Why do some parents of DC private school children choose to live in the suburbs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well then pp why don't you keep your kid in the burbs and give the DC private school spot to someone who lives in DC and would appreciate it instead of trashing it.

Because it's not a "DC" private school. It's a private school that happens to have a mailing address in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well then pp why don't you keep your kid in the burbs and give the DC private school spot to someone who lives in DC and would appreciate it instead of trashing it.

Not trashing the school. DD loves it. Just trashing the security situation in area. As for DC residents, they can compete for spots, too. There are a lot students from DC in the school. They have to be careful off-campus, too.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I live in the suburbs and some creepy things happen here too. I sometimes think I would feel safer in DC, and I am not really kidding.

[Anonymous]

I feel safer in the city than in the burbs too. That said, there are lots of reasons not to live in DC -- disenfranchisement, substandard public services, and corrupt/incompetent government top my list. We live here despite those things -- I'm in the city for transit access, walkability, and a relatively rich and varied public sphere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well then pp why don't you keep your kid in the burbs and give the DC private school spot to someone who lives in DC and would appreciate it instead of trashing it.

Weirdest comment in the whole thread. Why do you think schools that happen to be located are specifically to be allocated to DC residents [who are unhappy with their public school options]? Strange, strange, strange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I live in the suburbs and some creepy things happen here too. I sometimes think I would feel safer in DC, and I am not really kidding.

You may think you'd feel safer in DC, but it's just a feeling. Below is a crime stat comparison between the zip codes for Woodley Park and Bethesda (I chose these two because they've both been mentioned in this thread). Posters can be snarky all they want, but the stats show that you're 6 times more likely to be killed in Woodley Park than the average U.S. community, and half as likely to be killed in Bethesda than the average U.S. community. You may like living in DC, and you may feel safe, but the stats tell a different story.

Here's the source: http://www.onboardnavigator.com/webcontent/OBWC_Search.aspx?AID=102&CD_SID=CO001



The Crime Index compares the risk or probability of future occurrence of certain types of crime in this community as compared to the national average. The national average for each type of crime equals a score of 1.0, so a score of 2.0 would represent twice the risk as the national average, and a score of 0.50 would represent half the risk of the national average.


20008, DC Nat'l Avg 20814, MD
TOTAL 1.86 1.0 .7
PERSONAL 3.36 1.0 .54
Murder 6.03 1.0 .4
Rape 1.69 1.0 .45
Robbery 5.82 1.0 .5
Assault 2.29 1.0 .6
PROPERTY 1.81 1.0 .99
Burglary .9 1.0 .67
Larceny 1.22 1.0 1.37
MV Theft 5.55 1.0 1.05

[Anonymous]

Wow - Bethesda (20814) numbers are so high compared to Rockville (20852)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I live in the suburbs and some creepy things happen here too. I sometimes think I would feel safer in DC, and I am not really kidding.

You may think you'd feel safer in DC, but it's just a feeling. Below is a crime stat comparison between the zip codes for Woodley Park and Bethesda (I chose these two because they've both been mentioned in this thread). Posters can be snarky all they want, but the stats show that you're 6 times more likely to be killed in Woodley Park than the average U.S. community, and half as likely to be killed in Bethesda than the average U.S. community. You may like living in DC, and you may feel safe, but the stats tell a different story.

Here's the source: http://www.onboardnavigator.com/webcontent/OBWC_Search.aspx?AID=102&CD_SID=CO001



The Crime Index compares the risk or probability of future occurrence of certain types of crime in this community as compared to the national average. The national average for each type of crime equals a score of 1.0, so a score of 2.0 would represent twice the risk as the national average, and a score of 0.50 would represent half the risk of the national average.

Stop being an alarmist. Everyone knows that Woodley Park is not a dangerous neighborhood, and it is unlikely that you will be a crime victim there. Crime can (and does) happen anywhere--multiple women recently being assaulted on the Capital Crescent Trail (in Bethesda) anyone? That being said, many people who move to the burbs do so to get more house for their money. I'm sure that the majority of people who own single family homes in Woodley Park can pretty much afford to move into ANY suburban neighborhood in the metro area.

20008, DC Nat'l Avg 20814, MD
TOTAL 1.86 1.0 .7
PERSONAL 3.36 1.0 .54
Murder 6.03 1.0 .4
Rape 1.69 1.0 .45
Robbery 5.82 1.0 .5
Assault 2.29 1.0 .6
PROPERTY 1.81 1.0 .99
Burglary .9 1.0 .67
Larceny 1.22 1.0 1.37
MV Theft 5.55 1.0 1.05

[Anonymous]

Stop being an alarmist. Everyone knows that Woodley Park is not a dangerous neighborhood, and it is unlikely that you will be a crime victim there. Crime can (and does) happen anywhere--multiple women recently being assaulted on the Capital Crescent Trail (in Bethesda) anyone? That being said, many people who move to the burbs do so to get more house for their money. I'm sure that the majority of people who own single family homes in Woodley Park can pretty much afford to move into ANY suburban neighborhood in the metro area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop being an alarmist. Everyone knows that Woodley Park is not a dangerous neighborhood, and it is unlikely that you will be a crime victim there. Crime can (and does) happen anywhere--multiple women recently being assaulted on the Capital Crescent Trail (in Bethesda) anyone? That being said, many people who move to the burbs do so to get more house for their money. I'm sure that the majority of people who own single family homes in Woodley Park can pretty much afford to move into ANY suburban neighborhood in the metro area.

I would never go on the CCT alone. Who does that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well then pp why don't you keep your kid in the burbs and give the DC private school spot to someone who lives in DC and would appreciate it instead of trashing it.

Um, PP, do you not understand how private/independent schools work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop being an alarmist. Everyone knows that Woodley Park is not a dangerous neighborhood, and it is unlikely that you will be a crime victim there. Crime can (and does) happen anywhere--multiple women recently being assaulted on the Capital Crescent Trail (in Bethesda) anyone? That being said, many people who move to the burbs do so to get more house for their money. I'm sure that the majority of people who own single family homes in Woodley Park can pretty much afford to move into ANY suburban neighborhood in the metro area.

Stop being an apologist. No one is saying that Woodley Park is the hood. But the data show that it is less safe than the suburbs. There's a place for people (like you) who have problems accepting reality---it's called the Republican Party.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop being an alarmist. Everyone knows that Woodley Park is not a dangerous neighborhood, and it is unlikely that you will be a crime victim there. Crime can (and does) happen anywhere--multiple women recently being assaulted on the Capital Crescent Trail (in Bethesda) anyone? That being said, many people who move to the burbs do so to get more house for their money. I'm sure that the majority of people who own single family homes in Woodley Park can pretty much afford to move into ANY suburban neighborhood in the metro area.

Stop being an apologist. No one is saying that Woodley Park is the hood. But the data show that it is less safe than the suburbs. There's a place for people (like you) who have problems accepting reality---it's called the Republican Party.

No, I'm just someone who would choose to live in WP any day of the week over any burb around here. You, on the other hand, appear to be trying to justify living in your boring, bland and SAFE suburban neighborhood with the increased commute. I get it--statistically speaking, Bethesda is safer than WP. And Orem, Utah is safer than Bethesda--I wouldn't want to live there either. The reality that you fail to accept is that WP is still very safe. So someone who chooses to live in WP over Bethesda (because surely you're not saying that every suburb is safer than WP) is putting themselves at an increased risk for crime that is negligible. My point is that if a WP homeowner wanted a marginally safer neighborhood in the burbs, they could most likely afford to pick up and move to said burb. The reverse is not usually the case. It's always good to have options.

[Anonymous]

I'd love to live in DC, to be closer to DD's school. We can't afford it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop being an alarmist. Everyone knows that Woodley Park is not a dangerous neighborhood, and it is unlikely that you will be a crime victim there. Crime can (and does) happen anywhere--multiple women recently being assaulted on the Capital Crescent Trail (in Bethesda) anyone? That being said, many people who move to the burbs do so to get more house for their money. I'm sure that the majority of people who own single family homes in Woodley Park can pretty much afford to move into ANY suburban neighborhood in the metro area.

Stop being an apologist. No one is saying that Woodley Park is the hood. But the data show that it is less safe than the suburbs. There's a place for people (like you) who have problems accepting reality---it's called the Republican Party.

No, I'm just someone who would choose to live in WP any day of the week over any burb around here. You, on the other hand, appear to be trying to justify living in your boring, bland and SAFE suburban neighborhood with the increased commute. I get it--statistically speaking, Bethesda is safer than WP. And Orem, Utah is safer than Bethesda--I wouldn't want to live there either. The reality that you fail to accept is that WP is still very safe. So someone who chooses to live in WP over Bethesda (because surely you're not saying that every suburb is safer than WP) is putting themselves at an increased risk for crime that is negligible. My point is that if a WP homeowner wanted a marginally safer neighborhood in the burbs, they could most likely afford to pick up and move to said burb. The reverse is not usually the case. It's always good to have options.

My commute from Arlington to downtown DC is shorter than the commute from Woodley Park to downtown DC, and I can beat your drive/walk/metro ride to Georgetown any day of the week. Most of the people I know who've moved from DC to the burbs have done so because the public schools in DC suck, not because they were desperate for a bigger house.