How would you place top schools on a scale of most liberal to most conservative?

[Anonymous]

Does the OP want a school that admits families across a broad political spectrum, that promotes civil discourse, and that promotes values of inclusion?

Then it seems that she should look for a school that leans strongly one way politically (among faculty) but has a track record of admitting families of an opposing ideology. I can think of one big recent example that took the risk of doing this. You know which one I'm talking about, I think.

[Anonymous]

No one really knows what OP wants

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one really knows what OP wants

It initially seemed op sincerely wanted answers about political culture at schools, but op has been AWOL. Another important discussion that could have been had, had op been serious. I'll wait for op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP conflated traditional and progressive teaching approaches with conservative /liberal political leanings. A mistake many make. A progressive teaching method can simply mean flexible seating. The thread was derailed from the get go. OP should start a new and clear thread.

I'm not sure OP did as OP specifically says "a scale of progressive to traditional teaching," but those answering certainly thought OP was asking about politics, not teaching philosophy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP conflated traditional and progressive teaching approaches with conservative /liberal political leanings. A mistake many make. A progressive teaching method can simply mean flexible seating. The thread was derailed from the get go. OP should start a new and clear thread.

I'm not sure OP did as OP specifically says "a scale of progressive to traditional teaching," but those answering certainly thought OP was asking about politics, not teaching philosophy.

You omit the second part of Op's request: Trying to get a feel for the culture of private schools around here. I don't think people who responded are wrong to interpret "culture" as encompassing something broader than teaching philosophy, which doesn't speak much to a culture, unless you consider "math concepts" versus "math facts" or "sit at desks" versus "move around" as meaningfully related to "culture," in any traditional understanding of that word. More than that, all the LS's around here, at least in private schools, have fairly progressive teaching styles. Maybe OP is from out of town, but now we're making two stretches--the meaning of culture and the geographical background of the OP. I think OP was asking about both, but OP hasn't bothered to join back in. I do hope OP would chime in and clarify. Alternatively, the discussion was interesting anyway, with a few exceptions of posters spewing vitriolic bile.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP conflated traditional and progressive teaching approaches with conservative /liberal political leanings. A mistake many make. A progressive teaching method can simply mean flexible seating. The thread was derailed from the get go. OP should start a new and clear thread.

I'm not sure OP did as OP specifically says "a scale of progressive to traditional teaching," but those answering certainly thought OP was asking about politics, not teaching philosophy.

You omit the second part of Op's request: Trying to get a feel for the culture of private schools around here. I don't think people who responded are wrong to interpret "culture" as encompassing something broader than teaching philosophy, which doesn't speak much to a culture, unless you consider "math concepts" versus "math facts" or "sit at desks" versus "move around" as meaningfully related to "culture," in any traditional understanding of that word. More than that, all the LS's around here, at least in private schools, have fairly progressive teaching styles. Maybe OP is from out of town, but now we're making two stretches--the meaning of culture and the geographical background of the OP. I think OP was asking about both, but OP hasn't bothered to join back in. I do hope OP would chime in and clarify. Alternatively, the discussion was interesting anyway, with a few exceptions of posters spewing vitriolic bile.

That's why I said OP conflated teaching and politics (
(with the followup) . Both could be interesting discussions, but don't necessarily go hand in hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For some of the more well-known schools, so not every school in the area, I'd say:

GDS

Sidwell

Maret

Potomac

NCS

STA

Holton

Landon

Georgetown Prep

Wow. Good Job, PP. I think that is pretty accurate. I'd put the other Catholic schools (Visi, SR, Gonzaga, and StJ) at the conservative end with Prep and SSSAS at about the same place as Holton and you've pretty much covered it.

I strongly disagree with the placement of Sidwell and Holton. I'd reorder it

GDS

Maret

Holton

Potomac

Sidwell

STA

NCS

Landon

Georgetown Prep

Sidwell has to be near the liberal top. The snowflakes can't wear Redskins football gear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^ would a conservative but very bright child not fit in well at Maret? I care more about teaching but don't want D.C. Not to feel comfortable.

This was us. Look somewhere else!

DC would be okay there with a strong backbone. They will get teased and criticized.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For some of the more well-known schools, so not every school in the area, I'd say:

GDS

Sidwell

Maret

Potomac

NCS

STA

Holton

Landon

Georgetown Prep

Wow. Good Job, PP. I think that is pretty accurate. I'd put the other Catholic schools (Visi, SR, Gonzaga, and StJ) at the conservative end with Prep and SSSAS at about the same place as Holton and you've pretty much covered it.

I strongly disagree with the placement of Sidwell and Holton. I'd reorder it

GDS

Maret

Holton

Potomac

Sidwell

STA

NCS

Landon

Georgetown Prep

Sidwell has to be near the liberal top. The snowflakes can't wear Redskins football gear.

I disagree with this list. NCS community is pretty liberal (which we love) but not over the top liberal. Just to give you an idea, there are only about 3 Trump supporting families in our entire grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For some of the more well-known schools, so not every school in the area, I'd say:

GDS

Sidwell

Maret

Potomac

NCS

STA

Holton

Landon

Georgetown Prep

Wow. Good Job, PP. I think that is pretty accurate. I'd put the other Catholic schools (Visi, SR, Gonzaga, and StJ) at the conservative end with Prep and SSSAS at about the same place as Holton and you've pretty much covered it.

I strongly disagree with the placement of Sidwell and Holton. I'd reorder it

GDS

Maret

Holton

Potomac

Sidwell

STA

NCS

Landon

Georgetown Prep

Sidwell has to be near the liberal top. The snowflakes can't wear Redskins football gear.

I disagree with this list. NCS community is pretty liberal (which we love) but not over the top liberal. Just to give you an idea, there are only about 3 Trump supporting families in our entire grade.

Wow. I'm curious how you know? Is a poll given at BTSN?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For some of the more well-known schools, so not every school in the area, I'd say:

GDS

Sidwell

Maret

Potomac

NCS

STA

Holton

Landon

Georgetown Prep

Wow. Good Job, PP. I think that is pretty accurate. I'd put the other Catholic schools (Visi, SR, Gonzaga, and StJ) at the conservative end with Prep and SSSAS at about the same place as Holton and you've pretty much covered it.

I strongly disagree with the placement of Sidwell and Holton. I'd reorder it

GDS

Maret

Holton

Potomac

Sidwell

STA

NCS

Landon

Georgetown Prep

Sidwell has to be near the liberal top. The snowflakes can't wear Redskins football gear.

I disagree with this list. NCS community is pretty liberal (which we love) but not over the top liberal. Just to give you an idea, there are only about 3 Trump supporting families in our entire grade.

Wow. I'm curious how you know? Is a poll given at BTSN?

Ha. No, not at all. In fact parents don't talk about this sort of thing ever at school events etc.. I only talk about politics with friends outside of school. Kids took a poll at school during the election and about 90% voted for Clinton. That's how I know.

[Anonymous]

The optimal school environment, in my view, is one that is more moderate and diverse. It espouses kindness, respect, and bravery to speak up if something is happening outside of one's values. It offers students a framework and appropriate tools for debate and discussion without personally attacking others with differing views .

I think that OP was asking about both pedagogy and actual politics but perhaps a different way of saying is - how do schools teach the students to treat each other? What are its values?

I suppose that am biased in that I AM politically moderate - fiscally conservative, socially liberal. I don't think that I have given money to a political party in over a decade, although I vote consistently and have given money to support the candidates that seem the better option in an election.

I am disgusted by both parties' polarized, mob-mentality, identity politics and behaviors, and by that of many of our citizens. I am horrified by the bigoted events in Charlottseville; the disgusting misogynist behaviors of politicians, celebrities, and others abusing power; the celebration or acceptance of bad behavior as long as this politician or person is wearing the right colored shirt (red or blue); abusive behavior on social media; and the fundamental lack interest in the truth.

I am also alarmed by a tendency to create false dichotomies with seemingly everything. Instead of acknowledging mistakes, it's more important to many to point out the flaws in one's "opposition."

The exchange on this thread shows clear examples of what I've just described. You are going to "hate" someone with different political beliefs than you? Really? Politics used to be a fight over policies and resources. Now it seems to operate at a different level of magnitude.

It it any wonder that anxiety and mental illness are through the roof? That gun violence is increasing? That drug and alcohol addiction is reaching scary levels?

Is this behavior what you want to model to your kids as parents? Is this the world we want our kids to have? JUST STOP THE CRAZY. Model kindness and tolerance. Don't use labels to describe others.

I suspect that most of the top schools have strong values and promote kindness. Not sure about the parents, though. It's going to be increasingly tricky to navigate school communities with all of this social discord in our nation today. It's incredibly sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The optimal school environment, in my view, is one that is more moderate and diverse. It espouses kindness, respect, and bravery to speak up if something is happening outside of one's values. It offers students a framework and appropriate tools for debate and discussion without personally attacking others with differing views .

I think that OP was asking about both pedagogy and actual politics but perhaps a different way of saying is - how do schools teach the students to treat each other? What are its values?

I suppose that am biased in that I AM politically moderate - fiscally conservative, socially liberal. I don't think that I have given money to a political party in over a decade, although I vote consistently and have given money to support the candidates that seem the better option in an election.

I am disgusted by both parties' polarized, mob-mentality, identity politics and behaviors, and by that of many of our citizens. I am horrified by the bigoted events in Charlottseville; the disgusting misogynist behaviors of politicians, celebrities, and others abusing power; the celebration or acceptance of bad behavior as long as this politician or person is wearing the right colored shirt (red or blue); abusive behavior on social media; and the fundamental lack interest in the truth.

I am also alarmed by a tendency to create false dichotomies with seemingly everything. Instead of acknowledging mistakes, it's more important to many to point out the flaws in one's "opposition."

The exchange on this thread shows clear examples of what I've just described. You are going to "hate" someone with different political beliefs than you? Really? Politics used to be a fight over policies and resources. Now it seems to operate at a different level of magnitude.

It it any wonder that anxiety and mental illness are through the roof? That gun violence is increasing? That drug and alcohol addiction is reaching scary levels?

Is this behavior what you want to model to your kids as parents? Is this the world we want our kids to have? JUST STOP THE CRAZY. Model kindness and tolerance. Don't use labels to describe others.

I suspect that most of the top schools have strong values and promote kindness. Not sure about the parents, though. It's going to be increasingly tricky to navigate school communities with all of this social discord in our nation today. It's incredibly sad.

I think that's the point. Many parents are concerned that parents that have certain beliefs that don't align with their school's values also have children that share those same values. That is the point. So yes, it is okay to say that you don't respect someone's beliefs or even them as a person if they or their children promote ideas of intolerance and other negative characteristics. That is the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The optimal school environment, in my view, is one that is more moderate and diverse. It espouses kindness, respect, and bravery to speak up if something is happening outside of one's values. It offers students a framework and appropriate tools for debate and discussion without personally attacking others with differing views .

I think that OP was asking about both pedagogy and actual politics but perhaps a different way of saying is - how do schools teach the students to treat each other? What are its values?

I suppose that am biased in that I AM politically moderate - fiscally conservative, socially liberal. I don't think that I have given money to a political party in over a decade, although I vote consistently and have given money to support the candidates that seem the better option in an election.

I am disgusted by both parties' polarized, mob-mentality, identity politics and behaviors, and by that of many of our citizens. I am horrified by the bigoted events in Charlottseville; the disgusting misogynist behaviors of politicians, celebrities, and others abusing power; the celebration or acceptance of bad behavior as long as this politician or person is wearing the right colored shirt (red or blue); abusive behavior on social media; and the fundamental lack interest in the truth.

I am also alarmed by a tendency to create false dichotomies with seemingly everything. Instead of acknowledging mistakes, it's more important to many to point out the flaws in one's "opposition."

The exchange on this thread shows clear examples of what I've just described. You are going to "hate" someone with different political beliefs than you? Really? Politics used to be a fight over policies and resources. Now it seems to operate at a different level of magnitude.

It it any wonder that anxiety and mental illness are through the roof? That gun violence is increasing? That drug and alcohol addiction is reaching scary levels?

Is this behavior what you want to model to your kids as parents? Is this the world we want our kids to have? JUST STOP THE CRAZY. Model kindness and tolerance. Don't use labels to describe others.

I suspect that most of the top schools have strong values and promote kindness. Not sure about the parents, though. It's going to be increasingly tricky to navigate school communities with all of this social discord in our nation today. It's incredibly sad.

Indeed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The optimal school environment, in my view, is one that is more moderate and diverse. It espouses kindness, respect, and bravery to speak up if something is happening outside of one's values. It offers students a framework and appropriate tools for debate and discussion without personally attacking others with differing views .

I think that OP was asking about both pedagogy and actual politics but perhaps a different way of saying is - how do schools teach the students to treat each other? What are its values?

I suppose that am biased in that I AM politically moderate - fiscally conservative, socially liberal. I don't think that I have given money to a political party in over a decade, although I vote consistently and have given money to support the candidates that seem the better option in an election.

I am disgusted by both parties' polarized, mob-mentality, identity politics and behaviors, and by that of many of our citizens. I am horrified by the bigoted events in Charlottseville; the disgusting misogynist behaviors of politicians, celebrities, and others abusing power; the celebration or acceptance of bad behavior as long as this politician or person is wearing the right colored shirt (red or blue); abusive behavior on social media; and the fundamental lack interest in the truth.

I am also alarmed by a tendency to create false dichotomies with seemingly everything. Instead of acknowledging mistakes, it's more important to many to point out the flaws in one's "opposition."

The exchange on this thread shows clear examples of what I've just described. You are going to "hate" someone with different political beliefs than you? Really? Politics used to be a fight over policies and resources. Now it seems to operate at a different level of magnitude.

It it any wonder that anxiety and mental illness are through the roof? That gun violence is increasing? That drug and alcohol addiction is reaching scary levels?

Is this behavior what you want to model to your kids as parents? Is this the world we want our kids to have? JUST STOP THE CRAZY. Model kindness and tolerance. Don't use labels to describe others.

I suspect that most of the top schools have strong values and promote kindness. Not sure about the parents, though. It's going to be increasingly tricky to navigate school communities with all of this social discord in our nation today. It's incredibly sad.

I think that's the point. Many parents are concerned that parents that have certain beliefs that don't align with their school's values also have children that share those same values. That is the point. So yes, it is okay to say that you don't respect someone's beliefs or even them as a person if they or their children promote ideas of intolerance and other negative characteristics. That is the point.

The worst people I encountered in DC private schools were some pushy, self-important wealthy parents of all political stripes. Usually new rich and insecure or just poorly trained in basic manners, they were boorish and showed negative behavioral characteristics in how they threw their demanding selves about. However, they are part and parcel of every DC independent school and you are going to have to deal with them if you decide to send your child to a school that $ elites can afford and also seek. Other than that, I think the concept that you are going to find lots of parents whose views don't align with school values such as kindness are pretty nil. Children might misbehave, but incredibly few "promote ideas of intolerance" whether the school is liberal or conservative.