School residency cheaters investigated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am extremely skeptical about the quality and motivation of Daily Caller investigative reporting, but I have to say, it does sound like a pretty severe problem and like they did actual (appropriate) reporting. It's not "stalking". But I'm not sure about the quality of the reporting. For example, how they describe L-T as

"in a mostly white neighborhood along a commuter route that runs from Prince George’s County to federal buildings downtown.

The school is almost entirely black and government statistics indicate that few of the students live in the neighborhood. Poor test scores have left neighborhood parents feeling they can’t use their own school, and must pay for private education or enroll their children in a more distant public school."

I don't think that accurately represents the L-T demographics, the current reputation of L-T, or the legitimate OOB system. It also seems to be trying to drive a pretty ugly racial/class wedge.

Oh, please. MD kids are in pretty much every DCPS school that has OOB enrollment because, as students by definition live outside the neighborhood, it's easier for fraudsters to fly below the radar. There are MD plates in the drop off/pick up lane and Eaton and Hearst in Upper NW, and we've seen a number at overcroweded Alice Deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Fraud is fraud, and this is standard for investigative journalism. It's clear that the school principal ("nothing to see here") won't do anything about the fraud, although the evidence is right in front of her eyes.

Maybe the principal is a saint, or maybe she enjoys the appreciation she gets from the fancy-SUV-set.

[Anonymous]

The tax dollars being spent on MD families, some of whom are not from "delicate" situations, could actually be used toward DC kids who need special services! Fraud is fraud and someone is losing out. In this case, its needy DC kids.

[Anonymous]

I'm an AA parent who recently purchased in DC, in a Deal/Wilson-zoned neighborhood. I know of a couple cases like this (i.e., possible residency fraud due to using relatives' addresses when child lives elsewhere in DC), although I don't know of any families that live in MD. I would not report them since I don't know the family situation with certainty, and also not really my thing. I do, however, think the bar for proving residency should be higher, given how prevalent this seems to be.

I definitely think this should be investigated by OSSE when warranted, and don't think it's racist to do so. There are many parents in DC, including many AA families, who play by the rules, and as a result are often relegated to waitlists, sometimes even when they live in the neighborhood (in the case of PK3/4).

That said, this is a poorly written article, and it doesn't really seem to be written in an objective way. Further, I think some of the tactics used in this story, while perhaps legal, are distasteful: "A dozen people with Maryland tags all of went directly to Maryland after picking up their kids. Reporters also observed that the mothers and children stayed there overnight." Were they camping out overnight outside of people's homes?

Finally, what paper is this? I've never heard of it. It looks to be a conservative paper, given the featured columns by Ann Coulter, the 'Guns' section, and the pro-Trump articles on the landing page. This makes me question the motives of the journalist even more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Fraud is fraud, and this is standard for investigative journalism. It's clear that the school principal ("nothing to see here") won't do anything about the fraud, although the evidence is right in front of her eyes.

Maybe the principal is a saint, or maybe she enjoys the appreciation she gets from the fancy-SUV-set.

Or maybe the principal is pretty steeped in the ol' DC "go along, get along" culture, not wanting to make waves.

[Anonymous]

My sister runs a LEGAL home day care which offers before and aftercare and she lives in Maryland off Southern Ave. A lot of SE families send their kids to her because of her proximity to their house and because she offers school pick up and drop off because the PG schools offer bus service to her house so she is able to handle the different systems and within system time differences. Anyway I say all that to say some of her students go to non SE schools and she is one of the Maryland cars dropping off and picking up....assumptions and observations are NOT evidence of anything without follow up. No one OWES some random reporter anything, especially not their address nor rationale. Oh and the comments for that article were egregiously DEPLORABLE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an AA parent who recently purchased in DC, in a Deal/Wilson-zoned neighborhood. I know of a couple cases like this (i.e., possible residency fraud due to using relatives' addresses when child lives elsewhere in DC), although I don't know of any families that live in MD. I would not report them since I don't know the family situation with certainty, and also not really my thing. I do, however, think the bar for proving residency should be higher, given how prevalent this seems to be.

I definitely think this should be investigated by OSSE when warranted, and don't think it's racist to do so. There are many parents in DC, including many AA families, who play by the rules, and as a result are often relegated to waitlists, sometimes even when they live in the neighborhood (in the case of PK3/4).

That said, this is a poorly written article, and it doesn't really seem to be written in an objective way. Further, I think some of the tactics used in this story, while perhaps legal, are distasteful: "A dozen people with Maryland tags all of went directly to Maryland after picking up their kids. Reporters also observed that the mothers and children stayed there overnight." Were they camping out overnight outside of people's homes?

Finally, what paper is this? I've never heard of it. It looks to be a conservative paper, given the featured columns by Ann Coulter, the 'Guns' section, and the pro-Trump articles on the landing page. This makes me question the motives of the journalist even more.

Who cares what the motives are if there is even an inkling of truth to this, it is outrageous that DCPS chooses to look away and allow DC tax payers to get fleeced.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to JKLM and I do see a lot of MD plates - but I know these are nannies. It's a small community and would be very hard to cheat. I let myself apply this logic system wide - but after reading this I think I was being naive and across DCPS this sounds like a problem that should at the very least be investigated more. In other threads I've also said it should be very easy to prove one's residency, so I don't see the big deal in asking someone and then getting their docmentation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm an AA parent who recently purchased in DC, in a Deal/Wilson-zoned neighborhood. I know of a couple cases like this (i.e., possible residency fraud due to using relatives' addresses when child lives elsewhere in DC), although I don't know of any families that live in MD. I would not report them since I don't know the family situation with certainty, and also not really my thing. I do, however, think the bar for proving residency should be higher, given how prevalent this seems to be.

I definitely think this should be investigated by OSSE when warranted, and don't think it's racist to do so. There are many parents in DC, including many AA families, who play by the rules, and as a result are often relegated to waitlists, sometimes even when they live in the neighborhood (in the case of PK3/4).

That said, this is a poorly written article, and it doesn't really seem to be written in an objective way. Further, I think some of the tactics used in this story, while perhaps legal, are distasteful: "A dozen people with Maryland tags all of went directly to Maryland after picking up their kids. Reporters also observed that the mothers and children stayed there overnight." Were they camping out overnight outside of people's homes?

Finally, what paper is this? I've never heard of it. It looks to be a conservative paper, given the featured columns by Ann Coulter, the 'Guns' section, and the pro-Trump articles on the landing page. This makes me question the motives of the journalist even more.

You make a good point. Every residence fraud case robs some deserving DC kid of a coveted spot in a better school, or at least diverts scarce funding resources that otherwise could have gone for a science teacher, tutors, library books and after school programs.

The journalist may or may not be Walter Cronkite, but the story is important. Exposing theft of public services is motive enough. For example, I don't agree at all with the Wall St Journal's conservative editorials, but I acknowledge that the paper covers important stories.

[Anonymous]

What's up with all the maryland people in their luxury cars but don't want to pay for an education?

At J.O. Wilson Elementary School on Capitol Hill, a man and a woman put four kids into a Cadillac Escalade with Maryland plates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am extremely skeptical about the quality and motivation of Daily Caller investigative reporting, but I have to say, it does sound like a pretty severe problem and like they did actual (appropriate) reporting. It's not "stalking". But I'm not sure about the quality of the reporting. For example, how they describe L-T as

"in a mostly white neighborhood along a commuter route that runs from Prince George’s County to federal buildings downtown.

The school is almost entirely black and government statistics indicate that few of the students live in the neighborhood. Poor test scores have left neighborhood parents feeling they can’t use their own school, and must pay for private education or enroll their children in a more distant public school."

I don't think that accurately represents the L-T demographics, the current reputation of L-T, or the legitimate OOB system. It also seems to be trying to drive a pretty ugly racial/class wedge.

Exactly. Cheating happens in every use of public funds, but photographing people and following them home is beyond creepy.

Fraud is fraud, and this is standard for investigative journalism. It's clear that the school principal ("nothing to see here") won't do anything about the fraud, although the evidence is right in front of her eyes.

Calling this article journalism is really a stretch, with its frequent use of terms like vast majority, many, some, dozens. How does one follow "dozens" of people and also determine parental relationships? Oh and we're supposed to believe that the "vast majority" of these people are driving nice cars to jobs in DC, but "dozens" turn around and drive back to Maryland?

I don't doubt that residency fraud happens but this article is not journalism, it's hokey - and yes indeed, racist - conjecture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The tax dollars being spent on MD families, some of whom are not from "delicate" situations, could actually be used toward DC kids who need special services! Fraud is fraud and someone is losing out. In this case, its needy DC kids.

That's right. Every case of DC public/charter school fraud is a theft of resources not only from the taxpayers, but more directly from DC children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The article -- with an approach that may seem extreme -- shows that the many, many of the kids in question are not in delicate family situations.

The problem never gets addressed because everyone fears, understandably, doing harm to kids in vulnerable situations.

But that fear is what allows a huge amount of exploitation -- which is what the article is trying to show by its "icky stalking" of two-parent families.

At what point is the abuse bad enough that some action has to be taken despite the risks of needlessly investigating a valid situation?

I think this is really on point. Many of us knew about the fraud, but worried the kids were in need - so we didn't speak up. Now this "article" (and I use that term loosely) is making me (and maybe others) wonder if it is just a lot of people taking advantage of the system.

same w/ welfare

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am extremely skeptical about the quality and motivation of Daily Caller investigative reporting, but I have to say, it does sound like a pretty severe problem and like they did actual (appropriate) reporting. It's not "stalking". But I'm not sure about the quality of the reporting. For example, how they describe L-T as

"in a mostly white neighborhood along a commuter route that runs from Prince George’s County to federal buildings downtown.

The school is almost entirely black and government statistics indicate that few of the students live in the neighborhood. Poor test scores have left neighborhood parents feeling they can’t use their own school, and must pay for private education or enroll their children in a more distant public school."

I don't think that accurately represents the L-T demographics, the current reputation of L-T, or the legitimate OOB system. It also seems to be trying to drive a pretty ugly racial/class wedge.

Exactly. Cheating happens in every use of public funds, but photographing people and following them home is beyond creepy.

Fraud is fraud, and this is standard for investigative journalism. It's clear that the school principal ("nothing to see here") won't do anything about the fraud, although the evidence is right in front of her eyes.

Calling this article journalism is really a stretch, with its frequent use of terms like vast majority, many, some, dozens. How does one follow "dozens" of people and also determine parental relationships? Oh and we're supposed to believe that the "vast majority" of these people are driving nice cars to jobs in DC, but "dozens" turn around and drive back to Maryland?

I don't doubt that residency fraud happens but this article is not journalism, it's hokey - and yes indeed, racist - conjecture.

Either these parents are defrauding DC by registering their car in maryland to avoid taxes or they are living in maryland and defrauding dcps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am extremely skeptical about the quality and motivation of Daily Caller investigative reporting, but I have to say, it does sound like a pretty severe problem and like they did actual (appropriate) reporting. It's not "stalking". But I'm not sure about the quality of the reporting. For example, how they describe L-T as

"in a mostly white neighborhood along a commuter route that runs from Prince George’s County to federal buildings downtown.

The school is almost entirely black and government statistics indicate that few of the students live in the neighborhood. Poor test scores have left neighborhood parents feeling they can’t use their own school, and must pay for private education or enroll their children in a more distant public school."

I don't think that accurately represents the L-T demographics, the current reputation of L-T, or the legitimate OOB system. It also seems to be trying to drive a pretty ugly racial/class wedge.

Exactly. Cheating happens in every use of public funds, but photographing people and following them home is beyond creepy.

Fraud is fraud, and this is standard for investigative journalism. It's clear that the school principal ("nothing to see here") won't do anything about the fraud, although the evidence is right in front of her eyes.

Calling this article journalism is really a stretch, with its frequent use of terms like vast majority, many, some, dozens. How does one follow "dozens" of people and also determine parental relationships? Oh and we're supposed to believe that the "vast majority" of these people are driving nice cars to jobs in DC, but "dozens" turn around and drive back to Maryland?

I don't doubt that residency fraud happens but this article is not journalism, it's hokey - and yes indeed, racist - conjecture.

Ah, the race card is played. Have you run out of the usual arguments already? -- one divorced parent lives in MD, DC car in the repair shop, the nanny drives the Escalade (!), foster kids in MD, family just moved to DC and haven't had time to register the car, etc., etc.

By the way, the kid in the one photo alighting from the MD car looks .... white. Personally, I'd be pissed if little green kids from Mars were sneaking into DCPS schools.