JLG vs McDuffie on public schools

[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.

So that’s all you decided to address? Ok.

[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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Actually, yes. My DC turned dpwn GDS for a selective DCPS.

But that's not true for, say, 90,000 other DCPS kids AND -- most importantly -- I haven't been on the city council for yearss!

BUT

[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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

Not directly over schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

Not directly over schools.

Do you have any idea how much legislation the council has made about how school works?

Do you understand the role they have in budgeting?'

Do you understand the role they have in oversight?

If the council members say by while trash collection went down the tubes and just hired private collection for themselves, would you be okay with that?!

[Anonymous]

I'd give the guy credit if he wanted his kids at BASIS or Latin. I had a similar complaint when very few of the Council members had kids at all. Something about skin in the game matters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

Not directly over schools.

Do you have any idea how much legislation the council has made about how school works?

Do you understand the role they have in budgeting?'

Do you understand the role they have in oversight?

If the council members say by while trash collection went down the tubes and just hired private collection for themselves, would you be okay with that?!

Dunbar was torn down and rebuilt as a huge, expensive, architecturally and environmentally acclaimed building with an aquatic center during his time on the Council. How much more funding should he have pushed for to prove that he cares about kids outside of GDS?

Do the candidates have to live in public housing too? Sir/Ma'am, this is NOT a winning argument and I can't understand why it is being flogged so hard in this thread. Let it gooooooo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

Not directly over schools.

Do you have any idea how much legislation the council has made about how school works?

Do you understand the role they have in budgeting?'

Do you understand the role they have in oversight?

If the council members say by while trash collection went down the tubes and just hired private collection for themselves, would you be okay with that?!

Dunbar was torn down and rebuilt as a huge, expensive, architecturally and environmentally acclaimed building with an aquatic center during his time on the Council. How much more funding should he have pushed for to prove that he cares about kids outside of GDS?

Do the candidates have to live in public housing too? Sir/Ma'am, this is NOT a winning argument and I can't understand why it is being flogged so hard in this thread. Let it gooooooo.

Go Grasshoppers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

Not directly over schools.

Do you have any idea how much legislation the council has made about how school works?

Do you understand the role they have in budgeting?'

Do you understand the role they have in oversight?

If the council members say by while trash collection went down the tubes and just hired private collection for themselves, would you be okay with that?!

Dunbar was torn down and rebuilt as a huge, expensive, architecturally and environmentally acclaimed building with an aquatic center during his time on the Council. How much more funding should he have pushed for to prove that he cares about kids outside of GDS?

Do the candidates have to live in public housing too? Sir/Ma'am, this is NOT a winning argument and I can't understand why it is being flogged so hard in this thread. Let it gooooooo.

Clearly, fancy HS facilities are not the answer to the city's educational woes. Imagine if the city had spent that money on 1-on-1 literacy tutoring....

What I find crazy is how some of you just are weirdly resigned to DCPS and DCPCS being eternally inadequate and poorly run. We should expect better!

Also, wtf. Public school =\= public housing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

Not directly over schools.

Do you have any idea how much legislation the council has made about how school works?

Do you understand the role they have in budgeting?'

Do you understand the role they have in oversight?

If the council members say by while trash collection went down the tubes and just hired private collection for themselves, would you be okay with that?!

Has DCPS "gone down the tubes" in the time McDuffie has been on the council? I don't think so. I've been a DCPS parent for the last 8 years and while I have TONS of issues with the district, I would say that there have been some steady improvements and some missteps. I can't point to a single piece of council legislation that is the cause of my issues with DCPS either. A lot of my issues have to do with Central Office policies that do not rise to the level of legislation, especially around communication, assignment of administrators, and curriculum selection. Yes, I would love if the mayor or council picked those up and forced Central Office to shape up, but I also don't view that as 100% on McDuffie, anymore than I would put it 100% on JLG who has ALSO served on the council for years and has some responsibility for the current state of affairs.

The mayor has much more direct oversight over DCPS and also more power over charters. That's why mayor is a more important role than council member. But I see zero correlation between McDuffie sending his kids to GDS and the current quality of DCPS after his years on the council. TBH, most education budgeting and decisions are decided unanimously and the council rubber stamps a lot of what Bowser prioritizes. Again, that's why mayor is more important, as well as because they appoint the chancellor who has much more direct oversight over Central Office and thus individual schools.

Mayor Bowser's daughter toes to a DCPS by the way. So do Christina Hendrick's kids and Charles Allen's kids. Bowser and Hendricks are much more in line with McDuffie on education than they are with JLG. Allen seems to lean toward JLG but I think he's more pragmatic. So I'm just not convinced this is important in the way you do. I bet you hate Bowser's education policy, for instance, even though she has a kid in the district.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

Not directly over schools.

Do you have any idea how much legislation the council has made about how school works?

Do you understand the role they have in budgeting?'

Do you understand the role they have in oversight?

If the council members say by while trash collection went down the tubes and just hired private collection for themselves, would you be okay with that?!

Has DCPS "gone down the tubes" in the time McDuffie has been on the council? I don't think so. I've been a DCPS parent for the last 8 years and while I have TONS of issues with the district, I would say that there have been some steady improvements and some missteps. I can't point to a single piece of council legislation that is the cause of my issues with DCPS either. A lot of my issues have to do with Central Office policies that do not rise to the level of legislation, especially around communication, assignment of administrators, and curriculum selection. Yes, I would love if the mayor or council picked those up and forced Central Office to shape up, but I also don't view that as 100% on McDuffie, anymore than I would put it 100% on JLG who has ALSO served on the council for years and has some responsibility for the current state of affairs.

The mayor has much more direct oversight over DCPS and also more power over charters. That's why mayor is a more important role than council member. But I see zero correlation between McDuffie sending his kids to GDS and the current quality of DCPS after his years on the council. TBH, most education budgeting and decisions are decided unanimously and the council rubber stamps a lot of what Bowser prioritizes. Again, that's why mayor is more important, as well as because they appoint the chancellor who has much more direct oversight over Central Office and thus individual schools.

Mayor Bowser's daughter toes to a DCPS by the way. So do Christina Hendrick's kids and Charles Allen's kids. Bowser and Hendricks are much more in line with McDuffie on education than they are with JLG. Allen seems to lean toward JLG but I think he's more pragmatic. So I'm just not convinced this is important in the way you do. I bet you hate Bowser's education policy, for instance, even though she has a kid in the district.

No Hendricks and Allen are more in line with JLG.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

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.

He can move or suffer, just like anyone else zoned for Dunbar.

The difference is he has been uin a position with some oversight of schools!

As someone IB for Dunbar who can't afford private, please be quiet. Your attitude is the one I don't want anywhere near education policy in this city. "Just suffer or move"? Please stop.

Perhaps McDuffie's experience in realizing his IB schools didn't meet his family's needs will guide his policymaking in ways that will benefit me,as someone in the same boat. I'd rather have someone who values education enough to consider all available options for his kids than someone who would stick his children in failing public schools for the sake of his political aspirations, that's for sure.

Um, he's already been in a policy-making position for years.

Not directly over schools.

Do you have any idea how much legislation the council has made about how school works?

Do you understand the role they have in budgeting?'

Do you understand the role they have in oversight?

If the council members say by while trash collection went down the tubes and just hired private collection for themselves, would you be okay with that?!

Has DCPS "gone down the tubes" in the time McDuffie has been on the council? I don't think so. I've been a DCPS parent for the last 8 years and while I have TONS of issues with the district, I would say that there have been some steady improvements and some missteps. I can't point to a single piece of council legislation that is the cause of my issues with DCPS either. A lot of my issues have to do with Central Office policies that do not rise to the level of legislation, especially around communication, assignment of administrators, and curriculum selection. Yes, I would love if the mayor or council picked those up and forced Central Office to shape up, but I also don't view that as 100% on McDuffie, anymore than I would put it 100% on JLG who has ALSO served on the council for years and has some responsibility for the current state of affairs.

The mayor has much more direct oversight over DCPS and also more power over charters. That's why mayor is a more important role than council member. But I see zero correlation between McDuffie sending his kids to GDS and the current quality of DCPS after his years on the council. TBH, most education budgeting and decisions are decided unanimously and the council rubber stamps a lot of what Bowser prioritizes. Again, that's why mayor is more important, as well as because they appoint the chancellor who has much more direct oversight over Central Office and thus individual schools.

Mayor Bowser's daughter toes to a DCPS by the way. So do Christina Hendrick's kids and Charles Allen's kids. Bowser and Hendricks are much more in line with McDuffie on education than they are with JLG. Allen seems to lean toward JLG but I think he's more pragmatic. So I'm just not convinced this is important in the way you do. I bet you hate Bowser's education policy, for instance, even though she has a kid in the district.

Duff hasn’t done anything for education though. Also you could have sent his kids to a charter and chose not to. He is in a leadership role, if the leaders don’t believe in our public schools we are screwed. That’s also saying something, that he is not at all invested in public schools or children other than his own.

I personally don’t hate everything about bowser -as a parent. But as an employee she is sorely lacking. She really does not like teachers, this was really apparent when she scheduled a meeting with us at 3AM. That’s pretty rude, it could have easily been in the evening.

McDuffie will be more of the same, the vitriol towards teachers isn’t right. Happy teachers means happier children.

Honestly we aren’t asking for much. So when I vote I have to take into account both my roles. My children go to a charter and I have spoken to Laura and JLG, there’s no secret plan to sabotage charters. That would cause a divide. Yes, we do think poorly performing charters are a waste -might as well go to the dcps school and merge resources.

This opinion is not the same as closing ALL charters. I just do not think Duffie would give public schools the attention it needs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Actually, yes. My DC turned dpwn GDS for a selective DCPS.

But that's not true for, say, 90,000 other DCPS kids AND -- most importantly -- I haven't been on the city council for yearss!

BUT

I’ll take things that never happened for $1000, Alex.