New Jackson-Reed HS (Wilson HS) School Principal - Sah Brown from Eastern High School

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1000

Anonymous wrote:Imagine a world where a principal was focused on improving the lives of the students they served, rather than “attracting high SES in-boundary families like you”. Get the hell out of here.

Right! OMFG. I can't believe someone actually just complained that the Principal of a school was more interested in serving his school demo than kissing her ass.

NP. Sounds like he is not interested in attracting and meeting the needs of higher SES IB families. And he lied about the IB diploma program rigor.
These are not good signs.

Not sure how you could have taken that from the prior post. Let's start with, yes, trying to appeal primarily to some UMC white lady isn't more important to him than running a school and focusing on the needs of his current cohort. Also don't know if you have a job, but in what alternative universe would anyone in his role (or any leadership/face of the org role) just lay bare the weaknesses and not try and pivot to strengths. If you think that's "lying" then you fail to understand the term.

I would respectfully put to you and your friends that have a problem with him not making Eastern all about the one or two UMC white folks - how would JR families feel once he's installed as Principal if he started focusing solely on attracting at risk and homeless students (including changing the curriculum thusly) instead of the actual UMC families attending JR. That's what you were asking him to do at Eastern.

He lied about IB. Period. He knows their scores. He could have easily said that they are working on strengthening the program and a strong cohort like OP’s child could help that or something to that effect. He blatantly lied

You don’t seem to get the big picture. It’s not about making Eastern about one or two UMC families. It’s about attracting more IB families to the school to strengthen it, increase academic standing, add more resources (time, money) that middle class families are able to provide.

As to your last sentence, basically that’s what DCPS does is focus on the at risk and bottom half. If you don’t think that’s what he will do at JR then IVe got a bridge to sell you.

[Anonymous]

Nothing about the prisoner’s dilemma on the Hill has anything to do with Jackson Reed, which already attracts a large cohort of IB UMC families.

I’m really glad DCPS named someone before summer hiring season ramps up. There’s going to be a lot of turnover at every school this summer, and with a principal in place Jackson Reed is much better positioned to attract good people to fill vacancies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing about the prisoner’s dilemma on the Hill has anything to do with Jackson Reed, which already attracts a large cohort of IB UMC families.

I’m really glad DCPS named someone before summer hiring season ramps up. There’s going to be a lot of turnover at every school this summer, and with a principal in place Jackson Reed is much better positioned to attract good people to fill vacancies.

DCPS doesn’t care about the higher performing kids. Look at honors form all and read the post from the JR parent in this thread.

He cow tows to the chancellor and central. Their agenda will be his agenda which is a race to the bottom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

So, let me get this right. You walked into this man’s office with your white hood on, took it off, handed it to him and asked him to put it on. He rebuffed your offer and you decided you didn’t like him. Eastern HS kids test poorly due to various reasons (poverty, trauma, inequality, etc). He does not have to explain any of that to you. Your child could have obtained a good education there, but your classism and racism prevented you from entertaining the thought of your child in that school.

ha ha, normally I dislike this kind of invective, but seems to hit the mark.

PP who talked to Brown. My spouse and I are people of color who come from working-class backgrounds. We attended college on full Pell Grants.

We wouldn't have bothered going to Eastern to speak to Brown if we hadn't been trying to keep an open mind. What are you posters slamming us celebrating? Brown's able leadership at Eastern?

BOOM! There it is. Never fails that when an entitled DCUM snowflake gets called out they magically turn black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

So, let me get this right. You walked into this man’s office with your white hood on, took it off, handed it to him and asked him to put it on. He rebuffed your offer and you decided you didn’t like him. Eastern HS kids test poorly due to various reasons (poverty, trauma, inequality, etc). He does not have to explain any of that to you. Your child could have obtained a good education there, but your classism and racism prevented you from entertaining the thought of your child in that school.

ha ha, normally I dislike this kind of invective, but seems to hit the mark.

PP who talked to Brown. My spouse and I are people of color who come from working-class backgrounds. We attended college on full Pell Grants.

We wouldn't have bothered going to Eastern to speak to Brown if we hadn't been trying to keep an open mind. What are you posters slamming us celebrating? Brown's able leadership at Eastern?

BOOM! There it is. Never fails that when an entitled DCUM snowflake gets called out they magically turn black.

I thought the exact same thing! LOL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

basically you were trying to publicly make him admit his school was bad?

Sounds like PP was politely asking for basic information about Eastern's IB Diploma program. She couldn't get it from the school's semi competent senior admin.

I'm not optimistic about Brown either.

This. As a parent with a child who will likely attend JR next year, I would have liked to see a Principal with success leading a higher performing school. There is a vast difference between the performance and expectations for a high performing school with a good chunk of MC and UMC families vs. a low performing school with primarily LC and LMC families who aren't as informed and view teachers and administrators as authority figures.

Making false allegations of racism because a parent didn't want to send her UMC child to Eastern doesn't help anyone and only polarizes people. You're not going to shame UMC families into expecting less for our children and it doesn't help any child to set the bar so low at any school.

So your position is that admins and teachers from poor schools should stay with poors? I'd accuse you of having said the quiet part out loud but you don't have enough self awareness to see why what you said is something to be embarrassed by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

So, let me get this right. You walked into this man’s office with your white hood on, took it off, handed it to him and asked him to put it on. He rebuffed your offer and you decided you didn’t like him. Eastern HS kids test poorly due to various reasons (poverty, trauma, inequality, etc). He does not have to explain any of that to you. Your child could have obtained a good education there, but your classism and racism prevented you from entertaining the thought of your child in that school.

In the last year pre-covid, the majority of Eastern students were chronically truant. They were not in school. It's really hard to learn the material when you're not in school. Also, the vast majority of in boundary kids choose not to go there. These are not mostly rich white kids. You actually can't obtain a good education anywhere, and a school with abysmal tests scores, high truancy, and where most kids opt not to go there is exactly the school where you can't.

I think your summary is accurate. What I love is DCUM somehow believing that the Principal is responsible for those systemic and societal failures. If only he concentrated on the IB program all those truant, food insecure and years-behind grade level students would be transformed!

DCPS, and thus the principal, is responsible. Kids should not get to hs years behind. DCPS has been resorting for years to gimmicks to make itself snd schools look good on paper, hiding problems (and kids) under the rug. Kids who do well do well, kids who do not well they fudge the numbers and send the kids ahead and then give them a fake diploma. So you remember the Ballou scandal, all the fanfare about the 100% class graduating snd going to college? Then it came out that kids had graduated with 4 month of absences and teachers admitted that some graduating kids were actually illiterate, unable to read and write. But the former chancellor Henderson patted herself on her back for the “success” in improving kids’ education snd went off to a $$$$$$ job in some billionaire’s foundation, all in the back of the kids who were now illiterate adults.

And the principal is not serving thr community. The prior poster may be a high Ses white person gentrifying the area but she was IB for thr school. My kid is at JR and her best friend is a Black kid who is IB for Eastern. Washingtonian for generations, working class-lower middle class family, kid travels every morning to JR where she got a spot as OOB. So a middle class AA kid deeply rooted in the community was also not served by her IB school.

My concern is that DCPS does not care about kids, needs to show improvements in education of disadvantage kids and resort to tricks to make look as if their education is improving when it is not. We have been a JR-Wilson for three years and saw that even in s high performing school: basic classes called “honor” (my kid totally sucks at math-science, really does not understand it, and suddenly at Wilson’s “honor” classes she was a stellar student), AP classes canceled because not enough disadvantage students had signed up (AP World History in sophomore year), attempt to make all English classes AP last year (“AP for all”) because again not enough disadvantage students had signed up for AP classes so the trick was to cancel the regular class snd put all the students in the AP English class. Clearly school under principal Martin (same person who signed the news release about the new principal) could not care less to explain how kids below grade level in English (and there are at JR) would fare in an AP class. The project was scrapped by dcps eventually but the fact that it was thought in the first place tells you everything. The poster above seems to suggest that the new principal is in the same dcps mold, paper over the problem and promote a program that does not work as one that work and that’s it.

Did you just "my best friend is black" this thing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

So, let me get this right. You walked into this man’s office with your white hood on, took it off, handed it to him and asked him to put it on. He rebuffed your offer and you decided you didn’t like him. Eastern HS kids test poorly due to various reasons (poverty, trauma, inequality, etc). He does not have to explain any of that to you. Your child could have obtained a good education there, but your classism and racism prevented you from entertaining the thought of your child in that school.

ha ha, normally I dislike this kind of invective, but seems to hit the mark.

PP who talked to Brown. My spouse and I are people of color who come from working-class backgrounds. We attended college on full Pell Grants.

We wouldn't have bothered going to Eastern to speak to Brown if we hadn't been trying to keep an open mind. What are you posters slamming us celebrating? Brown's able leadership at Eastern?

BOOM! There it is. Never fails that when an entitled DCUM snowflake gets called out they magically turn black.

I thought the exact same thing! LOL!

It amazes me that you think OP is lying when she says that she is black. If that’s your best response to her post is actually denying what she is saying, you have got a whole lot disappointment coming. LOL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine a world where a principal was focused on improving the lives of the students they served, rather than “attracting high SES in-boundary families like you”. Get the hell out of here.

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

In-boundary families are the core of the student population that the principal “serves.”

Close, but not quite. The population that the school serves are the kids who walk in the door in the morning. Not some high-SES family who might deign to grace the school with their presence… but only if the principal jumps through some hoops.

This. But you gotta respect how honest PPP was to say out loud that they feel like the school is owned by IB families regardless of whether they send their kids there. She's dead wrong and the poster child for "Nice white parents" syndrome, but in her defense she's spent a lifetime getting her ass kissed and told she's the most important person in the room.

[Anonymous]

For anyone who hasn't figured it out yet, Sah Brown is a tall, dark skinned black man. That may be informing the perceived lack of deference that was shown to the IB Mommy who wanted to have her ass kissed and some of the unease at having a black man from a school with poor kids taking over JR. The subtext here is "Can a black man really understand the UMC needs of our JR population?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

So, let me get this right. You walked into this man’s office with your white hood on, took it off, handed it to him and asked him to put it on. He rebuffed your offer and you decided you didn’t like him. Eastern HS kids test poorly due to various reasons (poverty, trauma, inequality, etc). He does not have to explain any of that to you. Your child could have obtained a good education there, but your classism and racism prevented you from entertaining the thought of your child in that school.

ha ha, normally I dislike this kind of invective, but seems to hit the mark.

PP who talked to Brown. My spouse and I are people of color who come from working-class backgrounds. We attended college on full Pell Grants.

We wouldn't have bothered going to Eastern to speak to Brown if we hadn't been trying to keep an open mind. What are you posters slamming us celebrating? Brown's able leadership at Eastern?

BOOM! There it is. Never fails that when an entitled DCUM snowflake gets called out they magically turn black.

I thought the exact same thing! LOL!

It amazes me that you think OP is lying when she says that she is black. If that’s your best response to her post is actually denying what she is saying, you have got a whole lot disappointment coming. LOL!

You must be new to DCUM if you don't understand this phenomenon.

[Anonymous]

I had really hoped that AP Steven Miller at JR would have been tapped as principal. That dude is totally competent, he knows the school back and forth, he knows how DCPS works, he is responsive, he anticipates needs, he runs many of the meetings (Bargeman would offer comments lacking in any real substance and would then turn things over to Miller). I have no idea if AP Miller was even a candidate. I just think central office should have tapped him. Here's hoping this guy from Eastern is good. I'm skeptical. Call me a snob but I agree with the poster who said that the institution where he pursued is education degree is quite unimpressive and the trajectory of Eastern over the last few years hasn't inspired much admiration either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine a world where a principal was focused on improving the lives of the students they served, rather than “attracting high SES in-boundary families like you”. Get the hell out of here.

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

In-boundary families are the core of the student population that the principal “serves.”

Close, but not quite. The population that the school serves are the kids who walk in the door in the morning. Not some high-SES family who might deign to grace the school with their presence… but only if the principal jumps through some hoops.

This. But you gotta respect how honest PPP was to say out loud that they feel like the school is owned by IB families regardless of whether they send their kids there. She's dead wrong and the poster child for "Nice white parents" syndrome, but in her defense she's spent a lifetime getting her ass kissed and told she's the most important person in the room.

Yeah, but this is just the consumer model of education taken to the logical end. Approaching the principal with a "win my business!" mindset and then leaving a negative Yelp review on DCUM when the challenge is not accepted. I can't imagine how exhausting being a DCPS principal must be on a day-to-day even before these people knock on your door.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Imagine a world where a principal was focused on improving the lives of the students they served, rather than “attracting high SES in-boundary families like you”. Get the hell out of here.

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

In-boundary families are the core of the student population that the principal “serves.”

Close, but not quite. The population that the school serves are the kids who walk in the door in the morning. Not some high-SES family who might deign to grace the school with their presence… but only if the principal jumps through some hoops.

This. But you gotta respect how honest PPP was to say out loud that they feel like the school is owned by IB families regardless of whether they send their kids there. She's dead wrong and the poster child for "Nice white parents" syndrome, but in her defense she's spent a lifetime getting her ass kissed and told she's the most important person in the room.

Yeah, but this is just the consumer model of education taken to the logical end. Approaching the principal with a "win my business!" mindset and then leaving a negative Yelp review on DCUM when the challenge is not accepted. I can't imagine how exhausting being a DCPS principal must be on a day-to-day even before these people knock on your door.

TRUTH!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That principal?!

We live on Capitol Hill. My spouse and I met with Brown when when we were looking into the IB Diploma program at Eastern for our oldest in early 2020, before the pandemic began.

Brown seemed clueless about what it would take to attract high SES in-boundary families like ours to Eastern, without any real interest in doing so. He claimed that the program offered "real rigor and challenge to all" repeatedly, and wouldn't answer our questions about Eastern's average IBD points totals. He also wouldn't talk about how many of the "full Diploma" students at Eastern actually earn the Diploma.

Later on, we learned that Eastern's average points total has been mired in the mid 20s, on a 24-45 points pass scale, since the program's inception a decade ago. We also learned that most of the Eastern students who try to earn the Diploma have failed since the get go. We left the meeting unimpressed with Brown and Eastern's IBD program and didn't enroll our child.

So, let me get this right. You walked into this man’s office with your white hood on, took it off, handed it to him and asked him to put it on. He rebuffed your offer and you decided you didn’t like him. Eastern HS kids test poorly due to various reasons (poverty, trauma, inequality, etc). He does not have to explain any of that to you. Your child could have obtained a good education there, but your classism and racism prevented you from entertaining the thought of your child in that school.

ha ha, normally I dislike this kind of invective, but seems to hit the mark.

PP who talked to Brown. My spouse and I are people of color who come from working-class backgrounds. We attended college on full Pell Grants.

We wouldn't have bothered going to Eastern to speak to Brown if we hadn't been trying to keep an open mind. What are you posters slamming us celebrating? Brown's able leadership at Eastern?

BOOM! There it is. Never fails that when an entitled DCUM snowflake gets called out they magically turn black.

I thought the exact same thing! LOL!

It amazes me that you think OP is lying when she says that she is black. If that’s your best response to her post is actually denying what she is saying, you have got a whole lot disappointment coming. LOL!

PP didn't say she was black. The reference was to person of color...maybe biracial, Latino, Native American or Asian. The message I take from her story is, if you're IB for Eastern and UMC, don't bother looking into the IBD there, whatever color you may be. Not just a waste of time, but an invitation to a cynical experience, regardless of who's responsible for Eastern's catastrophic academics and IB enrollment.

The many nasty and presumptuous posts on this thread in defense of yet another choice of Wilson/Jackson-Reed principal that can't possibly sit well with most IB families is yet another pointed reminder of how Mayoral control of schools has outstayed its welcome in the District.