Spin off. African American families, do you avoid schools with lots of FARMs minorities?

[Anonymous]

The meth lab issue is not about academics. We all know that the worst combination is drugs and poor academics. In more rural areas there are tons of poorly educated whites who smoke pot daily, and have funny teeth from meth. However, we are talking about the DC area. I would rather have my child in a school with motivated families who might use drugs than unmotivated families who might be using drugs. The best scenario is no drugs and motivated.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, that is the ultimate question, where do you find a school with a large chunk of high performing AA kids.

421 P Street, NW
4801 Benning Road, SE
2600 Douglass Road, SE

Not sure why this poster can't just identify these schools by name - these are KIPP Academies, which are lottery-based DC charter schools. If I lived in DC, I would consider them, but I would (a) feel a little bad about taking a spot that could go to a kid with a lower socioeconomic status and presumptively less opportunity than my upper-middle class kids; and (b) likely face logistical issues in terms of getting the kids to school because of where the schools are located. If I were living in DC, these are not the neighborhoods I would choose to live in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why this poster can't just identify these schools by name - these are KIPP Academies, which are lottery-based DC charter schools. If I lived in DC, I would consider them, but I would (a) feel a little bad about taking a spot that could go to a kid with a lower socioeconomic status and presumptively less opportunity than my upper-middle class kids; and (b) likely face logistical issues in terms of getting the kids to school because of where the schools are located. If I were living in DC, these are not the neighborhoods I would choose to live in.

My middle and upper-middle class friends don't feel bad at all about sending out children to KIPP. Our kids are getting an outstanding education. As for the commute? That's another story altogether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure why this poster can't just identify these schools by name - these are KIPP Academies, which are lottery-based DC charter schools. If I lived in DC, I would consider them, but I would (a) feel a little bad about taking a spot that could go to a kid with a lower socioeconomic status and presumptively less opportunity than my upper-middle class kids; and (b) likely face logistical issues in terms of getting the kids to school because of where the schools are located. If I were living in DC, these are not the neighborhoods I would choose to live in.

My middle and upper-middle class friends don't feel bad at all about sending out children to KIPP. Our kids are getting an outstanding education. As for the commute? That's another story altogether.

Not saying I wouldn't do it - but I do think there would be little voice in the back of my head about it. Liberal black guilt, I guess?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not saying I wouldn't do it - but I do think there would be little voice in the back of my head about it. Liberal black guilt, I guess?

For me, and possibly some of the other KIPP families I know, it came to the whether we accept the fact that we were 'lucky' enough to get into KIPP versus trying to do the legwork to make our okay DCPS and make it into a great one to suit our needs. Also, the schools we left had a lower percentage of FARM families than KIPP does now. And dare I say it's nice to be in a school that has money, nice facilities, dedicated staff, great communication with parents, etc.?