Oyster vs. Ross

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's so goofy. They won't consider someone who also speaks English a Spanish speaker? Why don't they just do what they really want to do and ask whether the parents speak English well (and to my skeptical thinking, is low-income)? My kid was always verbal and is the best Spanish speaker in a dual language school at PS3 but also speaks good English for a 3 year old.

And what is the point of a bilingual school that cheers bilingualism at age 5 but won't accept it at age 4?

What are you talking about?!? This rant makes absolutely no sense.

The Oyster "Spanish-dominant" lottery should be about identifying kids with the ability to speak Spanish and it seems like they're tweaking it to not allow kids who also speak English to use that as the lottery of their choice, because it works. And I know I am being cynical but I am afraid they are doing it for social engineering purposes rather than simply identifying language abilities, as they are happy to have bilingual children after entry.

No, the real problem is that, in the past, savvy parents have successfully gamed the system. These parents don't speak a lick of English, however, they place their children in the care of bilingual schools or Spanish-speaking nannies, and then claim a seat from the Spanish dominant side of the lottery. Those kids aren't bringing much to the Oyster community except so-so Spanish skills. Trust me, at 4 years old, kids who have been in bilingual schools or have Span. speaking nannies (but come from exclusively English speaking homes), understand Spanish much better than they speak it. These kids are not offering any of the cultural benefits or broad Spanish vocabulary that kids who come from Spanish speaking homes bring to the table. They are simply stealing a space from a kid who truly offers those benefits. And once again, if your child's score is higher on the English test than the Spanish test, then clearly your child is English dominant.

Btw, I walk the walk. Our bilingual kid (from preschool) is IB for Oyster and we could have lied and gotten in on the Span. Dom side. As an IB family we are pretty much guaranteed a PK seat on the SD side. However, we know that was wrong (I.e., no rationalizing about our kids language abilities, etc). We were unsuccessful in the IB English-Dom PK lottery, so we waited our turn until our kid could enter Oyster in K--the honest way. Our son is thriving there and my conscience is clear.

And what "social engineering purposes" are you speaking about at Oyster?

My conscience is clear too. My nanny-raised bilingual child got a slot on the Span. Dom. Side and is do it again in a heartbeat. Kids raised here are all English dom. Unless straight off the boat.

You had a nanny raise your child but you still have a clear conscience? Based on that info, yes, your child probably was better off having that nanny as a mom over you.

In my culture the nanny is a part of the family, not some slave you abuse. The nanny is as much a part of my child's life as I, or my husband, or my parents are. Just because you don't have respect for that role and look at the nanny as merely a worker or a maid, doesn't mean that many people view their nannies as important as blood. My nanny has raised my children alongside my husband and I and I'm so proud and grateful of it. You're disgusting and a hater and definitely don't belong in a school that praises the Latin culture. You're a disgrace to that culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's so goofy. They won't consider someone who also speaks English a Spanish speaker? Why don't they just do what they really want to do and ask whether the parents speak English well (and to my skeptical thinking, is low-income)? My kid was always verbal and is the best Spanish speaker in a dual language school at PS3 but also speaks good English for a 3 year old.

And what is the point of a bilingual school that cheers bilingualism at age 5 but won't accept it at age 4?

What are you talking about?!? This rant makes absolutely no sense.

The Oyster "Spanish-dominant" lottery should be about identifying kids with the ability to speak Spanish and it seems like they're tweaking it to not allow kids who also speak English to use that as the lottery of their choice, because it works. And I know I am being cynical but I am afraid they are doing it for social engineering purposes rather than simply identifying language abilities, as they are happy to have bilingual children after entry.

No, the real problem is that, in the past, savvy parents have successfully gamed the system. These parents don't speak a lick of English, however, they place their children in the care of bilingual schools or Spanish-speaking nannies, and then claim a seat from the Spanish dominant side of the lottery. Those kids aren't bringing much to the Oyster community except so-so Spanish skills. Trust me, at 4 years old, kids who have been in bilingual schools or have Span. speaking nannies (but come from exclusively English speaking homes), understand Spanish much better than they speak it. These kids are not offering any of the cultural benefits or broad Spanish vocabulary that kids who come from Spanish speaking homes bring to the table. They are simply stealing a space from a kid who truly offers those benefits. And once again, if your child's score is higher on the English test than the Spanish test, then clearly your child is English dominant.

Btw, I walk the walk. Our bilingual kid (from preschool) is IB for Oyster and we could have lied and gotten in on the Span. Dom side. As an IB family we are pretty much guaranteed a PK seat on the SD side. However, we know that was wrong (I.e., no rationalizing about our kids language abilities, etc). We were unsuccessful in the IB English-Dom PK lottery, so we waited our turn until our kid could enter Oyster in K--the honest way. Our son is thriving there and my conscience is clear.

And what "social engineering purposes" are you speaking about at Oyster?

My conscience is clear too. My nanny-raised bilingual child got a slot on the Span. Dom. Side and is do it again in a heartbeat. Kids raised here are all English dom. Unless straight off the boat.

You had a nanny raise your child but you still have a clear conscience? Based on that info, yes, your child probably was better off having that nanny as a mom over you.

+1. I can already tell that this poor kid's moral values will be very weak with parental reasoning like this mother or father has displayed. "But...but we're all English dominant in this country. That's why it's ok to steal this PK seat at Oyster from the (intended) family that actually speaks Spanish at home. I mean everyone is doing it." Btw, I always make a mental note to keep my distance from OOB Oyster parents who entered in PK, but who clearly do not speak Spanish. Those are the kind of people who will cut your throat if they it would confer even a minor advantage to their kids. Thanks for the reminder pp.

You're a weirdo and doing the parents a favor to keep your distance. Get a hobby and stop obsessing over your kids school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:what is interesting and seems unsustainable about is that it is a tightly geographically bounded school on the one side, with a high-income mostly white population, and it used to have a geographically proximate Spanish I speaking population. Since that population has moved further away, Oyster has taken on an odd half-bilingual-magnet configuration but only for the side of the school the starts off Spanish speaking. For inbounds upper class parents the school is a right, for everyone else it's a couple of seats in a good school if your child speaks Spanish. And the dynamic of who get those Spanish reserved seats is competitive due to overall limited quality in the City.

Adams Morgan, Mt. Pleasant and Columbia Heights are all geographically proximate to Oyster (all less than 2 miles away). These also happen to be neighborhoods with large Spanish speaking populations (especially Mt.P and CH). Both Bancroft and Marie are over 60% Spanish speaking Hispanic, and MR is within easy walking distance of Oyster. Do you honestly believe that many of those parents would find it much more difficult to get their child to Oyster if offered a seat? Unfortunately, many of those available seats are being stolen by English speaking families. The solution is not to make Oyster a de facto charter school with lottery admission for all. Instead, the principal needs to ensure that the integrity of the SD lottery is preserved. Otherwise, Oyster will lose the demographic mixture that makes it so attractive to so many.

So if they are so close they can walk, why not put some areas wit spanish speakers inboundary? Seems like the luxury of being inboundary being reserved for only some folks as is currently set up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's so goofy. They won't consider someone who also speaks English a Spanish speaker? Why don't they just do what they really want to do and ask whether the parents speak English well (and to my skeptical thinking, is low-income)? My kid was always verbal and is the best Spanish speaker in a dual language school at PS3 but also speaks good English for a 3 year old.

And what is the point of a bilingual school that cheers bilingualism at age 5 but won't accept it at age 4?

What are you talking about?!? This rant makes absolutely no sense.

The Oyster "Spanish-dominant" lottery should be about identifying kids with the ability to speak Spanish and it seems like they're tweaking it to not allow kids who also speak English to use that as the lottery of their choice, because it works. And I know I am being cynical but I am afraid they are doing it for social engineering purposes rather than simply identifying language abilities, as they are happy to have bilingual children after entry.

No, the real problem is that, in the past, savvy parents have successfully gamed the system. These parents don't speak a lick of English, however, they place their children in the care of bilingual schools or Spanish-speaking nannies, and then claim a seat from the Spanish dominant side of the lottery. Those kids aren't bringing much to the Oyster community except so-so Spanish skills. Trust me, at 4 years old, kids who have been in bilingual schools or have Span. speaking nannies (but come from exclusively English speaking homes), understand Spanish much better than they speak it. These kids are not offering any of the cultural benefits or broad Spanish vocabulary that kids who come from Spanish speaking homes bring to the table. They are simply stealing a space from a kid who truly offers those benefits. And once again, if your child's score is higher on the English test than the Spanish test, then clearly your child is English dominant.

Btw, I walk the walk. Our bilingual kid (from preschool) is IB for Oyster and we could have lied and gotten in on the Span. Dom side. As an IB family we are pretty much guaranteed a PK seat on the SD side. However, we know that was wrong (I.e., no rationalizing about our kids language abilities, etc). We were unsuccessful in the IB English-Dom PK lottery, so we waited our turn until our kid could enter Oyster in K--the honest way. Our son is thriving there and my conscience is clear.

And what "social engineering purposes" are you speaking about at Oyster?

My conscience is clear too. My nanny-raised bilingual child got a slot on the Span. Dom. Side and is do it again in a heartbeat. Kids raised here are all English dom. Unless straight off the boat.

You had a nanny raise your child but you still have a clear conscience? Based on that info, yes, your child probably was better off having that nanny as a mom over you.

In my culture the nanny is a part of the family, not some slave you abuse. The nanny is as much a part of my child's life as I, or my husband, or my parents are. Just because you don't have respect for that role and look at the nanny as merely a worker or a maid, doesn't mean that many people view their nannies as important as blood. My nanny has raised my children alongside my husband and I and I'm so proud and grateful of it. You're disgusting and a hater and definitely don't belong in a school that praises the Latin culture. You're a disgrace to that culture.

Oh, so you paid for your "Latin culture" via the nanny. "But she's a part of our family". Is that the pathetic lie you tell yourself to justify your educational theft?

[Anonymous]

^^ You're a very sick and disturbed person. Please get help. The saddest part is you're probably a parent to an innocent child out there. May God bless him or her. I'm praying for you this Christmas.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's so goofy. They won't consider someone who also speaks English a Spanish speaker? Why don't they just do what they really want to do and ask whether the parents speak English well (and to my skeptical thinking, is low-income)? My kid was always verbal and is the best Spanish speaker in a dual language school at PS3 but also speaks good English for a 3 year old.

And what is the point of a bilingual school that cheers bilingualism at age 5 but won't accept it at age 4?

What are you talking about?!? This rant makes absolutely no sense.

The Oyster "Spanish-dominant" lottery should be about identifying kids with the ability to speak Spanish and it seems like they're tweaking it to not allow kids who also speak English to use that as the lottery of their choice, because it works. And I know I am being cynical but I am afraid they are doing it for social engineering purposes rather than simply identifying language abilities, as they are happy to have bilingual children after entry.

No, the real problem is that, in the past, savvy parents have successfully gamed the system. These parents don't speak a lick of English, however, they place their children in the care of bilingual schools or Spanish-speaking nannies, and then claim a seat from the Spanish dominant side of the lottery. Those kids aren't bringing much to the Oyster community except so-so Spanish skills. Trust me, at 4 years old, kids who have been in bilingual schools or have Span. speaking nannies (but come from exclusively English speaking homes), understand Spanish much better than they speak it. These kids are not offering any of the cultural benefits or broad Spanish vocabulary that kids who come from Spanish speaking homes bring to the table. They are simply stealing a space from a kid who truly offers those benefits. And once again, if your child's score is higher on the English test than the Spanish test, then clearly your child is English dominant.

Btw, I walk the walk. Our bilingual kid (from preschool) is IB for Oyster and we could have lied and gotten in on the Span. Dom side. As an IB family we are pretty much guaranteed a PK seat on the SD side. However, we know that was wrong (I.e., no rationalizing about our kids language abilities, etc). We were unsuccessful in the IB English-Dom PK lottery, so we waited our turn until our kid could enter Oyster in K--the honest way. Our son is thriving there and my conscience is clear.

And what "social engineering purposes" are you speaking about at Oyster?

My conscience is clear too. My nanny-raised bilingual child got a slot on the Span. Dom. Side and is do it again in a heartbeat. Kids raised here are all English dom. Unless straight off the boat.

You had a nanny raise your child but you still have a clear conscience? Based on that info, yes, your child probably was better off having that nanny as a mom over you.

+1. I can already tell that this poor kid's moral values will be very weak with parental reasoning like this mother or father has displayed. "But...but we're all English dominant in this country. That's why it's ok to steal this PK seat at Oyster from the (intended) family that actually speaks Spanish at home. I mean everyone is doing it." Btw, I always make a mental note to keep my distance from OOB Oyster parents who entered in PK, but who clearly do not speak Spanish. Those are the kind of people who will cut your throat if they it would confer even a minor advantage to their kids. Thanks for the reminder pp.

You're a weirdo and doing the parents a favor to keep your distance. Get a hobby and stop obsessing over your kids school.

Believe me, I'm doing myself a favor to keep my distance from the likes of morally bankrupt people like you. While I'm shopping around for new hobbies, you need to start looking for a conscience, you thief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ You're a very sick and disturbed person. Please get help. The saddest part is you're probably a parent to an innocent child out there. May God bless him or her. I'm praying for you this Christmas.

And you're the worst type of liar and thief: one who steals an education from an innocent child (most likely a poor immigrant child). So while you're praying for me...good bible-thumping Christian person, please send a few prayers up for your own thieving self.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's so goofy. They won't consider someone who also speaks English a Spanish speaker? Why don't they just do what they really want to do and ask whether the parents speak English well (and to my skeptical thinking, is low-income)? My kid was always verbal and is the best Spanish speaker in a dual language school at PS3 but also speaks good English for a 3 year old.

And what is the point of a bilingual school that cheers bilingualism at age 5 but won't accept it at age 4?

What are you talking about?!? This rant makes absolutely no sense.

The Oyster "Spanish-dominant" lottery should be about identifying kids with the ability to speak Spanish and it seems like they're tweaking it to not allow kids who also speak English to use that as the lottery of their choice, because it works. And I know I am being cynical but I am afraid they are doing it for social engineering purposes rather than simply identifying language abilities, as they are happy to have bilingual children after entry.

No, the real problem is that, in the past, savvy parents have successfully gamed the system. These parents don't speak a lick of English, however, they place their children in the care of bilingual schools or Spanish-speaking nannies, and then claim a seat from the Spanish dominant side of the lottery. Those kids aren't bringing much to the Oyster community except so-so Spanish skills. Trust me, at 4 years old, kids who have been in bilingual schools or have Span. speaking nannies (but come from exclusively English speaking homes), understand Spanish much better than they speak it. These kids are not offering any of the cultural benefits or broad Spanish vocabulary that kids who come from Spanish speaking homes bring to the table. They are simply stealing a space from a kid who truly offers those benefits. And once again, if your child's score is higher on the English test than the Spanish test, then clearly your child is English dominant.

Btw, I walk the walk. Our bilingual kid (from preschool) is IB for Oyster and we could have lied and gotten in on the Span. Dom side. As an IB family we are pretty much guaranteed a PK seat on the SD side. However, we know that was wrong (I.e., no rationalizing about our kids language abilities, etc). We were unsuccessful in the IB English-Dom PK lottery, so we waited our turn until our kid could enter Oyster in K--the honest way. Our son is thriving there and my conscience is clear.

And what "social engineering purposes" are you speaking about at Oyster?

My conscience is clear too. My nanny-raised bilingual child got a slot on the Span. Dom. Side and is do it again in a heartbeat. Kids raised here are all English dom. Unless straight off the boat.

You had a nanny raise your child but you still have a clear conscience? Based on that info, yes, your child probably was better off having that nanny as a mom over you.

+1. I can already tell that this poor kid's moral values will be very weak with parental reasoning like this mother or father has displayed. "But...but we're all English dominant in this country. That's why it's ok to steal this PK seat at Oyster from the (intended) family that actually speaks Spanish at home. I mean everyone is doing it." Btw, I always make a mental note to keep my distance from OOB Oyster parents who entered in PK, but who clearly do not speak Spanish. Those are the kind of people who will cut your throat if they it would confer even a minor advantage to their kids. Thanks for the reminder pp.

You're a weirdo and doing the parents a favor to keep your distance. Get a hobby and stop obsessing over your kids school.

Believe me, I'm doing myself a favor to keep my distance from the likes of morally bankrupt people like you. While I'm shopping around for new hobbies, you need to start looking for a conscience, you thief.

Podria sugerir a las dos personas manteniendo esta conversacion que quiza sea hora ya de encontrar un tono un poco mas constructivo? Hay muchos problemas en el mundo...pongamos lo que podamos para solucionarlos, no para empeorarlos.

[Anonymous]

Oyster has already lost its demographic mixture inbounds.

[Anonymous]

PP, you must be pretty lonely. Less than 40% of the 650+ kids are IB. No IB students are having their K-8 seats stolen.

PK is solely at the discretion of the principal and not a guarantee even for IB Spanish dominant Hispanics. Nobody took my kid's PK spot, because it wasn't "her" spot to begin with.

Bilingual education and living bilingually can be complicated. But if you keep an open mind and try not to get caught up in the telenovela boundaries, Oyster can be a great place. Not perfect, but mostly friendly and diverse.

[Anonymous]

Podria sugerir a las dos personas manteniendo esta conversacion que quiza sea hora ya de encontrar un tono un poco mas constructivo? Hay muchos problemas en el mundo...pongamos lo que podamos para solucionarlos, no para empeorarlos.

^^^gracias

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ You're a very sick and disturbed person. Please get help. The saddest part is you're probably a parent to an innocent child out there. May God bless him or her. I'm praying for you this Christmas.

And you're the worst type of liar and thief: one who steals an education from an innocent child (most likely a poor immigrant child). So while you're praying for me...good bible-thumping Christian person, please send a few prayers up for your own thieving self.

Why are you judging strangers? You don't sound like a very decent person and I hope you're not at Oyster. Your attitude is not in keeping with the Latin spirit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ You're a very sick and disturbed person. Please get help. The saddest part is you're probably a parent to an innocent child out there. May God bless him or her. I'm praying for you this Christmas.

And you're the worst type of liar and thief: one who steals an education from an innocent child (most likely a poor immigrant child). So while you're praying for me...good bible-thumping Christian person, please send a few prayers up for your own thieving self.

Why are you judging strangers? You don't sound like a very decent person and I hope you're not at Oyster. Your attitude is not in keeping with the Latin spirit.

NP—I cannot resist saying that you’re passing judgment on the pp person as not “very decent.” Oh, the irony.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP, you must be pretty lonely. Less than 40% of the 650+ kids are IB. No IB students are having their K-8 seats stolen.

PK is solely at the discretion of the principal and not a guarantee even for IB Spanish dominant Hispanics. Nobody took my kid's PK spot, because it wasn't "her" spot to begin with.

Bilingual education and living bilingually can be complicated. But if you keep an open mind and try not to get caught up in the telenovela boundaries, Oyster can be a great place. Not perfect, but mostly friendly and diverse.

PP, you must be confused and misinformed. I am an IB Oyster parent who participated in Oyster’s boundary working group earlier this year. Thus, I’m fairly knowledgeable about Oyster’s demographics and how the lottery works. So please allow me to educate you on a few basic facts about the school you claim your child attends.

The ED IB percentage at Oyster is 50% or higher in the lower grades (roughly K through 3rd/4th). The lower overall IB numbers are due solely to the high numbers of OOB kids in the upper grades. Quite a few of these OOB kids started IB, but later moved OOB (with permission to stay granted by the principal) because their parents usually want more condo/house for their money. Other families leave because acquiring Spanish remains a terrible struggle for their child. Finally, other kids move onto to Deal or private school (and they want to get an early start when it’s easier to get into privates).

PK is not, and hasn’t been in recent years (if ever) at the “discretion of the principal.” Where did you hear that lie? DCPS has and will continue to run a lottery for ALL of Oyster’s PK slots. The principal has absolutely NOTHING to do with who is selected in the initial lottery. The only discretion she has concerns the wait list. However, she is supposed to offer spots based on how the wait list is ordered by DCPS.

Off-hand, I can think of at least 4 or 5 families who gained admission to Oyster via the SD lottery, however, no Spanish is spoken in their home. Those children learned whatever Spanish they acquired from a nanny or preschool. I also know several native Spanish speaking families (born and raised in Latin America or Spain), where both parents speak Spanish at home, who were ultimately unsuccessful in the SD lottery. These are well-educated native speakers whose children attended a bilingual preschool along with my ED child. They have so much more culturally and linguistically to offer the Oyster community than the people who were admitted by falsely claiming SD. So yes, those families indeed had their kid’s seat stolen.

[Anonymous]

Saying someone is "doesn't sound very decent" is a far cry from calling a stranger on DCUM a Bible thumping thief, etc... The irony is you're not a NP. Oh, the sock puppets on DCUM!