Latin - diversity

[Anonymous]

Latin 2nd street parent:

My kid is thriving in a genuinely kind, accepting, joyful learning environment. My kid has friends across the city that they have made through Latin.

For those concerned with a European focused curriculum, my child has learned (and continues to learn) about cultures and traditions from around the globe through Geography class and rich literary texts and narratives. The academics are challenging and deep—and engaging!

It’s been a great experience for our family. That said, it’s certainly not something that appeals to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"As a classical school, we align ourselves with the established wisdom of the ancients, particularly the cultures of Greece and Rome."

How much attention does Washington Latin pay to the established wisdom of other ancient cultures outside of the cultures of Greece and Rome?

This is one of the things that makes me hesitate to put my non-white kid into Latin. But maybe my hesitation is unwarranted?

This got lost, but it feels significant. This school appeals to "European" descended Americans. FWIW I'm a UMC non white person and am probably not going to add Latin to our lottery list for this reason.

This is an absolutely hilarious statement - the amount of reading and exposure my kids are getting at Latin from different cultures and points of view is 100 times better than they ever got at DCPS - but you do you - more room in the lottery for others

As a fellow Latin parent, this is 100% right. Latin is NOT Euro-centric, other than their foundational exploration of the ideas and cultures of the Greeks and Romans. But beyond that, my kids have been exposed to so many cultures and points of view.

Not to mention the fact that the whole idea is to anchor the curriculum in the most significant of the ancient cultures...which is why the 4 languages offered include Arabic and Chinese.

Come on, all the Latin students need to take Latin for years and the Arabic and Chinese offered aren't advanced and not offered before 7th grade.

I'm divorced and speak Chinese at home with my children. I turned down a Latin 5th grade spot after looking into the language situation. Luckily, my ex lives in VA, where my kids can take advanced Chinese in their public MS, test out of Chinese on day one of high school if they want, or study IB Diploma higher level Chinese past the AP level. We share custody.

No, I never applied for DCI, since their IB Diploma program isn't half as good as the one available to my kids through my ex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Starting at 5th grade rather than 6th grade means a lot of DCPS families are not going to consider. I know a good handful of black kids, some EA, who tried to get into Cooper at 6th because they stayed at their local ward 5 school through the end.

The open house for Cooper last year had two kids asking if the math classes were advanced enough (both white and black). If you have a kid who is not on grade level, that makes you question if it's the right place.

Those parents made a choice. That's how school choice works. In this case, they are even dumber than an average dumb parent because as EA families their kids were all but assured seats.

The result here isn't racist and it isn't a violation of principles or equity. It's parents making bad choices and their kids paying the price.

[Anonymous]

so who supports the Latin Shuttle? Is that the school? A group of parents?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"As a classical school, we align ourselves with the established wisdom of the ancients, particularly the cultures of Greece and Rome."

How much attention does Washington Latin pay to the established wisdom of other ancient cultures outside of the cultures of Greece and Rome?

This is one of the things that makes me hesitate to put my non-white kid into Latin. But maybe my hesitation is unwarranted?

This got lost, but it feels significant. This school appeals to "European" descended Americans. FWIW I'm a UMC non white person and am probably not going to add Latin to our lottery list for this reason.

This is an absolutely hilarious statement - the amount of reading and exposure my kids are getting at Latin from different cultures and points of view is 100 times better than they ever got at DCPS - but you do you - more room in the lottery for others

As a fellow Latin parent, this is 100% right. Latin is NOT Euro-centric, other than their foundational exploration of the ideas and cultures of the Greeks and Romans. But beyond that, my kids have been exposed to so many cultures and points of view.

Not to mention the fact that the whole idea is to anchor the curriculum in the most significant of the ancient cultures...which is why the 4 languages offered include Arabic and Chinese.

Come on, all the Latin students need to take Latin for years and the Arabic and Chinese offered aren't advanced and not offered before 7th grade.

I'm divorced and speak Chinese at home with my children. I turned down a Latin 5th grade spot after looking into the language situation. Luckily, my ex lives in VA, where my kids can take advanced Chinese in their public MS, test out of Chinese on day one of high school if they want, or study IB Diploma higher level Chinese past the AP level. We share custody.

No, I never applied for DCI, since their IB Diploma program isn't half as good as the one available to my kids through my ex.

Tell us more about schools that aren't in DC. We really want your opinion.

[Anonymous]

To the poster asking about the shuttle:

The shuttle is available to all students and is organized by the school.

There is a fee for students with the means to pay but free for students with FARM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"As a classical school, we align ourselves with the established wisdom of the ancients, particularly the cultures of Greece and Rome."

How much attention does Washington Latin pay to the established wisdom of other ancient cultures outside of the cultures of Greece and Rome?

This is one of the things that makes me hesitate to put my non-white kid into Latin. But maybe my hesitation is unwarranted?

This got lost, but it feels significant. This school appeals to "European" descended Americans. FWIW I'm a UMC non white person and am probably not going to add Latin to our lottery list for this reason.

This is an absolutely hilarious statement - the amount of reading and exposure my kids are getting at Latin from different cultures and points of view is 100 times better than they ever got at DCPS - but you do you - more room in the lottery for others

As a fellow Latin parent, this is 100% right. Latin is NOT Euro-centric, other than their foundational exploration of the ideas and cultures of the Greeks and Romans. But beyond that, my kids have been exposed to so many cultures and points of view.

Not to mention the fact that the whole idea is to anchor the curriculum in the most significant of the ancient cultures...which is why the 4 languages offered include Arabic and Chinese.

Come on, all the Latin students need to take Latin for years and the Arabic and Chinese offered aren't advanced and not offered before 7th grade.

I'm divorced and speak Chinese at home with my children. I turned down a Latin 5th grade spot after looking into the language situation. Luckily, my ex lives in VA, where my kids can take advanced Chinese in their public MS, test out of Chinese on day one of high school if they want, or study IB Diploma higher level Chinese past the AP level. We share custody.

No, I never applied for DCI, since their IB Diploma program isn't half as good as the one available to my kids through my ex.

Tell us more about schools that aren't in DC. We really want your opinion.

Speak for yourself. We weren't bowled over by the wonderfulness of Latin either. We left after 5th grade. Fair point about lame modern language instruction.

You post about what you want people to know about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"As a classical school, we align ourselves with the established wisdom of the ancients, particularly the cultures of Greece and Rome."

How much attention does Washington Latin pay to the established wisdom of other ancient cultures outside of the cultures of Greece and Rome?

This is one of the things that makes me hesitate to put my non-white kid into Latin. But maybe my hesitation is unwarranted?

This got lost, but it feels significant. This school appeals to "European" descended Americans. FWIW I'm a UMC non white person and am probably not going to add Latin to our lottery list for this reason.

This is an absolutely hilarious statement - the amount of reading and exposure my kids are getting at Latin from different cultures and points of view is 100 times better than they ever got at DCPS - but you do you - more room in the lottery for others

As a fellow Latin parent, this is 100% right. Latin is NOT Euro-centric, other than their foundational exploration of the ideas and cultures of the Greeks and Romans. But beyond that, my kids have been exposed to so many cultures and points of view.

Not to mention the fact that the whole idea is to anchor the curriculum in the most significant of the ancient cultures...which is why the 4 languages offered include Arabic and Chinese.

Come on, all the Latin students need to take Latin for years and the Arabic and Chinese offered aren't advanced and not offered before 7th grade.

I'm divorced and speak Chinese at home with my children. I turned down a Latin 5th grade spot after looking into the language situation. Luckily, my ex lives in VA, where my kids can take advanced Chinese in their public MS, test out of Chinese on day one of high school if they want, or study IB Diploma higher level Chinese past the AP level. We share custody.

No, I never applied for DCI, since their IB Diploma program isn't half as good as the one available to my kids through my ex.

Tell us more about schools that aren't in DC. We really want your opinion.

+100. And you are on the DC public school forum...why????

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting at 5th grade rather than 6th grade means a lot of DCPS families are not going to consider. I know a good handful of black kids, some EA, who tried to get into Cooper at 6th because they stayed at their local ward 5 school through the end.

The open house for Cooper last year had two kids asking if the math classes were advanced enough (both white and black). If you have a kid who is not on grade level, that makes you question if it's the right place.

Those parents made a choice. That's how school choice works. In this case, they are even dumber than an average dumb parent because as EA families their kids were all but assured seats.

The result here isn't racist and it isn't a violation of principles or equity. It's parents making bad choices and their kids paying the price.

Both BASIS and Latin want more diversity in their student body. Maybe having the lottery at 6th grade, when many parents apparently would prefer to have their kids move to middle school, is one way to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting at 5th grade rather than 6th grade means a lot of DCPS families are not going to consider. I know a good handful of black kids, some EA, who tried to get into Cooper at 6th because they stayed at their local ward 5 school through the end.

The open house for Cooper last year had two kids asking if the math classes were advanced enough (both white and black). If you have a kid who is not on grade level, that makes you question if it's the right place.

Those parents made a choice. That's how school choice works. In this case, they are even dumber than an average dumb parent because as EA families their kids were all but assured seats.

The result here isn't racist and it isn't a violation of principles or equity. It's parents making bad choices and their kids paying the price.

Both BASIS and Latin want more diversity in their student body. Maybe having the lottery at 6th grade, when many parents apparently would prefer to have their kids move to middle school, is one way to do it.

And then those students can come in even one year further behind.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting at 5th grade rather than 6th grade means a lot of DCPS families are not going to consider. I know a good handful of black kids, some EA, who tried to get into Cooper at 6th because they stayed at their local ward 5 school through the end.

The open house for Cooper last year had two kids asking if the math classes were advanced enough (both white and black). If you have a kid who is not on grade level, that makes you question if it's the right place.

Those parents made a choice. That's how school choice works. In this case, they are even dumber than an average dumb parent because as EA families their kids were all but assured seats.

The result here isn't racist and it isn't a violation of principles or equity. It's parents making bad choices and their kids paying the price.

Actually some working class families have 2 f/t jobs to stay afloat and they’re not working on computers all day where they can keep up with listservs or attend all the open houses. Or they may not speak the language. If Latin is as successful as it says, it should very much have the responsibility of going to local schools and telling students how to apply for 5th grade. Look at EL Haynes and its demographics. And it is only a few blocks away. It’s a true charter school that’s not catering itself to select few or relying on sibling preference and word of mouth to fill its class. It’s out there making sure opportunities are available to all those who need it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting at 5th grade rather than 6th grade means a lot of DCPS families are not going to consider. I know a good handful of black kids, some EA, who tried to get into Cooper at 6th because they stayed at their local ward 5 school through the end.

The open house for Cooper last year had two kids asking if the math classes were advanced enough (both white and black). If you have a kid who is not on grade level, that makes you question if it's the right place.

Those parents made a choice. That's how school choice works. In this case, they are even dumber than an average dumb parent because as EA families their kids were all but assured seats.

The result here isn't racist and it isn't a violation of principles or equity. It's parents making bad choices and their kids paying the price.

Actually some working class families have 2 f/t jobs to stay afloat and they’re not working on computers all day where they can keep up with listservs or attend all the open houses. Or they may not speak the language. If Latin is as successful as it says, it should very much have the responsibility of going to local schools and telling students how to apply for 5th grade. Look at EL Haynes and its demographics. And it is only a few blocks away. It’s a true charter school that’s not catering itself to select few or relying on sibling preference and word of mouth to fill its class. It’s out there making sure opportunities are available to all those who need it.

EL Haynes is such a terrible point of comparison, you’re clearly just looking for a reason to complain and don’t understand the situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting at 5th grade rather than 6th grade means a lot of DCPS families are not going to consider. I know a good handful of black kids, some EA, who tried to get into Cooper at 6th because they stayed at their local ward 5 school through the end.

The open house for Cooper last year had two kids asking if the math classes were advanced enough (both white and black). If you have a kid who is not on grade level, that makes you question if it's the right place.

Those parents made a choice. That's how school choice works. In this case, they are even dumber than an average dumb parent because as EA families their kids were all but assured seats.

The result here isn't racist and it isn't a violation of principles or equity. It's parents making bad choices and their kids paying the price.

Both BASIS and Latin want more diversity in their student body. Maybe having the lottery at 6th grade, when many parents apparently would prefer to have their kids move to middle school, is one way to do it.

Or maybe those parents play by the same rules as everyone else? Or is it now racist and anti-equity to ask people to not demand rules be changed for their own needs and wants?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Starting at 5th grade rather than 6th grade means a lot of DCPS families are not going to consider. I know a good handful of black kids, some EA, who tried to get into Cooper at 6th because they stayed at their local ward 5 school through the end.

The open house for Cooper last year had two kids asking if the math classes were advanced enough (both white and black). If you have a kid who is not on grade level, that makes you question if it's the right place.

Those parents made a choice. That's how school choice works. In this case, they are even dumber than an average dumb parent because as EA families their kids were all but assured seats.

The result here isn't racist and it isn't a violation of principles or equity. It's parents making bad choices and their kids paying the price.

Actually some working class families have 2 f/t jobs to stay afloat and they’re not working on computers all day where they can keep up with listservs or attend all the open houses. Or they may not speak the language. If Latin is as successful as it says, it should very much have the responsibility of going to local schools and telling students how to apply for 5th grade. Look at EL Haynes and its demographics. And it is only a few blocks away. It’s a true charter school that’s not catering itself to select few or relying on sibling preference and word of mouth to fill its class. It’s out there making sure opportunities are available to all those who need it.

Weak take. First, the poster suggested parents knowingly opted not to lottery in 5th in order to stay in their schools. You are arguing something else entirely. Instead, you infantilize people in an effort to protect them. You argue they can't possibly have known what everyone else knows. They can't have seen busses going through their neighborhoods or attended community meetings because they are just so poor an uneducated. Let's pull that thread, shall we? If they were too damn ignorant to lottery for 5th why would they suddenly discover the lottery in 6th?

You remind of Holly on the Office when she thought Kevin was "special" and in an effort to be accepting and welcoming she ended up being a parody of pollical correctness . That's what you are doing here, Holly. Poor people are allowed to make bad choices. So are black people, white people and people who speak Spanish and Chinese.

[Anonymous]

Elementary schools with EA seats easily fill them. I do not know that middle schools other than Latin have really tried EA seats yet. I think there is for a lot of people inertia to leaving a nearby elementary school that you like and where your child is stable/happy and has friends etc. before the terminal grade (or abandoning a DCPS feeder pattern that you earlier intentionally lotteried into in part for middle school reasons etc.). Latin attracts lots of families who on some level think the other non-moving/non-private options are not really acceptable and that in particular drives them to lottery and then take the lottery spot for 5th grade.