public schools system.

Parents with children in charter schools often ask me for help as a Councilmember and it can be difficult to support them
in our current system.


Please address your thoughts and philosophy on what a “strong” school is, and decisions
around opening and closing schools in both DCPS and DCPCS, including a moratorium on
charter openings.
● Include a description of what the process would look like.

Planning for strong DC public schools as a system does not seem to be a priority with current
leadership. We cannot simply rely on market forces or parents’ willingness to move mountains to
get their kids into better performing schools far from home. A strong neighborhood public school
system requires thoughtful investment and support. Strong schools offer students a full education:
not only reading and math, but also science, social studies, arts, music and vocational offerings.
Strong schools have activities like sports and clubs that draw students in and keep them showing
up every day. We need thoughtful, coordinated planning cross-sector but also within DCPS about
what’s needed and a commitment that extra resources will be provided long-term.

So you think she wants to destroy all charters because some cheat after count day and should be held accountable.
You think it’s a negative to make DCPS better and actually have more MS and HS options.

IMPACT is an enormous treasure and makes DCPS teachers so much better but you think holding all charters to the same standard would be ‘unfair.’

Mkay.

I just don't want to vote for her. I'm sorry! The bullying is really helping her cause, though.

+1 I have to step back from this thread because I was truly undecided before reading it but the bizarre behavior of the JLG supporter(s) on here are really turning me off. You should be able to have a rational discussion about both candidates flaws and assets without acting so hateful. This is not a choice between Trump and Obama. It a choice between two liberal DC council members, one who is more corporate/business focused and one who is further to the left with more progressive ideas. We're talking like 2-3 notches apart. I get not liking McDuffie but he's just just a Bowser clone, not a member of the Nazi party.

This.

If you dare question anything JLG does, they call you a Trumpie or a Karen or they try to drown you out by spamming the thread with talking points on entirely different subjects.

Probably a good sign of the quality of the policy debate we'll get if she's elected. Janeese will institute early release Wednesdays, saying teacher need more me time or whatever, and that other school systems are doing it so we have to too, and parents will complain and then they'll call them MAGA or Karens or whatever and then that will be it. Don't say you weren't warned.

The other thing I worry about are snow days. DC already takes off way too days for supposedly bad weather. But at least Bowser is willing to say no to the union. If Janeese is elected, she'll never be able to say no to WTU and we'll become like PG county which cancels school alll the time for the flimsiest reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The business establishment isn’t backing him because they like Duff’s smile.
DC’s entire business and real estate lobby has consolidated behind McDuffie.
Opportunity DC, a super PAC backed by real estate executives and large donors, spent heavily to elect him to the at-large seat in 2022, unseating the progressive incumbent Elissa Silverman.

These groups don’t back candidates out of civic spirit. They back candidates they believe will govern in their interest. When the chain restaurants lobby, the real estate lobby, and the business establishment all line up behind the same person, the reasonable question is: who is he going to govern for?

How do you not understand that this EXACTLY the criticism of JLG being made in this thread regarding her adherence to WTU dogma? And also the people who defend McDuffie's business ties do so in the exact same way that people defend JLG's special interest relationships. They'll say "well, what's wrong with business and real estate? don't we want the city to be friendly to business interests in order to encourage economic development that leads to jobs, tax dollars, and more civic spirit?" And yes, there's cynicism in this argument but there is also truth -- I do actually want a mayor who will seek to advance economic investment in the city, and who will make the city more attractive to (gasp!) real estate developers and businesses of all size who are willing to put money into the city, hire people, and make this a good place to live.

I don't like Kenyon McDuffie, but this cynical argument is actually more compelling to me than the idea that JLG will magically be better on education because she sits in the back pocket of a teachers union that I can assure you has not always worked in the best interests of my kids or my family.

I'm confused as to why you think a teachers union is set up to work for the best interest of YOUR kids and family. A teachers union is in place to advocate for labor rights for educators- such as negotiating salaries, improving work environments for them, etc. Secondly, are you that narcissistic to believe that everything should always work in the favor of your kids and your family? That's not the way life works- the world doesn't revolve around you and you don't get what you want 100% of the time. This is what it means to live in a community.

NP but that PP doesn't think that the WTU exists to serve their kids' best interests - that's their point. So people in this thread repeatedly screaming "YOU HATE TEACHERS" if anyone pushes back against the WTU's positions are very, very dumb. Teachers are entitled to a union that supports their labor rights, but they're not entitled to anyone who has other priorities being demonized because the teachers union is not their moral compass.

PP here and yes, exactly. It's the job of the WTU to advocate for its members. But it's the job of the mayor to advocate for all constituents, not just teachers. Not all DCPS teachers are even DC residents. I don't want the mayor and the teacher's union to be completely unified on school issues, that doesn't make sense. Of course WTU should exist and advocate as it sees fit. I want a voice too, though.

Parents and kids will have zero say in schools if JLG is elected. You can't have a mayor who is backing WTU 100 percent of the time. Sometimes their interests do not align with anyone else's.

If JLG is elected, WTU will demand next year that school ends every Wednesday at noon (early release on Wednesday is a growing and ugly trend). They'll say teachers need time to plan or recharge or whatever. Who will say no to them if not the mayor? JLG will never say no to the union.

This is what I worry about. Parents will be completely cut out and have no say in anything.

It's hard for me to understand why any parent could vote for JLG. You're voting to ensure you have no voice in school related decisions.

Can't wait to see what kind of *insane* demands WTU makes next year if she's elected. It will be a great moment for them to have truly crazy demands.

Unfortunately, this thread has gone off the rails. But I keep coming back to it.

I don’t think the WTU will make insane demands. I think the biggest ask will be to improve IMPACT, and I think if she can do it, it will make DCPS better. Overhauling IMPACT will be an enormous task that requires a lot of care to ensure it’s being replaced with something better.

IMPACT was initially useful for two specific reasons:

One — it helped clear out the worst teachers in DCPS when it was first implemented. But for the most part, that had already happened through RIFs.

Two — it helped change the culture to one of extremely high expectations for DCPS teachers. If you want to teach in DCPS you have to be a very hard worker.

However, IMPACT has probably reached its limit for how much it will improve schools. We don’t need it to keep a culture of high expectations. It is a distraction from other things that are not working. And for every terrible teacher that it drives out (that could also be driven out with a better evaluation system), it is also drives out talented people who would rather find a new school system or even a new career than play the IMPACT game every year.

I also think the most ardent pro-charter people on this thread should honestly be pleased that Lewis George is talking about improving IMPACT. That will take considerable time, effort and political capital, meaning it will leave very little time for meddling with charters. And here is what anyone who is honest and knows the landscape knows about charters: maybe one-third of charters are either very good or at least comparable to the average DCPS (most of those are the ones mentioned on this forum and then a few others); the other two-thirds range from barely mediocre to significant messes, with some bordering on total incompetency and wastes of taxpayer dollars. It’s a compromise that DC has made over the past thirty years — we get some truly excellent charter schools but it means we also fund and allow kids to go to some very, very questionable charter schools. This is why DCPS now routinely outperforms the charter sector on just about every standardized test. One day we will have to grapple with that fact, but many posts on this thread are good examples of what happens when a politician even says the word charter — people go crazy and accuse you of hating all charter schools.

My shorter take is this: I think it’s good that Lewis George wants to improve IMPACT. I think it’s even better she talks about truancy and middle schools as needing attention. I really don’t think she will be a puppet of the WTU. And I think the charter panic happening in this thread is way over the top.

I’m ranking Lewis George #1 and Rini #2

Just to speak from this perspective... so our child is currently at BASIS and loving it and learning a ton, and I have no doubt he will be well prepared to succeed in college. He getting a very rigorous STEM education and can compete on the debate team and is being supported by a system that gets kids all the way through 12th and into very, very good colleges.

If we didn't have that charter school, he would be at Cardozo High School.

Those are the options. Is there any doubt in my mind that his life path would be dramatically different if he had to go through Cardozo instead of BASIS?

So that's why charter parents feel nervous about voting for a mayor who doesn't like charters. I personally will not be ranking here, and will hold my nose and vote for McDuffie.

But where is this idea that she doesn’t like charters even coming from? I honestly hadn’t heard that except people on this thread saying it.

Also, even if someone did hate charters, schools like BASIS would be the last place they’d be looking to make changes! The first place would be the plethora of charter schools that are terrible. I think we should normalize being pro-charter but also willing to question if all charters are the best use of taxpayer dollars.

Here is every instance that she mentions charters in her WTU questionaire. I don't see any love here:

The vast majority of mid-year mobility flows into our high-need DCPS schools, often from
charter schools after Count Day. The current system of funding DCPS based on its projected
October enrollment and charter schools based on their actual October enrollment provides too
much incentive for charter schools to push students out.

I believe that if charter schools want to be funded like DCPS, they should adhere to the same
transparency requirements as the traditional public schools system.

Parents with children in charter schools often ask me for help as a Councilmember and it can be difficult to support them
in our current system.


Please address your thoughts and philosophy on what a “strong” school is, and decisions
around opening and closing schools in both DCPS and DCPCS, including a moratorium on
charter openings.
● Include a description of what the process would look like.

Planning for strong DC public schools as a system does not seem to be a priority with current
leadership. We cannot simply rely on market forces or parents’ willingness to move mountains to
get their kids into better performing schools far from home. A strong neighborhood public school
system requires thoughtful investment and support. Strong schools offer students a full education:
not only reading and math, but also science, social studies, arts, music and vocational offerings.
Strong schools have activities like sports and clubs that draw students in and keep them showing
up every day. We need thoughtful, coordinated planning cross-sector but also within DCPS about
what’s needed and a commitment that extra resources will be provided long-term.

So you think she wants to destroy all charters because some cheat after count day and should be held accountable.
You think it’s a negative to make DCPS better and actually have more MS and HS options.

IMPACT is an enormous treasure and makes DCPS teachers so much better but you think holding all charters to the same standard would be ‘unfair.’

Mkay.

I just don't want to vote for her. I'm sorry! The bullying is really helping her cause, though.

+1 I have to step back from this thread because I was truly undecided before reading it but the bizarre behavior of the JLG supporter(s) on here are really turning me off. You should be able to have a rational discussion about both candidates flaws and assets without acting so hateful. This is not a choice between Trump and Obama. It a choice between two liberal DC council members, one who is more corporate/business focused and one who is further to the left with more progressive ideas. We're talking like 2-3 notches apart. I get not liking McDuffie but he's just just a Bowser clone, not a member of the Nazi party.

This.

If you dare question anything JLG does, they call you a Trumpie or a Karen or they try to drown you out by spamming the thread with talking points on entirely different subjects.

Probably a good sign of the quality of the policy debate we'll get if she's elected. Janeese will institute early release Wednesdays, saying teacher need more me time or whatever, and that other school systems are doing it so we have to too, and parents will complain and then they'll call them MAGA or Karens or whatever and then that will be it. Don't say you weren't warned.

This is an absolute word. This should be a pinned post. Don’t say you weren’t warned. Especially since many charters already do early release on Wednesdays - just go look at the other thread on this - so the argument will be “why can’t DCPS do it too”

Well tell me why DCPS can’t do it? 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The business establishment isn’t backing him because they like Duff’s smile.
DC’s entire business and real estate lobby has consolidated behind McDuffie.
Opportunity DC, a super PAC backed by real estate executives and large donors, spent heavily to elect him to the at-large seat in 2022, unseating the progressive incumbent Elissa Silverman.

These groups don’t back candidates out of civic spirit. They back candidates they believe will govern in their interest. When the chain restaurants lobby, the real estate lobby, and the business establishment all line up behind the same person, the reasonable question is: who is he going to govern for?

How do you not understand that this EXACTLY the criticism of JLG being made in this thread regarding her adherence to WTU dogma? And also the people who defend McDuffie's business ties do so in the exact same way that people defend JLG's special interest relationships. They'll say "well, what's wrong with business and real estate? don't we want the city to be friendly to business interests in order to encourage economic development that leads to jobs, tax dollars, and more civic spirit?" And yes, there's cynicism in this argument but there is also truth -- I do actually want a mayor who will seek to advance economic investment in the city, and who will make the city more attractive to (gasp!) real estate developers and businesses of all size who are willing to put money into the city, hire people, and make this a good place to live.

I don't like Kenyon McDuffie, but this cynical argument is actually more compelling to me than the idea that JLG will magically be better on education because she sits in the back pocket of a teachers union that I can assure you has not always worked in the best interests of my kids or my family.

I'm confused as to why you think a teachers union is set up to work for the best interest of YOUR kids and family. A teachers union is in place to advocate for labor rights for educators- such as negotiating salaries, improving work environments for them, etc. Secondly, are you that narcissistic to believe that everything should always work in the favor of your kids and your family? That's not the way life works- the world doesn't revolve around you and you don't get what you want 100% of the time. This is what it means to live in a community.

NP but that PP doesn't think that the WTU exists to serve their kids' best interests - that's their point. So people in this thread repeatedly screaming "YOU HATE TEACHERS" if anyone pushes back against the WTU's positions are very, very dumb. Teachers are entitled to a union that supports their labor rights, but they're not entitled to anyone who has other priorities being demonized because the teachers union is not their moral compass.

PP here and yes, exactly. It's the job of the WTU to advocate for its members. But it's the job of the mayor to advocate for all constituents, not just teachers. Not all DCPS teachers are even DC residents. I don't want the mayor and the teacher's union to be completely unified on school issues, that doesn't make sense. Of course WTU should exist and advocate as it sees fit. I want a voice too, though.

Parents and kids will have zero say in schools if JLG is elected. You can't have a mayor who is backing WTU 100 percent of the time. Sometimes their interests do not align with anyone else's.

If JLG is elected, WTU will demand next year that school ends every Wednesday at noon (early release on Wednesday is a growing and ugly trend). They'll say teachers need time to plan or recharge or whatever. Who will say no to them if not the mayor? JLG will never say no to the union.

This is what I worry about. Parents will be completely cut out and have no say in anything.

It's hard for me to understand why any parent could vote for JLG. You're voting to ensure you have no voice in school related decisions.

Can't wait to see what kind of *insane* demands WTU makes next year if she's elected. It will be a great moment for them to have truly crazy demands.

Unfortunately, this thread has gone off the rails. But I keep coming back to it.

I don’t think the WTU will make insane demands. I think the biggest ask will be to improve IMPACT, and I think if she can do it, it will make DCPS better. Overhauling IMPACT will be an enormous task that requires a lot of care to ensure it’s being replaced with something better.

IMPACT was initially useful for two specific reasons:

One — it helped clear out the worst teachers in DCPS when it was first implemented. But for the most part, that had already happened through RIFs.

Two — it helped change the culture to one of extremely high expectations for DCPS teachers. If you want to teach in DCPS you have to be a very hard worker.

However, IMPACT has probably reached its limit for how much it will improve schools. We don’t need it to keep a culture of high expectations. It is a distraction from other things that are not working. And for every terrible teacher that it drives out (that could also be driven out with a better evaluation system), it is also drives out talented people who would rather find a new school system or even a new career than play the IMPACT game every year.

I also think the most ardent pro-charter people on this thread should honestly be pleased that Lewis George is talking about improving IMPACT. That will take considerable time, effort and political capital, meaning it will leave very little time for meddling with charters. And here is what anyone who is honest and knows the landscape knows about charters: maybe one-third of charters are either very good or at least comparable to the average DCPS (most of those are the ones mentioned on this forum and then a few others); the other two-thirds range from barely mediocre to significant messes, with some bordering on total incompetency and wastes of taxpayer dollars. It’s a compromise that DC has made over the past thirty years — we get some truly excellent charter schools but it means we also fund and allow kids to go to some very, very questionable charter schools. This is why DCPS now routinely outperforms the charter sector on just about every standardized test. One day we will have to grapple with that fact, but many posts on this thread are good examples of what happens when a politician even says the word charter — people go crazy and accuse you of hating all charter schools.

My shorter take is this: I think it’s good that Lewis George wants to improve IMPACT. I think it’s even better she talks about truancy and middle schools as needing attention. I really don’t think she will be a puppet of the WTU. And I think the charter panic happening in this thread is way over the top.

I’m ranking Lewis George #1 and Rini #2

Just to speak from this perspective... so our child is currently at BASIS and loving it and learning a ton, and I have no doubt he will be well prepared to succeed in college. He getting a very rigorous STEM education and can compete on the debate team and is being supported by a system that gets kids all the way through 12th and into very, very good colleges.

If we didn't have that charter school, he would be at Cardozo High School.

Those are the options. Is there any doubt in my mind that his life path would be dramatically different if he had to go through Cardozo instead of BASIS?

So that's why charter parents feel nervous about voting for a mayor who doesn't like charters. I personally will not be ranking here, and will hold my nose and vote for McDuffie.

But where is this idea that she doesn’t like charters even coming from? I honestly hadn’t heard that except people on this thread saying it.

Also, even if someone did hate charters, schools like BASIS would be the last place they’d be looking to make changes! The first place would be the plethora of charter schools that are terrible. I think we should normalize being pro-charter but also willing to question if all charters are the best use of taxpayer dollars.

Here is every instance that she mentions charters in her WTU questionaire. I don't see any love here:

The vast majority of mid-year mobility flows into our high-need DCPS schools, often from
charter schools after Count Day. The current system of funding DCPS based on its projected
October enrollment and charter schools based on their actual October enrollment provides too
much incentive for charter schools to push students out.

I believe that if charter schools want to be funded like DCPS, they should adhere to the same
transparency requirements as the traditional public schools system.

Parents with children in charter schools often ask me for help as a Councilmember and it can be difficult to support them
in our current system.


Please address your thoughts and philosophy on what a “strong” school is, and decisions
around opening and closing schools in both DCPS and DCPCS, including a moratorium on
charter openings.
● Include a description of what the process would look like.

Planning for strong DC public schools as a system does not seem to be a priority with current
leadership. We cannot simply rely on market forces or parents’ willingness to move mountains to
get their kids into better performing schools far from home. A strong neighborhood public school
system requires thoughtful investment and support. Strong schools offer students a full education:
not only reading and math, but also science, social studies, arts, music and vocational offerings.
Strong schools have activities like sports and clubs that draw students in and keep them showing
up every day. We need thoughtful, coordinated planning cross-sector but also within DCPS about
what’s needed and a commitment that extra resources will be provided long-term.

So you think she wants to destroy all charters because some cheat after count day and should be held accountable.
You think it’s a negative to make DCPS better and actually have more MS and HS options.

IMPACT is an enormous treasure and makes DCPS teachers so much better but you think holding all charters to the same standard would be ‘unfair.’

Mkay.

I just don't want to vote for her. I'm sorry! The bullying is really helping her cause, though.

+1 I have to step back from this thread because I was truly undecided before reading it but the bizarre behavior of the JLG supporter(s) on here are really turning me off. You should be able to have a rational discussion about both candidates flaws and assets without acting so hateful. This is not a choice between Trump and Obama. It a choice between two liberal DC council members, one who is more corporate/business focused and one who is further to the left with more progressive ideas. We're talking like 2-3 notches apart. I get not liking McDuffie but he's just just a Bowser clone, not a member of the Nazi party.

This.

If you dare question anything JLG does, they call you a Trumpie or a Karen or they try to drown you out by spamming the thread with talking points on entirely different subjects.

Probably a good sign of the quality of the policy debate we'll get if she's elected. Janeese will institute early release Wednesdays, saying teacher need more me time or whatever, and that other school systems are doing it so we have to too, and parents will complain and then they'll call them MAGA or Karens or whatever and then that will be it. Don't say you weren't warned.

The other thing I worry about are snow days. DC already takes off way too days for supposedly bad weather. But at least Bowser is willing to say no to the union. If Janeese is elected, she'll never be able to say no to WTU and we'll become like PG county which cancels school alll the time for the flimsiest reasons.

How TF would you know this? All of you speak from your weird perspective that has no backing.
If teachers don’t feel safe they take off regardless. Schools have had emergency closures before.

If McDuffie gets elected prepare for teachers to start quitting in droves again. GL getting decent teachers.
Good luck getting funding because he’ll slash education funds and give them to his family members instead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The business establishment isn’t backing him because they like Duff’s smile.
DC’s entire business and real estate lobby has consolidated behind McDuffie.
Opportunity DC, a super PAC backed by real estate executives and large donors, spent heavily to elect him to the at-large seat in 2022, unseating the progressive incumbent Elissa Silverman.

These groups don’t back candidates out of civic spirit. They back candidates they believe will govern in their interest. When the chain restaurants lobby, the real estate lobby, and the business establishment all line up behind the same person, the reasonable question is: who is he going to govern for?

How do you not understand that this EXACTLY the criticism of JLG being made in this thread regarding her adherence to WTU dogma? And also the people who defend McDuffie's business ties do so in the exact same way that people defend JLG's special interest relationships. They'll say "well, what's wrong with business and real estate? don't we want the city to be friendly to business interests in order to encourage economic development that leads to jobs, tax dollars, and more civic spirit?" And yes, there's cynicism in this argument but there is also truth -- I do actually want a mayor who will seek to advance economic investment in the city, and who will make the city more attractive to (gasp!) real estate developers and businesses of all size who are willing to put money into the city, hire people, and make this a good place to live.

I don't like Kenyon McDuffie, but this cynical argument is actually more compelling to me than the idea that JLG will magically be better on education because she sits in the back pocket of a teachers union that I can assure you has not always worked in the best interests of my kids or my family.

I'm confused as to why you think a teachers union is set up to work for the best interest of YOUR kids and family. A teachers union is in place to advocate for labor rights for educators- such as negotiating salaries, improving work environments for them, etc. Secondly, are you that narcissistic to believe that everything should always work in the favor of your kids and your family? That's not the way life works- the world doesn't revolve around you and you don't get what you want 100% of the time. This is what it means to live in a community.

NP but that PP doesn't think that the WTU exists to serve their kids' best interests - that's their point. So people in this thread repeatedly screaming "YOU HATE TEACHERS" if anyone pushes back against the WTU's positions are very, very dumb. Teachers are entitled to a union that supports their labor rights, but they're not entitled to anyone who has other priorities being demonized because the teachers union is not their moral compass.

PP here and yes, exactly. It's the job of the WTU to advocate for its members. But it's the job of the mayor to advocate for all constituents, not just teachers. Not all DCPS teachers are even DC residents. I don't want the mayor and the teacher's union to be completely unified on school issues, that doesn't make sense. Of course WTU should exist and advocate as it sees fit. I want a voice too, though.

Parents and kids will have zero say in schools if JLG is elected. You can't have a mayor who is backing WTU 100 percent of the time. Sometimes their interests do not align with anyone else's.

If JLG is elected, WTU will demand next year that school ends every Wednesday at noon (early release on Wednesday is a growing and ugly trend). They'll say teachers need time to plan or recharge or whatever. Who will say no to them if not the mayor? JLG will never say no to the union.

This is what I worry about. Parents will be completely cut out and have no say in anything.

It's hard for me to understand why any parent could vote for JLG. You're voting to ensure you have no voice in school related decisions.

Can't wait to see what kind of *insane* demands WTU makes next year if she's elected. It will be a great moment for them to have truly crazy demands.

Unfortunately, this thread has gone off the rails. But I keep coming back to it.

I don’t think the WTU will make insane demands. I think the biggest ask will be to improve IMPACT, and I think if she can do it, it will make DCPS better. Overhauling IMPACT will be an enormous task that requires a lot of care to ensure it’s being replaced with something better.

IMPACT was initially useful for two specific reasons:

One — it helped clear out the worst teachers in DCPS when it was first implemented. But for the most part, that had already happened through RIFs.

Two — it helped change the culture to one of extremely high expectations for DCPS teachers. If you want to teach in DCPS you have to be a very hard worker.

However, IMPACT has probably reached its limit for how much it will improve schools. We don’t need it to keep a culture of high expectations. It is a distraction from other things that are not working. And for every terrible teacher that it drives out (that could also be driven out with a better evaluation system), it is also drives out talented people who would rather find a new school system or even a new career than play the IMPACT game every year.

I also think the most ardent pro-charter people on this thread should honestly be pleased that Lewis George is talking about improving IMPACT. That will take considerable time, effort and political capital, meaning it will leave very little time for meddling with charters. And here is what anyone who is honest and knows the landscape knows about charters: maybe one-third of charters are either very good or at least comparable to the average DCPS (most of those are the ones mentioned on this forum and then a few others); the other two-thirds range from barely mediocre to significant messes, with some bordering on total incompetency and wastes of taxpayer dollars. It’s a compromise that DC has made over the past thirty years — we get some truly excellent charter schools but it means we also fund and allow kids to go to some very, very questionable charter schools. This is why DCPS now routinely outperforms the charter sector on just about every standardized test. One day we will have to grapple with that fact, but many posts on this thread are good examples of what happens when a politician even says the word charter — people go crazy and accuse you of hating all charter schools.

My shorter take is this: I think it’s good that Lewis George wants to improve IMPACT. I think it’s even better she talks about truancy and middle schools as needing attention. I really don’t think she will be a puppet of the WTU. And I think the charter panic happening in this thread is way over the top.

I’m ranking Lewis George #1 and Rini #2

Just to speak from this perspective... so our child is currently at BASIS and loving it and learning a ton, and I have no doubt he will be well prepared to succeed in college. He getting a very rigorous STEM education and can compete on the debate team and is being supported by a system that gets kids all the way through 12th and into very, very good colleges.

If we didn't have that charter school, he would be at Cardozo High School.

Those are the options. Is there any doubt in my mind that his life path would be dramatically different if he had to go through Cardozo instead of BASIS?

So that's why charter parents feel nervous about voting for a mayor who doesn't like charters. I personally will not be ranking here, and will hold my nose and vote for McDuffie.

But where is this idea that she doesn’t like charters even coming from? I honestly hadn’t heard that except people on this thread saying it.

Also, even if someone did hate charters, schools like BASIS would be the last place they’d be looking to make changes! The first place would be the plethora of charter schools that are terrible. I think we should normalize being pro-charter but also willing to question if all charters are the best use of taxpayer dollars.

Here is every instance that she mentions charters in her WTU questionaire. I don't see any love here:

The vast majority of mid-year mobility flows into our high-need DCPS schools, often from
charter schools after Count Day. The current system of funding DCPS based on its projected
October enrollment and charter schools based on their actual October enrollment provides too
much incentive for charter schools to push students out.

I believe that if charter schools want to be funded like DCPS, they should adhere to the same
transparency requirements as the traditional public schools system.

Parents with children in charter schools often ask me for help as a Councilmember and it can be difficult to support them
in our current system.


Please address your thoughts and philosophy on what a “strong” school is, and decisions
around opening and closing schools in both DCPS and DCPCS, including a moratorium on
charter openings.
● Include a description of what the process would look like.

Planning for strong DC public schools as a system does not seem to be a priority with current
leadership. We cannot simply rely on market forces or parents’ willingness to move mountains to
get their kids into better performing schools far from home. A strong neighborhood public school
system requires thoughtful investment and support. Strong schools offer students a full education:
not only reading and math, but also science, social studies, arts, music and vocational offerings.
Strong schools have activities like sports and clubs that draw students in and keep them showing
up every day. We need thoughtful, coordinated planning cross-sector but also within DCPS about
what’s needed and a commitment that extra resources will be provided long-term.

So you think she wants to destroy all charters because some cheat after count day and should be held accountable.
You think it’s a negative to make DCPS better and actually have more MS and HS options.

IMPACT is an enormous treasure and makes DCPS teachers so much better but you think holding all charters to the same standard would be ‘unfair.’

Mkay.

I just don't want to vote for her. I'm sorry! The bullying is really helping her cause, though.

+1 I have to step back from this thread because I was truly undecided before reading it but the bizarre behavior of the JLG supporter(s) on here are really turning me off. You should be able to have a rational discussion about both candidates flaws and assets without acting so hateful. This is not a choice between Trump and Obama. It a choice between two liberal DC council members, one who is more corporate/business focused and one who is further to the left with more progressive ideas. We're talking like 2-3 notches apart. I get not liking McDuffie but he's just just a Bowser clone, not a member of the Nazi party.

This.

If you dare question anything JLG does, they call you a Trumpie or a Karen or they try to drown you out by spamming the thread with talking points on entirely different subjects.

Probably a good sign of the quality of the policy debate we'll get if she's elected. Janeese will institute early release Wednesdays, saying teacher need more me time or whatever, and that other school systems are doing it so we have to too, and parents will complain and then they'll call them MAGA or Karens or whatever and then that will be it. Don't say you weren't warned.

The other thing I worry about are snow days. DC already takes off way too days for supposedly bad weather. But at least Bowser is willing to say no to the union. If Janeese is elected, she'll never be able to say no to WTU and we'll become like PG county which cancels school alll the time for the flimsiest reasons.

How TF would you know this? All of you speak from your weird perspective that has no backing.
If teachers don’t feel safe they take off regardless. Schools have had emergency closures before.

If McDuffie gets elected prepare for teachers to start quitting in droves again. GL getting decent teachers.
Good luck getting funding because he’ll slash education funds and give them to his family members instead.

He sent his kids to private school in DC so he doesn’t care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The vitriol of the JLG supporters is off-putting. If you question the progressive sacred cows of violence interruptors, excessive spending by the city on councilmember vanity projects like composting or paying WABA $250 per hour to teach bicycling, defining "juveniles" as age 26 for purposes of sentencing, or suggesting that perhaps tenants who are violent towards other residents or building staff should be subject to quicker eviction proceedings, then you quickly get labelled racist, classist, MAGA, etc. JLG supports all of those policies (well, except holding violent tenants accountable---she would not support expedited eviction). We can (and should) have reasoned policy debates over these progressive positions---but I never get the sense that any progressive politician on the DC Council cares one whit about listening to any viewpoint which contradicts their positions, even when those viewpoints are grounded in real life experience.

100%. The idea that McDuffie -- a District of Columbia Democrat, for goodness' sake -- is somehow MAGA is totally insane. The JLG supporters I know have gotten so rabidly hateful and nasty that it's a complete turn-off.

That and the WTU endorsement. The way that WTU and teachers unions in general have behaved since 2020 has made it impossible to assume that they are acting in good faith for the interest of our children.

McDuffie was an INDEPENDENT lmao. He switched just before this mayoral race. So yes, he absolutely could be Trump friendly.

The McDuffie supporters I have heard from, including this post say things that are just not true and quite plainly suspicious.

Why would a DCPS parent decide to dislike or disparage teachers as a whole? The union represent the interests of the majority of DCPS teachers. One of the interests is protected planning time. We don’t want more - the problem is admin makes us do unnecessary things at many schools.

You think you understand what the union wants after a crisis never before seen. You did not treat us like essential workers before. You can be upset with teachers for choosing ourselves first during a pandemic.

But what you are not going to sit here and say is that the majority of teachers are just crazy and unreasonable. That type of rhetoric is really nasty.

JLG is a politician and at the end of the day MOST of the unions stood behind her. Because she cares about public services, not just big businesses and the kickbacks her and her family can get.

If you’d like to vote for McDuffie that is your choice. But let’s make truthful statements verified with facts. Not conjecture based on your feelings about the WTU.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The vitriol of the JLG supporters is off-putting. If you question the progressive sacred cows of violence interruptors, excessive spending by the city on councilmember vanity projects like composting or paying WABA $250 per hour to teach bicycling, defining "juveniles" as age 26 for purposes of sentencing, or suggesting that perhaps tenants who are violent towards other residents or building staff should be subject to quicker eviction proceedings, then you quickly get labelled racist, classist, MAGA, etc. JLG supports all of those policies (well, except holding violent tenants accountable---she would not support expedited eviction). We can (and should) have reasoned policy debates over these progressive positions---but I never get the sense that any progressive politician on the DC Council cares one whit about listening to any viewpoint which contradicts their positions, even when those viewpoints are grounded in real life experience.

100%. The idea that McDuffie -- a District of Columbia Democrat, for goodness' sake -- is somehow MAGA is totally insane. The JLG supporters I know have gotten so rabidly hateful and nasty that it's a complete turn-off.

That and the WTU endorsement. The way that WTU and teachers unions in general have behaved since 2020 has made it impossible to assume that they are acting in good faith for the interest of our children.

McDuffie was an INDEPENDENT lmao. He switched just before this mayoral race. So yes, he absolutely could be Trump friendly.

The McDuffie supporters I have heard from, including this post say things that are just not true and quite plainly suspicious.

Why would a DCPS parent decide to dislike or disparage teachers as a whole? The union represent the interests of the majority of DCPS teachers. One of the interests is protected planning time. We don’t want more - the problem is admin makes us do unnecessary things at many schools.

You think you understand what the union wants after a crisis never before seen. You did not treat us like essential workers before. You can be upset with teachers for choosing ourselves first during a pandemic.

But what you are not going to sit here and say is that the majority of teachers are just crazy and unreasonable. That type of rhetoric is really nasty.

JLG is a politician and at the end of the day MOST of the unions stood behind her. Because she cares about public services, not just big businesses and the kickbacks her and her family can get.

If you’d like to vote for McDuffie that is your choice. But let’s make truthful statements verified with facts. Not conjecture based on your feelings about the WTU.

I’m not sure if you don’t understand DC government or if you are being intentionally deceptive, but McDuffie was on the Council representing Ward 5 as a Democrat for a dozen years before he (nominally) switched to independent to run for his at-large seat in 2022 for procedural reasons — the Democratic primary had already happened, and the two winners of the at-large races cannot be from the same party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A man cannot serve two masters: GDS or the people of DC, not both.

GDS is the new "but what about her emails?"

+1

Pathetic

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The vitriol of the JLG supporters is off-putting. If you question the progressive sacred cows of violence interruptors, excessive spending by the city on councilmember vanity projects like composting or paying WABA $250 per hour to teach bicycling, defining "juveniles" as age 26 for purposes of sentencing, or suggesting that perhaps tenants who are violent towards other residents or building staff should be subject to quicker eviction proceedings, then you quickly get labelled racist, classist, MAGA, etc. JLG supports all of those policies (well, except holding violent tenants accountable---she would not support expedited eviction). We can (and should) have reasoned policy debates over these progressive positions---but I never get the sense that any progressive politician on the DC Council cares one whit about listening to any viewpoint which contradicts their positions, even when those viewpoints are grounded in real life experience.

100%. The idea that McDuffie -- a District of Columbia Democrat, for goodness' sake -- is somehow MAGA is totally insane. The JLG supporters I know have gotten so rabidly hateful and nasty that it's a complete turn-off.

That and the WTU endorsement. The way that WTU and teachers unions in general have behaved since 2020 has made it impossible to assume that they are acting in good faith for the interest of our children.

I'm leaving JLG completely off my ballot. No ranking at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A man cannot serve two masters: GDS or the people of DC, not both.

GDS is the new "but what about her emails?"

+1

Pathetic

Would you eat at a restaurant at which the cook considers the food too crappy to eat it himself?

There is *no* justification for a council member or top city admin to send their kids to private school. Possibly high school in special circumstances, but not before that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The vitriol of the JLG supporters is off-putting. If you question the progressive sacred cows of violence interruptors, excessive spending by the city on councilmember vanity projects like composting or paying WABA $250 per hour to teach bicycling, defining "juveniles" as age 26 for purposes of sentencing, or suggesting that perhaps tenants who are violent towards other residents or building staff should be subject to quicker eviction proceedings, then you quickly get labelled racist, classist, MAGA, etc. JLG supports all of those policies (well, except holding violent tenants accountable---she would not support expedited eviction). We can (and should) have reasoned policy debates over these progressive positions---but I never get the sense that any progressive politician on the DC Council cares one whit about listening to any viewpoint which contradicts their positions, even when those viewpoints are grounded in real life experience.

100%. The idea that McDuffie -- a District of Columbia Democrat, for goodness' sake -- is somehow MAGA is totally insane. The JLG supporters I know have gotten so rabidly hateful and nasty that it's a complete turn-off.

That and the WTU endorsement. The way that WTU and teachers unions in general have behaved since 2020 has made it impossible to assume that they are acting in good faith for the interest of our children.

McDuffie was an INDEPENDENT lmao. He switched just before this mayoral race. So yes, he absolutely could be Trump friendly.

The McDuffie supporters I have heard from, including this post say things that are just not true and quite plainly suspicious.

Why would a DCPS parent decide to dislike or disparage teachers as a whole? The union represent the interests of the majority of DCPS teachers. One of the interests is protected planning time. We don’t want more - the problem is admin makes us do unnecessary things at many schools.

You think you understand what the union wants after a crisis never before seen. You did not treat us like essential workers before. You can be upset with teachers for choosing ourselves first during a pandemic.

But what you are not going to sit here and say is that the majority of teachers are just crazy and unreasonable. That type of rhetoric is really nasty.

JLG is a politician and at the end of the day MOST of the unions stood behind her. Because she cares about public services, not just big businesses and the kickbacks her and her family can get.

If you’d like to vote for McDuffie that is your choice. But let’s make truthful statements verified with facts. Not conjecture based on your feelings about the WTU.

I’m not sure if you don’t understand DC government or if you are being intentionally deceptive, but McDuffie was on the Council representing Ward 5 as a Democrat for a dozen years before he (nominally) switched to independent to run for his at-large seat in 2022 for procedural reasons — the Democratic primary had already happened, and the two winners of the at-large races cannot be from the same party.

This. Elissa Silverman, who is quite progressive, has previously occupied that seat as an Independent and ran as an Independent for the seat in both 2022 and this year. It's a nominal thing and everyone understands they are Dems.

McDuffie is more corporate and business friendly than JLG, who is more pro-union. They are different brands of Democrat. JLG is more Bernie, McDuffie is more Hillary. I don't care which one you vote for and think there are arguments for both, but please stop trying to label anyone in this race MAGA or claim they'll be pro-Trump or are conservative.

Sometimes I think people's brains are just broken from the stupidity of politics over the last 16 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A man cannot serve two masters: GDS or the people of DC, not both.

GDS is the new "but what about her emails?"

+1

Pathetic

Would you eat at a restaurant at which the cook considers the food too crappy to eat it himself?

There is *no* justification for a council member or top city admin to send their kids to private school. Possibly high school in special circumstances, but not before that.

As a DCPS parent who has seen what is great and what is not great about DCPS (time in a great Title 1, a not great Title 1, and in a non-Title 1 school), I can think of dozens of justifications for literally anyone sending their kids to private school if they can afford it and it makes the sense for their family. I don't need politicians to martyr themselves to public school in order to vote for them. That doesn't mean I'll vote for McDuffie, but I think this is a dumb argument against him.

Actually this whole conversation makes me really wish Christina Henderson was running for mayor. She is better than either JLG or McDuffie. And she is even a DCPS parent, so could shut down this whole line of argument. I really wish she'd run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A man cannot serve two masters: GDS or the people of DC, not both.

GDS is the new "but what about her emails?"

+1

Pathetic

Would you eat at a restaurant at which the cook considers the food too crappy to eat it himself?

There is *no* justification for a council member or top city admin to send their kids to private school. Possibly high school in special circumstances, but not before that.

As a DCPS parent who has seen what is great and what is not great about DCPS (time in a great Title 1, a not great Title 1, and in a non-Title 1 school), I can think of dozens of justifications for literally anyone sending their kids to private school if they can afford it and it makes the sense for their family. I don't need politicians to martyr themselves to public school in order to vote for them. That doesn't mean I'll vote for McDuffie, but I think this is a dumb argument against him.

Actually this whole conversation makes me really wish Christina Henderson was running for mayor. She is better than either JLG or McDuffie. And she is even a DCPS parent, so could shut down this whole line of argument. I really wish she'd run.

"Martyr themselves"?! What about the rest of us?!

These are the people who make choices that make DCPS and DCPCS functional or dysfuctional. They don't just get to decide that "meh. Too hard to fix..."

[Anonymous]

I stand with GDS. I stand with McDuffie.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A man cannot serve two masters: GDS or the people of DC, not both.

GDS is the new "but what about her emails?"

+1

Pathetic

Would you eat at a restaurant at which the cook considers the food too crappy to eat it himself?

There is *no* justification for a council member or top city admin to send their kids to private school. Possibly high school in special circumstances, but not before that.

As a DCPS parent who has seen what is great and what is not great about DCPS (time in a great Title 1, a not great Title 1, and in a non-Title 1 school), I can think of dozens of justifications for literally anyone sending their kids to private school if they can afford it and it makes the sense for their family. I don't need politicians to martyr themselves to public school in order to vote for them. That doesn't mean I'll vote for McDuffie, but I think this is a dumb argument against him.

Actually this whole conversation makes me really wish Christina Henderson was running for mayor. She is better than either JLG or McDuffie. And she is even a DCPS parent, so could shut down this whole line of argument. I really wish she'd run.

"Martyr themselves"?! What about the rest of us?!

These are the people who make choices that make DCPS and DCPCS functional or dysfuctional. They don't just get to decide that "meh. Too hard to fix..."

We're your kids offered a spot at GDS with enough financial aid that you could afford it, and did you reject it in favor of DCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A man cannot serve two masters: GDS or the people of DC, not both.

GDS is the new "but what about her emails?"

+1

Pathetic

Would you eat at a restaurant at which the cook considers the food too crappy to eat it himself?

There is *no* justification for a council member or top city admin to send their kids to private school. Possibly high school in special circumstances, but not before that.

I mean he’s in zone for Dunbar, which they’ve tried to reconstitute at least twice and failed. I don’t think he nor anyone else should be forced to sacrifice their kids to that hellhole to have a life in public service.