If you get in nowhere, what next?

[Anonymous]

In my opinion, I believe the "racist" is indeed white BECAUSE any other race would welcome this into their schools. Unfortunately, it takes the inclusion of non-minority folks to move into a neighborhood/school before it is deemed acceptable. Heck, look what's going on in Capitol Hill. Trust me, growing up in DC, I know the HOT schools in Capitol Hill were not so hot about 10 years ago. Might not like what I said, but it's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The crypto-racist would like us all to believe that she's trying to keep the children of wealthy entitled DC residents out, but that is in fact turning the actual demographics of DC on its head. It's not as if there isn't a surfeit of data telling us which neighborhoods are established, wealthy, and mostly white and which neighborhoods are mixed, and which neighborhoods are majority minority. There's also plenty of data to tell us which schools overlap with which neighborhoods. So the argument that the poor non-white woman west of the park trying to keep those wealthy, white Mt. Pleasant children from over-running her school just isn't going to carry water no matter how fast she spins. You see?

I think the poster you are attacking was specifically criticizing people who employ the strategy (suggested earlier in this thread) of renting an apartment in-boundary for their desired school while living in a home they own elsewhere. This strategy is unlikely to be adopted by poor disadvantaged families, as s/he pointed out, and more likely to be within the reach of relatively wealthy white parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my opinion, I believe the "racist" is indeed white BECAUSE any other race would welcome this into their schools. Unfortunately, it takes the inclusion of non-minority folks to move into a neighborhood/school before it is deemed acceptable. Heck, look what's going on in Capitol Hill. Trust me, growing up in DC, I know the HOT schools in Capitol Hill were not so hot about 10 years ago. Might not like what I said, but it's true.

You should add: "Before it is deemed acceptable by non-minority folks." This is very true about Capitol Hill now. A sad fact of life.

However, I have also heard that before white gentrification that some African-American families who had moved out to Maryland also used Grandma's address in the old neighborhood to send their kids to assorted Capitol Hill schools because they were judged to be better. But I don't know if those families were middle-class, working-class or poor. I also have no clue whether the Maryland schools were really worse than the Capitol Hill schools either or whether people just wanted their kids to go to school in the old neighborhood. I just heard this from a long-time resident who knows a lot about the schools. I'm also not throwing this in to attack anyone -- just that it's an interesting fact.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:until they do...

Yeah, that'll go over well. I can just picture the principal who wants to tell the OOB child that they have to discontinue their instruction to change schools (even though there are other OOB students). All they have to do is picture that story running in the Post (poor little Susie having to leave Lafayette to go to Emery).

It'll never happen.

Too bad because I know a teacher and an administrator there and I hear pretty good things about Emery.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think the poster you are calling a racist is not in fact white, which seemed to be the assumption behind the invocation of George Wallace. And I suspect that the parents s/he believes are abusing the system are probably white, well-to-do residents of Mt Pleasant.

Does it matter what color they are? Or doesn't the George Wallace example suggest that no matter who you are, we've decided against being a society that attempts to barricade the school doors to keep "those children" from coming in.

The crypto-racist would like us all to believe that she's trying to keep the children of wealthy entitled DC residents out, but that is in fact turning the actual demographics of DC on its head. It's not as if there isn't a surfeit of data telling us which neighborhoods are established, wealthy, and mostly white and which neighborhoods are mixed, and which neighborhoods are majority minority. There's also plenty of data to tell us which schools overlap with which neighborhoods. So the argument that the poor non-white woman west of the park trying to keep those wealthy, white Mt. Pleasant children from over-running her school just isn't going to carry water no matter how fast she spins. You see?

You are insane. And you also need to take a reading comprehension class. You are attacking someone for supposedly being racist - when it is pretty clear that the beef is with entitled WHITE RICH PEOPLE. The ones who want to live in a "cool" neighborhood, but don't want to deal with the "coolness" of actual diversity in their local zoned school. I would rather kids with no parental advocate be bussed into my Upper NW DC school than another spoiled kid whose parents think they deserve something that they don't.

[Anonymous]

15:30 poster, I think it is well known that this is still being done by Maryland families. I have heard complaints by quite a few capitol hill families about the number of Maryland children in their schools. It seems to me that this is more of a matter to be upset about than the issue discussed throughout this thread - families that don't pay taxes in the district taking slots away from those of us who do.

[Anonymous]

It absolutely happens in my neighborhood. I know a family whose younger generation lives on the other side of the river. However the grandparents live down the street, so the children use that as their school address to attend the local high-scoring elementary.

I can't say that I care. Residents of Ward 7 pay taxes too, they should attend the best school they can get into. That's how the system works.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are insane. And you also need to take a reading comprehension class. You are attacking someone for supposedly being racist - when it is pretty clear that the beef is with entitled WHITE RICH PEOPLE. The ones who want to live in a "cool" neighborhood, but don't want to deal with the "coolness" of actual diversity in their local zoned school. I would rather kids with no parental advocate be bussed into my Upper NW DC school than another spoiled kid whose parents think they deserve something that they don't.

Interesting. So only white people can be racist? Or, it's not racist to be racist about white people? Or is the fact that they own a house that bothers you? And what if they're half white? Does that make a difference? It sounds like you have different standards for the children according to the race and socio-economic status of the parents - not exactly egalitarian of you. You have no idea if someone's spoiled or not. You're just jealous of their parents and make assumptions from there.

Anyway, nobody is bussed to school in DC except special ed. Those children have to be driven to school. I'm glad you can't follow them home.

[Anonymous]

I am the so called racist. lol. I am neither white nor wealthy. I have black skin, kinky hair and flat nose, and a big derriere. I am as black as it comes, I am also African, English is not even my first language, although I speak four others fluently.
I have a problem with people not seeing anything wrong with falsifying their residency req to get into a neighborhood school where they did not apply for an oob spot, and maybe stealing a spot from a kid whose parents have busted their a** to rent , yes rent, an apartment in boundary.
So...

I have lost interest in discussing w people for whom :
- playing by the rules = "being foolish"
- insisting on playing by the rules = getting on a high horse
- and pointing out that you should stay in your assigned neighborhood school = being racist

If this is the so called "game" (manipulative much?) one has to play to get in, I have absolutely no interest in being part of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You are insane. And you also need to take a reading comprehension class. You are attacking someone for supposedly being racist - when it is pretty clear that the beef is with entitled WHITE RICH PEOPLE. The ones who want to live in a "cool" neighborhood, but don't want to deal with the "coolness" of actual diversity in their local zoned school. I would rather kids with no parental advocate be bussed into my Upper NW DC school than another spoiled kid whose parents think they deserve something that they don't.

Interesting. So only white people can be racist? Or, it's not racist to be racist about white people? Or is the fact that they own a house that bothers you? And what if they're half white? Does that make a difference? It sounds like you have different standards for the children according to the race and socio-economic status of the parents - not exactly egalitarian of you. You have no idea if someone's spoiled or not. You're just jealous of their parents and make assumptions from there.

Anyway, nobody is bussed to school in DC except special ed. Those children have to be driven to school. I'm glad you can't follow them home.

Kids are, in fact, bussed in this city. From Bolling AFB to Stoddert, just for one example.

And, I'm not jealous at all. I DO live in a very nice neighborhood where my kids attend their zoned school. Within walking distance. And in an actual community where we don't need to lie about who we are, where we live, or anything else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:until they do...

Yeah, that'll go over well. I can just picture the principal who wants to tell the OOB child that they have to discontinue their instruction to change schools (even though there are other OOB students). All they have to do is picture that story running in the Post (poor little Susie having to leave Lafayette to go to Emery).

It'll never happen.

Too bad because I know a teacher and an administrator there and I hear pretty good things about Emery.

I attended Emery as a child. Loved the school to pieces and attended with most of the same kids from Saturday school through 12th grade (Langley Jr. High & McKinley Tech High School).

Hopefully, some day Emery will return to its former glory.

[Anonymous]

Wow. There are certainly some people here who have anger issues. Let's look at the facts and I will use Key School as an example as I know it fairly well and it is high performing. The K classes have around 23 kids with a teacher and an aide. The 2nd grade has around 26 kids per class, no aides. 3rd grade - 26+, no aides. Key is not a Title I school; it does not get extra funding to keep class sizes down. It is growing fast and it is quickly running out of room to house the influx of students. Will the principal do address checks? Probably not. But, he might think twice about allowing the student who transferred OOB to register the following year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:until they do...

Yeah, that'll go over well. I can just picture the principal who wants to tell the OOB child that they have to discontinue their instruction to change schools (even though there are other OOB students). All they have to do is picture that story running in the Post (poor little Susie having to leave Lafayette to go to Emery).

It'll never happen.

Too bad because I know a teacher and an administrator there and I hear pretty good things about Emery.

I attended Emery as a child. Loved the school to pieces and attended with most of the same kids from Saturday school through 12th grade (Langley Jr. High & McKinley Tech High School).

Hopefully, some day Emery will return to its former glory.

The problem with Emery is not the principal, the students, or the teachers. It's not even the neighborhood which is undergoing some improvement. The problem with Emery is being right next to that shelter - which is a god-awful environment for children and an embarrassment to ever DC official from the Mayor on down.

[Anonymous]

Alas, the Mayor is shameless so, odds are, it's not an embarrassment to him.

Now homeless shelters downtown -- preventing valuable real estate from being put to its "best and highest use" -- that's a problem! But not for long...

/sarcasm off

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am the so called racist. lol. I am neither white nor wealthy. I have black skin, kinky hair and flat nose, and a big derriere. I am as black as it comes, I am also African, English is not even my first language, although I speak four others fluently.
I have a problem with people not seeing anything wrong with falsifying their residency req to get into a neighborhood school where they did not apply for an oob spot, and maybe stealing a spot from a kid whose parents have busted their a** to rent , yes rent, an apartment in boundary.
So...

I have lost interest in discussing w people for whom :
- playing by the rules = "being foolish"
- insisting on playing by the rules = getting on a high horse
- and pointing out that you should stay in your assigned neighborhood school = being racist

If this is the so called "game" (manipulative much?) one has to play to get in, I have absolutely no interest in being part of it.

I'm with you. I'm white, financially comfortable, and live in Adams Morgan (HD Cooke). DS and I bought our place in 2002; DC was born in 2006. We loved living where we do as a childless couple, and we've loved it with an infant/toddler. We would love to stay indefinitely. But we knew when we bought our place that we might ultimately have to leave if we were blessed with children and wanted to send them to a good public school. If we hit the Cap City lottery in a couple of years, we'll be ecstatic. If HD Cooke really turns around as now, for the first time, seems possible, we'll be ecstatic. If we get an OOB slot at a convenient, excellent school, we'll be very pleased. But any of these things would be a gift -- more than we bargained for when we bought our place -- and if none comes through, we'll sigh and move (not "move") without bitterness or regret. We won't teach our children that "gaming the system" is appropriate or honorable.