There is nothing "fair" about the process of applying to private schools.

[Anonymous]

It's interesting to me that the issue of fairness comes up so frequently on this board in some form or another. The expectation of fairness applying to the private school admissions process is understandable (given our desire to pursue and obtain "the best" for our children) but seriously misguided (given the realities of the world as we all know it).

The fact that some of us are privileged enough to be able to afford even to apply to private schools, whether they are preschools or ongoing schools, seems to be taken for granted. The fact that others leverage their even greater privilege to ensure entry for their children is just an further extension of the same thing.

What's truly unfair is the fact that our public educational system is not adequate enough for many of us even to consider using it, despite the taxes we pay. What's truly unfair is that the vast majority of families in and around the District live in areas with minimal resources in tersm of education or child care and struggle to figure it all out on incomes substantially different from those of most of the posters on this board (and I include myself in that number).

Please know that I observe all of this with empathy and am awaiting preschool admissions results for my child as I write this. It is painful - especially when children are involved - to learn the limits of one's own degree of privilege. The simple reality is that privilege is not fair, whether is giving or taking away.

[Anonymous]

You're right. Thanks for the reminder.

[Anonymous]

Ooh - actual rationality! Have been thinking this, but not articulated it so well, even to myself.

[Anonymous]

Funny - there is nothing fair about life either

[Anonymous]

Okay, now let's get back to carping! (Just kidding.)

[Anonymous]

Actually - this truly is nice to read that "one side is empathizing with another side" because my experience over the last months with this site is absolute ANGER at "the haves"...(of which I am not...really) Yes, would I like more money and the comforts it buys, absolutely. Will I structure my life now to what it would need to be to achieve that, no...so shame on me for not making different choices earlier. Interesting that it does impact our children....

thank you for the rationality...and empathy.

[Anonymous]

Excellent post, thank you.

[Anonymous]

Great post. I don't know if you've ever been around the Tenley Metro when the Deal and Wilson kids get out of school, but it's crazy. The kids' behavior is really out of hand, and I know that people in the neighborhood have called the schools to complain. It's unfair that we pay so much to live in this city and the public schools are so poor.

[Anonymous]

It's crazy really. We came from Jersey City and lived in a very nice area along the waterfront. You did not send your child to public there under any circumstances. When we left and the tax abatements were expiring, some of the new (albeit expensive) condos had a 20k yearly tax bill. A 20k tax bill and you can't send your child to the public school. I understand that the people buying these condos and brownstones were probably not public school people anyway, but where is all that money going?

[Anonymous]

Hmmmmmm... I fear that the last to PPs kind of missed the point of the post.

[Anonymous]

yes, i'm afraid the tone has changed here!

[Anonymous]

"What's truly unfair is the fact that our public educational system is not adequate enough for many of us even to consider using it, despite the taxes we pay."

I don't think they missed the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmmmmmm... I fear that the last to PPs kind of missed the point of the post.

Of course I mean "last two"...

[Anonymous]

bump

[Anonymous]

Just a reminder.