What's the Most Obnoxious Thing You've Heard a Parent Say at Your DC's Private School?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
You are a loser of the highest order. You think she and her kid are second class citizens. They aren't. They have just as much right to criticize any aspect of the school as you do. Face it. You resent her being there. That's what comes out of your comment. Your jealous for some reason. Her child got there through merit. How'd yours get in? Lemme guess, do you vote GOP?[/quote]

What a twisted perception you have. You do realize, don't you, that conservatives give more money to charity on average than liberals, even though conservatives make slightly less? The idea that conservatives (particularly religious conservatives) are less generous than liberals (particularly secular liberals) is a demonstrated myth. Liberals are only generous with other people's money after it has been collected through the tax system.

I don't believe anyone has suggested that financial aid recipients are second-class citizens--at least I hope not. Everyone who attends a private school should feel grateful, notl entitled. Even those who pay the full ride are being supported by the few really big donors that keep these institutions afloat, since tuition never covers the full cost of a student's education. To that extent, all but a very few are in a quite real sense receiving a gift, which, in legal terms, is something freely given with nothing expected in return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Said another father to my husband while peeking at the inner label of his suit. "Two words. Brooks Brothers."

He wasn't joking.

what does that even mean??

Obviously was obnoxiously telling the poster's husband where to shop in order to dress better. (The label inside poster's husband's suit did not say, "Brooks Brothers.")

So Wall Street, 1980's vintage. Oh I forgot. Maybe Wall Street 2008.

Many think of Brooks Brothers as timeless.

[Anonymous]

1. "Do you want a shot?" as father held out a bottle of tequila during his son's late-morning 5 year old birthday party. No glass was offered, just the bottle. I am not kidding.

That is actually cool -- at least it made you smile if you aren't a total geek (or allergic to alcohol). At best - you had a good time at the party (admit it).


2. "Where is the bathroom?" -- my question at another birthday party for older child. Answer: "There are three along this hallway, pick one." Hallway was off the kitchen on the main floor.

Sorry that you have three bathrooms to flood or stink on one hallway. Really - sounds like a drag. People ask this to be polite, in case you have one of the three outfitted for the cat litter box, or your grandmother who needs the enhanced toilet seat, or your toddler who needs the enhanced toilet seat. This is not interesting other than the fact you feel good about telling people you have 3 bathrooms off your kitchen. Dining room probably close to there, too - maybe people get sick a lot while eating at your house? Funny how the runs can just "come on" like that.

[Anonymous]

Fellow mom claimed that she had gotten the admin of the boys' school our respective sons attend to get her a copy of the sister school's directory. This is the book that has students' names, parents' names, addresses, emails, and telephones. This mom claimed that she had had to request this book because soooo many girls were calling her son, who has soooo many girlfriends and whom everybosy loves, that she was going to have to call up those girls' parents to get the phone calls to stop. She offered to get a copy for me, too, in a further show of how "in" she is with our school's admin. I said yes, just to see whether she would really get me a copy. She never did give me a copy, and it's been several months.


NOTICE: my daughter will not be calling your son from the "sister" school. Seriously, get a grip.

[Anonymous]

FA is not a gift. Thinking of it as such is as patronizing as it gets.

And for anyone who DOES hold this attitude, I hope you hold ALL criticisms of the government in check while you collect tax breaks since those are essentially gifts from the government, by your logic.

THIS IDEA is officially THE WORST, MOST OBNOXIOUS, MOST OFFENSIVE thing I've ever heard from a parent. The idea that families on FA are somehow lesser citizens of the school makes me want to vomit. Screw you.

[Anonymous]

At a parents' dinner, a parent of a student who receives full FA said that her child detests the food in the dining hall. I thught her comment was offensive in the way that looking a gift horse in the mouth is.

NOTE: That's right. The food is inedible and everyone hates it. BUT YOU WILL EAT IT AND LIKE IT BECAUSE IT IS FREE (for you). Just like the movie Mother with Al Brooks --- your Depression era parent sure taught you how to be a cheapskate. Would certainly not want the school to IMPROVE the food. My goodness, perhaps even better candidates might go there then and there would be more money for financial aid. What a concept!

[Anonymous]

I once went to a group playdate and several moms had a whole loud conversation about how they HATE Bethany Beach and think the Outer Banks is so much better. Meanwhile there were several other parents, me included, who go to Bethany every summer, who didn't really participate in the conversation and just looked at each other while trying to be polite.

NOTE: The Outer Banks is so superior to Bethany that it is correct that you did not try to defend the latter. Seriously, this can't be an issue. It's like someone saying I play golf at Hains Point ... versus I play golf at Pebble Beach. No comparison.

[Anonymous]

Financial aid is a gift and recipients should be grateful. The sense of entitlement among FA recipients, as shown in some of the posts in this thread, is most offensive. No one is entitled to a private-school education.

[Anonymous]

Because *everyone* thinks their child is gifted.

NOTE: Correct, as acknowledged by Fairfax County. The GT program (Gifted & Talented) is now called AAP (Advanced Academic Placement) because every child is gifted or talented in something. True.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FA is not a gift. Thinking of it as such is as patronizing as it gets.

And for anyone who DOES hold this attitude, I hope you hold ALL criticisms of the government in check while you collect tax breaks since those are essentially gifts from the government, by your logic.

THIS IDEA is officially THE WORST, MOST OBNOXIOUS, MOST OFFENSIVE thing I've ever heard from a parent. The idea that families on FA are somehow lesser citizens of the school makes me want to vomit. Screw you.

You are wrong about tax breaks: one who can legally claim a tax break is entitled to it BY LAW, and the tax break is not a gift. By contrast, no one is entitled to a private-school edcuation and should be grateful to be given the gift of it.

[Anonymous]

Thought I was doing a fellow parent's son a favor by telling the parent that my son had told me that hers was doing something at school that violated the honor code. The father, a lawyer, called me and I was astonished to find him in full lawyer mode. His first words to me was a question asked as if I were a witness under cross-examination:

"What is your son's exposure in this?"


NOTE: As a lawyer, your response should have been ... what is your exposure to bar counsel given you are calling me, as an unrepresented individual, and asking this?

[Anonymous]

Ii think the redneck riviera is Florabama.

[Anonymous]

A tax break is a gift? What planet are you from? If I take nearly half the money you earn and then give you a little bit back, that's a gift?? No wonder our country is so screwed up. Sorry to get off track, but it's just unbelievable that some Americans are so braindead about these basic economic realites.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Financial aid is a gift and recipients should be grateful. The sense of entitlement among FA recipients, as shown in some of the posts in this thread, is most offensive. No one is entitled to a private-school education.

Go get laid!!

[Anonymous]

On our admissions tour at Sidwell many years ago one of the parent tour guides told us she was glad they taught Spanish because her child could talk to "the help" (yes, she phrased it that way), her fellow tour guide (who happened to be Argentinian) and those of us on the tour all stared at her like she had 2 heads.

The same tour guide, when I asked what happened if a 4 year old fell asleep during rest time told me that "if your child is that developmentally delayed, maybe your nanny should pick him up at noon". Ouch!

I should add that I know many lovely Sidwell parents, and that I'm not implying this one was typical in any way.