Georgetown Prep vs. Sidwell

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever been to a WCAC sporting event? Or a Club Blue lacrosse game? Or CYO basketball game?

If so, you don't need to know why that group is refereed to as the Catholic Mafia. It is a fairly homogeneous group that acts consistently at cetain events.

I went to a WCAC football game this past weekend. I am not sure what you are talking about. I sat next between an Asian family and a Hispanic family. The people in front of me were Irish, and the people behind me appeared to be of Indian decent. Didn't seem very homogeneous to me at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:yeah thats it. we are all jealous of the catholic community. keep telling yourself that.

Yes must be it. If this didn't strike some sort of chord with you, then why are you reacting? Your response reeks of jealousy!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes. This New Yorker is pretty stunned. DC does have a stigma of an insular place caught on itself, but the more times I encounter that mentality I just get closer to convinced that these stereotypes are fair. I now wonder if national politics seems caught in an increasingly conservative spiral because elected politicians spend too much of the year here.

Politicians and the political class in general are well outside these communities. Now you might find them at St Albans or Sidwell or Maret, but not at Prep. And I can assure you that no one is being infected with any Conservative ideas at Sidwell or GDS or Maret or St. Albans for that matter.

The reason that the country is in a conservative spiral is that Government-based solutions to problems Washington thinks the country has don't work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm the person who guessed about your "qualifications" here but I'm certainly not the only one trying to discredit you. My whole point is that many of us are tired of YOU trying to dismiss the opinions of anyone with a slightly more current and varying view of the Catholic schools. I've lived in DC for 20+ years myself and also have a large network of family & friends with kids in these schools NOW and recently. My knowledge and others' insights are based on multiple kids in multiple schools over multiple years, and certainly not by "counting jacket colors" in the neighborhood or remembering the way things used to be. If you really have a close association with one of these schools you are doing an awful job representing it . . . and you're making the rest of us look terrible. But perhaps that's your true agenda.

20+ years? So you are an newcomer. And a shrill one at that.

The mission of Catholic schools is not to be lower cost safety schools for non-Catholics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever been to a WCAC sporting event? Or a Club Blue lacrosse game? Or CYO basketball game?

If so, you don't need to know why that group is refereed to as the Catholic Mafia. It is a fairly homogeneous group that acts consistently at cetain events.

I went to a WCAC football game this past weekend. I am not sure what you are talking about. I sat next between an Asian family and a Hispanic family. The people in front of me were Irish, and the people behind me appeared to be of Indian decent. Didn't seem very homogeneous to me at all.

I think the post was referring to uniform behavior at these events and I must concur. Catholic families go nuts at these events. Anytime I go to a WCAC football game, everyone prays with the announcer who recites a pledge for good sportsmanship. Then everyone screams at the crooked refs 60 seconds later.

As for socioeconomic diversity, come on. Those crowas are overwhelming white upper middle class and above families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever been to a WCAC sporting event? Or a Club Blue lacrosse game? Or CYO basketball game?

If so, you don't need to know why that group is refereed to as the Catholic Mafia. It is a fairly homogeneous group that acts consistently at cetain events.

I went to a WCAC football game this past weekend. I am not sure what you are talking about. I sat next between an Asian family and a Hispanic family. The people in front of me were Irish, and the people behind me appeared to be of Indian decent. Didn't seem very homogeneous to me at all.

Fir crying out loud. This is ridiculous. Look at group shots of the student body at these events and tell me you see.

It's almost entirely a homogeneous group of whites, middle class and UMC kids.

Indian descent, indeed. How many of those are there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the most insular, close minded and bigoted group in this area is the one that shrieks about prejudice against its sacred catholic schools.

Do you find no irony in your post? I am one of the previous posters noting that the Catholic "mafia" is a pejorative term. My kids go to Sidwell. It doesn't require a Catholic school education to conclude it is offensive to liken a group to the mafia. I just don't get what is possibly debatable about that point. It would seem like referring to a group as the episcopal KKK, the German Nazis, or the middle eastern ISIS, quite casually, and stating it was only indicate they cohesive group with closely held beliefs, you know, no negative implication at all. Hard to believe this notion is that controversial.

Totally agree with getting rid of the "Catholic mafia" term. I'm so tired of seeing it on DCUM and everyone just breezing over it like it's no big deal. It doesn't matter if a Catholic person is the one using it and seems to find it endearing. It's offensive.

I'm Catholic and I'm not a bit offended. I think it's funny.

But to the hyper-sensitive and the politically correct, this is a no-no.

And the first thing they resort to is a comparison to using "Nazis". (See above)

These are people who have never seen an Indian Reservation or a real American Indian, but are somehow convinced that the team nick-name of the Washington DC NFL is a big problem for them. Not alcoholism, or unemployment or indolence caused by Government support.

It's shallow thinking at best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever been to a WCAC sporting event? Or a Club Blue lacrosse game? Or CYO basketball game?

If so, you don't need to know why that group is refereed to as the Catholic Mafia. It is a fairly homogeneous group that acts consistently at cetain events.

I went to a WCAC football game this past weekend. I am not sure what you are talking about. I sat next between an Asian family and a Hispanic family. The people in front of me were Irish, and the people behind me appeared to be of Indian decent. Didn't seem very homogeneous to me at all.

I think the post was referring to uniform behavior at these events and I must concur. Catholic families go nuts at these events. Anytime I go to a WCAC football game, everyone prays with the announcer who recites a pledge for good sportsmanship. Then everyone screams at the crooked refs 60 seconds later.

As for socioeconomic diversity, come on. Those crowas are overwhelming white upper middle class and above families.

OK, let's say you are totally accurate with your assessment. Now please explain why this is so horrible? I think it is great that people of a particular ethnic/religious background have that sort of bond. How is it any different than Jews? Blacks? Asians? Who are you people who have issue with the "Catholic Mafia"? Please share, and let us know why this is so bad?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever been to a WCAC sporting event? Or a Club Blue lacrosse game? Or CYO basketball game?

If so, you don't need to know why that group is refereed to as the Catholic Mafia. It is a fairly homogeneous group that acts consistently at cetain events.

I went to a WCAC football game this past weekend. I am not sure what you are talking about. I sat next between an Asian family and a Hispanic family. The people in front of me were Irish, and the people behind me appeared to be of Indian decent. Didn't seem very homogeneous to me at all.

I think the post was referring to uniform behavior at these events and I must concur. Catholic families go nuts at these events. Anytime I go to a WCAC football game, everyone prays with the announcer who recites a pledge for good sportsmanship. Then everyone screams at the crooked refs 60 seconds later.

As for socioeconomic diversity, come on. Those crowas are overwhelming white upper middle class and above families.

OK, let's say you are totally accurate with your assessment. Now please explain why this is so horrible? I think it is great that people of a particular ethnic/religious background have that sort of bond. How is it any different than Jews? Blacks? Asians? Who are you people who have issue with the "Catholic Mafia"? Please share, and let us know why this is so bad?

It's because these people worship at the Temple of Diversity and Inclusion. And anything that even smacks of being inconsistent with Diversity and Inclusion rubs them the wrong way.

Of course, many groups get a pass on this and are allowed to have their own cultures and schools and clubs and whatever. But for some reason, Catholics wanting their own schools or teams or clubs is a bad thing.

It's an odd thing given the history of Catholics in the US and the treatment we received for the first 200 years or so.

[Anonymous]

It's a statement about the insular nature of the Catholic community in this area and their boorish behavior at sporting events.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm the person who guessed about your "qualifications" here but I'm certainly not the only one trying to discredit you. My whole point is that many of us are tired of YOU trying to dismiss the opinions of anyone with a slightly more current and varying view of the Catholic schools. I've lived in DC for 20+ years myself and also have a large network of family & friends with kids in these schools NOW and recently. My knowledge and others' insights are based on multiple kids in multiple schools over multiple years, and certainly not by "counting jacket colors" in the neighborhood or remembering the way things used to be. If you really have a close association with one of these schools you are doing an awful job representing it . . . and you're making the rest of us look terrible. But perhaps that's your true agenda.

20+ years? So you are an newcomer. And a shrill one at that.

The mission of Catholic schools is not to be lower cost safety schools for non-Catholics.

Okay, if the worst thing you can call me is a shrill newcomer, I'll take it vs. being a pathetic, biased, and obnoxious old-timer. And by the way we are devout Catholics who pay over $100,000 a year in tuition at top Catholic independents that are nobody's safety schools. Take that tired argument elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you ever been to a WCAC sporting event? Or a Club Blue lacrosse game? Or CYO basketball game?

If so, you don't need to know why that group is refereed to as the Catholic Mafia. It is a fairly homogeneous group that acts consistently at cetain events.

I went to a WCAC football game this past weekend. I am not sure what you are talking about. I sat next between an Asian family and a Hispanic family. The people in front of me were Irish, and the people behind me appeared to be of Indian decent. Didn't seem very homogeneous to me at all.

I think the post was referring to uniform behavior at these events and I must concur. Catholic families go nuts at these events. Anytime I go to a WCAC football game, everyone prays with the announcer who recites a pledge for good sportsmanship. Then everyone screams at the crooked refs 60 seconds later.

As for socioeconomic diversity, come on. Those crowas are overwhelming white upper middle class and above families.

OK, let's say you are totally accurate with your assessment. Now please explain why this is so horrible? I think it is great that people of a particular ethnic/religious background have that sort of bond. How is it any different than Jews? Blacks? Asians? Who are you people who have issue with the "Catholic Mafia"? Please share, and let us know why this is so bad?

It's because these people worship at the Temple of Diversity and Inclusion. And anything that even smacks of being inconsistent with Diversity and Inclusion rubs them the wrong way.

Of course, many groups get a pass on this and are allowed to have their own cultures and schools and clubs and whatever. But for some reason, Catholics wanting their own schools or teams or clubs is a bad thing.

It's an odd thing given the history of Catholics in the US and the treatment we received for the first 200 years or so.

+1,000,000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the most insular, close minded and bigoted group in this area is the one that shrieks about prejudice against its sacred catholic schools.

Do you find no irony in your post? I am one of the previous posters noting that the Catholic "mafia" is a pejorative term. My kids go to Sidwell. It doesn't require a Catholic school education to conclude it is offensive to liken a group to the mafia. I just don't get what is possibly debatable about that point. It would seem like referring to a group as the episcopal KKK, the German Nazis, or the middle eastern ISIS, quite casually, and stating it was only indicate they cohesive group with closely held beliefs, you know, no negative implication at all. Hard to believe this notion is that controversial.

Totally agree with getting rid of the "Catholic mafia" term. I'm so tired of seeing it on DCUM and everyone just breezing over it like it's no big deal. It doesn't matter if a Catholic person is the one using it and seems to find it endearing. It's offensive.

I'm Catholic and I'm not a bit offended. I think it's funny.

But to the hyper-sensitive and the politically correct, this is a no-no.

And the first thing they resort to is a comparison to using "Nazis". (See above)

These are people who have never seen an Indian Reservation or a real American Indian, but are somehow convinced that the team nick-name of the Washington DC NFL is a big problem for them. Not alcoholism, or unemployment or indolence caused by Government support.

It's shallow thinking at best.

Funny this is I'm the pp you are demeaning and I've actually spent a fair amount if time working on Native American justice reform work. No, catholics being referred to as being mafia-like is not the end of the earth, but it is far from neutrally referring to a group that is tightly net with common norms and interest. It's an offensive term that people are free to use, and you are free to Google ad, of course. All I'm saying is that it's offensive when you think more than two seconds about it. Not that hard to understand, and doesn't take someone hypersensitive it to get it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love how the most insular, close minded and bigoted group in this area is the one that shrieks about prejudice against its sacred catholic schools.

Do you find no irony in your post? I am one of the previous posters noting that the Catholic "mafia" is a pejorative term. My kids go to Sidwell. It doesn't require a Catholic school education to conclude it is offensive to liken a group to the mafia. I just don't get what is possibly debatable about that point. It would seem like referring to a group as the episcopal KKK, the German Nazis, or the middle eastern ISIS, quite casually, and stating it was only indicate they cohesive group with closely held beliefs, you know, no negative implication at all. Hard to believe this notion is that controversial.

Totally agree with getting rid of the "Catholic mafia" term. I'm so tired of seeing it on DCUM and everyone just breezing over it like it's no big deal. It doesn't matter if a Catholic person is the one using it and seems to find it endearing. It's offensive.

I'm Catholic and I'm not a bit offended. I think it's funny.

But to the hyper-sensitive and the politically correct, this is a no-no.

And the first thing they resort to is a comparison to using "Nazis". (See above)

These are people who have never seen an Indian Reservation or a real American Indian, but are somehow convinced that the team nick-name of the Washington DC NFL is a big problem for them. Not alcoholism, or unemployment or indolence caused by Government support.

It's shallow thinking at best.

Funny this is I'm the pp you are demeaning and I've actually spent a fair amount if time working on Native American justice reform work. No, catholics being referred to as being mafia-like is not the end of the earth, but it is far from neutrally referring to a group that is tightly net with common norms and interest. It's an offensive term that people are free to use, and you are free to Google ad, of course. All I'm saying is that it's offensive when you think more than two seconds about it. Not that hard to understand, and doesn't take someone hypersensitive it to get it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
These posts are misleading. I have a senior at Prep and kids at two other DC Catholic independents. Maybe this poster's circle of friends 30 years ago wherever he went cared more about HS but I can assure you that the accomplished parents and students at Prep now (and similar Catholic independents) have higher ambitions. Though the majority are Catholic, there is much more religious diversity (and other kids of diversity) than this poster implies and it's not just tolerated, it's welcomed. In every freshman class there are students coming from something like 65+ grammar/middle schools so it would be difficult if not impossible to maintain the sad insularity the PP wants to believe exists. As with many other area privates, there are some families with long-standing relationships and of course there is socializing around sports and kids' major activities. If you view any HS through as cynical and negative lense as the PP does, you could see cliques, politics, and social drama. But our experience in this community, even as a family "new to the scene" in HS, has been very positive. Our son has made an amazing group of friends -- smart, happy, impressive young men who are diverse in terms of faith, race, the sports they play, their academic interests, etc. Don't let the PP's constant drumbeat of cynicism on these boards scare you away.

Congratulations on having used these Catholic schools for your own purposes.

What? I feel the same way and my non Catholic kid gets significant FA. If Prep or Gonzaga didn't want him they need not have offered aid or accepted him for that matter. My kid, as many non-Catholic kids, make all kinds of positive contributions, and I mean academic as well as sports. The Catholic HS are very much able to look out for themselves. They do not need your opinion.