Child's friend confessed family faked living in our good school cluster

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Report them. It's fraud to live in one county and pay taxes there but send your kids somewhere else.

And stop paying your super high property taxes until your county/district takes fraud seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one knows the whole story but the parents and (hopefully) the school administration. I have seen the following reasons for transfers.

Location - To go to a school cluster, parents have to show that they live there. They could be living as a homeowner, renting, or staying rent-free in a relative's house.

Care Giver -Many people also get transfers if they can show that a long standing care giver (family? friends?) etc. will continue to provide after/before school care, and lives close to the said school. They have to prove also why finding another caregiver will be a hardship.

Medical reason - People can get a transfer to another school if they can show that their child has a medical condition and that they must be in a school nearer to home, parents/caregiver work place, hospital.

Other hardship - parents have to prove that a hardship exists. It could be parents/family member health status, employment status, marital status etc.

For all the transfers, MCPS requires a LOT of documentation. I am sure this is true for other school district too. Let me be the devil's advocate here --
perhaps they have gamed the system but trust me their paper-work is in order - and your making a hue and cry will not help. The kid's confession can be construed as misunderstanding (also how do we know that the kid has been made aware of every situation at home!).

So, perhaps we all should take a "chill pill" and realize that we do not know the whole situation. Please also assume that school officials are not benevolent beings that will grant all transfer requests. They will make sure that every rule has been followed.

If some of these kids get into a magnet school - I think it is wonderful! What would you rather have - a problem child who transfers or a brilliant child?

OP - you sound like a very angry person. I recommend more physical exercise less bon-bons !!!

Your child's success in life should not depend on the failure of someone else's child.

I dunno. I know three families who have successfully gotten a COSA and don't fall into any of those categories. In fact, sending their kids to schools outside of the neighborhood seems to cause them more of a hardship! I think the process is bullshit and not that hard to do, assuming you aim for a school that isn't all that crowded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Growing up there was a car accident at lunch time with some 'local' kids. It winds up some of them actually were not local and parents could not be reached quickly.

The school district sent out notice to all students that they had a 2 week window to withdraw if they were not residents without consequences. After that 2 weeks, they would prosecute for back tuition.

More than 10% of the students were pulled. Can you imagine what your school could do if class size was small? Maybe they would need 1 less trailer?

It is your business when it impacts your children.

Totally believe that, it has gotten a lot of attention in our school as well. The health room reports most of it, when the child messes up and when parents can't be reached or are ID'd for pick up (of ill child).

[Anonymous]

I have visions of a bunch of fat old hens clucking about trying to make sure no one steals their corn.

Real life grown up tattle tales. And no, we aren't cheating the system. I just have better things to do than worry about where someone else's kids go to school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you sure they're breaking the rules? The boundaries don't always make sense, and they could be "driven in" because their parents prefer that to a long bus ride, or the student could very well be attending on a COSA.

(yes, MoCo has "far out" suburbs)

It seems like since you don't have all the facts, it's a total MYOB situation. Now, if your neighbor came to you bragging about how they specifically used their parents' address to get their kids into a different school, then you could report that because you know they are breaking the rules. But your kid telling you his/her friend lives further away? Not good enough evidence. Move on.

Report them, ask the school to investigate. If there is a valid reason that has been vetted well, that will be your answer. Looking the other way when you see people breaking the rules is never the right thing to do. I wouldn't waste another minute of rationalizing and asking silly What Ifs. Simply get someone of authority to look into it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have visions of a bunch of fat old hens clucking about trying to make sure no one steals their corn.

Real life grown up tattle tales. And no, we aren't cheating the system. I just have better things to do than worry about where someone else's kids go to school.

Ah "we aren't cheating the system" crowd of illegals here on our very own DCUM. What so you know!?! And they're so delusional and entitled they've already twisted up all the logic in their little heads. Damn those people and those people! They have more than me so I must cheat and break the law. And then bully them into keeping quiet.....

What's next? What other laws are you breaking? And what values do you intend to instill in your child? Will they be the ones cheating on every test? Lying for years and years?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do you think you can be honest with your own child and tell them that you reported their friend? It may have been that kid's parents wrongdoing that put the child at risked to get torn away from friends and kicked out of school but you pulled the trigger. You have no idea what the ripple effect will be for that child. Don't do it.

Wow, breaking the law might have consequences? Who knew!
How dare someone enforce the law....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have visions of a bunch of fat old hens clucking about trying to make sure no one steals their corn.

Real life grown up tattle tales. And no, we aren't cheating the system. I just have better things to do than worry about where someone else's kids go to school.

Ah "we aren't cheating the system" crowd of illegals here on our very own DCUM. What so you know!?! And they're so delusional and entitled they've already twisted up all the logic in their little heads. Damn those people and those people! They have more than me so I must cheat and break the law. And then bully them into keeping quiet.....

What's next? What other laws are you breaking? And what values do you intend to instill in your child? Will they be the ones cheating on every test? Lying for years and years?

You are out of your mind. First, we live in Fairfax County and our schools are fantastic. I don't have to worry about "cheating the system". Second, when we lived in D.C., my kids were young and in private preschools. Again, no worries about cheating the system. I just have little patience for witch hunts. If someone was flaunting the fact that they were cheating the system, I would feel differently. But to seek out people you believe "might be" breaking the rules based on what your child says he was told is just wrong, and frankly, a little creepy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should be reported. It's called fraud.

+1

There are rules in place for a reason. If you don't like the rules, change them. Make it so that any kid in the county can go to ANY school.

But, as long as there are rules in place, they need to be followed.

I am sure that you apply this to your own life as well, yes? For example, you never speed, and you always come to a complete stop at a stop sign, or before turning right on red?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I dunno. I know three families who have successfully gotten a COSA and don't fall into any of those categories. In fact, sending their kids to schools outside of the neighborhood seems to cause them more of a hardship! I think the process is bullshit and not that hard to do, assuming you aim for a school that isn't all that crowded.

Well - you really do not know what their story is except that they got a COSA. I have listed some categories, but there may be other valid reasons. Most people have to forgo MCPS provided transportation when they apply for transfers. Trust me, it is not an easy option for many people. Many people actually want a transfer to nearby schools and their assigned school may be too far away. In any case, as you mentioned if the school isn't all that crowded, having another kid come into the school should not be a problem.

[Anonymous]

I dunno. I know three families who have successfully gotten a COSA and don't fall into any of those categories. In fact, sending their kids to schools outside of the neighborhood seems to cause them more of a hardship! I think the process is bullshit and not that hard to do, assuming you aim for a school that isn't all that crowded.

Well, if the school is not crowded and the family is willing to drive aren't they helping not hurting the situation.

[Anonymous]

We would have no problem getting a COSA, instead we decided to go private. Nobody knows our hardship, it is none of your business. Why would you know or want to know everybody's business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Well, if the school is not crowded and the family is willing to drive aren't they helping not hurting the situation.

I agree 100%.

Also, what their situation and reason is that got them admitted to the school is between them and the school. It is no body else's business.

The amount MCPS spends on that child will remain the same. It will not change regardless of which school that child goes to.

[Anonymous]

Where you at, OP? Come on back! Whatcha gonna do about it?

[Anonymous]

Anchor baby, anchor address. No problemo en amerika.

Just tack-on another mobile classroom. Thanks again property tax payers!