Please don't just take a spot at a charter school because you want free care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: ^^ Or else, what? You are going to huff and puff on an on line forum? It's a public school friends.

There's no "or else" - the plain fact is, you are going to be ignored and marginalized if you aren't on board with what the charter is about - in which case, you would have been better off trying to find a more suitable option.

Who gives a shit. As long as my child is not ignored and receives an equal education, why would i or anyone else care if a bunch of harpies choose to ignore me, the parent. It's a public school. It cannot discharge students if the parents refuse to volunteer time and money to the school. In other words, it is not private. I know some of you mom and dads want a private school experience for your little darlings at rock bottom public funds dollars, but baby, it ain't happening.

Nobody said anything about "private school experience bla bla bla", you need to get that crap off your shoulders first and foremost. Secondly, you don't seem to understand the difference between a public school and a public charter school. Yes, they are both public, receive public funds, and are open to the public, but Charters can and do indeed specialize - just as many non-Charter public schools around the area do, for example magnets. With Charters, that's the whole point of the CHARTER in the first place, and the CHARTER is what lays that all out. And if you aren't in to what they want to specialize in, then you have DOZENS OF OTHER FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FREE PUBLIC CHARTERS TO PICK FROM. Would you try and get DC into a science magnet and then say "ugh, why all this science, DC is into music and sports and hates science"? Makes about as little sense as the rest of your commentary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: ^^ Or else, what? You are going to huff and puff on an on line forum? It's a public school friends.

There's no "or else" - the plain fact is, you are going to be ignored and marginalized if you aren't on board with what the charter is about - in which case, you would have been better off trying to find a more suitable option.

Who gives a shit. As long as my child is not ignored and receives an equal education, why would i or anyone else care if a bunch of harpies choose to ignore me, the parent. It's a public school. It cannot discharge students if the parents refuse to volunteer time and money to the school. In other words, it is not private. I know some of you mom and dads want a private school experience for your little darlings at rock bottom public funds dollars, but baby, it ain't happening.

Nobody said anything about "private school experience bla bla bla", you need to get that crap off your shoulders first and foremost. Secondly, you don't seem to understand the difference between a public school and a public charter school. Yes, they are both public, receive public funds, and are open to the public, but Charters can and do indeed specialize - just as many non-Charter public schools around the area do, for example magnets. With Charters, that's the whole point of the CHARTER in the first place, and the CHARTER is what lays that all out. And if you aren't in to what they want to specialize in, then you have DOZENS OF OTHER FREE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND FREE PUBLIC CHARTERS TO PICK FROM. Would you try and get DC into a science magnet and then say "ugh, why all this science, DC is into music and sports and hates science"? Makes about as little sense as the rest of your commentary.

You're making this about something very different from OP's complaint. You should probably start your own thread if you actually want to discuss the issue of parents bucking against the school's mission.

[Anonymous]

To ^^ PP, I'm not OP but I think this is directly related to OP's complaint. Part of what is so frustrating re: parents who have crappy attitudes about the charter their kid goes to is that they act like it's an inconvenience that there is a focus they don't agree with. It's not the majority at all of parents, but the few can sometimes really sour things for that class/grade, depending on just how grumpy they are. And, some of these newer charters sink or swim with the energy of parents. Mundo Verde (I'm not an MV parent, just have checked them out a couple of times) who knows where they'd be without parent involvement, much like their birth school (for lack of a better term) EL Haynes.

Parent involvement is key at most charters, and it distinguishes the good ones (or crappy ones) from the great ones.

And I never got the impression that OP thought that somehow she was the "PI Police" (parent involvement police). I didn't see her say anywhere that there is a way to enforce this, I just read her original post as begging and pleading (mostly in vain I think we all agree) with parents to not put their kids in schools where those parents are not going to fully support the mission/charter of that school. And support looks different - charters would be crazy to think every parent will be able to volunteer for hours each week or take on a function in the administration that requires hours (even hours a month is hard for many). But attitude and being willing to do what you can to make it work (at least while your kid is there, even if you're planning to leave) makes all the difference in the world.

That's my read on OP's post, and if I'm wrong, well at least that's my take.

[Anonymous]

It does relate, as free aftercare might also not be a part of a charter's mission. And in fact, the charters may have even less money and resources to put toward providing free aftercare than what DCPS should have available per student, and charter staff are typically already spread thin and overworked. If anything, I think the charters that charge extra for aftercare are right to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To ^^ PP, I'm not OP but I think this is directly related to OP's complaint. Part of what is so frustrating re: parents who have crappy attitudes about the charter their kid goes to is that they act like it's an inconvenience that there is a focus they don't agree with. It's not the majority at all of parents, but the few can sometimes really sour things for that class/grade, depending on just how grumpy they are. And, some of these newer charters sink or swim with the energy of parents. Mundo Verde (I'm not an MV parent, just have checked them out a couple of times) who knows where they'd be without parent involvement, much like their birth school (for lack of a better term) EL Haynes.

Parent involvement is key at most charters, and it distinguishes the good ones (or crappy ones) from the great ones.

And I never got the impression that OP thought that somehow she was the "PI Police" (parent involvement police). I didn't see her say anywhere that there is a way to enforce this, I just read her original post as begging and pleading (mostly in vain I think we all agree) with parents to not put their kids in schools where those parents are not going to fully support the mission/charter of that school. And support looks different - charters would be crazy to think every parent will be able to volunteer for hours each week or take on a function in the administration that requires hours (even hours a month is hard for many). But attitude and being willing to do what you can to make it work (at least while your kid is there, even if you're planning to leave) makes all the difference in the world.

That's my read on OP's post, and if I'm wrong, well at least that's my take.

You're wrong!

[Anonymous]

Life is not fair. But I am happier with the current system, with children of more widely varied income families together in a classroom instead of just Head Start/FARMS. I feel very fortunate to live in DC and have this benefit.

[Anonymous]

Did I mention that if the cost of daycare was killing us, I can barely imagine what it was doing to lower income and one income working families. I guess those people are more likely to stay at home, get family help, or have to go on the dole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did I mention that if the cost of daycare was killing us, I can barely imagine what it was doing to lower income and one income working families. I guess those people are more likely to stay at home, get family help, or have to go on the dole.

DC has childcare vouchers for low income, working families. I have friends who made about $40k and didn't pay a dollar for daycare that averaged $360/week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To ^^ PP, I'm not OP but I think this is directly related to OP's complaint. Part of what is so frustrating re: parents who have crappy attitudes about the charter their kid goes to is that they act like it's an inconvenience that there is a focus they don't agree with. It's not the majority at all of parents, but the few can sometimes really sour things for that class/grade, depending on just how grumpy they are. And, some of these newer charters sink or swim with the energy of parents. Mundo Verde (I'm not an MV parent, just have checked them out a couple of times) who knows where they'd be without parent involvement, much like their birth school (for lack of a better term) EL Haynes.

Parent involvement is key at most charters, and it distinguishes the good ones (or crappy ones) from the great ones.

And I never got the impression that OP thought that somehow she was the "PI Police" (parent involvement police). I didn't see her say anywhere that there is a way to enforce this, I just read her original post as begging and pleading (mostly in vain I think we all agree) with parents to not put their kids in schools where those parents are not going to fully support the mission/charter of that school. And support looks different - charters would be crazy to think every parent will be able to volunteer for hours each week or take on a function in the administration that requires hours (even hours a month is hard for many). But attitude and being willing to do what you can to make it work (at least while your kid is there, even if you're planning to leave) makes all the difference in the world.

That's my read on OP's post, and if I'm wrong, well at least that's my take.

You're wrong!

Unless you're going to identify yourself as OP, who are you to say I'm wrong? (And if you are OP, then clearly many in this thread (not just myself) are missing your original point, so you may want to restate it.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To ^^ PP, I'm not OP but I think this is directly related to OP's complaint. Part of what is so frustrating re: parents who have crappy attitudes about the charter their kid goes to is that they act like it's an inconvenience that there is a focus they don't agree with. It's not the majority at all of parents, but the few can sometimes really sour things for that class/grade, depending on just how grumpy they are. And, some of these newer charters sink or swim with the energy of parents. Mundo Verde (I'm not an MV parent, just have checked them out a couple of times) who knows where they'd be without parent involvement, much like their birth school (for lack of a better term) EL Haynes.

Parent involvement is key at most charters, and it distinguishes the good ones (or crappy ones) from the great ones.

And I never got the impression that OP thought that somehow she was the "PI Police" (parent involvement police). I didn't see her say anywhere that there is a way to enforce this, I just read her original post as begging and pleading (mostly in vain I think we all agree) with parents to not put their kids in schools where those parents are not going to fully support the mission/charter of that school. And support looks different - charters would be crazy to think every parent will be able to volunteer for hours each week or take on a function in the administration that requires hours (even hours a month is hard for many). But attitude and being willing to do what you can to make it work (at least while your kid is there, even if you're planning to leave) makes all the difference in the world.

That's my read on OP's post, and if I'm wrong, well at least that's my take.

You're wrong!

Unless you're going to identify yourself as OP, who are you to say I'm wrong? (And if you are OP, then clearly many in this thread (not just myself) are missing your original point, so you may want to restate it.)

OP Here - YES, you added perfectly to my point! I have no idea who wrote, "You're wrong."

[Anonymous]

OP here - Here is an example that people may understand. SELA will be a Hebrew language charter school. We won't be attending SELA (already at a different charter), but I think its charter is great! There will be hundreds of applicants - many of which REALLY want their children to learn Hebrew. Then there will be applicants who could care absolutely less about the charter of the school, but are looking for free care. So, I don't think it's fair that a family, who doesn't care about the school/charter, takes a spot away from a family who not only loves the idea of their child learning Hebrew, but who would really support the school. That's why I am asking people to not just take a spot if they really don't care about a charter school.

Do I really think there is anything I can do about parents taking (in my opinion) spots away from families who would really care for, nuture and support a school and the school's mission as written in its charter? No, of course not. Can I voice my opinion on DCUM? Yes, of course I can. As another poster wrote, charter schools can only be great if the PARENTS of the school stand behind it and support it to the best of their abilities.

[Anonymous]

Sela, like all charters, exists for the mothers and fathers working three jobs who don't have much time to visit the school. Sela and all other charters exist for new immigrants families from whom family engagement in a school is a new concept, or for whom English inhibits participation, or who (see above) are simply too busy working to engage as meaningfully in the school culture as they would like. Sela and all other charters exist for harried grandmothers raising their grandchildren, for young parents juggling school with parenthood, for professional parents juggling careers. Sela, like all other charters, are PUBLIC SCHOOLS. They do not fine parents who cannot donate time or money to public schools, and we shouldn't shame parents who can't engage as much as the school would like. Yes, complaining about not liking the mission of a charter is annoying. However, the reality of lotteries for schools like Sela and other charter schools, is that there is a lot of competition and a lot of movement and some parents who are really committed to the mission will not get in, and other parents who could care less about the mission will get in. It's not pretty, but it's fair.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there are as many parents "looking for free care" out there as OP suggests. I think it's more parents who want their childen to be in supportive, promising, safe school environments where their children can learn and get a head start. So if a school like Sela is signaling that it has promise, there will be plenty of parents who don't care much about Hebrew who apply, not because of "child care" but because their child will learn and thrive. I think there is danger in applying watered down assumptions about families and assigning them to categories you devise that are useful in supporting your biases--poor or rich, engaged or not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here - Here is an example that people may understand. SELA will be a Hebrew language charter school. We won't be attending SELA (already at a different charter), but I think its charter is great! There will be hundreds of applicants - many of which REALLY want their children to learn Hebrew. Then there will be applicants who could care absolutely less about the charter of the school, but are looking for free care. So, I don't think it's fair that a family, who doesn't care about the school/charter, takes a spot away from a family who not only loves the idea of their child learning Hebrew, but who would really support the school. That's why I am asking people to not just take a spot if they really don't care about a charter school.

Do I really think there is anything I can do about parents taking (in my opinion) spots away from families who would really care for, nuture and support a school and the school's mission as written in its charter? No, of course not. Can I voice my opinion on DCUM? Yes, of course I can. As another poster wrote, charter schools can only be great if the PARENTS of the school stand behind it and support it to the best of their abilities.

You are missing a fundamental point, OP. Many (perhaps most) of those parents who don't really care about the specific charter of a school are not, as you so inelegantly put it, loking for free care. They may not give a fig for Hebrew immersion, but they care a great deal about providing their kids a quality elementary school education. In large swaths of the city, DCPS is not an option, so families who want a public education are compelled to go the charter route. And that means applying to any of the schools that are (or that they think may be) "good schools," regardless of whether they think it is the perfect charter of not. A family who doesn't go to sleep at nights dreaming of Hebrew immersion may very well apply to SELA because there is no limit on the number of charters to which they can apply, and because, at the end of the day, it's vastly preferable to an atrocious DCPS. If they really love the misson of another charter to which they are admitted, great - they'll go there. But if not, well, Hebrew immersion (or Chinese, or Spanish, or Expeditionary Learning, or year-round schedule, or whatever - this isn't specific to SELA) is certainly better than nothing.

In short, you've set up a false dichotomy to "prove" your point. If there were enough quality K slots in DCPS and DCPCS to satisfy everyone, you might have a point. But there aren't, so you're really just talking nonsense.

[Anonymous]

Thanks goodess for the PP. [phone]