Top private (Sidwell, GDS) versus top public (JKLM) for early years: what are the differences?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP, I get that you want to sound earnest, but you come across as smug and self-righteous. These are attitudes I'd hope to avoid.

Referring to PP at 17:16.

NP here. For crying out loud. You're beyond "smug and self-righteous." I'd insert other words here, but then I'd be playing your game. Not going to stoop to your level.

17:16 - thanks for your candor and thoughtfulness. I expect that lots of nastiness is going to be heaped on you, because there seem to be a vocal crew of people on here who hiss and piss at anyone who pauses to question the assumption that sending your kids to private school is automatically for the best. But please know that I for one thank you many many times over for your heartfelt message. You sound like a wonderful parent, and a wonderful person.

Agree. Thank you 17:16 for your detailed and thoughtful response. We don't have your type of family money but I share your reasoning for sending my kids to public schools.

[Anonymous]

We are at Basis and we think for our math and science oriented kids it offers a better education in a more economically and racially diverse environment than any other school, public or private, in the DC metro area. And we came from one of the JKLM schools and opted out of private because of Basis coming to DC, and so far have no regrets only gratitude that our kids are able to move at their own pace in math and science.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Here's why: if you, and any subsequent posters (!!) actually knew the neighborhoods surrounding Janney, Key, Mann, Lafayette and to a lesser extent, Murch, you would understand that 95% of the children attending these public schools are not from "all walks of life." They are all from "a privileged background." They are NOT socio-economicallly diverse. They all, with very very few exceptions, are the products of parents in the highest SES bands in the entire United States.

This is a fact. True, there are handfuls of somewhat lower income renters at a handful of these schools but the numbers do not lie.



+1 Well said, totally agree with your analysis.


I am one of the "subsequent posters" (not sure what the !! means). We could go probably go private but we choose to go to Hearst. It is possible to live in Ward 3 and attend a school that has kid from all walks of life. The other parents at the school have a very wide range of professions-- everything from lawyers and academics to restaurant workers and manual laborers. Hearst absolutely is socio-economically diverse and that is why we chose it, and actively did NOT choose Janney, Mann, etc.

One more time, with feeling: this is a thread that asks about Janney, Key, Lafayette, Mann and probably Murch.

It is not asking about Stoddert, Eaton, Hearst. It is not asking about private schools in Dallas. It is not asking about Catholic schools in south Chicago as an alternative to public schools in south Chicago.

Hi, thanks PP. OP here. Yes, please, the question is about GDS/Sidwell versus JKLM (in fact, we are considering Mann specifically) differences (i.e. curricular, academically speaking, teacher quality, languages exposure, arts, music, etc....)

[Anonymous]

What about "international" diversity? Is my understanding that Sidwell, notably WIS, GDS and STA have a lot of international students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What about "international" diversity? Is my understanding that Sidwell, notably WIS, GDS and STA have a lot of international students.

JKLMs do as well. We have a tremendous number on international families at all schools in the area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Here's why: if you, and any subsequent posters (!!) actually knew the neighborhoods surrounding Janney, Key, Mann, Lafayette and to a lesser extent, Murch, you would understand that 95% of the children attending these public schools are not from "all walks of life." They are all from "a privileged background." They are NOT socio-economicallly diverse. They all, with very very few exceptions, are the products of parents in the highest SES bands in the entire United States.

This is a fact. True, there are handfuls of somewhat lower income renters at a handful of these schools but the numbers do not lie.



+1 Well said, totally agree with your analysis.


I am one of the "subsequent posters" (not sure what the !! means). We could go probably go private but we choose to go to Hearst. It is possible to live in Ward 3 and attend a school that has kid from all walks of life. The other parents at the school have a very wide range of professions-- everything from lawyers and academics to restaurant workers and manual laborers. Hearst absolutely is socio-economically diverse and that is why we chose it, and actively did NOT choose Janney, Mann, etc.

One more time, with feeling: this is a thread that asks about Janney, Key, Lafayette, Mann and probably Murch.

It is not asking about Stoddert, Eaton, Hearst. It is not asking about private schools in Dallas. It is not asking about Catholic schools in south Chicago as an alternative to public schools in south Chicago.

Geez my utter apologies, I thought the conversation had expanded to the broader issue of why someone would choose a public over a private. I didn't realize we could only share an opinion if we were talking about JKLM. And since the OP says she's really only looking at Mann, should we prohibit all comments on JKL as well?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about "international" diversity? Is my understanding that Sidwell, notably WIS, GDS and STA have a lot of international students.

JKLMs do as well. We have a tremendous number on international families at all schools in the area.

Mann has so many international students that we don't go to any of the auctions anymore because they are all held at embassies - just went through the security clearance process again and listing embassies and foreign contacts for ten years was too much. No more auctions for us, and sorry not to go. But really? Sometimes being a fed is a hassle....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about "international" diversity? Is my understanding that Sidwell, notably WIS, GDS and STA have a lot of international students.

JKLMs do as well. We have a tremendous number on international families at all schools in the area.

Mann has so many international students that we don't go to any of the auctions anymore because they are all held at embassies - just went through the security clearance process again and listing embassies and foreign contacts for ten years was too much. No more auctions for us, and sorry not to go. But really? Sometimes being a fed is a hassle....

Ha! Talk about your unintended consequences/headaches.

[Anonymous]

It as an open anonymous forum.

So, one more time with feeling, people can do whatever they want on any thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about "international" diversity? Is my understanding that Sidwell, notably WIS, GDS and STA have a lot of international students.

JKLMs do as well. We have a tremendous number on international families at all schools in the area.

Mann has so many international students that we don't go to any of the auctions anymore because they are all held at embassies - just went through the security clearance process again and listing embassies and foreign contacts for ten years was too much. No more auctions for us, and sorry not to go. But really? Sometimes being a fed is a hassle....

Ha! Talk about your unintended consequences/headaches.

Is that a high level clearance? You need to list going to an embassy once one night?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Here's why: if you, and any subsequent posters (!!) actually knew the neighborhoods surrounding Janney, Key, Mann, Lafayette and to a lesser extent, Murch, you would understand that 95% of the children attending these public schools are not from "all walks of life." They are all from "a privileged background." They are NOT socio-economicallly diverse. They all, with very very few exceptions, are the products of parents in the highest SES bands in the entire United States.

This is a fact. True, there are handfuls of somewhat lower income renters at a handful of these schools but the numbers do not lie.



+1 Well said, totally agree with your analysis.


I am one of the "subsequent posters" (not sure what the !! means). We could go probably go private but we choose to go to Hearst. It is possible to live in Ward 3 and attend a school that has kid from all walks of life. The other parents at the school have a very wide range of professions-- everything from lawyers and academics to restaurant workers and manual laborers. Hearst absolutely is socio-economically diverse and that is why we chose it, and actively did NOT choose Janney, Mann, etc.

One more time, with feeling: this is a thread that asks about Janney, Key, Lafayette, Mann and probably Murch.

It is not asking about Stoddert, Eaton, Hearst. It is not asking about private schools in Dallas. It is not asking about Catholic schools in south Chicago as an alternative to public schools in south Chicago.

Hi, thanks PP. OP here. Yes, please, the question is about GDS/Sidwell versus JKLM (in fact, we are considering Mann specifically) differences (i.e. curricular, academically speaking, teacher quality, languages exposure, arts, music, etc....)

OP, with respect, you may have started the thread but you do not get to dictate what other relevant discussion then entails. It is absolutely relevant to your question that some posters (myself included) not only think that privates are not as good as those specific public schools in upper NW, but they are also not any better than other public schools in other wards of the city.

[Anonymous]

This thread is pretty interesting. OP asked a particular question looking for some concrete differences between two small groups of schools and looks like there are definitely some public school parents with a big old insecurity complex and chip on their shoulder who need to communicate their righteous values to go public (even though or if they could afford private, of course)... Even after OP and a few PPs remind ppl what OP is specifically asking about! If you know specific differences, tell us!! Those of us that are trying to decide between a private our child was accepted to (which we clearly don't have a moral problem with or we would not have applied), or our local public would like to know!! No need to convince us of your values, or get all defensive!

[Anonymous]

For those who tout diversity, the racial diversity at GDS in the LS is much, much greater than the racial diversity I find at Lafayette. I would say the the socio-economic status of the families are similar, but because GDS can choose class composition, it ends up with a lot more African American and Asian American (or at least half Asian) kids than at our neighborhood public.

[Anonymous]

You want to hear an economist's take on the value of private (high) schooling? It's all about signaling. Colleges now have separate admissions and financial aid departments. Admissions decisions are supposed to be "need blind," which is why the admissions departments don't see the financial need information on an application. This obviously isn't ideal from a university perspective. The admissions folks can get an idea of (a lack of) financial need by seeing a private school on the application. It's one of the easiest thing they can do to help the university without running afoul of "need blind" considerations.

Yes, I belive this is bradly accurate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is pretty interesting. OP asked a particular question looking for some concrete differences between two small groups of schools and looks like there are definitely some public school parents with a big old insecurity complex and chip on their shoulder who need to communicate their righteous values to go public (even though or if they could afford private, of course)... Even after OP and a few PPs remind ppl what OP is specifically asking about! If you know specific differences, tell us!! Those of us that are trying to decide between a private our child was accepted to (which we clearly don't have a moral problem with or we would not have applied), or our local public would like to know!! No need to convince us of your values, or get all defensive!

Right, I forgot how every thread on DCUM stays strictly on topic with the original post.