What's up with the rumbles at Wilson?

[Anonymous]

Why are the teenagers rumbling in Tenleytown after school? Such a black eye to all the great kids who go there and hang out peaceably. Loud foul language reported at bus stops, and so far this year two (?) gang fights in school and on corner? Any plans from the school, Chancellor, police, Councilmember, ANC to nip this??

[Anonymous]

my son was not accepted OOB to HAM. Best thing that ever happened.

[Anonymous]

to PP 20:08

What's HAM and why?

[Anonymous]

Humanities, arts, media. Something like that.

[Anonymous]

I go swimming at Wilson 4 days a week (but don't have a kid there). LOTS of DC police milling about the general Wilson area these days, on 41st, Brandywine, Albemarle.

[Anonymous]

That is b/cause there have (supposedly) been two gang-related tussles so far this year: one in the cafeteria, and one on Tenley corner after school. This is not good, and all the authorities listed above need to put their heads together and take action, before this becomes a shoot it out corner like Columbia Heights . BTW, I know a person who was a bystander shot by gang teens in Columbia Heights, before I am accused of besmirching an otherwise entirely pleasant neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

Wilson has a lot of improving to do.

[Anonymous]

I would think the loss of the security subcontractor for the schools didn't help. It was in the post this morning.

[Anonymous]

Not to hijack this thread but 8:43 was this incident reported in the press? I ask because I'm trying to figure out how safe the neighborhood is. I might move there with a child. I've read what's been covered but wonder how many smaller incidents involving guns there've been in the past year or so.

As for Wilson, have these recent rumbles been in the news?

[Anonymous]

Yes, they have been in the news/but obliquely. Check out Principal hospitalization below--cafeteria gang fight mentioned in parent comments. This past week, Tenleytown was covered with police for something that happened as the children were getting out of school/milling about metro. They do not involve guns as far as I know, but they do involve gangs seeking out a few kids at Wilson apparently (by and large, a nice student population though they could shape up their vulgar, teeny behavior at the bus stop/but I was a teen too once and I know what it is like when you are standing in a group of friends). These incidents should not stop you from moving to Tenleytown (very safe, geeze.) but do point to a pattern at Wilson that needs to be nipped. It should cause residents of Tenleytown to demands investigation, school policy enactments, and community policing. Unfortunately the ACLU cries and screams about any kind of gang-reduction policies, even when a community wants them (targeting kids wearing certain colors etc.). In the end, the ACLU is only hurting the children sucked into this unspeakably base world of gangs, and the greater community. If you live in Ward 3 or your children attend Wilson, contact Councilmember Mary Cheh and demand action.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dc/2009/08/woodrow_wilson_principal_hospi.html

[Anonymous]

If you were asking about Columbia Heights -- yes--I consider the neighborhood still randomly dangerous. There is more gang activity than you can shake a stick at, lots of petty crime, and the chance of being an innocent bystander affected by someone's beef. Lots of young professionals love it there as it gentrifies. I personally worked there for many years, and would not move there to make a better life for me/my child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you were asking about Columbia Heights -- yes--I consider the neighborhood still randomly dangerous. There is more gang activity than you can shake a stick at, lots of petty crime, and the chance of being an innocent bystander affected by someone's beef. Lots of young professionals love it there as it gentrifies. I personally worked there for many years, and would not move there to make a better life for me/my child.

DD saw van of cops arrive to monitor Wilson dismissal. Young pros like Adams morgan - more like Ballston and Gtown. Other locals are less desired but cheaper. I66 is packed with the fri-sat night migration to Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Thanks I was asking about Columbia Heights. It feels very intense there these days. I am also considering Wilson for my child for the 2011-2012 school year so there's time but I thought things had quieted down. I thought the police presence in Tenleytown was for truants, since Deal and Wilson have school skippers. Ha. I am naive.

[Anonymous]

The people who used to move to Adams Morgan (back when it was considered shaky - 10 to 15 years ago) would now move to Columbia Heights. They wouldn't move to Ballston. There's still a big difference between 20 somethings who want to live in the city and 20 somethings who want to live in the suburbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The people who used to move to Adams Morgan (back when it was considered shaky - 10 to 15 years ago) would now move to Columbia Heights. They wouldn't move to Ballston. There's still a big difference between 20 somethings who want to live in the city and 20 somethings who want to live in the suburbs.

Agreed. BTW, Adams Morgan is full of families now.