What do you think about a Japanese Immersion Public Charter in Ward 7?

[Anonymous]

According to the DC Asian Pacific Islander office, Japanese comprise almost six percent of DC proper's Asian population. If this idea flies, there is no telling how that might influence the growth of Japanese in DC proper. It will be interesting.

[Anonymous]

OP here, 13:44.....Point well taken!

[Anonymous]

but the Asian populatuon is very small already in DC so 6 percent is miniscule. its probably a safe assumption that the japanese families in DC proper are attached to diplomatic functions, world bank, etc and are highly unlikely to take their kid to school in Ward 7. Yes thats harsh but we all know its the reality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to the DC Asian Pacific Islander office, Japanese comprise almost six percent of DC proper's Asian population. If this idea flies, there is no telling how that might influence the growth of Japanese in DC proper. It will be interesting.

Depends on if you are talking about Japanese or Japanese American. Japanese families tend to utilize the Japanese Saturday schools which focus on preparing kids to return to Japan eventually. Japanese families, especially in DC, tend to be here for just a few years on assignment, then return to Japan, so not a good base upon which to build a school.

As for Japanese Americans, most in the area live in Virginia or Maryland. Or they don't have kids in school. Although DC has one of the largest Japanese American Citizens League chapters outside California, there are few members with families in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:According to the DC Asian Pacific Islander office, Japanese comprise almost six percent of DC proper's Asian population. If this idea flies, there is no telling how that might influence the growth of Japanese in DC proper. It will be interesting.

Depends on if you are talking about Japanese or Japanese American. Japanese families tend to utilize the Japanese Saturday schools which focus on preparing kids to return to Japan eventually. Japanese families, especially in DC, tend to be here for just a few years on assignment, then return to Japan, so not a good base upon which to build a school.

As for Japanese Americans, most in the area live in Virginia or Maryland. Or they don't have kids in school. Although DC has one of the largest Japanese American Citizens League chapters outside California, there are few members with families in DC.

I know it's only a tiny tiny sample, but of the 3 Japanese-American families I know in DC, 2 are hyped up to send their kids (or already send their kids) to Spanish immersion (and that was their first choice), and the 3rd isn't interested in immersion at all and is instead focused on Montessori.

[Anonymous]

OP here.....
Since this school would be open to all District residents, the conversation regarding how large or small DC's Japanese (Japanese-American) population is somewhat irrelevant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.....
Since this school would be open to all District residents, the conversation regarding how large or small DC's Japanese (Japanese-American) population is somewhat irrelevant.

The fact that you're not able to follow the conversation and don't understand the relevance - even with random lottery admissions - indicates you're really not ready for this undertaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Offering Japanese AND korean would be a draw. They are very similar. Share many similar words and sentence structure.

This is horseshit. They are not similar AT ALL. They don't even use the same writing system.

Not to mention the history between these two countries has been less than stellar. They ain't exactly friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Another issue is how xenophobic and closed-off Japanese society is, i.e., even if you studied Japanese ages 4-22 and speak it fluently, you're still a foreigner doomed to live on the margins of society as either exotic or undesirable. And let's be super honest, that goes double for African-Americans, unfortunately. There are exceptions, sure, but this is the unfortunate norm.

Exact same thing can be said about the United States.

If Asians Said The Stuff White People Say
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMJI1Dw83Hc

You are on crack if you seriously believe that.

Your arrogance and failure to see the racism around you proves my point.

Show me a video of a Japan-born white or black person mocking Japanese xenophobia in perfect Japanese and I'll believe you.

I'm sure Debito has one somewhere...

http://www.debito.org/

[Anonymous]

All this language immersion stuff is a fad. If you want to open a school that would meet the needs of students in any quadrant of the city, start a Core Knowledge school. Off that rich humanities curriculum to our knowledge-starved students and you will be doing something that no one else is doing.

http://www.coreknowledge.org

You can alway offer Japanese as a special.

[Anonymous]

offer

[Anonymous]

Interesting article about the lack of language immersion programs east of the river!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2014/12/01/language-immersion-programs-growing-in-d-c-but-only-west-of-the-river/

[Anonymous]

Sure, I think Korean would be more of an acceptable immersion school concept.

[Anonymous]

Arabic , not Japanese.

[Anonymous]

Ward 7 needs a French, Spanish, Mandarin, or Arabic immersion. Japanese is a nice language but a nice to have once we have enough common sense immersion programs to meet demand.

What school would they feed into? DCI is still too unknown to depend on and have three languages to support as it is.