How many books was your seventh grader assigned in seventh grade English?

[Anonymous]

The people who are so privileged that they are gaslighting the parents who are posting their honest experiences are hard to watch. (And yes, they are honest; anyone who knows anything about the wide variety in public schools knows that they are honest.) No wonder schools never change. Rich parents who don’t want higher taxes insist all schools are good regardless of the experience of poorer kids in those schools, some of which are terrible, while those same rich parents send their kids to private or to rich public schools. This thread is appalling.

[Anonymous]

^^^ For the record, this is DCUM. The vast majority of the people posting here are privileged.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^ For the record, this is DCUM. The vast majority of the people posting here are privileged.

Maybe the majority is privileged, but I’ve been here a long time and I have seen genuine, heartfelt posts from struggling parents who are far, far from privileged. And so what if a majority are privileged? Does that mean the PPs are right to make their blithe assumptions that everyone posting on DCUM sends their kids to a fancy public middle school in a safe suburb? That parents here don’t struggle with public schools that are in terrible shape? Are those posters so steeped in their wealth that they can’t imagine a seventh grade English class that doesn’t get assigned books? Do they even know what the state of books are in some schools? Your kid can’t read books your school can’t even give everybody copies of, you know. But the gaslighting PPs are so blind, so ignorant that they immediately say that the PPs must be lying.

This thread is the definition of “nice white liberal,” the people who at heart don’t want any change so their kids continue to be advantaged, and so gaslight people who have their kids in failing public schools or who have lived school experiences that they can’t even dream about. It is, as I said, appalling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ For the record, this is DCUM. The vast majority of the people posting here are privileged.

Maybe the majority is privileged, but I’ve been here a long time and I have seen genuine, heartfelt posts from struggling parents who are far, far from privileged. And so what if a majority are privileged? Does that mean the PPs are right to make their blithe assumptions that everyone posting on DCUM sends their kids to a fancy public middle school in a safe suburb? That parents here don’t struggle with public schools that are in terrible shape? Are those posters so steeped in their wealth that they can’t imagine a seventh grade English class that doesn’t get assigned books? Do they even know what the state of books are in some schools? Your kid can’t read books your school can’t even give everybody copies of, you know. But the gaslighting PPs are so blind, so ignorant that they immediately say that the PPs must be lying.

This thread is the definition of “nice white liberal,” the people who at heart don’t want any change so their kids continue to be advantaged, and so gaslight people who have their kids in failing public schools or who have lived school experiences that they can’t even dream about. It is, as I said, appalling.

Then they should name the schools. If not, it is hard to believe that they are not just trolling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Public school in Virginia. (Not NoVa) 2 novels in 7th, The Giver and Refugee. This was during Covid/remote learning, so I was hoping there’d be more this year in 8th grade. But no, they’ve only been assigned one book and never even finished it. (Had to set it aside to prep for SOLs.)

They are already doing SOL prep? Which district?

Fairfax HS. Well into SOL prep already.

Wow.

My kids have a couple more weeks in APS before they start SOL review.

Maybe HS is earlier to prepare for APs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None for my FCPS honor's English kid

Are you saying that your kid did not read any books for their English class? What middle school? I find this very hard to believe. At Rocky Run MS, my son's class all read Peak and Refugee, and then they each choose 3 more books from a list of 6 and were grouped accordingly. (My son selected The Book Thief, The Crossover, and The Outsiders.)

It’s just not true. There are multiple exaggerations from few posters here to make public a look bad and I’m a private school parent.

Wait. You have your kids in private but you are claiming that you know what happens in ALL public schools such that you are claiming those of us who have lived or are living this are lying? That is offensive. You make private schools look worse than any honesty about our experiences in public could.

My kid was assigned no books in seventh grade English in public. He was assigned one short story (Shirley Jackson) and read excerpts from other books, but was not assigned a whole book. Are you claiming that you, who wouldn’t let your kid get close to the school my kid attended, know what happened better than I did? You are genuinely awful and wow do you live up to the stereotype of private parents.

Which middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ For the record, this is DCUM. The vast majority of the people posting here are privileged.

Maybe the majority is privileged, but I’ve been here a long time and I have seen genuine, heartfelt posts from struggling parents who are far, far from privileged. And so what if a majority are privileged? Does that mean the PPs are right to make their blithe assumptions that everyone posting on DCUM sends their kids to a fancy public middle school in a safe suburb? That parents here don’t struggle with public schools that are in terrible shape? Are those posters so steeped in their wealth that they can’t imagine a seventh grade English class that doesn’t get assigned books? Do they even know what the state of books are in some schools? Your kid can’t read books your school can’t even give everybody copies of, you know. But the gaslighting PPs are so blind, so ignorant that they immediately say that the PPs must be lying.

This thread is the definition of “nice white liberal,” the people who at heart don’t want any change so their kids continue to be advantaged, and so gaslight people who have their kids in failing public schools or who have lived school experiences that they can’t even dream about. It is, as I said, appalling.

Then they should name the schools. If not, it is hard to believe that they are not just trolling.

Absolutely not. They don’t owe you that. I hope they don’t identify anything to you.

It’s only hard for you to believe because you are insulated, wealthy, and invested in a system that protects and advantages your privileged children above more vulnerable children. Nobody who is remotely educated about inequity in public schools doubts these stories and experiences the way you do. We know, in fact, that the inequity gets a lot worse than no books assigned in 7th grade. But you doubt them, because you live in a bubble of wealthy privilege you want to preserve at all costs. It is appalling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so few books for some of these responses.

My 7th grader has to do a “book report” each month, which involves a short oral presentation. So that’s 8 book of his choice.

Then comes the assigned reading, so far he’s done:

The Giver, water ship Down, The Book Thief, and The Pigman

Oh sorry Private school. This is why we moved out of public school. My first had a public education and I never says him do much in English.

This is exactly why we’re sending younger sibling to private for middle school. Older sister read 2.75 books for English over three years and never had to write anything about any of them. They discussed, but no writing. So disappointing.

My 7th grader has a 5 page paper due next week. My older son is in public and 11th grade and hasn’t read or written as much in 3 years of high school as my 7th grader has done this year in private. I’d say my 7th grader could write the papers for my 11th grader if he had any papers to write. Plus our private school incorporates an ilgood amount of public speaking into the curriculum. A public presentation each month is required.

We are at a top 5 private school in DC and I call BS on your statement.

What part of my post is bs?

We are not at a top 5. We are in northern virginia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so few books for some of these responses.

My 7th grader has to do a “book report” each month, which involves a short oral presentation. So that’s 8 book of his choice.

Then comes the assigned reading, so far he’s done:

The Giver, water ship Down, The Book Thief, and The Pigman

Oh sorry Private school. This is why we moved out of public school. My first had a public education and I never says him do much in English.

This is exactly why we’re sending younger sibling to private for middle school. Older sister read 2.75 books for English over three years and never had to write anything about any of them. They discussed, but no writing. So disappointing.

My 7th grader has a 5 page paper due next week. My older son is in public and 11th grade and hasn’t read or written as much in 3 years of high school as my 7th grader has done this year in private. I’d say my 7th grader could write the papers for my 11th grader if he had any papers to write. Plus our private school incorporates an ilgood amount of public speaking into the curriculum. A public presentation each month is required.

Probably means the standard 5 paragraph rather than 5 page?

Sorry 4 pages, not 5. Double spaced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so few books for some of these responses.

My 7th grader has to do a “book report” each month, which involves a short oral presentation. So that’s 8 book of his choice.

Then comes the assigned reading, so far he’s done:

The Giver, water ship Down, The Book Thief, and The Pigman

Oh sorry Private school. This is why we moved out of public school. My first had a public education and I never says him do much in English.

This is exactly why we’re sending younger sibling to private for middle school. Older sister read 2.75 books for English over three years and never had to write anything about any of them. They discussed, but no writing. So disappointing.

My 7th grader has a 5 page paper due next week. My older son is in public and 11th grade and hasn’t read or written as much in 3 years of high school as my 7th grader has done this year in private. I’d say my 7th grader could write the papers for my 11th grader if he had any papers to write. Plus our private school incorporates an ilgood amount of public speaking into the curriculum. A public presentation each month is required.

We are at a top 5 private school in DC and I call BS on your statement.

Agree with this. We are at a top private as well. My DS read 4 books and wrote then wrote a paragraph or two for two of them, and a 5-paragraph essay for the other two.

My DS read:

10 Angry Men
The Outsiders
A book of short stories with a DEI theme
I am Malala

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None for my FCPS honor's English kid

Are you saying that your kid did not read any books for their English class? What middle school? I find this very hard to believe. At Rocky Run MS, my son's class all read Peak and Refugee, and then they each choose 3 more books from a list of 6 and were grouped accordingly. (My son selected The Book Thief, The Crossover, and The Outsiders.)

It’s just not true. There are multiple exaggerations from few posters here to make public a look bad and I’m a private school parent.

Wait. You have your kids in private but you are claiming that you know what happens in ALL public schools such that you are claiming those of us who have lived or are living this are lying? That is offensive. You make private schools look worse than any honesty about our experiences in public could.

My kid was assigned no books in seventh grade English in public. He was assigned one short story (Shirley Jackson) and read excerpts from other books, but was not assigned a whole book. Are you claiming that you, who wouldn’t let your kid get close to the school my kid attended, know what happened better than I did? You are genuinely awful and wow do you live up to the stereotype of private parents.

I have a child in private AND one in public. I also tutor. Drama queen.

Do you are an expert?

God your probably the same tutor I hired last summer. You sucked, a teenager doing volunteer hours would have been better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so few books for some of these responses.

My 7th grader has to do a “book report” each month, which involves a short oral presentation. So that’s 8 book of his choice.

Then comes the assigned reading, so far he’s done:

The Giver, water ship Down, The Book Thief, and The Pigman

Oh sorry Private school. This is why we moved out of public school. My first had a public education and I never says him do much in English.

This is exactly why we’re sending younger sibling to private for middle school. Older sister read 2.75 books for English over three years and never had to write anything about any of them. They discussed, but no writing. So disappointing.

My 7th grader has a 5 page paper due next week. My older son is in public and 11th grade and hasn’t read or written as much in 3 years of high school as my 7th grader has done this year in private. I’d say my 7th grader could write the papers for my 11th grader if he had any papers to write. Plus our private school incorporates an ilgood amount of public speaking into the curriculum. A public presentation each month is required.

We are at a top 5 private school in DC and I call BS on your statement.

Agree with this. We are at a top private as well. My DS read 4 books and wrote then wrote a paragraph or two for two of them, and a 5-paragraph essay for the other two.

My DS read:

10 Angry Men
The Outsiders
A book of short stories with a DEI theme
I am Malala

That’s it? You’d be better off homeschooling for what you probably pay

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, so few books for some of these responses.

My 7th grader has to do a “book report” each month, which involves a short oral presentation. So that’s 8 book of his choice.

Then comes the assigned reading, so far he’s done:

The Giver, water ship Down, The Book Thief, and The Pigman

Oh sorry Private school. This is why we moved out of public school. My first had a public education and I never says him do much in English.

This is exactly why we’re sending younger sibling to private for middle school. Older sister read 2.75 books for English over three years and never had to write anything about any of them. They discussed, but no writing. So disappointing.

My 7th grader has a 5 page paper due next week. My older son is in public and 11th grade and hasn’t read or written as much in 3 years of high school as my 7th grader has done this year in private. I’d say my 7th grader could write the papers for my 11th grader if he had any papers to write. Plus our private school incorporates an ilgood amount of public speaking into the curriculum. A public presentation each month is required.

We are at a top 5 private school in DC and I call BS on your statement.

As the PP whose child wasn’t assigned any books to read in 7th grade English, I think that PP is likely telling the truth. Do you have a child in public? I do not think you understand just how little some public schools read and write now.

Have children in both and I’m a private tutor. Often work with students on essay writing which definitely are not 5 pages in grade 7 and very, very infrequently even in upper school grade levels. 3-5 paragraphs are what is taught at middle school level to gain writing skills. Public presentation every month needs to have more context and may not always be purposeful.

What would be 'nonpurposeful" public speaking for a middle school student? Any opportunity to speak in front of other people is purposeful at that age.

The imaginary tutor poster is just insecure that her kids aren’t getting the same
Vigor in school that other privates are offering. This is typical behavior of the dcum insecure. Just because her kids aren’t getting the eduction she could only wish for doesn’t mean others aren’t. This is particularly upsetting for people paying 40k plus in tuition

[Anonymous]

FCPS no books!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:None for my FCPS honor's English kid

Are you saying that your kid did not read any books for their English class? What middle school? I find this very hard to believe. At Rocky Run MS, my son's class all read Peak and Refugee, and then they each choose 3 more books from a list of 6 and were grouped accordingly. (My son selected The Book Thief, The Crossover, and The Outsiders.)

It’s just not true. There are multiple exaggerations from few posters here to make public a look bad and I’m a private school parent.

Wait. You have your kids in private but you are claiming that you know what happens in ALL public schools such that you are claiming those of us who have lived or are living this are lying? That is offensive. You make private schools look worse than any honesty about our experiences in public could.

My kid was assigned no books in seventh grade English in public. He was assigned one short story (Shirley Jackson) and read excerpts from other books, but was not assigned a whole book. Are you claiming that you, who wouldn’t let your kid get close to the school my kid attended, know what happened better than I did? You are genuinely awful and wow do you live up to the stereotype of private parents.

I have a child in private AND one in public. I also tutor. Drama queen.

Do you are an expert?

God your probably the same tutor I hired last summer. You sucked, a teenager doing volunteer hours would have been better.

Np. Your comments don’t do you any favors. Your credibility is sunk.