Middle Schools for Cap Hill

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

[Anonymous]

I very much appreciate this thoughtful, well-written post, PP.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://twitter.com/WeedonAmy/status/1523766022020698113

https://twitter.com/christineclapp/status/1510316803423096834

https://twitter.com/HeatherSchoell

Yeah, ok. But there is a reason these three are busy tweeting about their kid’s school choices. Seriously how many of us tweet out our kid’s school name and activities constantly. And pretty much no one else at Eastern doing that. Check the tags🙄

There’s an agenda/identity thing going on. If they were just casually sending their kid to school we wouldn’t be hearing about it on twitter.

I am a little late to this thread, and may be speaking into the void here, but I wanted to offer a different perspective. There are great programs and good things happening at a lot of schools across the city - in addition to the few select schools that are always mentioned on DCUM. As we know from this website, many people make decisions and assumptions about schools without actually knowing anybody at the school, and without any firsthand experience. What some may view as over-sharing may also be an effort to share their experience so people can make more informed decisions and avoid stereotypes/assumptions about schools.

Please go ahead and tell us specifically which schools have great programs and good things happening. And please do explain why the middle school test scores are so low, and why so many people who give Jefferson and Eliot-Hine a try in 6th grade do not stick around for 7th.

So many? If you're going to make an assertion like this, I assume you have some statistics. What percentage of students who attend sixth grade at Eliot-Hine and Jefferson do not return for seventh grade? And how does that percentage compare to that other schools?

NP. The thing is, hard info about high SES/in-boundary Jefferson and Eliot-Hine isn't available. DCPS doesn't publish it. You can ask around if you know Maury and Brent families who've tried the middle schools to get rough estimates but that's about it. But the in-boundary UMC parents who enroll at these schools are pretty ideological, constantly spinning positive no matter what the story is. I admire their fighting spirit, but never really know what to think about their take on the schools. Fact is, the great majority of UMC Hill families still vote with their feet out of DCPS after 4th or 5th grade.

The Maury families going to E-H are not spinning/ideological. I am still gathering info but I think they are largely motivated by wanting to send their kids to the school down the road, keeping friends together, the new building, and a supportive principal. None of that means I’ll send my kid there but it is not ideological to want to have your kid walk to MS from home ….

I'm swayed by this argument for avoiding DCI (multi-leg, hour-long commute by public transportation). Not swayed for EH, SH or JA when the commute to BASIS is 20 mins by bus or Metro. The IB Ward 6 middle-school parents are spinning/ideological as a group, driven by their politics as much as anything else. I don't blame them but tire of the disingenuous arguments about what drives them. We got sick of them in ES and don't want to be around them for MS. We're hardly alone on that score.

I'm not sure what this argument is about. If people are staying because they didn't get a lottery spot they liked, they're staying. The "staying" isn't somehow diminished by the fact that they didn't get into Latin ... there's always another option out there somewhere; none of us would be here if we won the lottery. There's nothing disingenous about it. But sure if you're "sick of them" and want to move to the burbs, go ahead!

Uh … it does matter. Because for every couple people who stay, others choose private school or moving. An in-bound school should not be a place of last resort, particularly given the wealth of the neighborhood. It’s ridiculous that DCPS can’t get its act together to get middle and upper middle class families to choose a school they can WALK to, vs driving/putting their kids on public transit to a far away school.

It’s very telling to me that Black middle class and UMC families are a “hell no” when it comes to Hill middle schools.

Sorry to rain on your parade, but it's clearly not the "last resort." I guess it annoys you that what you think should happen, is actually happening? People are sending their kids there, and are fine with it. There are basically no UMC Black families on the Hill anyway, but likely plenty of black MC class families at Eliot-Hine.

Please. The middle schools on the Hill are go folks with no options. Nobody is lotterying into Latin and saying “gee I think I’ll send my kid to Elliot-Hine.”

Granted, but there are a few 4th grade parents around here these days who aren't trying to lottery in to charters and don't plan to go private either. Apparently, they've planned to go with a Hill MS all along.

We knew a family who said that. Guess what? They're headed to BASIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

It's also insulting to think that every parent values what you value PP? There are a lot of parents who believe their kids will get the best education by attending a struggling school. The assumptions that kids need supplementation, that they will simply coast on privilege, or even that everyone is similarly situated are all wrong. Some people just prefer these schools for their kids, just like they prefer living on the Hill rather than in NW or the burbs. Posts like yours insinuate that people live here because they can't live in a better place, and that's insulting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

+1. You only get to educate your kids once. That is the crying shame of the decades of DCPS dysfunction—generations of lost opportunity. Quality education matters. Deeply. Look where we are as a nation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

+1. You only get to educate your kids once. That is the crying shame of the decades of DCPS dysfunction—generations of lost opportunity. Quality education matters. Deeply. Look where we are as a nation

or you could look at DCPS and see uneven progress with persistent inequity, failure with neediest kids, and atrophy of engaged families who want more but don't feel the system is at all responsive to their needs. DCPS has been in a state of regression throughout the pandemic and is not adequately retaining effective teachers across the board. The Chancellor has been a colossal failure

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

It's also insulting to think that every parent values what you value PP? There are a lot of parents who believe their kids will get the best education by attending a struggling school. The assumptions that kids need supplementation, that they will simply coast on privilege, or even that everyone is similarly situated are all wrong. Some people just prefer these schools for their kids, just like they prefer living on the Hill rather than in NW or the burbs. Posts like yours insinuate that people live here because they can't live in a better place, and that's insulting.

?

Nowhere in my post did I insinuate that people live on the Hill because they can't live in a "better place." At all. Nor did I say everyone is similarly situations or shares my values -- the opposite actually. I didn't even tell you what my values are, I was more trying to provide some examples of why someone might choose not to send their kid to their IB MS on the Hill that you might not have considered.

My experience with this debate is that people who are militant that we should all be sending our kids IB tend to believe that all the other families on the Hill are just like them. I've had this conversation a dozen times. We are at a Hill DCPS and love it, but will almost definitely be heading elsewhere for MS. I don't advertise this but I don't hide it either -- when people talk about MS I just plainly state we will be using the lottery and likely headed elsewhere. I think this is better than pretending we are excited to stay IB, because we aren't. I don't want to be one of those families that claims we are committed to staying IB for MS only to quietly go elsewhere -- I have seen this happen with other cohorts and people feel betrayed. So I choose to be honest.

And that is often when we get a hard sell on the IB MS. But what people don't understand is that I have no opinion on what they choose regarding MS for their own kids. Or no judgment, rather. If they go to the IB MS, I will congratulate them on investing in the neighborhood school, choosing a commute that works for their family, and going with what makes sense for them. If they go to a charter, I'll understand (as this is what we will likely do). If they move, I'll understand that too. I'm not imposing my values on anyone. Do what is best for your family and consistent with your values. I support you in that.

And I will do the same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

Curious that you’d throw around the accusation of “privilege” when your supposed solution (moving or going private) is even more privileged.

Believe it or not I want to send my kid IB because I like the neighborhood, don’t want to move, and would like to keep them with friends. It is actually a pretty basic and normal thing people do everywhere with no ulterior motive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

Curious that you’d throw around the accusation of “privilege” when your supposed solution (moving or going private) is even more privileged.

Believe it or not I want to send my kid IB because I like the neighborhood, don’t want to move, and would like to keep them with friends. It is actually a pretty basic and normal thing people do everywhere with no ulterior motive.

(and if you read the thread I don’t believe anyone insulted you. You’re projecting.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

Curious that you’d throw around the accusation of “privilege” when your supposed solution (moving or going private) is even more privileged.

Believe it or not I want to send my kid IB because I like the neighborhood, don’t want to move, and would like to keep them with friends. It is actually a pretty basic and normal thing people do everywhere with no ulterior motive.

We went to a charter because we wanted to keep our kid with his friends. It was actually sad to see how everyone left our IB for 5th grade. There were only 2 people that he knew in our IB's 5th grade this year, and he'd been at the school since PK4.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

Curious that you’d throw around the accusation of “privilege” when your supposed solution (moving or going private) is even more privileged.

Believe it or not I want to send my kid IB because I like the neighborhood, don’t want to move, and would like to keep them with friends. It is actually a pretty basic and normal thing people do everywhere with no ulterior motive.

We went to a charter because we wanted to keep our kid with his friends. It was actually sad to see how everyone left our IB for 5th grade. There were only 2 people that he knew in our IB's 5th grade this year, and he'd been at the school since PK4.

And that situation is changing on the Hill, somewhat!

What's confusing about this perpetual argument is how some people seem to think that other peoples' choice in an indictment of them, or some kind of attempt to make an irrefutable proof about something or other. Yes, there are schools where very very few of the kids go to the IB MS. Yes there are schools where an increasing number of kids are going to the IB MS. Yes there are kids who won't do well at the IB MS. Yes there are some who will do fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

+1. You only get to educate your kids once. That is the crying shame of the decades of DCPS dysfunction—generations of lost opportunity. Quality education matters. Deeply. Look where we are as a nation

or you could look at DCPS and see uneven progress with persistent inequity, failure with neediest kids, and atrophy of engaged families who want more but don't feel the system is at all responsive to their needs. DCPS has been in a state of regression throughout the pandemic and is not adequately retaining effective teachers across the board. The Chancellor has been a colossal failure

I was struck by this phrase when I read your post. I know that is a commonly held belief, but I wonder whether it is really true? Failure as compared to what? Against what measure or baseline? Why do we assume the baseline for every kid is a 4 on PARCC or graduating from HS? What if our efforts with the neediest haven't been a failure? What if the lack of wraparound city services needed to truly service those kids makes getting them beyond where they are virtually impossible? At what point are we focusing resources too intently on those kids and not enough on the PARCC 3 kids who we could get to a 4 or 5, but for our outsized focus on the "neediest"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

+1. You only get to educate your kids once. That is the crying shame of the decades of DCPS dysfunction—generations of lost opportunity. Quality education matters. Deeply. Look where we are as a nation

or you could look at DCPS and see uneven progress with persistent inequity, failure with neediest kids, and atrophy of engaged families who want more but don't feel the system is at all responsive to their needs. DCPS has been in a state of regression throughout the pandemic and is not adequately retaining effective teachers across the board. The Chancellor has been a colossal failure

I was struck by this phrase when I read your post. I know that is a commonly held belief, but I wonder whether it is really true? Failure as compared to what? Against what measure or baseline? Why do we assume the baseline for every kid is a 4 on PARCC or graduating from HS? What if our efforts with the neediest haven't been a failure? What if the lack of wraparound city services needed to truly service those kids makes getting them beyond where they are virtually impossible? At what point are we focusing resources too intently on those kids and not enough on the PARCC 3 kids who we could get to a 4 or 5, but for our outsized focus on the "neediest"?

It's a lot to unpack, but the DCPS schools in Wards 7 and 8 are not comparable to the successful schools in Wards 3, 4, 6. PARCC is the least of the problems. The neediest deserve a public education too. No one should be written off. It's only one of the many failures of this school system

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

Curious that you’d throw around the accusation of “privilege” when your supposed solution (moving or going private) is even more privileged.

Believe it or not I want to send my kid IB because I like the neighborhood, don’t want to move, and would like to keep them with friends. It is actually a pretty basic and normal thing people do everywhere with no ulterior motive.

But see this is an example of assuming everyone is in your same situation, or that you understand the financial situation of everyone else. For many people on the Hill, moving out of DC would cost less money. Certainly true for anyone who is renting, provided they could move somewhere that enabled their commute. Unless you are wealthy or acquired your house more than 1-15 years ago, there are many DC suburbs with more appealing MS options that are likely less expensive than living on the Hill. There are people who sacrifice family vacations and retirement savings to send their kids to parochial schools because they believe the environment will be better for their kids. And charters don't cost anything beyond the cost of commute, which could easily be worth it to even a working class family who worries about the opportunities at the IB school.

I agree sending your kid to your IB school for the reasons you state is basic and normal. All I am saying is that there are people who make other choices for other "basic and normal" reasons, and then get yelled at. No one is attacking you for attending your IB school. They are just saying that maybe it isn't for them. You are the one getting angry at people for their choices. I'm saying all choices are valid, and you keep hearing "I don't like your choice." Ask yourself why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Everybody doesn't care for the way you IB parents are lending a hand. Boycotts have their uses.

So we should boycott the school we think has a good chance of working for our kid, because you don’t think it works for your kid? makes a lot of sense.

DP but no, no one is saying don't send your kid to your IB if that's what you want. People are specifically reacting to the attitude that choosing not to attend the IB is some kind of betrayal. It's not. It's a practical choice to give your kid the education and environment they need.

And I think a lot of people are also pointing out the inherent privilege of certain parents insisting that the IB school is good enough because they have resources that will ensure their kid is never really in danger of missing out on opportunities by attending a struggling IB school. That privilege might take the form of being wealthy enough to afford to supplement and support your kid outside of school so they don't fall behind academically, having kids without SNs that might require a different school environment, being white, or being firmly ensconced in the UMC versus maybe being the first generation of your family to attend college or have a professional career and feeling more a more tenuous hold on future opportunities for your child. Criticizing people for going to charters, moving, or attending private schools as being part of the problem often ignores these privileges and assumes that every family IB for SH, EH, or JA is similarly sitauted. We aren't. Some of us rightfully worry more about how going to a MS where many kids test below grade level and behavioral issues are common might impact our child's chances of going to college or getting the education they need to do well as an adult. The refusal to even acknowledge that is really insulting.

Curious that you’d throw around the accusation of “privilege” when your supposed solution (moving or going private) is even more privileged.

Believe it or not I want to send my kid IB because I like the neighborhood, don’t want to move, and would like to keep them with friends. It is actually a pretty basic and normal thing people do everywhere with no ulterior motive.

(and if you read the thread I don’t believe anyone insulted you. You’re projecting.)

I didn't say someone insulted me. I said that the refusal to acknowledge I (or other families) might have a valid reason for choosing to attend a school other than our IB MS is insulting. Because it assumes that the only possible option is the one you have chosen, and that no one could possibly have a different situation that requires a different solution. That IS insulting. You are not me. You cannot know what who would do in my position.