Why does every thread about Hill schools get so grumpy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It isn't just on the Hill. Parents who choose to send their kids to DC public schools rather than private schools or rather than moving to suburbs are very protective and at times defensive of their decision and of the schools, and they also are hyper-sensitive about the public perception of those schools, because to a great extent the quality of a neighborhood public school is a function of whether or not neighborhood families keep choosing to send their kids there.

A lot of parents send their kids to DCPS elementary schools but are thinking they may leave the system for middle school. Then when a few parents pull their kids out into private schools in the 3rd or 4th grade and it starts a mini-panic among those still in the elementary. People want to be assured that they are doing the right thing for their kids.

Haven't really seen kids leaving in 3rd or 4th in Hill schools and hear much the same from parents at other Hill ES. You DO however see an exodus in 5th grade for charters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Add in the fact that the Hill is full of accomplished Do-ers who are used to making things happen by pulling the right levers, pushing the right buttons, making the right connections. People like that go a little apeshit when none of it works in their favor. Witness the vitriol in that epic Ludlow-Taylor thread. . .

This is the key difference.


Every single pofessional household in Capitol Hill contains an adult who either does now, or did until recently, work in politics/legislation. As opposed to biomedical research, maritime law, or teaching Russian Lit at Georgetown.

It's not that Hill parents are "do-ers" and the parents in AU Park, Georgetown or Palisades are "not do-ers." Because think about it: how did all of Ward 3 afford their $1million++ homes without being "do-ers"? Of course they are -- but not necessarily in politics/legislation/policy making.

Hmm, both my DH and I work in science-based fields... I guess we don't really live on the Hill? Maybe they should re-zone the historic district to exclude our house. And most of my neighbors as well (lawyers, doctors, etc.).

I know! Sociologist here married to an academic who actually teaches at Georgetown -- although not in Russian lit. That pp has a warped view of the Hill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^this is just not true about "every single household on Cap Hill..."

If you're talking about the actual Hill, the historic district part, it really is true.

All the come-lately areas like Navy Yard, "hill east," H st and so on aren't really Capitol Hill.

I am in the historic district. No one in my house works in politics/policy.

Us too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Another denizen of Capitol Hill. No one on my block works in legislation/political sphere. But I do drive by the Secret Service awaiting Boehner to come out every day to go to the office.

We do, however, welcome friends who work as lobbyists to join us for dinner from Tenleytown quite a bunch.

I drive by them too on the way home from Results in the morning. So do those poor Secret Service guys spend the night out there in their SUVs? That's a cold way to spend a winter's night. I keep thinking about driving by in the middle of the night just to find out but that's probably not a good idea.

[Anonymous]

Three people on my block work for National Geographic. Is that too political for you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^this is just not true about "every single household on Cap Hill..."

If you're talking about the actual Hill, the historic district part, it really is true.

All the come-lately areas like Navy Yard, "hill east," H st and so on aren't really Capitol Hill.

I am in the historic district. No one in my house works in politics/policy.

Us too!

Yep, us too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^this is just not true about "every single household on Cap Hill..."

If you're talking about the actual Hill, the historic district part, it really is true.

All the come-lately areas like Navy Yard, "hill east," H st and so on aren't really Capitol Hill.

I am in the historic district. No one in my house works in politics/policy.

Us too!

Yep, us too.

And us. We have been here since long before it got expensive/snobby...which is the only reason why we can still afford to be here

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It isn't just on the Hill. Parents who choose to send their kids to DC public schools rather than private schools or rather than moving to suburbs are very protective and at times defensive of their decision and of the schools, and they also are hyper-sensitive about the public perception of those schools, because to a great extent the quality of a neighborhood public school is a function of whether or not neighborhood families keep choosing to send their kids there.

A lot of parents send their kids to DCPS elementary schools but are thinking they may leave the system for middle school. Then when a few parents pull their kids out into private schools in the 3rd or 4th grade and it starts a mini-panic among those still in the elementary. People want to be assured that they are doing the right thing for their kids.

Haven't really seen kids leaving in 3rd or 4th in Hill schools and hear much the same from parents at other Hill ES. You DO however see an exodus in 5th grade for charters.

Unfortunately, I'm still seeing it. E.g. We had a bunch of kids over for a 3rd grade sleepover the other night, all from the same DCPS school. When I did a head count, I realized that most of them won't be returning for 4th grade. Parents are already moving to the burbs, and elsewhere in the country and the world, or privates because they know our assigned middle school won't work for them, not by a long shot, and wouldn't be satisfied with BASIS or Latin (particularly for HS), even if they could get in.

Our politicians have really let us down and Bowser and Henderson and co. could absolutely care less if they lose these families, all of whom started DCPS in PreK3 or PreK4. Most of these kids' parents have been very involved in the PTA from the get go. When I passed Charles Allen on a sidewalk the other night, it was all I could do to keep from yelling "WHERE IS OUT TEST-IN PROGRAM! WHY DOES WARD 7 GET ONE BUT NOT WARD 6?!" at him.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It isn't just on the Hill. Parents who choose to send their kids to DC public schools rather than private schools or rather than moving to suburbs are very protective and at times defensive of their decision and of the schools, and they also are hyper-sensitive about the public perception of those schools, because to a great extent the quality of a neighborhood public school is a function of whether or not neighborhood families keep choosing to send their kids there.

A lot of parents send their kids to DCPS elementary schools but are thinking they may leave the system for middle school. Then when a few parents pull their kids out into private schools in the 3rd or 4th grade and it starts a mini-panic among those still in the elementary. People want to be assured that they are doing the right thing for their kids.

Yes, and to such an extent that they deny or refuse to believe there are serious safety issues, and thus nothing gets done to ameliorate the situation. This attitude is highly prevalent on the Hill, and I'd say rather acute in the Cluster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It isn't just on the Hill. Parents who choose to send their kids to DC public schools rather than private schools or rather than moving to suburbs are very protective and at times defensive of their decision and of the schools, and they also are hyper-sensitive about the public perception of those schools, because to a great extent the quality of a neighborhood public school is a function of whether or not neighborhood families keep choosing to send their kids there.

A lot of parents send their kids to DCPS elementary schools but are thinking they may leave the system for middle school. Then when a few parents pull their kids out into private schools in the 3rd or 4th grade and it starts a mini-panic among those still in the elementary. People want to be assured that they are doing the right thing for their kids.

Haven't really seen kids leaving in 3rd or 4th in Hill schools and hear much the same from parents at other Hill ES. You DO however see an exodus in 5th grade for charters.

Unfortunately, I'm still seeing it. E.g. We had a bunch of kids over for a 3rd grade sleepover the other night, all from the same DCPS school. When I did a head count, I realized that most of them won't be returning for 4th grade. Parents are already moving to the burbs, and elsewhere in the country and the world, or privates because they know our assigned middle school won't work for them, not by a long shot, and wouldn't be satisfied with BASIS or Latin (particularly for HS), even if they could get in.

Our politicians have really let us down and Bowser and Henderson and co. could absolutely care less if they lose these families, all of whom started DCPS in PreK3 or PreK4. Most of these kids' parents have been very involved in the PTA from the get go. When I passed Charles Allen on a sidewalk the other night, it was all I could do to keep from yelling "WHERE IS OUT TEST-IN PROGRAM! WHY DOES WARD 7 GET ONE BUT NOT WARD 6?!" at him.

You'll be lucky to get a language immersion offer as a subtle test-in in masquerade/gimmick. But yes, why not just a simple, serious school as you suggest where kids can learn without major disruptions? The Council throws a lot of money at developers to make projects happen; all they have to do is make quality DCPS schools and the market will handle the rest. But that's too simple.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It isn't just on the Hill. Parents who choose to send their kids to DC public schools rather than private schools or rather than moving to suburbs are very protective and at times defensive of their decision and of the schools, and they also are hyper-sensitive about the public perception of those schools, because to a great extent the quality of a neighborhood public school is a function of whether or not neighborhood families keep choosing to send their kids there.

A lot of parents send their kids to DCPS elementary schools but are thinking they may leave the system for middle school. Then when a few parents pull their kids out into private schools in the 3rd or 4th grade and it starts a mini-panic among those still in the elementary. People want to be assured that they are doing the right thing for their kids.

Yes, and to such an extent that they deny or refuse to believe there are serious safety issues, and thus nothing gets done to ameliorate the situation. This attitude is highly prevalent on the Hill, and I'd say rather acute in the Cluster.

Oh God. You again. Please take the summer off for all our sakes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It isn't just on the Hill. Parents who choose to send their kids to DC public schools rather than private schools or rather than moving to suburbs are very protective and at times defensive of their decision and of the schools, and they also are hyper-sensitive about the public perception of those schools, because to a great extent the quality of a neighborhood public school is a function of whether or not neighborhood families keep choosing to send their kids there.

A lot of parents send their kids to DCPS elementary schools but are thinking they may leave the system for middle school. Then when a few parents pull their kids out into private schools in the 3rd or 4th grade and it starts a mini-panic among those still in the elementary. People want to be assured that they are doing the right thing for their kids.

Haven't really seen kids leaving in 3rd or 4th in Hill schools and hear much the same from parents at other Hill ES. You DO however see an exodus in 5th grade for charters.

Unfortunately, I'm still seeing it. E.g. We had a bunch of kids over for a 3rd grade sleepover the other night, all from the same DCPS school. When I did a head count, I realized that most of them won't be returning for 4th grade. Parents are already moving to the burbs, and elsewhere in the country and the world, or privates because they know our assigned middle school won't work for them, not by a long shot, and wouldn't be satisfied with BASIS or Latin (particularly for HS), even if they could get in.

Our politicians have really let us down and Bowser and Henderson and co. could absolutely care less if they lose these families, all of whom started DCPS in PreK3 or PreK4. Most of these kids' parents have been very involved in the PTA from the get go. When I passed Charles Allen on a sidewalk the other night, it was all I could do to keep from yelling "WHERE IS OUT TEST-IN PROGRAM! WHY DOES WARD 7 GET ONE BUT NOT WARD 6?!" at him.

Hahaha- I thought I was the only one who felt like screaming at Charles Allen when I run into him.

I keep waiting for Alice Deal for All.... But wait that's been proven to be a lie right? thanks bowser.

Fwiw- we live inside the historic district and my husband works in policy. I am a sahm. Lots of my neighbors do work in policy jobs or lobbying. But there are a few World Bank, IMF, and military families too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It isn't just on the Hill. Parents who choose to send their kids to DC public schools rather than private schools or rather than moving to suburbs are very protective and at times defensive of their decision and of the schools, and they also are hyper-sensitive about the public perception of those schools, because to a great extent the quality of a neighborhood public school is a function of whether or not neighborhood families keep choosing to send their kids there.

A lot of parents send their kids to DCPS elementary schools but are thinking they may leave the system for middle school. Then when a few parents pull their kids out into private schools in the 3rd or 4th grade and it starts a mini-panic among those still in the elementary. People want to be assured that they are doing the right thing for their kids.

Yes, and to such an extent that they deny or refuse to believe there are serious safety issues, and thus nothing gets done to ameliorate the situation. This attitude is highly prevalent on the Hill, and I'd say rather acute in the Cluster.

Oh God. You again. Please take the summer off for all our sakes.

No, I'm not God, but I am a parent who cares. You ought to try that caring flavor for yourself. Therein lies the endemic problem with the Cluster.

[Anonymous]

We all know what you care about PP - your "ameliorate" and "endemic" bitches are so old and tired that we can spot you from a mile away. And I even agree with you... -yawn-

[Anonymous]

Can we all please agree to stop calling it the Cluster, now that SH has only a passing acquaintance with Watkins and Peabody? They've undone the principal situation and many other schools feed to SH. Stop pretending that the kids at Peabody are going to be in school only with their peers by middle school.