School stickers on cars.... views?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a Sidwell Friends decal on an armoured black Chevy Suburban with flags flying and surrounded about 12 or more security cars. The parent must have been displaying the sticker to show his importance.

Or he/she could have just been showing affection or association with the school. Just because some people are all wrapped up in status (usually those in this discussion doing the criticizing) doesn't mean everybody is. It is possible that a sticker is just the user saying, "My child attends this school, and I associate myself with its mission."

This was meant to be a joke.

[Anonymous]

The point many seem to miss is that for most posting to this (DC oriented) board, public school is not a realistic option. When you choose to live in the District of Columbia you are basically committing to sending your children to private school – that’s a big reason why schools located in NW receive so many applications. Even schools not in DC attract DC students, but with traffic congestion and urbanization of the suburbs even schools in the near suburbs are not the viable option they were back in the day. The result is the frenzied interest in schools that are commutable from Georgetown that you see reflected on this board.

MD residents, on the other hand, are perceived as having a choice – because the public schools are reputed to be among the best in the country. While choosing between GDS and Wilson is a no brainer regardless of cost, choosing between Holton and Whitman is not so easy in these economic times. It is not irrational for a parent faced with that choice to choose free education even if they think there might be some benefit to private education. Conversely, it is not irrational for a parent with the means to do so to invest significant amounts in their child’s education for even a slight benefit. We shouldn’t be bothered by the choices others make.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The point many seem to miss is that for most posting to this (DC oriented) board, public school is not a realistic option. When you choose to live in the District of Columbia you are basically committing to sending your children to private school – that’s a big reason why schools located in NW receive so many applications. Even schools not in DC attract DC students, but with traffic congestion and urbanization of the suburbs even schools in the near suburbs are not the viable option they were back in the day. The result is the frenzied interest in schools that are commutable from Georgetown that you see reflected on this board.

MD residents, on the other hand, are perceived as having a choice – because the public schools are reputed to be among the best in the country. While choosing between GDS and Wilson is a no brainer regardless of cost, choosing between Holton and Whitman is not so easy in these economic times. It is not irrational for a parent faced with that choice to choose free education even if they think there might be some benefit to private education. Conversely, it is not irrational for a parent with the means to do so to invest significant amounts in their child’s education for even a slight benefit. We shouldn’t be bothered by the choices others make.

In Montgomery County, there is no demand for coed private high schools. Parents who send their children to private schools do so because they believe there is an advantage to single gender education. The coed schools in DC (Sidwell, Maret, GTown Day) fill and need that exists in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
No skimping, chose public b/c we're die hard liberals who actually BELIEVE in the public school system. We're also smart people who believe in our smart, well-rounded children. We believed that they were fully capable of competing in the intellectual world without the artificial advantage of a private school. BTW, we believe in education so much that we chose as a family to donate approx. $500k to a scholarship to underprivileged kids to help pay for college. We are very happy with our choices. Obviously, tongue in cheek about wanting a tacky sticker for the car. Our anonymous donation of funds to support education is how we chose to "speak."

Good for you (really, I'm being serious here). Others' mileage may vary, causing them to have different priorities. Of course, none of this has anything to do with car stickers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about the parents who wear their kids' school's logo on their clothes? I mean, it's ok I guess at a game but I think it's weird seeing a mom with a school shirt or hat on. I can see it if she actually went to the school - that's actually kind of cool but it seems really over invested to wear your kids' school logo. I have no problem with stickers on cars.

huh? aren't the parents part of the school community, too? it makes a lot more sense for a parent (or other family member) to wear a logo and show support than for someone to wear a jersey for a professional athletic team (or any team, I guess). imposing silence about these alelgedly elite schools seems to perpetuate the secrecy and "eliteness" if you ask me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where can I buy the sticker that says my DS got accepted to his 1st choice Ivy after graduating from a fabulous public school? Also, would it be tacky to get another sticker that announced that I saved close to $500k by sending him to public? Might make private-school folks with not-so-smart kids feel like chumps, especially when they have to put the sub-par college sticker on the car alongside the expensive high school sticker. Oh, the sticker woes.

You might want to hold off on that sticker until you see how your child fares in the big leagues and after. If you think private school is only about getting a child into an Ivy League school, you are mistaken. But, congratulations on skimping on your children -- I hope that $500K you saved is beign put to good use.

No skimping, chose public b/c we're die hard liberals who actually BELIEVE in the public school system. We're also smart people who believe in our smart, well-rounded children. We believed that they were fully capable of competing in the intellectual world without the artificial advantage of a private school. BTW, we believe in education so much that we chose as a family to donate approx. $500k to a scholarship to underprivileged kids to help pay for college. We are very happy with our choices. Obviously, tongue in cheek about wanting a tacky sticker for the car. Our anonymous donation of funds to support education is how we chose to "speak."

*golf clap* So you're on the private school forum because...?

[Anonymous]

Umm . . I put ours on simply because my kids like it.
It's not from a fancy school so maybe parents from those laugh when they see it. Maybe public school parents also laugh because they're judging us too. It really doesn't matter to me. My kids like their school. I like that they like their school. It's only a sticker.

[Anonymous]

I have both public and private school stickers on my car. Lots of them because the kids play multiple sports and each sport seems to have a sticker or magnet. The kids put them on the car. Not sure what message it is sending but please be judgy when you see us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The point many seem to miss is that for most posting to this (DC oriented) board, public school is not a realistic option. When you choose to live in the District of Columbia you are basically committing to sending your children to private school – that’s a big reason why schools located in NW receive so many applications. Even schools not in DC attract DC students, but with traffic congestion and urbanization of the suburbs even schools in the near suburbs are not the viable option they were back in the day. The result is the frenzied interest in schools that are commutable from Georgetown that you see reflected on this board.

MD residents, on the other hand, are perceived as having a choice – because the public schools are reputed to be among the best in the country. While choosing between GDS and Wilson is a no brainer regardless of cost, choosing between Holton and Whitman is not so easy in these economic times. It is not irrational for a parent faced with that choice to choose free education even if they think there might be some benefit to private education. Conversely, it is not irrational for a parent with the means to do so to invest significant amounts in their child’s education for even a slight benefit. We shouldn’t be bothered by the choices others make.

In Montgomery County, there is no demand for coed private high schools. Parents who send their children to private schools do so because they believe there is an advantage to single gender education. The coed schools in DC (Sidwell, Maret, GTown Day) fill and need that exists in DC.

I think you have to separate the Catholic schools from secular schools when discussing why parents opt out of the public schools. In DC it is obvious that public schools are not an option. As you note, single gender is a big factor in places (such as Mont. Co) where public schools are an option. The roots of the Catholic school system are different. The Catholic school system flourished in response to rabid anti-Catholicism at certain times in U.S. history (Civil War era and post WWI/Al Smith era, for example). While Catholics have assimilated there are still vestiges of rabid anti-Catholicism in America (some say that anti-Catholicism is the last acceptable prejudice), Some Catholics fear that were are in the early stages of another wave of anti-Catholicism and this is surely a factor behind some of the support of Catholic education.

[Anonymous]

Private school stickers on cars is yucky. My kids bring home the magnets and want to put them on the car. I say, nicely, that they can put the magnets on the fridge. When they ask why they can't put them on the car I ask them how they think *they* might feel if they went to public school and saw a car with a sticker for an expensive private school. It takes them about two seconds to go, "Uh, I guess I might feel like they were bragging, and think they're better than I am, and I might feel excluded?"

Bingo. Magnets are for fridges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school stickers on cars is yucky. My kids bring home the magnets and want to put them on the car. I say, nicely, that they can put the magnets on the fridge. When they ask why they can't put them on the car I ask them how they think *they* might feel if they went to public school and saw a car with a sticker for an expensive private school. It takes them about two seconds to go, "Uh, I guess I might feel like they were bragging, and think they're better than I am, and I might feel excluded?"

Bingo. Magnets are for fridges.

I pity your children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Private school stickers on cars is yucky. My kids bring home the magnets and want to put them on the car. I say, nicely, that they can put the magnets on the fridge. When they ask why they can't put them on the car I ask them how they think *they* might feel if they went to public school and saw a car with a sticker for an expensive private school. It takes them about two seconds to go, "Uh, I guess I might feel like they were bragging, and think they're better than I am, and I might feel excluded?"

Bingo. Magnets are for fridges.

Bwah ha ha. What else are you telling your kids about how us poor public school slobs in Bethesda live? That we can only afford a cleaning person once a week? That we can only afford to ski in Colorado rather than France? Yes indeed it is a sad life that we lead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school stickers on cars is yucky. My kids bring home the magnets and want to put them on the car. I say, nicely, that they can put the magnets on the fridge. When they ask why they can't put them on the car I ask them how they think *they* might feel if they went to public school and saw a car with a sticker for an expensive private school. It takes them about two seconds to go, "Uh, I guess I might feel like they were bragging, and think they're better than I am, and I might feel excluded?"

Bingo. Magnets are for fridges.

Bwah ha ha. What else are you telling your kids about how us poor public school slobs in Bethesda live? That we can only afford a cleaning person once a week? That we can only afford to ski in Colorado rather than France? Yes indeed it is a sad life that we lead.

Not trying to spare your delicate feelings, Bethesda-ites. Trying to avoid noxiousness to the 98% who can't afford either private school OR ski vacations OR cleaning ladies. Once again: private school magnets are displayed by the oblivious and by the insecure. If you're neither oblivious of class dynamics not full of raging insecurities, put the magnets on your fridge If your kids insist, or, better still, put them in the trash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where can I buy the sticker that says my DS got accepted to his 1st choice Ivy after graduating from a fabulous public school? Also, would it be tacky to get another sticker that announced that I saved close to $500k by sending him to public? Might make private-school folks with not-so-smart kids feel like chumps, especially when they have to put the sub-par college sticker on the car alongside the expensive high school sticker. Oh, the sticker woes.

You might want to hold off on that sticker until you see how your child fares in the big leagues and after. If you think private school is only about getting a child into an Ivy League school, you are mistaken. But, congratulations on skimping on your children -- I hope that $500K you saved is beign put to good use.

No skimping, chose public b/c we're die hard liberals who actually BELIEVE in the public school system. We're also smart people who believe in our smart, well-rounded children. We believed that they were fully capable of competing in the intellectual world without the artificial advantage of a private school. BTW, we believe in education so much that we chose as a family to donate approx. $500k to a scholarship to underprivileged kids to help pay for college. We are very happy with our choices. Obviously, tongue in cheek about wanting a tacky sticker for the car. Our anonymous donation of funds to support education is how we chose to "speak."

Yeah. Right.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Private school stickers on cars is yucky. My kids bring home the magnets and want to put them on the car. I say, nicely, that they can put the magnets on the fridge. When they ask why they can't put them on the car I ask them how they think *they* might feel if they went to public school and saw a car with a sticker for an expensive private school. It takes them about two seconds to go, "Uh, I guess I might feel like they were bragging, and think they're better than I am, and I might feel excluded?"

Bingo. Magnets are for fridges.

Bwah ha ha. What else are you telling your kids about how us poor public school slobs in Bethesda live? That we can only afford a cleaning person once a week? That we can only afford to ski in Colorado rather than France? Yes indeed it is a sad life that we lead.

Not trying to spare your delicate feelings, Bethesda-ites. Trying to avoid noxiousness to the 98% who can't afford either private school OR ski vacations OR cleaning ladies. Once again: private school magnets are displayed by the oblivious and by the insecure. If you're neither oblivious of class dynamics not full of raging insecurities, put the magnets on your fridge If your kids insist, or, better still, put them in the trash.

It isn't a question of affordability. At least 1 of 6 private school kids receive financial aid. There is a far higher percentage of poor kids at Landon than there is at Whitman, which is a few blocks away.

Are those offended by the stickers also offended by the public school honor role stickers? The beach resort stickers? Giving the best team a trophy instead of everyone getting a participation ribbon?