When did GDS become so well regarded?

[Anonymous]

I grew up in the DC area in the 80s and 90s. I went to private school and GDS was always well-regarded by many. It may not have been thought of too highly in your social circles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:In the 80s and early 90s GDS was the school where liberal, Jewish intellectuals sent their kids. WASPY types never considered it because of that. Slowly I think folks started to realize that the kids were getting a great education there and what had been a mostly Jewish school (albeit very reform/progressive) started to change demographically. Also GDS had a reputation for being integrated early on and DC was a VERY segregated city so that probably held its reputation down in certain circles

H
Totally agree with this. All of the Jewish lawyers I know sent their kids there back then. Then, once it became known that kids got into Ivies...the more WASPY types thought it was ok.

I agree too. I also recall from colleagues in the early 90s that the perception was that GDS was starting to get non-hooked kids into Ivies and SLACs. I may be wrong because I didn't have kids then. I do have a 9th grader who just started in GDS upper school and I don't think this perception continues now.

Well, there is the moderately-sized asterisk that families who 1. seek to avoid any Christian theology-based school, no matter how "lite" and 2. want an excellent education will put GDS at the top of the list. That's still very much the case, based on my anecdata of atheist and observant Jewish good friends with kids at GDS. For some of these friends, even mandatory Quaker meeting for worship or non-denominational & Christian chapel requirements were too much. i.e., NCS, Sidwell, St. Andrews.

For this crew, the pool consists of GDS, Sheridan, Lowell, Burke, and a couple of other schools.

And Bullis. It's not the 1980s, the school is vastly different now. Also quite a lot of Jews sending their kids there.

Yes, Bullis has a large Jewish population. It’s becoming a prominent group at the school.

Yes, but my experience has been that culturally those two jewish populations are quite different.

[Anonymous]

Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

Wow.

[Anonymous]

If you don’t love GDS, you must be anti-Semitic.

[Anonymous]

I’m Jewish and the notion that tquestioning GDS’ inclusion in the fictitious and parent ego-driven notion of a “Big 3” makes me totally uncomfortable and wigged out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

So if you don’t like Sidwell, as most GDS boosters seem to bash Sidwell, does that make you anti-Quaker?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

So if you don’t like Sidwell, as most GDS boosters seem to bash Sidwell, does that make you anti-Quaker?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

So if you don’t like Sidwell, as most GDS boosters seem to bash Sidwell, does that make you anti-Quaker?

You realize that Sidwell, STA, and NCS all refused to accept Jewish students (and African American students, for that matter--but not the children of high-ranking African and ME diplomats, from what I understand) for years after GDS was founded? I fail to understand how such schools defended their discrimination against children based upon religion and/or race and still proudly identified as Christian/Quaker?

Yes, those policies have changed, but as were are discussing the historical trends of these schools, please don't forget the ugly past in which these schools were actively complicit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

So if you don’t like Sidwell, as most GDS boosters seem to bash Sidwell, does that make you anti-Quaker?

You realize that Sidwell, STA, and NCS all refused to accept Jewish students (and African American students, for that matter--but not the children of high-ranking African and ME diplomats, from what I understand) for years after GDS was founded? I fail to understand how such schools defended their discrimination against children based upon religion and/or race and still proudly identified as Christian/Quaker?

Yes, those policies have changed, but as were are discussing the historical trends of these schools, please don't forget the ugly past in which these schools were actively complicit.

Excellent points of history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

So if you don’t like Sidwell, as most GDS boosters seem to bash Sidwell, does that make you anti-Quaker?

You realize that Sidwell, STA, and NCS all refused to accept Jewish students (and African American students, for that matter--but not the children of high-ranking African and ME diplomats, from what I understand) for years after GDS was founded? I fail to understand how such schools defended their discrimination against children based upon religion and/or race and still proudly identified as Christian/Quaker?

Yes, those policies have changed, but as were are discussing the historical trends of these schools, please don't forget the ugly past in which these schools were actively complicit.

In the "ugly past" such discrimination was the norm in all types of organizations, both public and private. To suggest that is relevant to attitudes at those schools today is offensive.

[Anonymous]

To accuse everyone who isn't a fan of GDS of antisemitism is dangerous and irresponsible. Throwing that accusation recklessly in this manner minimizes the true seriousness and prevalence of prejudice against the Jewish people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

Ah...so GDS is for the elite Jews. Where, pray tell, do the non-elite Jews go to school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

So if you don’t like Sidwell, as most GDS boosters seem to bash Sidwell, does that make you anti-Quaker?

You realize that Sidwell, STA, and NCS all refused to accept Jewish students (and African American students, for that matter--but not the children of high-ranking African and ME diplomats, from what I understand) for years after GDS was founded? I fail to understand how such schools defended their discrimination against children based upon religion and/or race and still proudly identified as Christian/Quaker?

Yes, those policies have changed, but as were are discussing the historical trends of these schools, please don't forget the ugly past in which these schools were actively complicit.

In the "ugly past" such discrimination was the norm in all types of organizations, both public and private. To suggest that is relevant to attitudes at those schools today is offensive.

Well, it wasn't the norm for ALL institutions, clearly, since there was at least one school that did not discriminate against Jews or African Americans. Also, please read the post--"these policies have changed." Would you rather just forget the past? Confronting the past is not offensive, it is a stark look at history. If you find true statements about our history "offensive," I take it you cannot empathize with the many Jews and African American for whom the "offensive" past is still indeed relevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone in the 80s and 90s who thought poorly of GDS was a bigot. The school has always provided a top notch education and the biggest issue that folks had with it was and is the Jewish population. It’s not a surprise that they always sent a bunch of kids to Ivy. That is common amongst the Jewish elite. Most of the criticisms leveled at the school have an undercurrent of anti Semitism.

So if you don’t like Sidwell, as most GDS boosters seem to bash Sidwell, does that make you anti-Quaker?

You realize that Sidwell, STA, and NCS all refused to accept Jewish students (and African American students, for that matter--but not the children of high-ranking African and ME diplomats, from what I understand) for years after GDS was founded? I fail to understand how such schools defended their discrimination against children based upon religion and/or race and still proudly identified as Christian/Quaker?

Yes, those policies have changed, but as were are discussing the historical trends of these schools, please don't forget the ugly past in which these schools were actively complicit.

In the "ugly past" such discrimination was the norm in all types of organizations, both public and private. To suggest that is relevant to attitudes at those schools today is offensive.

NP, the immediate PP made no such statement. Your obvious defensiveness is causing you to project something that isn't there.

It is more offensive to suggest that history has no bearing on the present. Of course it does. While both Sidwell and the Cathedral schools have evolved, that does not, cannot, and should not eradicate their history.

As a Christian, I can acknowledge that Christian churches -- Protestant and Catholic alike -- have supported and been part of horrific atrocities. At the risk of quoting George Santayana, which I won't, ahistoricity enables future wrongdoing. Sidwell and the Cathedral schools have participated in advancing white Christian privilege. The fact that everyone else was doing it is not exculpatory.