Duke Ellington to Relocate for New High School in Ward 2?

[Anonymous]

I can't get on board with this idea.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/16/AR2010011602748.html?nav=emailpage

[Anonymous]

I can. A neighborhood HS for Ward 2 and a more accessible Ellington for everybody else -- what's not to like?

[Anonymous]

I heard that the facilities at the school suggested (Logan) are not good and would be inadequate for a performing arts school. Plus there has been a lot of private money donated over the years for the space at the current school in Ward 2. Does DCPS expect that all those donors are going to be happy that Ellington students no longer get to use them? Is DCPS going to reproduce those facilities over at Logan?

Rhee and Fenty are delusional if they think this move is going to be received positively by the Ellington community and many people who don't live in Ward 2.

[Anonymous]

Who doesn't want a neighborhood high school. I do, too. Wilson is as far from my home as it is from Georgetown. If Fenty and Rhee's priority is helping folks who can manage without their help, either hoof-footing it to Wilson or Walls or going to private, then their priorities are WAY off. This city is filled with schools that need repairs and supplies. Wilson is not overenrolled, is it?

As for a more accessible Ellington, who's clamoring for that?

[Anonymous]

Unlike Hardy, Ellington is a city-wide competitive school and not a neighborhood school as it is. Putting a performing arts school near a metro makes it more accessible to audiences and artists as well as teen students. The building is not exactly state of the art as it is.

Moving it more centrally seems practical and sends a message that it is truly a city-wide asset. (I love G'town but lack of metro sucks.)

Maybe it could co-locate near Atlas or THEARC.

[Anonymous]

Jack Evans is right; why should Ward 2 be the only Ward without a full service high school? Duke Ellington is a treasure, but given that very few of its students come from Ward 2, it makes sense to move it to a more central location. People are going to try and make this into a class/racial thing, but I don't think it is (and I'm African American). Just because Ward 2 residents might be more affluent doesn't mean they're not entitled to the same services as other Wards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jack Evans is right; why should Ward 2 be the only Ward without a full service high school? Duke Ellington is a treasure, but given that very few of its students come from Ward 2, it makes sense to move it to a more central location. People are going to try and make this into a class/racial thing, but I don't think it is (and I'm African American). Just because Ward 2 residents might be more affluent doesn't mean they're not entitled to the same services as other Wards.

I agree.

[Anonymous]

I think it'a good idea. Now, they need to clean up Francis Stevens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unlike Hardy, Ellington is a city-wide competitive school and not a neighborhood school as it is. Putting a performing arts school near a metro makes it more accessible to audiences and artists as well as teen students. The building is not exactly state of the art as it is.

Moving it more centrally seems practical and sends a message that it is truly a city-wide asset. (I love G'town but lack of metro sucks.)

Maybe it could co-locate near Atlas or THEARC.

The Atlas isn't any more metro accessible than 35th and R St NW.
THEARC is on the southeast edge of the city. How is that making it a city-wide asset?

If anyone is serious about locating it near the city's performing arts, it should be downtown.

[Anonymous]

17:37 again -- think about this -- there are so many theater companies and performing arts venues in this city. Why would the Atlas and THEARC come to mind first?

Why not near Woolly Mammoth or Arena Stage or the Folger and the Shakespeare Theater or Studio Theater or the Church Street Theater just to name a few?

[Anonymous]

I see. There's no way to have both, leave Duke Ellington where it is and open a neighborhoo high school in Ward 2. Also, the folks posting here about how wonderful Duke Ellington would be in a different location, are you impacted?

[Anonymous]

This is a race/ class thing (and I am not African American). If Ward 2 needs a high school, put it in the center of Ward 2 which is in the Shaw neighborhood - not at the edge in Georgetown.

I am dismayed by the changes at Hardy and now at Duke Ellington. When are we going to call this what it is? Resegregation?!

[Anonymous]

P.S. I am 17:49. Who cares about wards? Ward 2 folks have options. There are other neighborhoods that need much more attention in this city.

[Anonymous]

Jack Evans has been talking this idea up for a while. Theoretically, I have no problem with moving Ellington to a state of the art, metro accessible facility, but there is NO MONEY to do this! Logan ES is not an acceptable facility for Ellington. Unless they come up with something better, Ellington needs to stay put. Evans and Fenty are trying to placate voters that "might" send their kids to a DCPS high school in Ward 2.

[Anonymous]

Agreed! What information is there that says we need another high school? Where is this enrollment coming from? More support should be given to existing high schools instead of creating a new one that is not needed.