Please Choose Private For the Right Reasons

[Anonymous]

The only reason for privates is to segregate from poor people in the name of Jesus. This is what is wrong with the world. Thank a richer today for the state of the world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen a recent influx of posts from parents looking for a "nice private alternative" to MCPS or DCPS because they want "rigorous academics" and "small classes." As someone who has been through the cycle with multiple kids at Sidwell and GDS, I feel compelled to say: You are fundamentally doing this wrong.

If your primary goal is just a heavy workload and high AP/IB participation, stay in the public system. The top-tier tracks in MoCo and DC are just as rigorous as anything you’ll find in an independent school. In fact, if you go the private route just to "avoid" public, you often end up paying $45k+ for facilities that are—let’s be honest—frequently dated or even inferior to what a well-funded public school offers. I’ve seen some of these smaller parochial campuses in the Olney/Sandy Spring area, and I’m baffled why anyone would pay tuition for a "campus" that looks like a 1970s office park when the local public has better labs and fields.

You don't send your LOs to the crown jewels of DC private to escape public school. You send them for a values-based, progressive experiential education. You go because you want your DS to be an out-of-the-box thinker who understands social justice and pluralism at a cellular level.

What makes Sidwell special isn't the math curriculum—it’s the intentionality. It’s the school-wide Iftar dinners, the student-led seders focused on sustainability, the niche global theater productions (the recent African folk tale was breathtaking), and the Quaker values.

There’s also a deeper "values" component we rarely talk about. If a parent is fleeing public school to find a "stifling" or narrow environment—like some of the "diploma mills" up-county (GC comes to mind)—it makes me wonder if they’re actually just trying to avoid the diversity and pluralism that makes the DC area great. If you aren't seeking the beauty of a truly progressive education, you’re just paying for a smaller, more homogeneous pond.

Choose a school for its mission, not because you’re afraid of the public school "boogeyman." Otherwise, you’re just paying a premium for a mediocre outlook.

Have you ever set foot in GC? If you are a Sidwell family why on earth are you commenting on GC? The two communities never cross paths and you're so absolutely WRONG. GC is extremely diverse and values driven.

This post screams TROLL with a personal vendetta. Go find a better hobby.

+1 - troll post with a whiff of AI

+💯

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would like to think that any parent who has kids at sidwell writes better than this.

Ehhhhhhh there are definitely Sidwell moms who are also trophy wives... sooooo yeaaaaa...

This thread has brought out some ugly things that a lot of people assume would not happen in the DC area, mainly admiring MAGA talking points.

Really?! Pretentious hidden political agendas while virtue signaling to the masses is exactly the sort of thing people from outside the city generally assume happens here...at least in my experience with people who hear I'm from DC, but have never really engaged with a DC native before...

What matters is how and what our kids taught and not what people outside of dc think

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reason for privates is to segregate from poor people in the name of Jesus. This is what is wrong with the world. Thank a richer today for the state of the world.

Nah. I’m in wealthy area with less than 5% farms and pulled my DC out of public to go to cheap religious private. DC is learning the 3 Rs instead of how to tap and swipe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason for privates is to segregate from poor people in the name of Jesus. This is what is wrong with the world. Thank a richer today for the state of the world.

Nah. I’m in wealthy area with less than 5% farms and pulled my DC out of public to go to cheap religious private. DC is learning the 3 Rs instead of how to tap and swipe.

Is the tech in publics that bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think people should focus on fit and not just prestige. We just went through this process for high school with an 8th grader at a PK-8th. It was very obvious that some families were purely focused on the big name schools even though the kids reported that they didn't like the schools that much. My kid is going to the school that was the best fit for them and our family and we are all very excited.

+1 nothing as distracting and stressful as keeping up with the private Joneses without the corresponding resources

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen a recent influx of posts from parents looking for a "nice private alternative" to MCPS or DCPS because they want "rigorous academics" and "small classes." As someone who has been through the cycle with multiple kids at Sidwell and GDS, I feel compelled to say: You are fundamentally doing this wrong.

If your primary goal is just a heavy workload and high AP/IB participation, stay in the public system. The top-tier tracks in MoCo and DC are just as rigorous as anything you’ll find in an independent school. In fact, if you go the private route just to "avoid" public, you often end up paying $45k+ for facilities that are—let’s be honest—frequently dated or even inferior to what a well-funded public school offers. I’ve seen some of these smaller parochial campuses in the Olney/Sandy Spring area, and I’m baffled why anyone would pay tuition for a "campus" that looks like a 1970s office park when the local public has better labs and fields.

You don't send your LOs to the crown jewels of DC private to escape public school. You send them for a values-based, progressive experiential education. You go because you want your DS to be an out-of-the-box thinker who understands social justice and pluralism at a cellular level.

What makes Sidwell special isn't the math curriculum—it’s the intentionality. It’s the school-wide Iftar dinners, the student-led seders focused on sustainability, the niche global theater productions (the recent African folk tale was breathtaking), and the Quaker values.

There’s also a deeper "values" component we rarely talk about. If a parent is fleeing public school to find a "stifling" or narrow environment—like some of the "diploma mills" up-county (GC comes to mind)—it makes me wonder if they’re actually just trying to avoid the diversity and pluralism that makes the DC area great. If you aren't seeking the beauty of a truly progressive education, you’re just paying for a smaller, more homogeneous pond.

Choose a school for its mission, not because you’re afraid of the public school "boogeyman." Otherwise, you’re just paying a premium for a mediocre outlook.

Forget about social justice or educational quality or which is with worth what.

Most of elite friends got their kids into big 5 independent schools by high school. The top dmv private educate the rich and the elites. Some students or course are more talented than others. The more talented ones get in top colleges. However that doesn’t mean kids from public schools won’t do better. They can be even more talented than the private ones. But at the end of the day it is all social classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason for privates is to segregate from poor people in the name of Jesus. This is what is wrong with the world. Thank a richer today for the state of the world.

Nah. I’m in wealthy area with less than 5% farms and pulled my DC out of public to go to cheap religious private. DC is learning the 3 Rs instead of how to tap and swipe.

Is the tech in publics that bad?

It is in privates too. Most elite privates have the money to say "we equip even our youngest learners with the modern tech they need" and stick an iPad in every kindergarteners hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The only reason for privates is to segregate from poor people in the name of Jesus. This is what is wrong with the world. Thank a richer today for the state of the world.

Pretty sure Charles E Smith school would beg to differ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What’s up with these types of posts lately?

It happens every year during acceptances and right after.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Lol, didn't think this would turn into such a thing.

Just thinking back to a conversation at an AAU game this past weekend where some parents were going on about "needing" to get out of public for SJC or GC. It just felt so reactive.

If you’re already in a solid cluster (Whitman, Wootton, etc), the academics are fine. Why pay $45k for a uniform and a stricter schedule? Honestly, those campuses... they’re fine, but they aren't exactly inspiring. You’re trading actual diversity for a bubble that doesn't even offer the kind of intellectual freedom you get at the Big Three / big five / whatever you wanna call it.

If you aren't looking for the actual mission—the Quaker values, the intentionality, the out-of-the-box thinking—then what are you actually buying? It just seems like a huge premium for a more filtered version of suburban life. Anyway, just what I was thinking. And to the person saying you don’t go to the Sidwell for the intentionally , yeah you do…

OP, you exposed yourself as an idiot in your first post, and then you made it far worse with your next post.

You were at an AAU game. Depending on the level of AAU, most people understand that the WCAC consistently have some of the best basketball teams. Many serious AAU basketball parents strive to make it into a WCAC team. (And yes, I realize SF also has good basketball.)
Then you have the audacity to say these Catholic schools merely offer a ‘ uniform and a stricter schedule’ exposing yourself as an a$$.

And somehow you think you are superior? Good grief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason for privates is to segregate from poor people in the name of Jesus. This is what is wrong with the world. Thank a richer today for the state of the world.

Nah. I’m in wealthy area with less than 5% farms and pulled my DC out of public to go to cheap religious private. DC is learning the 3 Rs instead of how to tap and swipe.

Is the tech in publics that bad?

It is in privates too. Most elite privates have the money to say "we equip even our youngest learners with the modern tech they need" and stick an iPad in every kindergarteners hand.

Uhhhhhh WIS doesn't introduce ipads/laptops until 6th grade, Sidwell & GDS & Maret are 5th grade, DCPS is 3rd grade... that is just the set I personally looked at on that level this year when choosing what was best for my kiddo, but public school is definitely way earlier!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Lol, didn't think this would turn into such a thing.

Just thinking back to a conversation at an AAU game this past weekend where some parents were going on about "needing" to get out of public for SJC or GC. It just felt so reactive.

If you’re already in a solid cluster (Whitman, Wootton, etc), the academics are fine. Why pay $45k for a uniform and a stricter schedule? Honestly, those campuses... they’re fine, but they aren't exactly inspiring. You’re trading actual diversity for a bubble that doesn't even offer the kind of intellectual freedom you get at the Big Three / big five / whatever you wanna call it.

If you aren't looking for the actual mission—the Quaker values, the intentionality, the out-of-the-box thinking—then what are you actually buying? It just seems like a huge premium for a more filtered version of suburban life. Anyway, just what I was thinking. And to the person saying you don’t go to the Sidwell for the intentionally , yeah you do…

OP, you exposed yourself as an idiot in your first post, and then you made it far worse with your next post.

You were at an AAU game. Depending on the level of AAU, most people understand that the WCAC consistently have some of the best basketball teams. Many serious AAU basketball parents strive to make it into a WCAC team. (And yes, I realize SF also has good basketball.)
Then you have the audacity to say these Catholic schools merely offer a ‘ uniform and a stricter schedule’ exposing yourself as an a$$.

And somehow you think you are superior? Good grief.

What is aau

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason for privates is to segregate from poor people in the name of Jesus. This is what is wrong with the world. Thank a richer today for the state of the world.

Nah. I’m in wealthy area with less than 5% farms and pulled my DC out of public to go to cheap religious private. DC is learning the 3 Rs instead of how to tap and swipe.

Same.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only reason for privates is to segregate from poor people in the name of Jesus. This is what is wrong with the world. Thank a richer today for the state of the world.

Nah. I’m in wealthy area with less than 5% farms and pulled my DC out of public to go to cheap religious private. DC is learning the 3 Rs instead of how to tap and swipe.

Is the tech in publics that bad?

It is in privates too. Most elite privates have the money to say "we equip even our youngest learners with the modern tech they need" and stick an iPad in every kindergarteners hand.

Uhhhhhh WIS doesn't introduce ipads/laptops until 6th grade, Sidwell & GDS & Maret are 5th grade, DCPS is 3rd grade... that is just the set I personally looked at on that level this year when choosing what was best for my kiddo, but public school is definitely way earlier!

Um are you sure? Literally just googled Sidwell and the first thing it says is they do 1:1 iPads beginning in K.