Powerful Letter to the Arlington County School Board about Diversity

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you agree with his op ed, sign Matthew Herrity's petition.

https://www.change.org/p/arlington-county-school-board-arlington-public-schools-integration

Why should anyone sign a petition that has factual errors, such as asserting Madison HS is "inside the Beltway" or that Yorktown is the third least diverse school "inside the Beltway"?

The kid needs to fix all the sloppy errors, resubmit his paper for a better grade, and then see if anyone else wants to sign a petition. Egging him on right now isn't a good idea and just makes the W-L community look ignorant.

you are just a bitter, disgusting human being.

Well, aren't you polite?

The premise of the (sloppy) letter, as I understood it was that a W-L student was chiding the board for not making sure Yorktown and Wakefield were not just like W-L.

I'm tired of people from W-L holding their school out as some type of ideal environment. It's not all that, and quite frankly the people I've met from both Yorktown and Wakefield were far nicer.

As someone who makes her living as an editor, I can assure you that the "sloppy" letter written by this high school student is orders of magnitude better than what I frequently see written by highly educated adults. Why don't you post an analysis you've written so we can compare? Topic of your choice. We'll wait.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you agree with his op ed, sign Matthew Herrity's petition.

https://www.change.org/p/arlington-county-school-board-arlington-public-schools-integration

Why should anyone sign a petition that has factual errors, such as asserting Madison HS is "inside the Beltway" or that Yorktown is the third least diverse school "inside the Beltway"?

The kid needs to fix all the sloppy errors, resubmit his paper for a better grade, and then see if anyone else wants to sign a petition. Egging him on right now isn't a good idea and just makes the W-L community look ignorant.

you are just a bitter, disgusting human being.

Well, aren't you polite?

The premise of the (sloppy) letter, as I understood it was that a W-L student was chiding the board for not making sure Yorktown and Wakefield were not just like W-L.

I'm tired of people from W-L holding their school out as some type of ideal environment. It's not all that, and quite frankly the people I've met from both Yorktown and Wakefield were far nicer.

As someone who makes her living as an editor, I can assure you that the "sloppy" letter written by this high school student is orders of magnitude better than what I frequently see written by highly educated adults. Why don't you post an analysis you've written so we can compare? Topic of your choice. We'll wait.

Perhaps you can write a kick-ass letter of recommendation (assuming you're not the boy's parent). LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

PP again - also there is concern that a school with such a disadvantaged population will be more focused on the needs of these neediest kids, and not as focused on their own kids

As someone who began her teaching career in a Title I school, this statement has some truth in it. This does not mean you ignore the kids who are not needy, but you tend to focus your attention on those who are. Why? Because they need it more.

Think about it: if you have three kids in your household, and one of them is sick. Who gets the most attention? That does not mean that you don't take care of your other kids, but more concern and time is likely spent with the one who is sick.

So true.

Another fact of life in schools with disadvantaged students is that, in this age of high-stakes testing and relentless focus on the achievement gap, teachers are forced to spend ridiculous amounts of time on data. Those kids' every move is tested, recorded and analyzed ad nauseum. It takes away a lot of teaching time and energy. It also sucks the joy out of education for all the players.

[Anonymous]

So much better to segregate then, not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you agree with his op ed, sign Matthew Herrity's petition.

https://www.change.org/p/arlington-county-school-board-arlington-public-schools-integration

Why should anyone sign a petition that has factual errors, such as asserting Madison HS is "inside the Beltway" or that Yorktown is the third least diverse school "inside the Beltway"?

The kid needs to fix all the sloppy errors, resubmit his paper for a better grade, and then see if anyone else wants to sign a petition. Egging him on right now isn't a good idea and just makes the W-L community look ignorant.

you are just a bitter, disgusting human being.

Well, aren't you polite?

The premise of the (sloppy) letter, as I understood it was that a W-L student was chiding the board for not making sure Yorktown and Wakefield were not just like W-L.

I'm tired of people from W-L holding their school out as some type of ideal environment. It's not all that, and quite frankly the people I've met from both Yorktown and Wakefield were far nicer.

As someone who makes her living as an editor, I can assure you that the "sloppy" letter written by this high school student is orders of magnitude better than what I frequently see written by highly educated adults. Why don't you post an analysis you've written so we can compare? Topic of your choice. We'll wait.

Perhaps you can write a kick-ass letter of recommendation (assuming you're not the boy's parent). LOL.

No, not his parent. My own terrific writer writes for his college paper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you agree with his op ed, sign Matthew Herrity's petition.

https://www.change.org/p/arlington-county-school-board-arlington-public-schools-integration

Why should anyone sign a petition that has factual errors, such as asserting Madison HS is "inside the Beltway" or that Yorktown is the third least diverse school "inside the Beltway"?

The kid needs to fix all the sloppy errors, resubmit his paper for a better grade, and then see if anyone else wants to sign a petition. Egging him on right now isn't a good idea and just makes the W-L community look ignorant.

you are just a bitter, disgusting human being.

Well, aren't you polite?

The premise of the (sloppy) letter, as I understood it was that a W-L student was chiding the board for not making sure Yorktown and Wakefield were not just like W-L.

I'm tired of people from W-L holding their school out as some type of ideal environment. It's not all that, and quite frankly the people I've met from both Yorktown and Wakefield were far nicer.

As someone who makes her living as an editor, I can assure you that the "sloppy" letter written by this high school student is orders of magnitude better than what I frequently see written by highly educated adults. Why don't you post an analysis you've written so we can compare? Topic of your choice. We'll wait.

Perhaps you can write a kick-ass letter of recommendation (assuming you're not the boy's parent). LOL.

No, not his parent. My own terrific writer writes for his college paper.

Sorry, hit post too soon. Meant to add:

This letter speaks for itself. The author wouldn't need my recommendation.

I'll say it again: Not very many adults can write this well. Either PP didn't actually read it or she doesn't know what good writing looks like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you agree with his op ed, sign Matthew Herrity's petition.

https://www.change.org/p/arlington-county-school-board-arlington-public-schools-integration

Why should anyone sign a petition that has factual errors, such as asserting Madison HS is "inside the Beltway" or that Yorktown is the third least diverse school "inside the Beltway"?

The kid needs to fix all the sloppy errors, resubmit his paper for a better grade, and then see if anyone else wants to sign a petition. Egging him on right now isn't a good idea and just makes the W-L community look ignorant.

you are just a bitter, disgusting human being.

Well, aren't you polite?

The premise of the (sloppy) letter, as I understood it was that a W-L student was chiding the board for not making sure Yorktown and Wakefield were not just like W-L.

I'm tired of people from W-L holding their school out as some type of ideal environment. It's not all that, and quite frankly the people I've met from both Yorktown and Wakefield were far nicer.

As someone who makes her living as an editor, I can assure you that the "sloppy" letter written by this high school student is orders of magnitude better than what I frequently see written by highly educated adults. Why don't you post an analysis you've written so we can compare? Topic of your choice. We'll wait.

Perhaps you can write a kick-ass letter of recommendation (assuming you're not the boy's parent). LOL.

No, not his parent. My own terrific writer writes for his college paper.

Sorry, hit post too soon. Meant to add:

This letter speaks for itself. The author wouldn't need my recommendation.

I'll say it again: Not very many adults can write this well. Either PP didn't actually read it or she doesn't know what good writing looks like.

Good writers don't keep repeating themselves, and they don't misrepresent facts just to score rhetorical points.

Neither you nor the author of the petition is a very good writer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Good writers don't keep repeating themselves, and they don't misrepresent facts just to score rhetorical points.

Besides the inside/outside the Beltway statement, which facts is he misrepresenting?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Good writers don't keep repeating themselves, and they don't misrepresent facts just to score rhetorical points.

Besides the inside/outside the Beltway statement, which facts is he misrepresenting?

I had a problem with some source citations that neglected to mention ideological agendas, i.e. the Commonwealth Institute.

[Anonymous]

I found it to be ok-ish. Clunky, but basically fine.

[Anonymous]

I hate to pick on a high school kid, but the argument about "economic gerrymandering" also doesn't track. Maybe he just used the wrong word -- he means segregation. Gerrymandering refers to artificial boundaries to achieve electoral outcomes. To apply that analogy here, those advocating for busing to achieve more diversity would the ones engaging in economic gerrymandering.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I hate to pick on a high school kid, but the argument about "economic gerrymandering" also doesn't track. Maybe he just used the wrong word -- he means segregation. Gerrymandering refers to artificial boundaries to achieve electoral outcomes. To apply that analogy here, those advocating for busing to achieve more diversity would the ones engaging in economic gerrymandering.

I actually like this analogy because it highlights how those with the least amount of political clout are being segregated into one area of the county, and into one high school. It's not an accident. The boundaries we have now are artificial, as are all boundaries. They aren't all concentric circles that don't overlap between perfectly placed schools. There is quite a bit of flexibility in the way boundaries could be drawn, that would both maintain reasonable walk zones AND promote more economic integration. And some kids would have to ride the bus. But they already do.

[Anonymous]

I actually like this analogy because it highlights how those with the least amount of political clout are being segregated into one area of the county, and into one high school. It's not an accident. The boundaries we have now are artificial, as are all boundaries. They aren't all concentric circles that don't overlap between perfectly placed schools. There is quite a bit of flexibility in the way boundaries could be drawn, that would both maintain reasonable walk zones AND promote more economic integration. And some kids would have to ride the bus. But they already do.

Does Arlington have split feeder middle schools? Could this be part of the issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I actually like this analogy because it highlights how those with the least amount of political clout are being segregated into one area of the county, and into one high school. It's not an accident. The boundaries we have now are artificial, as are all boundaries. They aren't all concentric circles that don't overlap between perfectly placed schools. There is quite a bit of flexibility in the way boundaries could be drawn, that would both maintain reasonable walk zones AND promote more economic integration. And some kids would have to ride the bus. But they already do.

Does Arlington have split feeder middle schools? Could this be part of the issue?

Yes. Why do you think that is the issue?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Good writers don't keep repeating themselves, and they don't misrepresent facts just to score rhetorical points.

Besides the inside/outside the Beltway statement, which facts is he misrepresenting?

I had a problem with some source citations that neglected to mention ideological agendas, i.e. the Commonwealth Institute.

Dp- sounds more like you don't like facts that don't support your ideology. It can be a tough pill to be sure.