Rising Crime/Safety Issues on Metro - concern for your HS student?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are daily Metrorail commuters and so is DC. Safety is not a concern, especially since we're not afraid of public school students. Plus DC is not traveling at peak youth travel times that might increase the chances of petty beefs. A Wilson student was stabbed today after driving to school. It would be absurd to worry about driving as a result or to fear Cleveland Park and Tenleytown as hotbeds of crime.

Whoa! What does that mean?

It means what it says. I am not the OP, but the city is doing the public a tremendous disservice by not prosecuting the thugs that attacked the guy on the Metro a few months ago. I don't think it is a coincidence that they are Wilson students and there has been an apparent spike in violent crime in the vicinity of Wilson and the Tenleytown neighborhood.

If the crime took place in Gallery place and they are Wilson students, does that mean they don't live in Wilson's boundary? Can they be kicked out of school and forced to attend their local high school?

Of course they can, and of course they should.

Now, what do you think it's more important for Bowser and Kaya: to get votes outside Wilson's boundary, or to educate kids who live in Wilson's boundary?

You know the answer to that question and it make sense right? kids who live in Wilson boundary usually won't have a problem with education because Wilson isn't the best option.

57% of current Wilson students live in the Wilson boundary.

[Anonymous]

Yesterday a Wilson student was stabbed after driving and parking around the corner from school.

http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Man-Stabbed-Outside-Wilson-High-School-in-DC-376977121.html

[Anonymous]

My son rides to his private school every day on metro. I don't ever worry.

[Anonymous]

I will not let my HS DC ride the metro let alone my MS DC!! I also avoid the metro at all costs!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A regular Red line rider for nearly a decade now and considering letting my DC commute to MS (two of the schools on our list are Metro accessible). As others have said, we live in a big city and crime happens. Smart, street-savvy kids who understand a little self-defense and self-aware should have little problem commuting by Metro on a daily basis. It is a matter of education and practice. DC occasionally takes Metro with me and we've role played various scenarios of being separated or some other emergency. In 18 months, when DC starts MS, I think DC will be ready to commute by Metro.

Sadly, you need more than street savvy to stay safe on Metro these days. I grew up in DC, my kids are growing up in DC, and between the crime and the shit service, not only am I considering giving up metro for my daily commute, but I'm VERY hesitant to let my HS and MS kids take it regularly. And yes, they are smart, street-savvy kids who are self aware.

And in another year, or 18 months, who knows if metro will even be functional for commuting? Not looking good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son rides the metro every day with his lacrosse stick. He has not had any issues yet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
my 17 year old nephew was on red line after school (afternoon) and was approached and told to hand over his phone by a group of males. He didn't have his phone out - but I guess they expect every teenager has a phone now a days. There were plenty of other people on the train, but no one was going to stand up to the group.


No idea about this alleged incident, but no one is going to put their safety at risk for a stranger's phone.

The hell? In New York city, former Kitty Genovese territory, that shit WOULD NOT FLY.

Because people are nice there.

God, I miss it. Is it something in the water, that makes y'all so mean? Aside from the lead? Is it just hte lead?

What are you blathering about?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
my 17 year old nephew was on red line after school (afternoon) and was approached and told to hand over his phone by a group of males. He didn't have his phone out - but I guess they expect every teenager has a phone now a days. There were plenty of other people on the train, but no one was going to stand up to the group.


No idea about this alleged incident, but no one is going to put their safety at risk for a stranger's phone.

The hell? In New York city, former Kitty Genovese territory, that shit WOULD NOT FLY.

Because people are nice there.

God, I miss it. Is it something in the water, that makes y'all so mean? Aside from the lead? Is it just hte lead?

What are you blathering about?

LOL I was wondering the same

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While safety is always going to be a concern, I know my children can't live in a bubble forever. I've let my high schooler take the bus to the metro for the past two years to attend an after school class in Tenley and plan to keep doing so unless she tells me she's uncomfortable. I rode the T in Boston when I was in high school and loved the freedom it afforded me. I saw a lot more (in terms of crime and unusual people) than my friends who had parents driving them everywhere but I was also much more self sufficient than others when I got to college and that was a good thing. Talk to your kids about dangers and give them strategies to confront situations but let them figure things out too. I'm not advocating dropping them off in a high crime neighborhood at midnight or anything but I think allowing them to metro or bus to school or activities in high school is fine.

Living in a bubble and being attacked by a group of kids beating you ate two different things. The AU student was murdered. Google crime in DC metro. It's out of control this year. I wouldn't take that risk.

You could use that logic in many arguments. People drive drunk every day and murder innocent people with their cars but most of us still get in cars and allow our teens to drive. I worry all the time but I know I can't prevent my child from ever taking public transportation in her future, especially if she goes to college in the city or takes a job out of college in one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:While safety is always going to be a concern, I know my children can't live in a bubble forever. I've let my high schooler take the bus to the metro for the past two years to attend an after school class in Tenley and plan to keep doing so unless she tells me she's uncomfortable. I rode the T in Boston when I was in high school and loved the freedom it afforded me. I saw a lot more (in terms of crime and unusual people) than my friends who had parents driving them everywhere but I was also much more self sufficient than others when I got to college and that was a good thing. Talk to your kids about dangers and give them strategies to confront situations but let them figure things out too. I'm not advocating dropping them off in a high crime neighborhood at midnight or anything but I think allowing them to metro or bus to school or activities in high school is fine.

Living in a bubble and being attacked by a group of kids beating you ate two different things. The AU student was murdered. Google crime in DC metro. It's out of control this year. I wouldn't take that risk.

You could use that logic in many arguments. People drive drunk every day and murder innocent people with their cars but most of us still get in cars and allow our teens to drive. I worry all the time but I know I can't prevent my child from ever taking public transportation in her future, especially if she goes to college in the city or takes a job out of college in one.

I live in the city and never take the metro. It is possible. I drive or take cabs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A regular Red line rider for nearly a decade now and considering letting my DC commute to MS (two of the schools on our list are Metro accessible). As others have said, we live in a big city and crime happens. Smart, street-savvy kids who understand a little self-defense and self-aware should have little problem commuting by Metro on a daily basis. It is a matter of education and practice. DC occasionally takes Metro with me and we've role played various scenarios of being separated or some other emergency. In 18 months, when DC starts MS, I think DC will be ready to commute by Metro.

Sadly, you need more than street savvy to stay safe on Metro these days. I grew up in DC, my kids are growing up in DC, and between the crime and the shit service, not only am I considering giving up metro for my daily commute, but I'm VERY hesitant to let my HS and MS kids take it regularly. And yes, they are smart, street-savvy kids who are self aware.

And in another year, or 18 months, who knows if metro will even be functional for commuting? Not looking good.

The PP you responded to here. Setting aside the service issues (they're a pain, but no worse than unexpected traffic delays as part of a regular commute), how much crime is there really during rush hour commuting times? Clearly, some stations have more issues than others, but on my daily commute, over nearly a decade, I've only seen one criminal incident - a fist fight on a crowded platform between two teenagers and it was quickly handled by Metro PD.

To suggest that Metro won't be functional in a year or 18 months is just overly dramatic.

[Anonymous]

I don't think it's functional NOW.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While safety is always going to be a concern, I know my children can't live in a bubble forever. I've let my high schooler take the bus to the metro for the past two years to attend an after school class in Tenley and plan to keep doing so unless she tells me she's uncomfortable. I rode the T in Boston when I was in high school and loved the freedom it afforded me. I saw a lot more (in terms of crime and unusual people) than my friends who had parents driving them everywhere but I was also much more self sufficient than others when I got to college and that was a good thing. Talk to your kids about dangers and give them strategies to confront situations but let them figure things out too. I'm not advocating dropping them off in a high crime neighborhood at midnight or anything but I think allowing them to metro or bus to school or activities in high school is fine.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it's functional NOW.

Agree!

[Anonymous]

Which is why predictions about more Sidwell and GDS students using Metro after they bring their lower and middle schools to Tenleytown are stupid.

Anonymous wrote:I will not let my HS DC ride the metro let alone my MS DC!! I also avoid the metro at all costs!