Ludlow-Taylor getting a new a new Principal

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ I happen to believe people should do the jobs try are paid for competently, without needing help from others. If they cannot do that, it means they are not doing a good job. Feel free to disagree - I am just stating my position, not burning to convert you.

I moved somewhere with good schools because I don't view t as my job to improve a school. You are equally free to live where you want and to work on improving a school if you so desire. Freedom of choice is wonderful. DCPS beaurocracy is not.

I hate to break it to you, but educating your kids is YOUR job too. Schools don't provide everything, even the best ones. This notion that a school should be a panacea reflects some really questionable parenting

I educate my kids through supplementals (music lessons, trying to instill love of reading, discussing history, helping with homework, getting tutors if necessary). It is not my job to be the one teaching basic curriculum because the school cannot as the other kids in class cannot read in middle school, or making sure discipline is maintained in school otherwise there would be brawls in hallways. If it was, I'd homeschool.

But I don't think anyone here is arguing (at least, not credibly) that LT isn't teaching basic curriculum effectively -- people are complaining because there's no chess club, or because they can't kick back and relax at fundraising galas.

I actually think L-T gets a somewhat unfair rep at DCUM (as opposed to a lot of truly horrible DCPS schools nobody talks about much). It’s clearly teaching its target audience – disadvantaged OOB kids – well, if the DC-CAS scores are anything to go by. It’s not a neighborhood school and does not reflect neighborhood demographics, but that’s another issue entirely. I am just puzzled by all the posters in this thread who either think that if you want a good school you must work hard to make a school that is not to your liking into one that is or, alternatively, think that people should be OK with sending their children to a school the parents don’t like (however irrational the reason for the dislike may be). I happen to think that if you can afford it (and many posters clearly can), you should stop beating your head against a rock and move somewhere where the schools are fine “as is” and you don’t need to either work hard to fix them to your liking or seethe impotently.

But then those parents would have to give up their awesome life on the Hill and their short commutes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not buying it, and neither are you unless you enroll a white kid at elite, test-in Banneker.

Banneker's avergage SAT scores hover around the national averages for reading and math, and have for many years. Their average AP scores aren't any better.

Hint: the DC standardized tests are easy for most upper middle-income kids. I know families whose kids were rejected by Johns Hopkins CTY middle school programs (they take half the applicants) yet scored 95%+ on every CAS they took in MS, as well as the 10th grade test.

White families don't enroll their children at Banneker because they don't feel comfortable there. That's my point. And that's understandable. But what is not acceptable to me is to discount the work that the students at this school have achieved. Many Banneker kids had to overcome mountains to get there and go on to college. And the teachers and administration at Banneker helped them do it. That's why the school is consistently ranked as one of the top high schools in the nation. The majority of Banneker kids don't have the resources to pay for insanely priced SAT/ACT prep courses or hire a tutor for that matter. They do it on their own. How would some of you have done on the SATs and ACT without a prep course? So I'm not buying your drivel either.

[Anonymous]

Parents don't feel comfortable at Banneker both because the school isn't diverse, or all that great. Like L-T.

In 2014, students can of course take advantage of serious SAT and ACT prep on-line, including through Khan Academy (which has a new contract with Educational Testing Services to provide it). Moreover, almost every DC public library has a shelf of SAT prep books.

I never took an SAT prep class, or attended a high-powered high school (public or private). We didn't even have a TV or computer. But I scored in the 1400s when there were still two sections, mainly because the test isn't very hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents don't feel comfortable at Banneker both because the school isn't diverse, or all that great. Like L-T.

In 2014, students can of course take advantage of serious SAT and ACT prep on-line, including through Khan Academy (which has a new contract with Educational Testing Services to provide it). Moreover, almost every DC public library has a shelf of SAT prep books.

I never took an SAT prep class, or attended a high-powered high school (public or private). We didn't even have a TV or computer. But I scored in the 1400s when there were still two sections, mainly because the test isn't very hard.

Aren't you just extra special!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ I happen to believe people should do the jobs try are paid for competently, without needing help from others. If they cannot do that, it means they are not doing a good job. Feel free to disagree - I am just stating my position, not burning to convert you.

I moved somewhere with good schools because I don't view t as my job to improve a school. You are equally free to live where you want and to work on improving a school if you so desire. Freedom of choice is wonderful. DCPS beaurocracy is not.

I hate to break it to you, but educating your kids is YOUR job too. Schools don't provide everything, even the best ones. This notion that a school should be a panacea reflects some really questionable parenting

Yes, different poster here, but I think the point is that this poster, as well as myself, would prefer to spend my valuable time educating my children in our own way instead of improving a struggling school.

two are not related whatsoever, nor are they mutually exclusive. if you think your child's education is entirely on the school you are wrong.

Um no, clearly my point was neither of the above. What is limited is my TIME. How I choose to spend my time is my choice, and I choose not to spend it on a low-SES school that desperately needs my time, my income, my intelligence, my effort. Outta luck on this one!

We'll put you down in the "seethe impotently" column, then!

no need- we are no longer part of the neighborhood!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not buying it, and neither are you unless you enroll a white kid at elite, test-in Banneker.

Banneker's avergage SAT scores hover around the national averages for reading and math, and have for many years. Their average AP scores aren't any better.

Hint: the DC standardized tests are easy for most upper middle-income kids. I know families whose kids were rejected by Johns Hopkins CTY middle school programs (they take half the applicants) yet scored 95%+ on every CAS they took in MS, as well as the 10th grade test.

White families don't enroll their children at Banneker because they don't feel comfortable there. That's my point. And that's understandable. But what is not acceptable to me is to discount the work that the students at this school have achieved. Many Banneker kids had to overcome mountains to get there and go on to college. And the teachers and administration at Banneker helped them do it. That's why the school is consistently ranked as one of the top high schools in the nation. The majority of Banneker kids don't have the resources to pay for insanely priced SAT/ACT prep courses or hire a tutor for that matter. They do it on their own. How would some of you have done on the SATs and ACT without a prep course? So I'm not buying your drivel either.

Thanks for saying this. White families don't even look at Banneker - which is part of the problem. I don't have a problem when people investigate the school and apply and then decide it's not for them. But I suspect a lot of DCUMers have made up their minds about Banneker without really knowing a lot about it.

[Anonymous]

What more is there to know about Banneker? Decent school, 90% AA, 10% Latino, doesn't knock itself out to attract whites or Asians, middling test scores beyond the easy DC-CAS. The farther up the chain you go, the bigger the high SES/white-low SES AA achievement gap is, no matter academics are provided.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What more is there to know about Banneker? Decent school, 90% AA, 10% Latino, doesn't knock itself out to attract whites or Asians, middling test scores beyond the easy DC-CAS. The farther up the chain you go, the bigger the high SES/white-low SES AA achievement gap is, no matter academics are provided.

I have visited the school and talked to faculty, staff, and students. That's what more there is to know about Banneker.

[Anonymous]

Yes, if you're AA. Whatever its merits, Banneker is a throwback to a different age. Sort of like LT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes, if you're AA. Whatever its merits, Banneker is a throwback to a different age. Sort of like LT.

Can you explain what that means? I am not sarcastic, just not getting it.

[Anonymous]

I am stating the obvious is mentioning that DC was replete with segregated schools half a century ago. Still is. In fact, one of the several flagship "competitive" high schools remains almost completely segregated. Give me an example of another elite, urban, test-in HS in this country where almost the entire study body is AA and Latino and I'll revise my statement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am stating the obvious is mentioning that DC was replete with segregated schools half a century ago. Still is. In fact, one of the several flagship "competitive" high schools remains almost completely segregated. Give me an example of another elite, urban, test-in HS in this country where almost the entire study body is AA and Latino and I'll revise my statement.

But Banneker doesn't keep white people out. White families just choose not to even apply.

[Anonymous]

How many white kids graduate from DCPS middle schools other than Deal? As long as Wilson is considered good, and almost no white kids graduate from DCPS middle schools other than Deal (and Hardy, and OA, all of which feed Wilson) which white kids would logically go to Banneker? Charter middle school grads?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many white kids graduate from DCPS middle schools other than Deal? As long as Wilson is considered good, and almost no white kids graduate from DCPS middle schools other than Deal (and Hardy, and OA, all of which feed Wilson) which white kids would logically go to Banneker? Charter middle school grads?

Banneker's just another magnet high school. White kids go to Walls and Ellington, both magnet schools. Why wouldn't they apply to Banneker, another magnet school? When my white kid was in 8th grade, she applied to all three along with the magnet programs at Wilson.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many white kids graduate from DCPS middle schools other than Deal? As long as Wilson is considered good, and almost no white kids graduate from DCPS middle schools other than Deal (and Hardy, and OA, all of which feed Wilson) which white kids would logically go to Banneker? Charter middle school grads?

Banneker's just another magnet high school. White kids go to Walls and Ellington, both magnet schools. Why wouldn't they apply to Banneker, another magnet school? When my white kid was in 8th grade, she applied to all three along with the magnet programs at Wilson.

Isnt Ellington an arts school that has programs Wilson does not have? Is not walls also unique? Does Banneker have programs Wilson does not have?