Mary Cheh, homeless shelters and Stoddert

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP please read this, grow some compassion, and stop worrying about homeless kids overwhelming your school.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-hidden-world-desperation-and-cramped-living-for-homeless-families-in-dc-motels/2016/01/28/279adfda-b4d8-11e5-a76a-0b5145e8679a_story.html

It seems that the mayor has a lot of compassion for favored developer cronies hoping to make the big score with her plans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP please read this, grow some compassion, and stop worrying about homeless kids overwhelming your school.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-hidden-world-desperation-and-cramped-living-for-homeless-families-in-dc-motels/2016/01/28/279adfda-b4d8-11e5-a76a-0b5145e8679a_story.html

It seems that the mayor has a lot of compassion for favored developer cronies hoping to make the big score with her plans.

I never thought I would miss Vincent "One City" Grey, but I have to say he did a great job creating the highest cash reserve in the City's history -- while Muriel "Marion Barry" Bowser is busy handing out bloated contracts to her cronies without any care for the taxpayers. Ugh, it's a long wait 'til the next election...

[Anonymous]

Just because "cronies" want the same as good policy doesn't mean the good policy shouldn't happen. It's clear that people are trying to find reasons for not supporting these shelter choices that aren't first and foremost about "cronies."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just because "cronies" want the same as good policy doesn't mean the good policy shouldn't happen. It's clear that people are trying to find reasons for not supporting these shelter choices that aren't first and foremost about "cronies."

Thanks, Muriel. Good to see you're reading this board and up and spinning on a Saturday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids who stay at DC General- did they attend their old school or the one zoned for DC General?

I believe they have a right to attend either. In practice, I read somewhere (not sure where) that the number of kids from DC General attending the zoned school for DC General is small - <15?

This was discussed in another thread. Of the 100s of kids at DC General less than 30 currently attend the IB school for the shelter. I'm assuming its mostly upper grades since they don't have to guarantee spots for preschool. Someone claimed something like 40% of the children in DC General are under 2. There is not going to be a huge influx of kids into the IB schools for the new shelters. People need to settle down.

Unless a school bus to the old school is provided, the kids should attend the closest school and mom/dad should be enrolled in a class or out looking for work. What exactly is the expectation for folks in these shelters? What's the wraparound plan for them to move their lives forward?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So Mary Cheh is grilling Chancellor Henderson about the huge numbers of new homeless children who will be coming in to Stoddert. It seems the line is that they will overwhelm the school because it is an attractive place to attend.

But how many children per grade could we really be talking about here?
How many new families are being allowed to buy homes and have children in the Stoddert attendance zone?

And most interesting to me, don't we have a deal that buses military kids from JBAB deep in SE/SW to Stoddert so they can't be forced to integrate with their ghetto neighbors? Couldn't we dial back the numbers who participate in that program so that we can prioritize DC's homeless over a shameless anti-integration busing program?

Your slur against military families is disgusting. Do you know the hardships that many military families endure while a parent is sent on multiple deployments. Why shouldn't those who put their lives on the line for our country -- so that you have the freedom to blog your ill-informed and callous scribblings to your heart's content -- at least have the peace of mind that their kids can go to an okay school, while they are sacrificing? Don't we owe our military volunteers that much?

I agree - I actually think the kids from JBAB should get a preference (at least equal to sibling) to attend whatever school they wish.

Instead we give them the lottery (never mind that their moves / transfers probably don't align to February 1 or March 1) or these by-right options.

(from MySchool DC)

What are the right-to-attend schools for military families housed at Joint Base Anacostia Bolling AFB?

The right-to-attend schools for families residing in Joint Base Anacostia Bolling AFB are Leckie Elementary School, Hart Middle School, and Ballou High School.

We've run into this as a military family. DOD schools within America are pretty much a thing of the past, mostly based on local communities lobbying due to wanting those kids and monies in their local public schools. OK. We have been posted to places where the area is so economically downgraded (think a place like Flint) that your school system option is usually pretty shaky and some of your military allowances have gone down so your options also narrow. We've had to make some pretty tough choices including breaking up the family. Military kids on temporary stints should not be the tip of the spear on notions of cultural or SES integration and I think should have the option to shop around for where they will have the most continuity of educational experience, to offset their other losses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids who stay at DC General- did they attend their old school or the one zoned for DC General?

I believe they have a right to attend either. In practice, I read somewhere (not sure where) that the number of kids from DC General attending the zoned school for DC General is small - <15?

This was discussed in another thread. Of the 100s of kids at DC General less than 30 currently attend the IB school for the shelter. I'm assuming its mostly upper grades since they don't have to guarantee spots for preschool. Someone claimed something like 40% of the children in DC General are under 2. There is not going to be a huge influx of kids into the IB schools for the new shelters. People need to settle down.

Unless a school bus to the old school is provided, the kids should attend the closest school and mom/dad should be enrolled in a class or out looking for work. What exactly is the expectation for folks in these shelters? What's the wraparound plan for them to move their lives forward?

No investment in this particular fight, but the law does require DC to provide transportation to the kid's old school (if the parents want it, of course). I am wondering if DC publicizes this though, since some of the recent WaPo articles note parents getting up at crack of dawn to make really long commutes to old schools on public transit... But that also shows the extent to which some parents will go to keep the continuity. That said, I'm not sure how practical that is from some of these sites, the one in bounds for Stoddert in particular, from a transit perspective, if DC doesn't step up to fulfill its obligation under the law.

[Anonymous]

Bowser, unhinged:

http://dailycaller.com/2016/03/05/dc-mayors-new-plans-for-the-homeless-spark-outrage/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids who stay at DC General- did they attend their old school or the one zoned for DC General?

I believe they have a right to attend either. In practice, I read somewhere (not sure where) that the number of kids from DC General attending the zoned school for DC General is small - <15?

This was discussed in another thread. Of the 100s of kids at DC General less than 30 currently attend the IB school for the shelter. I'm assuming its mostly upper grades since they don't have to guarantee spots for preschool. Someone claimed something like 40% of the children in DC General are under 2. There is not going to be a huge influx of kids into the IB schools for the new shelters. People need to settle down.

Unless a school bus to the old school is provided, the kids should attend the closest school and mom/dad should be enrolled in a class or out looking for work. What exactly is the expectation for folks in these shelters? What's the wraparound plan for them to move their lives forward?

No investment in this particular fight, but the law does require DC to provide transportation to the kid's old school (if the parents want it, of course). I am wondering if DC publicizes this though, since some of the recent WaPo articles note parents getting up at crack of dawn to make really long commutes to old schools on public transit... But that also shows the extent to which some parents will go to keep the continuity. That said, I'm not sure how practical that is from some of these sites, the one in bounds for Stoddert in particular, from a transit perspective, if DC doesn't step up to fulfill its obligation under the law.

I read the same article and that ticks me off. The mom.should be doing job training /GED or working. Not riding the bus 4 hours a day. Where is the case worker and where are the requirements for receiving food, medical, free education and shelter?

[Anonymous]

Did anyone go to the meeting at Stoddert today?

[Anonymous]

If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Maybe it's about a solution to homelessness that isn't a bandaid. I would rather subsidize a good apartment than a bunkbed, but also have a case worker and requirements of the parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If this was really just about school overcrowding, it seems like the problem could be easily solved by splitting the students among Stoddert, Janney and Hyde (keeping sibs together of course). families could get to Janney or Hyde via the Wisc Ave buses. Between three schools and the fact that all kids won't be the same age, it seems that schools could absorb this. After all, they have to absorb new buildings that are built in their district.

But something tells me it isn't just about school overcrowding...

Maybe it's about a solution to homelessness that isn't a bandaid. I would rather subsidize a good apartment than a bunkbed, but also have a case worker and requirements of the parents.

I'm not an expert on homelessness/housing policy, but the proposed solution seems like a massive step forward from the current homeless shelter mess. We shouldn't make the perfect the enemy of the good here. I live a couple blocks from one of the other shelters being proposed, in a neighborhood every bit as expensive (or more) than Glover park and support these new shelters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids who stay at DC General- did they attend their old school or the one zoned for DC General?

I believe they have a right to attend either. In practice, I read somewhere (not sure where) that the number of kids from DC General attending the zoned school for DC General is small - <15?

This was discussed in another thread. Of the 100s of kids at DC General less than 30 currently attend the IB school for the shelter. I'm assuming its mostly upper grades since they don't have to guarantee spots for preschool. Someone claimed something like 40% of the children in DC General are under 2. There is not going to be a huge influx of kids into the IB schools for the new shelters. People need to settle down.

Unless a school bus to the old school is provided, the kids should attend the closest school and mom/dad should be enrolled in a class or out looking for work. What exactly is the expectation for folks in these shelters? What's the wraparound plan for them to move their lives forward?

No investment in this particular fight, but the law does require DC to provide transportation to the kid's old school (if the parents want it, of course). I am wondering if DC publicizes this though, since some of the recent WaPo articles note parents getting up at crack of dawn to make really long commutes to old schools on public transit... But that also shows the extent to which some parents will go to keep the continuity. That said, I'm not sure how practical that is from some of these sites, the one in bounds for Stoddert in particular, from a transit perspective, if DC doesn't step up to fulfill its obligation under the law.

I read the same article and that ticks me off. The mom.should be doing job training /GED or working. Not riding the bus 4 hours a day. Where is the case worker and where are the requirements for receiving food, medical, free education and shelter?

Who and why is riding the bus 4 hours a day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder what the developer did to merit such upzoning.

Ka-Ching, Ka-Ching