The Flogging of Basis

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is another question: If BASIS were a private school operating under its exact current model and with its current facilities, would families pay for it?

Well, in fact BASIS DC has the same curriculum and standards of BASIS McLean, and the parents at BASIS McLean pay for that school. Same is true for the BASIS private schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Silicon Valley, etc.

So, the kids at BASIS DC are essentially getting a private school education for free!

And when anyone challenges them on why our taxpayer dollars should pay for it, the response is "well dcps sucks!"

yes, so, if you're not interested in improving it, go to a private school. On your own dime.

Yes - if you are not wealthy enough to afford private school you must take on the burden of “improving” DCPS even though doing so is clearly impossible within any time horizon relevant to families with kids entering middle school. This is a complete joke.

You can't "improve" a middle school by sending a smart kid there and forcing them to take easy classes with no HW and kids who are totally disengaged. That doesn't improve the school in any way. All it does it tragically hold back kids who could be learning much more, and waste 3 years of their life.

So the solution is to make me pay for your private school dreams? If your kid is such a firecracker and you’re so destitute, they’ll have no problem getting financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is another question: If BASIS were a private school operating under its exact current model and with its current facilities, would families pay for it?

Well, in fact BASIS DC has the same curriculum and standards of BASIS McLean, and the parents at BASIS McLean pay for that school. Same is true for the BASIS private schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Silicon Valley, etc.

So, the kids at BASIS DC are essentially getting a private school education for free!

And when anyone challenges them on why our taxpayer dollars should pay for it, the response is "well dcps sucks!"

yes, so, if you're not interested in improving it, go to a private school. On your own dime.

Yes - if you are not wealthy enough to afford private school you must take on the burden of “improving” DCPS even though doing so is clearly impossible within any time horizon relevant to families with kids entering middle school. This is a complete joke.

You can't "improve" a middle school by sending a smart kid there and forcing them to take easy classes with no HW and kids who are totally disengaged. That doesn't improve the school in any way. All it does it tragically hold back kids who could be learning much more, and waste 3 years of their life.

So the solution is to make me pay for your private school dreams? If your kid is such a firecracker and you’re so destitute, they’ll have no problem getting financial aid.

Yes.

[Anonymous]

My god. Not another Basis thread after the most recent ones.

It’s obvious Basis parents don’t get it. When you constantly post about the school and then hijack every thread, no wonder people can’t stand Basis parents.

It’s exhausting and just take a break from it.. Are you so insecure that it has to be all about you?

No other parent at any other school starts a post like this. Another similar Basis post JUST a few days ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is another question: If BASIS were a private school operating under its exact current model and with its current facilities, would families pay for it?

Well, in fact BASIS DC has the same curriculum and standards of BASIS McLean, and the parents at BASIS McLean pay for that school. Same is true for the BASIS private schools in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Silicon Valley, etc.

So, the kids at BASIS DC are essentially getting a private school education for free!

And when anyone challenges them on why our taxpayer dollars should pay for it, the response is "well dcps sucks!"

yes, so, if you're not interested in improving it, go to a private school. On your own dime.

Yes - if you are not wealthy enough to afford private school you must take on the burden of “improving” DCPS even though doing so is clearly impossible within any time horizon relevant to families with kids entering middle school. This is a complete joke.

You can't "improve" a middle school by sending a smart kid there and forcing them to take easy classes with no HW and kids who are totally disengaged. That doesn't improve the school in any way. All it does it tragically hold back kids who could be learning much more, and waste 3 years of their life.

So the solution is to make me pay for your private school dreams? If your kid is such a firecracker and you’re so destitute, they’ll have no problem getting financial aid.

Yes.

And so now, we have the answer to this thread.

People resent the idea that certain parents feel entitled to our tax dollars and a decline in support for the whole system, so they can feel like their kids are getting a private school education.

That’s it, that’s why BASIS gets flogged. Mystery solved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis is the only public school without social promotion, so it is no surprise that some kids drop out.

Plenty of private schools “counsel out” low performers.

Functionally, it is the same thing.

And that is a decidedly good model for children who had to put up with troubled children all through elementary — a scarring experience. I was floored to discover 1/3 of my child’s 4th grade class SPED, 504/IEP, or some other accommodation, while my child was dismissed as “just fine.” That’s why Basis - for all its faults - is refreshing.

Wait-- are you saying BASIS doesn't have children with IEPs and 504s? Because that's something BASIS will deny. Are they lying?

I’ll let Basis address that, as it’s not my business. Suffice to say that, unlike my kids’ elementary, Basis isn’t a special ed center with a school as a mere appendage.

So no IEPs or 504s? Or poor supports? Anyone know the answer to the question of whether this public school serves these kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My god. Not another Basis thread after the most recent ones.

It’s obvious Basis parents don’t get it. When you constantly post about the school and then hijack every thread, no wonder people can’t stand Basis parents.

It’s exhausting and just take a break from it.. Are you so insecure that it has to be all about you?

No other parent at any other school starts a post like this. Another similar Basis post JUST a few days ago.

Exactly. Give it a rest. At least stop bashing other schools so you can feel good about the one your kids won a lottery to get into.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My god. Not another Basis thread after the most recent ones.

It’s obvious Basis parents don’t get it. When you constantly post about the school and then hijack every thread, no wonder people can’t stand Basis parents.

It’s exhausting and just take a break from it.. Are you so insecure that it has to be all about you?

No other parent at any other school starts a post like this. Another similar Basis post JUST a few days ago.

Yeah, if you feel so good about it and you believe your kid isn’t one of the majority who will not make it… what do you care if the rest of us hate it? Even if there was some big reversal and they were to pull the charter, kids who are already there will finish (unless there’s some wild malfeasance- which… is there?)

If you’re a typical “I got mine everyone else pay for it” parent, you’ve already got what you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis is the only public school without social promotion, so it is no surprise that some kids drop out.

Plenty of private schools “counsel out” low performers.

Functionally, it is the same thing.

And that is a decidedly good model for children who had to put up with troubled children all through elementary — a scarring experience. I was floored to discover 1/3 of my child’s 4th grade class SPED, 504/IEP, or some other accommodation, while my child was dismissed as “just fine.” That’s why Basis - for all its faults - is refreshing.

Wait-- are you saying BASIS doesn't have children with IEPs and 504s? Because that's something BASIS will deny. Are they lying?

I’ll let Basis address that, as it’s not my business. Suffice to say that, unlike my kids’ elementary, Basis isn’t a special ed center with a school as a mere appendage.

So no IEPs or 504s? Or poor supports? Anyone know the answer to the question of whether this public school serves these kids?

It seems that this needs to be thoroughly investigated.

[Anonymous]

All of you are exhausting. Whoever feels the need to defend BASIS needs to just stop. Whoever hates BASIS needs to just stop. No one is convincing those on the other side and as is typical of internet arguing, the nuance is lost in the middle.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis is the only public school without social promotion, so it is no surprise that some kids drop out.

Plenty of private schools “counsel out” low performers.

Functionally, it is the same thing.

And that is a decidedly good model for children who had to put up with troubled children all through elementary — a scarring experience. I was floored to discover 1/3 of my child’s 4th grade class SPED, 504/IEP, or some other accommodation, while my child was dismissed as “just fine.” That’s why Basis - for all its faults - is refreshing.

Wait-- are you saying BASIS doesn't have children with IEPs and 504s? Because that's something BASIS will deny. Are they lying?

I’ll let Basis address that, as it’s not my business. Suffice to say that, unlike my kids’ elementary, Basis isn’t a special ed center with a school as a mere appendage.

So no IEPs or 504s? Or poor supports? Anyone know the answer to the question of whether this public school serves these kids?

It seems that this needs to be thoroughly investigated.

I hate the fact that only some needs are "special" and if your kid has no such favored "need" they're essentially invisible. We can tolerate 2-3 per class, but when it gets 1/3+ of the class, it's just a classroom that revolves around special needs with all others deprioritized.

I don't know what Basis' numbers are like, but they sure as hell don't let the needs of the few dominate the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis is the only public school without social promotion, so it is no surprise that some kids drop out.

Plenty of private schools “counsel out” low performers.

Functionally, it is the same thing.

And that is a decidedly good model for children who had to put up with troubled children all through elementary — a scarring experience. I was floored to discover 1/3 of my child’s 4th grade class SPED, 504/IEP, or some other accommodation, while my child was dismissed as “just fine.” That’s why Basis - for all its faults - is refreshing.

Wait-- are you saying BASIS doesn't have children with IEPs and 504s? Because that's something BASIS will deny. Are they lying?

I’ll let Basis address that, as it’s not my business. Suffice to say that, unlike my kids’ elementary, Basis isn’t a special ed center with a school as a mere appendage.

So no IEPs or 504s? Or poor supports? Anyone know the answer to the question of whether this public school serves these kids?

It seems that this needs to be thoroughly investigated.

I hate the fact that only some needs are "special" and if your kid has no such favored "need" they're essentially invisible. We can tolerate 2-3 per class, but when it gets 1/3+ of the class, it's just a classroom that revolves around special needs with all others deprioritized.

I don't know what Basis' numbers are like, but they sure as hell don't let the needs of the few dominate the class.

Favored? “Need” in quotes?

Interesting. This is a public school, right? How exactly do they sure as hell only serve certain kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis is the only public school without social promotion, so it is no surprise that some kids drop out.

Plenty of private schools “counsel out” low performers.

Functionally, it is the same thing.

And that is a decidedly good model for children who had to put up with troubled children all through elementary — a scarring experience. I was floored to discover 1/3 of my child’s 4th grade class SPED, 504/IEP, or some other accommodation, while my child was dismissed as “just fine.” That’s why Basis - for all its faults - is refreshing.

Wait-- are you saying BASIS doesn't have children with IEPs and 504s? Because that's something BASIS will deny. Are they lying?

I’ll let Basis address that, as it’s not my business. Suffice to say that, unlike my kids’ elementary, Basis isn’t a special ed center with a school as a mere appendage.

So no IEPs or 504s? Or poor supports? Anyone know the answer to the question of whether this public school serves these kids?

It seems that this needs to be thoroughly investigated.

I hate the fact that only some needs are "special" and if your kid has no such favored "need" they're essentially invisible. We can tolerate 2-3 per class, but when it gets 1/3+ of the class, it's just a classroom that revolves around special needs with all others deprioritized.

I don't know what Basis' numbers are like, but they sure as hell don't let the needs of the few dominate the class.

Favored? “Need” in quotes?

Interesting. This is a public school, right? How exactly do they sure as hell only serve certain kids?

Because after a certain tipping point, a class becomes focused on the provision of special needs support leaving the non “special” kids neglected. If just a simple bandwidth issue when nothing can be done without special consideration to a critical mass of certain kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis is the only public school without social promotion, so it is no surprise that some kids drop out.

Plenty of private schools “counsel out” low performers.

Functionally, it is the same thing.

And that is a decidedly good model for children who had to put up with troubled children all through elementary — a scarring experience. I was floored to discover 1/3 of my child’s 4th grade class SPED, 504/IEP, or some other accommodation, while my child was dismissed as “just fine.” That’s why Basis - for all its faults - is refreshing.

Wait-- are you saying BASIS doesn't have children with IEPs and 504s? Because that's something BASIS will deny. Are they lying?

I’ll let Basis address that, as it’s not my business. Suffice to say that, unlike my kids’ elementary, Basis isn’t a special ed center with a school as a mere appendage.

So no IEPs or 504s? Or poor supports? Anyone know the answer to the question of whether this public school serves these kids?

It seems that this needs to be thoroughly investigated.

I hate the fact that only some needs are "special" and if your kid has no such favored "need" they're essentially invisible. We can tolerate 2-3 per class, but when it gets 1/3+ of the class, it's just a classroom that revolves around special needs with all others deprioritized.

I don't know what Basis' numbers are like, but they sure as hell don't let the needs of the few dominate the class.

Favored? “Need” in quotes?

Interesting. This is a public school, right? How exactly do they sure as hell only serve certain kids?

Because after a certain tipping point, a class becomes focused on the provision of special needs support leaving the non “special” kids neglected. If just a simple bandwidth issue when nothing can be done without special consideration to a critical mass of certain kids.

The essential problem is that most of these kids who need diversion are not actually developmentally delayed or have ODD, they are simply bad kids acting out. The US doesn’t have a model for young kids acting anti socially in school, and just isn’t as paternalistic as other countries who do not allow disruptive behavior in the classroom, are unafraid to sanction it, and will punish the family as well as the kids. I’m not saying the European or Asian models are good models- they produce vast inequities, especially in minority groups in Europe, so you can imagine how that would work out. But the model is to separate disruptive kids out and if need be take the kids away from parents early.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My god. Not another Basis thread after the most recent ones.

It’s obvious Basis parents don’t get it. When you constantly post about the school and then hijack every thread, no wonder people can’t stand Basis parents.

It’s exhausting and just take a break from it.. Are you so insecure that it has to be all about you?

No other parent at any other school starts a post like this. Another similar Basis post JUST a few days ago.

Then why are you looking at Basis threads?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Basis is the only public school without social promotion, so it is no surprise that some kids drop out.

Plenty of private schools “counsel out” low performers.

Functionally, it is the same thing.

And that is a decidedly good model for children who had to put up with troubled children all through elementary — a scarring experience. I was floored to discover 1/3 of my child’s 4th grade class SPED, 504/IEP, or some other accommodation, while my child was dismissed as “just fine.” That’s why Basis - for all its faults - is refreshing.

Wait-- are you saying BASIS doesn't have children with IEPs and 504s? Because that's something BASIS will deny. Are they lying?

I’ll let Basis address that, as it’s not my business. Suffice to say that, unlike my kids’ elementary, Basis isn’t a special ed center with a school as a mere appendage.

So no IEPs or 504s? Or poor supports? Anyone know the answer to the question of whether this public school serves these kids?

It seems that this needs to be thoroughly investigated.

I hate the fact that only some needs are "special" and if your kid has no such favored "need" they're essentially invisible. We can tolerate 2-3 per class, but when it gets 1/3+ of the class, it's just a classroom that revolves around special needs with all others deprioritized.

I don't know what Basis' numbers are like, but they sure as hell don't let the needs of the few dominate the class.

Favored? “Need” in quotes?

Interesting. This is a public school, right? How exactly do they sure as hell only serve certain kids?

Because after a certain tipping point, a class becomes focused on the provision of special needs support leaving the non “special” kids neglected. If just a simple bandwidth issue when nothing can be done without special consideration to a critical mass of certain kids.

The essential problem is that most of these kids who need diversion are not actually developmentally delayed or have ODD, they are simply bad kids acting out. The US doesn’t have a model for young kids acting anti socially in school, and just isn’t as paternalistic as other countries who do not allow disruptive behavior in the classroom, are unafraid to sanction it, and will punish the family as well as the kids. I’m not saying the European or Asian models are good models- they produce vast inequities, especially in minority groups in Europe, so you can imagine how that would work out. But the model is to separate disruptive kids out and if need be take the kids away from parents early.

This approach would save more kids than sacrificed.