Oyster vs. Ross

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, you must be pretty lonely. Less than 40% of the 650+ kids are IB. No IB students are having their K-8 seats stolen.

PK is solely at the discretion of the principal and not a guarantee even for IB Spanish dominant Hispanics. Nobody took my kid's PK spot, because it wasn't "her" spot to begin with.

Bilingual education and living bilingually can be complicated. But if you keep an open mind and try not to get caught up in the telenovela boundaries, Oyster can be a great place. Not perfect, but mostly friendly and diverse.

PP, you must be confused and misinformed. I am an IB Oyster parent who participated in Oyster’s boundary working group earlier this year. Thus, I’m fairly knowledgeable about Oyster’s demographics and how the lottery works. So please allow me to educate you on a few basic facts about the school you claim your child attends.

The ED IB percentage at Oyster is 50% or higher in the lower grades (roughly K through 3rd/4th). The lower overall IB numbers are due solely to the high numbers of OOB kids in the upper grades. Quite a few of these OOB kids started IB, but later moved OOB (with permission to stay granted by the principal) because their parents usually want more condo/house for their money. Other families leave because acquiring Spanish remains a terrible struggle for their child. Finally, other kids move onto to Deal or private school (and they want to get an early start when it’s easier to get into privates).

PK is not, and hasn’t been in recent years (if ever) at the “discretion of the principal.” Where did you hear that lie? DCPS has and will continue to run a lottery for ALL of Oyster’s PK slots. The principal has absolutely NOTHING to do with who is selected in the initial lottery. The only discretion she has concerns the wait list. However, she is supposed to offer spots based on how the wait list is ordered by DCPS.

Off-hand, I can think of at least 4 or 5 families who gained admission to Oyster via the SD lottery, however, no Spanish is spoken in their home. Those children learned whatever Spanish they acquired from a nanny or preschool. I also know several native Spanish speaking families (born and raised in Latin America or Spain), where both parents speak Spanish at home, who were ultimately unsuccessful in the SD lottery. These are well-educated native speakers whose children attended a bilingual preschool along with my ED child. They have so much more culturally and linguistically to offer the Oyster community than the people who were admitted by falsely claiming SD. So yes, those families indeed had their kid’s seat stolen.

Could you spell out what extra those kids have to offer? It's getting tiring hearing people claim that the so-called SD kids have so much to offer. If a white child was raised in the Latin culture and speaks Spanish is fluently as the Latino SD kid, why don't they have anything to offer? My white child could talk any Latino kid born here who lives in an immigrant household under the table in Spanish. He's that good. He just happens to be Caucasian. So why shouldn't he be offered a Span. Dom. seat? He was born in Latin America and spent the first three years of his life in Latin culture. Why wouldn't he be entitled to a seat? Please be specific in your answer. There's been too much tiptoeing on the specifics of the "special" qualities argument. Thanks on behalf of all non-Latinos who are native born Hispanohablantes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, you must be pretty lonely. Less than 40% of the 650+ kids are IB. No IB students are having their K-8 seats stolen.

PK is solely at the discretion of the principal and not a guarantee even for IB Spanish dominant Hispanics. Nobody took my kid's PK spot, because it wasn't "her" spot to begin with.

Bilingual education and living bilingually can be complicated. But if you keep an open mind and try not to get caught up in the telenovela boundaries, Oyster can be a great place. Not perfect, but mostly friendly and diverse.

PP, you must be confused and misinformed. I am an IB Oyster parent who participated in Oyster’s boundary working group earlier this year. Thus, I’m fairly knowledgeable about Oyster’s demographics and how the lottery works. So please allow me to educate you on a few basic facts about the school you claim your child attends.

The ED IB percentage at Oyster is 50% or higher in the lower grades (roughly K through 3rd/4th). The lower overall IB numbers are due solely to the high numbers of OOB kids in the upper grades. Quite a few of these OOB kids started IB, but later moved OOB (with permission to stay granted by the principal) because their parents usually want more condo/house for their money. Other families leave because acquiring Spanish remains a terrible struggle for their child. Finally, other kids move onto to Deal or private school (and they want to get an early start when it’s easier to get into privates).

PK is not, and hasn’t been in recent years (if ever) at the “discretion of the principal.” Where did you hear that lie? DCPS has and will continue to run a lottery for ALL of Oyster’s PK slots. The principal has absolutely NOTHING to do with who is selected in the initial lottery. The only discretion she has concerns the wait list. However, she is supposed to offer spots based on how the wait list is ordered by DCPS.

Off-hand, I can think of at least 4 or 5 families who gained admission to Oyster via the SD lottery, however, no Spanish is spoken in their home. Those children learned whatever Spanish they acquired from a nanny or preschool. I also know several native Spanish speaking families (born and raised in Latin America or Spain), where both parents speak Spanish at home, who were ultimately unsuccessful in the SD lottery. These are well-educated native speakers whose children attended a bilingual preschool along with my ED child. They have so much more culturally and linguistically to offer the Oyster community than the people who were admitted by falsely claiming SD. So yes, those families indeed had their kid’s seat stolen.

Could you spell out what extra those kids have to offer? It's getting tiring hearing people claim that the so-called SD kids have so much to offer. If a white child was raised in the Latin culture and speaks Spanish is fluently as the Latino SD kid, why don't they have anything to offer? My white child could talk any Latino kid born here who lives in an immigrant household under the table in Spanish. He's that good. He just happens to be Caucasian. So why shouldn't he be offered a Span. Dom. seat? He was born in Latin America and spent the first three years of his life in Latin culture. Why wouldn't he be entitled to a seat? Please be specific in your answer. There's been too much tiptoeing on the specifics of the "special" qualities argument. Thanks on behalf of all non-Latinos who are native born Hispanohablantes.

First of all, you do realize that there are white Hispanics, right? Hispanics can be any race. For Oyster’s purposes, a SD child should speak fluent Spanish and come from a heritage Spanish speaking household. Is this your kid? If so, please try your luck on the SD side of the lottery. If not, please try your luck on the ED side of the lottery. There are many IB families, including mine, who entered via the ED lottery with bilingual children. My child sounds like a native Spanish speaker (as I’ve been told by many native speakers). However, neither you nor I are entitled to a SD seat if we are not, in fact, native/heritage Spanish speakers. If you want to be entitled to a seat at Oyster, MOVE IB. Can’t afford it? Then there are many other bilingual schools in DC.

Specific things a native/heritage speaking Spanish child/family offers: (1) A much richer and deeper Spanish vocabulary than a child who learned nanny or preschool Spanish (including my child). This child will be able to help my ED child with new Spanish words/phrases/cultural references while playing and having a conversation; (2) A Spanish speaking family who can authentically share its history and cultural background with the class or school during cultural celebrations and specific class discussions; (3) A child/family that can share a view of its culture through the Latin American or Spanish lens, without the United States filter or biases. For example, my child may learn what it’s like to be a child of recent immigrants who do not speak English, but are expected to (immediately) assimilate and thrive in this country. My DC will probably not learn anything akin to that from your son. The list goes on, but I have other things to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, you must be pretty lonely. Less than 40% of the 650+ kids are IB. No IB students are having their K-8 seats stolen.

PK is solely at the discretion of the principal and not a guarantee even for IB Spanish dominant Hispanics. Nobody took my kid's PK spot, because it wasn't "her" spot to begin with.

Bilingual education and living bilingually can be complicated. But if you keep an open mind and try not to get caught up in the telenovela boundaries, Oyster can be a great place. Not perfect, but mostly friendly and diverse.

PP, you must be confused and misinformed. I am an IB Oyster parent who participated in Oyster’s boundary working group earlier this year. Thus, I’m fairly knowledgeable about Oyster’s demographics and how the lottery works. So please allow me to educate you on a few basic facts about the school you claim your child attends.

The ED IB percentage at Oyster is 50% or higher in the lower grades (roughly K through 3rd/4th). The lower overall IB numbers are due solely to the high numbers of OOB kids in the upper grades. Quite a few of these OOB kids started IB, but later moved OOB (with permission to stay granted by the principal) because their parents usually want more condo/house for their money. Other families leave because acquiring Spanish remains a terrible struggle for their child. Finally, other kids move onto to Deal or private school (and they want to get an early start when it’s easier to get into privates).

PK is not, and hasn’t been in recent years (if ever) at the “discretion of the principal.” Where did you hear that lie? DCPS has and will continue to run a lottery for ALL of Oyster’s PK slots. The principal has absolutely NOTHING to do with who is selected in the initial lottery. The only discretion she has concerns the wait list. However, she is supposed to offer spots based on how the wait list is ordered by DCPS.

Off-hand, I can think of at least 4 or 5 families who gained admission to Oyster via the SD lottery, however, no Spanish is spoken in their home. Those children learned whatever Spanish they acquired from a nanny or preschool. I also know several native Spanish speaking families (born and raised in Latin America or Spain), where both parents speak Spanish at home, who were ultimately unsuccessful in the SD lottery. These are well-educated native speakers whose children attended a bilingual preschool along with my ED child. They have so much more culturally and linguistically to offer the Oyster community than the people who were admitted by falsely claiming SD. So yes, those families indeed had their kid’s seat stolen.

Could you spell out what extra those kids have to offer? It's getting tiring hearing people claim that the so-called SD kids have so much to offer. If a white child was raised in the Latin culture and speaks Spanish is fluently as the Latino SD kid, why don't they have anything to offer? My white child could talk any Latino kid born here who lives in an immigrant household under the table in Spanish. He's that good. He just happens to be Caucasian. So why shouldn't he be offered a Span. Dom. seat? He was born in Latin America and spent the first three years of his life in Latin culture. Why wouldn't he be entitled to a seat? Please be specific in your answer. There's been too much tiptoeing on the specifics of the "special" qualities argument. Thanks on behalf of all non-Latinos who are native born Hispanohablantes.

New PP here, trying to answer this to focus on what matters. In O-A educational model, being Spanish Dominant means, literally, that Spanish is the primary language for the kid in question. It goes beyond just understanding it (yes, the nanny can help there), and even beyond speaking it fluently (as an Oyster parent, I see nanny-raised kids who do understand Spanish pretty well but don't speak it as well as their English). Spanish Dominant means, is Spanish the main language the kid uses day in day out to communicate with his/ her parents/ relatives/ peers?

It has nothing to do with race/ ethnicity. Many Hispanics are not Spanish Dominant, and non-Hispanics can, with sustained effort, raise Spanish Dominant kids that meet the conditions above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
PK is not, and hasn’t been in recent years (if ever) at the “discretion of the principal.” Where did you hear that lie? DCPS has and will continue to run a lottery for ALL of Oyster’s PK slots. The principal has absolutely NOTHING to do with who is selected in the initial lottery. The only discretion she has concerns the wait list. However, she is supposed to offer spots based on how the wait list is ordered by DCPS.

Off-hand, I can think of at least 4 or 5 families who gained admission to Oyster via the SD lottery, however, no Spanish is spoken in their home. Those children learned whatever Spanish they acquired from a nanny or preschool. I also know several native Spanish speaking families (born and raised in Latin America or Spain), where both parents speak Spanish at home, who were ultimately unsuccessful in the SD lottery. These are well-educated native speakers whose children attended a bilingual preschool along with my ED child. They have so much more culturally and liPK uistically to offer the Oyster community than the people who were admitted by falsely claiming SD. So yes, those families indeed had their kid’s seat stolen.

PK slots are not guaranteed. PS and PK are not compulsory. OOB spots are guaranteed. Period. These are DC regulations. DCPS policy and practice, let the chancellor or a principal can and often do admit any student to any school.

Unlike charters, DCPS can override lottery results. Hate to break your bubble. They obviously don't advertise this policy, but it exists.

Again, PK is not compulsory. DCPS does not legally have to provide it. But it is policy and practice.

Maybe you should spend less time focusing on other parents' cultural worth (how do you measure that?) and more on enjoying the positives of diversity that seems to be the one thing everyone agrees on. Try not to be to presumptuous or prejudiced.

Like PPs wrote in Spanish, hopefully there will be more constructive discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, you must be pretty lonely. Less than 40% of the 650+ kids are IB. No IB students are having their K-8 seats stolen.

PK is solely at the discretion of the principal and not a guarantee even for IB Spanish dominant Hispanics. Nobody took my kid's PK spot, because it wasn't "her" spot to begin with.

Bilingual education and living bilingually can be complicated. But if you keep an open mind and try not to get caught up in the telenovela boundaries, Oyster can be a great place. Not perfect, but mostly friendly and diverse.

PP, you must be confused and misinformed. I am an IB Oyster parent who participated in Oyster’s boundary working group earlier this year. Thus, I’m fairly knowledgeable about Oyster’s demographics and how the lottery works. So please allow me to educate you on a few basic facts about the school you claim your child attends.

The ED IB percentage at Oyster is 50% or higher in the lower grades (roughly K through 3rd/4th). The lower overall IB numbers are due solely to the high numbers of OOB kids in the upper grades. Quite a few of these OOB kids started IB, but later moved OOB (with permission to stay granted by the principal) because their parents usually want more condo/house for their money. Other families leave because acquiring Spanish remains a terrible struggle for their child. Finally, other kids move onto to Deal or private school (and they want to get an early start when it’s easier to get into privates).

PK is not, and hasn’t been in recent years (if ever) at the “discretion of the principal.” Where did you hear that lie? DCPS has and will continue to run a lottery for ALL of Oyster’s PK slots. The principal has absolutely NOTHING to do with who is selected in the initial lottery. The only discretion she has concerns the wait list. However, she is supposed to offer spots based on how the wait list is ordered by DCPS.

Off-hand, I can think of at least 4 or 5 families who gained admission to Oyster via the SD lottery, however, no Spanish is spoken in their home. Those children learned whatever Spanish they acquired from a nanny or preschool. I also know several native Spanish speaking families (born and raised in Latin America or Spain), where both parents speak Spanish at home, who were ultimately unsuccessful in the SD lottery. These are well-educated native speakers whose children attended a bilingual preschool along with my ED child. They have so much more culturally and linguistically to offer the Oyster community than the people who were admitted by falsely claiming SD. So yes, those families indeed had their kid’s seat stolen.

Could you spell out what extra those kids have to offer? It's getting tiring hearing people claim that the so-called SD kids have so much to offer. If a white child was raised in the Latin culture and speaks Spanish is fluently as the Latino SD kid, why don't they have anything to offer? My white child could talk any Latino kid born here who lives in an immigrant household under the table in Spanish. He's that good. He just happens to be Caucasian. So why shouldn't he be offered a Span. Dom. seat? He was born in Latin America and spent the first three years of his life in Latin culture. Why wouldn't he be entitled to a seat? Please be specific in your answer. There's been too much tiptoeing on the specifics of the "special" qualities argument. Thanks on behalf of all non-Latinos who are native born Hispanohablantes.

New PP here, trying to answer this to focus on what matters. In O-A educational model, being Spanish Dominant means, literally, that Spanish is the primary language for the kid in question. It goes beyond just understanding it (yes, the nanny can help there), and even beyond speaking it fluently (as an Oyster parent, I see nanny-raised kids who do understand Spanish pretty well but don't speak it as well as their English). Spanish Dominant means, is Spanish the main language the kid uses day in day out to communicate with his/ her parents/ relatives/ peers?

It has nothing to do with race/ ethnicity. Many Hispanics are not Spanish Dominant, and non-Hispanics can, with sustained effort, raise Spanish Dominant kids that meet the conditions above.

Sorry, to provide a more specific answer to PP's question. If your kid lived 3 years in Latin America and everyone (including DH and you) spoke to him/ her primarily in Spanish, and maintained significant exposure once back in the US, yes I'd assume he/ she is probably SD by the time of O-A PreK lottery, so I'd see no problem at all in you doing so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
PK is not, and hasn’t been in recent years (if ever) at the “discretion of the principal.” Where did you hear that lie? DCPS has and will continue to run a lottery for ALL of Oyster’s PK slots. The principal has absolutely NOTHING to do with who is selected in the initial lottery. The only discretion she has concerns the wait list. However, she is supposed to offer spots based on how the wait list is ordered by DCPS.

Off-hand, I can think of at least 4 or 5 families who gained admission to Oyster via the SD lottery, however, no Spanish is spoken in their home. Those children learned whatever Spanish they acquired from a nanny or preschool. I also know several native Spanish speaking families (born and raised in Latin America or Spain), where both parents speak Spanish at home, who were ultimately unsuccessful in the SD lottery. These are well-educated native speakers whose children attended a bilingual preschool along with my ED child. They have so much more culturally and liPK uistically to offer the Oyster community than the people who were admitted by falsely claiming SD. So yes, those families indeed had their kid’s seat stolen.

PK slots are not guaranteed. PS and PK are not compulsory. OOB spots are guaranteed. Period. These are DC regulations. DCPS policy and practice, let the chancellor or a principal can and often do admit any student to any school.

Unlike charters, DCPS can override lottery results. Hate to break your bubble. They obviously don't advertise this policy, but it exists.

Again, PK is not compulsory. DCPS does not legally have to provide it. But it is policy and practice.

Maybe you should spend less time focusing on other parents' cultural worth (how do you measure that?) and more on enjoying the positives of diversity that seems to be the one thing everyone agrees on. Try not to be to presumptuous or prejudiced.

Like PPs wrote in Spanish, hopefully there will be more constructive discussion.

You don’t know what you’re talking about here. I NEVER said that PK slots are guaranteed for anyone. Although IB students are admitted to Oyster every year via the PK lottery, IB students only have a right to attend Oyster from K through 8th. Reading really is fundamental. Maybe you should spend more time developing your reading comprehension skills. You certainly have NOT facilitated a more “constructive discussion” with your ill-informed post.

[Anonymous]

So glad DCUM people don't make the rules. The blatant racism in this thread is disgusting. For the lady who says that Spanish immigrants can teach her something, my family is from Spain. We're immigrants, though not poor. You don't have to be an impoverished Latin American to be a heritage speaker of a language or intimately attuned to the culture. I'm completely biliterate, always have been. At some point I might have been Spanish dominant and at some point English. The fluidity of this concept is not understood on this forum and people who might mean well are coming off as ignorant. This is why the principal can use her judgment regarding who enters the school. This red-herring of English vs. Spanish dominant is nothing but a ruse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So glad DCUM people don't make the rules. The blatant racism in this thread is disgusting. For the lady who says that Spanish immigrants can teach her something, my family is from Spain. We're immigrants, though not poor. You don't have to be an impoverished Latin American to be a heritage speaker of a language or intimately attuned to the culture. I'm completely biliterate, always have been. At some point I might have been Spanish dominant and at some point English. The fluidity of this concept is not understood on this forum and people who might mean well are coming off as ignorant. This is why the principal can use her judgment regarding who enters the school. This red-herring of English vs. Spanish dominant is nothing but a ruse.

This makes no sense. Lots of kids who get in as SD are by no reasonable definition of the term "Spanish dominant." I'm thinking of the kid in my DC's class whose only connection to any Spanish/Latin culture is that his grandma is from Spain.

Spanish dominant should mean speaking Spanish better than English, at least when admitted. Doesn't matter what your ethnicity is --- should be about language.

[Anonymous]

There is do much speculation here. Can someone who has undergone the "test" explain it? Just talking to the child? Have they ever actually turned someone away because Spanish was okay, maybe passive better than active, but English was better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^ You're a very sick and disturbed person. Please get help. The saddest part is you're probably a parent to an innocent child out there. May God bless him or her. I'm praying for you this Christmas.

Our kids will be just fine. I know, because we raised them ourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So glad DCUM people don't make the rules. The blatant racism in this thread is disgusting. For the lady who says that Spanish immigrants can teach her something, my family is from Spain. We're immigrants, though not poor. You don't have to be an impoverished Latin American to be a heritage speaker of a language or intimately attuned to the culture. I'm completely biliterate, always have been. At some point I might have been Spanish dominant and at some point English. The fluidity of this concept is not understood on this forum and people who might mean well are coming off as ignorant. This is why the principal can use her judgment regarding who enters the school. This red-herring of English vs. Spanish dominant is nothing but a ruse.

(Not the PP you mention) I agree with the core of what you say, but believe you're confused in a couple of areas. Yes, the principal can use her judgment, but right now she is doing so in contradictory, self-defeating ways. On the one hand, she says we need a perfect 50/50 Spanish to English dominant kids. On the other hand, she doesn't enforce the admissions policies that would make that possible. Let me give you an example -- without too many specifics for obvious reasons. Little Kate just got into K, as her family is in boundary. Next year her family is moving out-boundary to Chevy Chase to get a bigger house for little Kate and her younger sisters Melanie and Zoe. Her parents don't worry much about schooling - they are privy to the "secret" that the principal will not only let Kate continue in Oyster, but will also let Melanie and Zoe in when the time comes.

If judgment is not used wisely and with a clear vision, we end where we are. Complaining about not having enough Spanish dominant kids while having a huge contingent of English dominant kids whose parents happened to live in boundary at some point. And not having enough lottery spots to get more out-boundary Spanish dom kids in the lower grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ You're a very sick and disturbed person. Please get help. The saddest part is you're probably a parent to an innocent child out there. May God bless him or her. I'm praying for you this Christmas.

Our kids will be just fine. I know, because we raised them ourselves.

Therein lies the rub. You're depraved and uber-obsessed on a DC public school and its admissions process. Beyond weird. You are raising a child(ren). Cruel indeed. I'll be praying for them and you at Christmas. I'll also be praying for the kids of Oyster. With crazies like you out there having access to schools, the kids need all the prayers they can get!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So glad DCUM people don't make the rules. The blatant racism in this thread is disgusting. For the lady who says that Spanish immigrants can teach her something, my family is from Spain. We're immigrants, though not poor. You don't have to be an impoverished Latin American to be a heritage speaker of a language or intimately attuned to the culture. I'm completely biliterate, always have been. At some point I might have been Spanish dominant and at some point English. The fluidity of this concept is not understood on this forum and people who might mean well are coming off as ignorant. This is why the principal can use her judgment regarding who enters the school. This red-herring of English vs. Spanish dominant is nothing but a ruse.

(Not the PP you mention) I agree with the core of what you say, but believe you're confused in a couple of areas. Yes, the principal can use her judgment, but right now she is doing so in contradictory, self-defeating ways. On the one hand, she says we need a perfect 50/50 Spanish to English dominant kids. On the other hand, she doesn't enforce the admissions policies that would make that possible. Let me give you an example -- without too many specifics for obvious reasons. Little Kate just got into K, as her family is in boundary. Next year her family is moving out-boundary to Chevy Chase to get a bigger house for little Kate and her younger sisters Melanie and Zoe. Her parents don't worry much about schooling - they are privy to the "secret" that the principal will not only let Kate continue in Oyster, but will also let Melanie and Zoe in when the time comes.

If judgment is not used wisely and with a clear vision, we end where we are. Complaining about not having enough Spanish dominant kids while having a huge contingent of English dominant kids whose parents happened to live in boundary at some point. And not having enough lottery spots to get more out-boundary Spanish dom kids in the lower grades.

In other words, the principal can either drop the unrealistic 50/50 demographic split --and simply do more immersion in the early grades, as most bilingual schools do -- or stop using her discretion in ways that compound the problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ You're a very sick and disturbed person. Please get help. The saddest part is you're probably a parent to an innocent child out there. May God bless him or her. I'm praying for you this Christmas.

Our kids will be just fine. I know, because we raised them ourselves.

Therein lies the rub. You're depraved and uber-obsessed on a DC public school and its admissions process. Beyond weird. You are raising a child(ren). Cruel indeed. I'll be praying for them and you at Christmas. I'll also be praying for the kids of Oyster. With crazies like you out there having access to schools, the kids need all the prayers they can get!

You sound like a ridiculous religious fanatic! Please save your prayers for yourself. If your think that the PP is “depraved”…what is your opinion of truly depraved people (i.e., pedophiles, rapists and murderers)? Pull yourself together and get some perspective (and perhaps, some professional help…really).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ You're a very sick and disturbed person. Please get help. The saddest part is you're probably a parent to an innocent child out there. May God bless him or her. I'm praying for you this Christmas.

Our kids will be just fine. I know, because we raised them ourselves.

Therein lies the rub. You're depraved and uber-obsessed on a DC public school and its admissions process. Beyond weird. You are raising a child(ren). Cruel indeed. I'll be praying for them and you at Christmas. I'll also be praying for the kids of Oyster. With crazies like you out there having access to schools, the kids need all the prayers they can get!

You sound like a ridiculous religious fanatic! Please save your prayers for yourself. If your think that the PP is “depraved”…what is your opinion of truly depraved people (i.e., pedophiles, rapists and murderers)? Pull yourself together and get some perspective (and perhaps, some professional help…really).

Uh oh! The crazies are out!!! Lady, please take your meds before posting on here. It would help everyone. And prayer may be a dirty word for you (no surprise here!), but some are grateful for it. While you're probably putting pins in the eyes of voodoo dolls shaped like hated Oyster families and parents, I'll be sending out vibes of goodwill towards them. The crazies get more and more awful on here. But, I guess it wouldn't be DCUM without them.