What could a new Mayor mean for schools - DCPS and charters?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Lewis-George is about as left wing as they come. She will keep schools as is. She will adamantly oppose raising academic standards or flunking kids or creating admissions standards for some schools. People like her see all that as racist because it will disproportionately hurt black kids.

Source? Or just your perception based on....? She is a Walls graduate and sounds like she had a positive experience so I'm curious where you are coming from other the progressive label.

DP. People keep saying she's DC's Mamdani (based on her DSA affiliation and leaked outreach planning). Mamdani came out against some G&T policies and has talked about ceding some mayoral control. He's also a graduate of Bronx Science, a selective high school.

The left despises G&T programs. If you support G&T programs you will not work for JLG, should she get elected mayor.

Honestly, drop the label and just make sure there's some differentiation. I think we've tried it for long enough to know that "honors for all" isn't working. And yet....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:if people who post here and vote in DC want to have 'great' schools and get that from the next mayor, they are going to have to offer explanations that don't boil down to "great = demographics" like "you need a selective school that duplicates BASIS or attracts Asians."

I hope that folks can articulate that greatness as a list of plus and minuses, not a version of 'if Black children who are behind grade level are in this school I will not send my kids.'

My list:

*Well funded schools -- you don't need a well-resourced PTO to have decent aftercare, field trips, etc.
*Disciplined schools--where disruptive kids are kept away from those actually attempting to learn.
*Balanced schools--something that has advanced coursework for those that need it, remedial coursework for those that need that, with impressive facilities and non-academic programming for all.
*A respectable degree--do NOT graduate students that cannot even pass a test showing they are proficient in reading comprehension and math.

Not sure any of that will happen given the maddening array of charters and a lottery system where everyone is waitlisted trying to get into the few "good" schools with that "good cohort." From what I can see, the one thing we do have is great pay and good teachers.

The problem with this is that most parents don't believe that their kid is the disruptive one, and get angry when this is told to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Lewis-George is about as left wing as they come. She will keep schools as is. She will adamantly oppose raising academic standards or flunking kids or creating admissions standards for some schools. People like her see all that as racist because it will disproportionately hurt black kids.

Source? Or just your perception based on....? She is a Walls graduate and sounds like she had a positive experience so I'm curious where you are coming from other the progressive label.

DP but she's not for raising academic standards, repealing Ferebee's disastrous "no such thing as a zero" policy, or tracking. She's never once advocated for those things. The only things she talks about w/r/t schools are 1) improving run-down facilities (good, fine, reasonable), 2) social emotional learning (good in theory, but already pretty well addressed in DC curriculum), and 3) raising ECE pay by making the Covid bonuses permanent (not opposed to this as a policy, but she framed it very misleadingly which has left a bad taste in my mouth).

That's it. She has a positions page on her website and under education it segues almost immediately to childcare - she's never once said anything about improving DCPS academically, so I think it's perfectly valid for PP to say she's going to stick with the status quo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Lewis-George is about as left wing as they come. She will keep schools as is. She will adamantly oppose raising academic standards or flunking kids or creating admissions standards for some schools. People like her see all that as racist because it will disproportionately hurt black kids.

Source? Or just your perception based on....? She is a Walls graduate and sounds like she had a positive experience so I'm curious where you are coming from other the progressive label.

DP but she's not for raising academic standards, repealing Ferebee's disastrous "no such thing as a zero" policy, or tracking. She's never once advocated for those things. The only things she talks about w/r/t schools are 1) improving run-down facilities (good, fine, reasonable), 2) social emotional learning (good in theory, but already pretty well addressed in DC curriculum), and 3) raising ECE pay by making the Covid bonuses permanent (not opposed to this as a policy, but she framed it very misleadingly which has left a bad taste in my mouth).

That's it. She has a positions page on her website and under education it segues almost immediately to childcare - she's never once said anything about improving DCPS academically, so I think it's perfectly valid for PP to say she's going to stick with the status quo.

JLG has been in office for five years. She's at a seat at the table for *half* of Bowser's time as mayor. If JLG actually supported raising academic standards or tracking or doing something about discipline, you would have heard it by now. Her silence should speak volumes. The only thing she's for is spending more money on schools, which is great, but money is not the issue. DC schools are usually pretty nice. Even the bad ones. Democrats in general tend not to stint on school spending.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Lewis-George is about as left wing as they come. She will keep schools as is. She will adamantly oppose raising academic standards or flunking kids or creating admissions standards for some schools. People like her see all that as racist because it will disproportionately hurt black kids.

Source? Or just your perception based on....? She is a Walls graduate and sounds like she had a positive experience so I'm curious where you are coming from other the progressive label.

It’s her affiliation with the Democratic Socialists. “Elected in November 2020, George became the first self-described democratic socialist to serve as a member of the Council since Hilda Mason was defeated for re-election in 1998.”

The Democratic Socialists in DC are extremely progressive. They have been vocal against school measurement, standardized testing, charters. I don’t know if she shares all of their views but when I read concerns of Bowser being in developers’ pocket, I wonder what it could mean in the next mayor is beholden to democratic socialists.

[Anonymous]

I voted for her in her first election, but not her second. Her constituent services are terrible, and when she shows up to events, she is ill-prepared and disengaged. Yes, racism within DSA is an issue and I probably wouldn't for another DSA candidate again, but it would be harder if JLG had been a better ward rep. She makes Brandon Todd look competent...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support Lewis-George for Mayor. The charter system wants autonomy and DCPS wants support from neighbors and financial support to keep low- attendance schools open. Those seem doable. And I would appreciate a shift from focus on capital projects to spending to get student success.

A lot of what we talk about here is nice to have. I’d rather have a full Roosevelt and Dunbar that drive success than another test- or grades-in high school. That’s not what everyone wants but it’s OK. I’d like a real school board. Some people fear dysfunction but that’s not a given.


Appreciate all the thoughts.

Why do charters need more autonomy? I feel like the sudden closures of Eagle and Hope are great examples of why they need even more oversight.

And why in the world do you want to keep low-attendance schools open?

Don’t confuse charter autonomy with a lack of oversight — or, frankly, shoddy oversight. There could be three times as many rules or even half as many, if the PCSB isn’t following up on known, documented, reported and quantifiable flags, then there will be problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The majority of dc is the disruptive kids.

No. This really isn't true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Lewis-George is about as left wing as they come. She will keep schools as is. She will adamantly oppose raising academic standards or flunking kids or creating admissions standards for some schools. People like her see all that as racist because it will disproportionately hurt black kids.

Source? Or just your perception based on....? She is a Walls graduate and sounds like she had a positive experience so I'm curious where you are coming from other the progressive label.

It’s her affiliation with the Democratic Socialists. “Elected in November 2020, George became the first self-described democratic socialist to serve as a member of the Council since Hilda Mason was defeated for re-election in 1998.”

The Democratic Socialists in DC are extremely progressive. They have been vocal against school measurement, standardized testing, charters. I don’t know if she shares all of their views but when I read concerns of Bowser being in developers’ pocket, I wonder what it could mean in the next mayor is beholden to democratic socialists.

Are you seriously for more standardized testing? I feel like my kids have so much standardized testing that they barely have a chance to learn

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support Lewis-George for Mayor. The charter system wants autonomy and DCPS wants support from neighbors and financial support to keep low- attendance schools open. Those seem doable. And I would appreciate a shift from focus on capital projects to spending to get student success.

A lot of what we talk about here is nice to have. I’d rather have a full Roosevelt and Dunbar that drive success than another test- or grades-in high school. That’s not what everyone wants but it’s OK. I’d like a real school board. Some people fear dysfunction but that’s not a given.


Appreciate all the thoughts.

Why do charters need more autonomy? I feel like the sudden closures of Eagle and Hope are great examples of why they need even more oversight.

And why in the world do you want to keep low-attendance schools open?

Don’t confuse charter autonomy with a lack of oversight — or, frankly, shoddy oversight. There could be three times as many rules or even half as many, if the PCSB isn’t following up on known, documented, reported and quantifiable flags, then there will be problems.

What is your definition of autonomy?

[Anonymous]

DC needs to go back to having a school board. The Mayor nor the council are equipped to making decisions and each Superintendent is incapable of being accountable to anyone.

[Anonymous]

Definitely. Mayor practically abandoned schools policy, except where her DME and chancellor did bureaucratic things that no one could gainsay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Definitely. Mayor practically abandoned schools policy, except where her DME and chancellor did bureaucratic things that no one could gainsay.

The chancellor is milquetoast, and one of the DME's children has returned to private for high school. Gotta love his confidence in his own work accomplishments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Lewis-George is about as left wing as they come. She will keep schools as is. She will adamantly oppose raising academic standards or flunking kids or creating admissions standards for some schools. People like her see all that as racist because it will disproportionately hurt black kids.

Source? Or just your perception based on....? She is a Walls graduate and sounds like she had a positive experience so I'm curious where you are coming from other the progressive label.

It’s her affiliation with the Democratic Socialists. “Elected in November 2020, George became the first self-described democratic socialist to serve as a member of the Council since Hilda Mason was defeated for re-election in 1998.”

The Democratic Socialists in DC are extremely progressive. They have been vocal against school measurement, standardized testing, charters. I don’t know if she shares all of their views but when I read concerns of Bowser being in developers’ pocket, I wonder what it could mean in the next mayor is beholden to democratic socialists.

Are you seriously for more standardized testing? I feel like my kids have so much standardized testing that they barely have a chance to learn

Not for more but that doesn't mean not for any. There is one statewide standardized test that takes a couple of weeks of staff time in the spring but should only take each kid a couple of sessions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I support Lewis-George for Mayor. The charter system wants autonomy and DCPS wants support from neighbors and financial support to keep low- attendance schools open. Those seem doable. And I would appreciate a shift from focus on capital projects to spending to get student success.

A lot of what we talk about here is nice to have. I’d rather have a full Roosevelt and Dunbar that drive success than another test- or grades-in high school. That’s not what everyone wants but it’s OK. I’d like a real school board. Some people fear dysfunction but that’s not a given.


Appreciate all the thoughts.

Why do charters need more autonomy? I feel like the sudden closures of Eagle and Hope are great examples of why they need even more oversight.

And why in the world do you want to keep low-attendance schools open?

Don’t confuse charter autonomy with a lack of oversight — or, frankly, shoddy oversight. There could be three times as many rules or even half as many, if the PCSB isn’t following up on known, documented, reported and quantifiable flags, then there will be problems.

What is your definition of autonomy?

For charters, the definition is typically control over decisions concerning finance, personnel, scheduling, curriculum and instruction. That doesn't mean no reporting nor does it mean that charters don't have to comply with rules, regulations and the law. It also doesn't mean that there won't be consequences. The problem with Eagle and Hope, IMO, is not their autonomy -- it was that the PCSB knew the schools were struggling and did not step in appropriately.