Sidwell parents — is your child happy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. I saw this more at GDS but dunno, maybe it's Sidwell too. Basically it's just a very rigid, humorless approach to every issue.

I saw signs like this posted at Maret that were very off-putting. DC now at Sidwell and have never seen anything like this but that doesn't mean it isn't there, of course.

It's more a reflection of where things are in 2018, especially with the younger generations. Go look at the signs kids made for International Women's Day at NCS and you'll see the same themes.

Wonderful. Nothing like pampered, inside-the-beltway kids who wouldn't know discrimination or injustice if it walked into their living room -- and who have never had to work a day in their lives for anything meaningful - expressing themselves on social issues of the day.

I think that's better than the alternative, which is pampered, inside-the-beltway kids just enjoying their privilege and making no effort to be change agents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. I saw this more at GDS but dunno, maybe it's Sidwell too. Basically it's just a very rigid, humorless approach to every issue.

I saw signs like this posted at Maret that were very off-putting. DC now at Sidwell and have never seen anything like this but that doesn't mean it isn't there, of course.

It's more a reflection of where things are in 2018, especially with the younger generations. Go look at the signs kids made for International Women's Day at NCS and you'll see the same themes.

Wonderful. Nothing like pampered, inside-the-beltway kids who wouldn't know discrimination or injustice if it walked into their living room -- and who have never had to work a day in their lives for anything meaningful - expressing themselves on social issues of the day.

I think that's better than the alternative, which is pampered, inside-the-beltway kids just enjoying their privilege and making no effort to be change agents.

Frankly, I don't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. I saw this more at GDS but dunno, maybe it's Sidwell too. Basically it's just a very rigid, humorless approach to every issue.

I saw signs like this posted at Maret that were very off-putting. DC now at Sidwell and have never seen anything like this but that doesn't mean it isn't there, of course.

It's more a reflection of where things are in 2018, especially with the younger generations. Go look at the signs kids made for International Women's Day at NCS and you'll see the same themes.

Wonderful. Nothing like pampered, inside-the-beltway kids who wouldn't know discrimination or injustice if it walked into their living room -- and who have never had to work a day in their lives for anything meaningful - expressing themselves on social issues of the day.

I think that's better than the alternative, which is pampered, inside-the-beltway kids just enjoying their privilege and making no effort to be change agents.

Frankly, I don't.

Great, then move out of the DMV or go to public school. You have freedom.

[Anonymous]

Geez, what an annoying thread. Schools being debated by posters who could probably never get their kids in. You don't like them? No problem, there are plenty of schools in this area.

[Anonymous]

I could not have my kids apply to GDS because the focus on social justice seems hypocritical and over the top. Instead of just talking about it to the pampered elite, take the kids on a field trip to almost any DCPS school east of the park. Kids will get a visceral sense of how segregation is still alive in DC. I remember walking into Dunbar HS not too long ago as I had left something at the school at a weekend science fair. It felt incredibly jarring as all the kids were black. You didn't see a single white kid. Most of the teachers and admin milling around were black too. It was a sad feeling that we are pretty much still stuck with "separate but unequal". Ivy obsession is a privilege and talking about social justice while doing nothing about it just feels cheap to me. How about partnering with a DCPS school in Anacostia or somewhere else, raise funds for them, try to do some joint projects with their students, just do something real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could not have my kids apply to GDS because the focus on social justice seems hypocritical and over the top. Instead of just talking about it to the pampered elite, take the kids on a field trip to almost any DCPS school east of the park. Kids will get a visceral sense of how segregation is still alive in DC. I remember walking into Dunbar HS not too long ago as I had left something at the school at a weekend science fair. It felt incredibly jarring as all the kids were black. You didn't see a single white kid. Most of the teachers and admin milling around were black too. It was a sad feeling that we are pretty much still stuck with "separate but unequal". Ivy obsession is a privilege and talking about social justice while doing nothing about it just feels cheap to me. How about partnering with a DCPS school in Anacostia or somewhere else, raise funds for them, try to do some joint projects with their students, just do something real.

This already happens in abundance. As well as tutoring, mentoring, trash pick-ups and you name it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^^No-but I don’t want my DC in an environment where being PC all day long is more valued than being themselves-having to watch everything you say and do 100% of the time is not the experience I want for them. And the book censoring was over the top.

I don't think you're cut out for GDS.

There's a real culture of rhetorical engagement there. I think what you're noticing is that if something comes up that kids perceive to be an attack on a classmate or whatever, they're going to challenge it at every turn. IMO the culture completely supports challenging back, but only on the basis of a real argument. You can't just be annoyed that someone called you out and that you were just "being yourself." Being "PC" is just giving a shit about other people. There are fewer politically conservative students there, but they are engaged all the time in substantive argument and discussion, if they want to be.

As for the "book censoring," censoring a book is totally un-GDS and is not what was described. Texts at every grade level are challenging and provocative and I suspect this book had a passage that wouldn't fly at all in many other schools and the teacher gave students a heads up in case they wanted to avoid a rape scene, or whatever it was. I have mixed feelings about that approach but I can guarantee it would be open to discussion and challenge by the students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I could not have my kids apply to GDS because the focus on social justice seems hypocritical and over the top. Instead of just talking about it to the pampered elite, take the kids on a field trip to almost any DCPS school east of the park. Kids will get a visceral sense of how segregation is still alive in DC. I remember walking into Dunbar HS not too long ago as I had left something at the school at a weekend science fair. It felt incredibly jarring as all the kids were black. You didn't see a single white kid. Most of the teachers and admin milling around were black too. It was a sad feeling that we are pretty much still stuck with "separate but unequal". Ivy obsession is a privilege and talking about social justice while doing nothing about it just feels cheap to me. How about partnering with a DCPS school in Anacostia or somewhere else, raise funds for them, try to do some joint projects with their students, just do something real.

I always smile when people from DC, Fairfax and MOCO talk about social justice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could not have my kids apply to GDS because the focus on social justice seems hypocritical and over the top. Instead of just talking about it to the pampered elite, take the kids on a field trip to almost any DCPS school east of the park. Kids will get a visceral sense of how segregation is still alive in DC. I remember walking into Dunbar HS not too long ago as I had left something at the school at a weekend science fair. It felt incredibly jarring as all the kids were black. You didn't see a single white kid. Most of the teachers and admin milling around were black too. It was a sad feeling that we are pretty much still stuck with "separate but unequal". Ivy obsession is a privilege and talking about social justice while doing nothing about it just feels cheap to me. How about partnering with a DCPS school in Anacostia or somewhere else, raise funds for them, try to do some joint projects with their students, just do something real.

I always smile when people from DC, Fairfax and MOCO talk about social justice

It’s cute isn’t it? Especially coming from 15 year olds

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could not have my kids apply to GDS because the focus on social justice seems hypocritical and over the top. Instead of just talking about it to the pampered elite, take the kids on a field trip to almost any DCPS school east of the park. Kids will get a visceral sense of how segregation is still alive in DC. I remember walking into Dunbar HS not too long ago as I had left something at the school at a weekend science fair. It felt incredibly jarring as all the kids were black. You didn't see a single white kid. Most of the teachers and admin milling around were black too. It was a sad feeling that we are pretty much still stuck with "separate but unequal". Ivy obsession is a privilege and talking about social justice while doing nothing about it just feels cheap to me. How about partnering with a DCPS school in Anacostia or somewhere else, raise funds for them, try to do some joint projects with their students, just do something real.

This already happens in abundance. As well as tutoring, mentoring, trash pick-ups and you name it.

No it’s not “in abundance.” It’s periodic at best, enough to give the kids something to put on their resumes and pontificate to others about. And then they go home to their lily white neighborhoods patting themselves on the back as they go.

[Anonymous]

As adults, what you have done and what impacts you have made? these are still kids. I admire them even if they start thinking these issues while others are playing games.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As adults, what you have done and what impacts you have made? these are still kids. I admire them even if they start thinking these issues while others are playing games.

Agree. As a prof. at GW, I have come to realize that "fake it til you make it" is a valid and meaningful way to being kind and sensitive to the poor and to people who are otherwise different from you. While a lot of these kids (and me too!) may start doing service projects or advocating for social causes for the "wrong" reasons (for credit, for their CVs, annual reports at work), the large majority come out changed for the better and with some real knowledge of the way others live. These are kids. Give them credit for trying. In a lot of cases, I have realized they are doing much better than I am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could not have my kids apply to GDS because the focus on social justice seems hypocritical and over the top. Instead of just talking about it to the pampered elite, take the kids on a field trip to almost any DCPS school east of the park. Kids will get a visceral sense of how segregation is still alive in DC. I remember walking into Dunbar HS not too long ago as I had left something at the school at a weekend science fair. It felt incredibly jarring as all the kids were black. You didn't see a single white kid. Most of the teachers and admin milling around were black too. It was a sad feeling that we are pretty much still stuck with "separate but unequal". Ivy obsession is a privilege and talking about social justice while doing nothing about it just feels cheap to me. How about partnering with a DCPS school in Anacostia or somewhere else, raise funds for them, try to do some joint projects with their students, just do something real.

This already happens in abundance. As well as tutoring, mentoring, trash pick-ups and you name it.

No it’s not “in abundance.” It’s periodic at best, enough to give the kids something to put on their resumes and pontificate to others about. And then they go home to their lily white neighborhoods patting themselves on the back as they go.

So is it better to not forge human connections in communities other than your own?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could not have my kids apply to GDS because the focus on social justice seems hypocritical and over the top. Instead of just talking about it to the pampered elite, take the kids on a field trip to almost any DCPS school east of the park. Kids will get a visceral sense of how segregation is still alive in DC. I remember walking into Dunbar HS not too long ago as I had left something at the school at a weekend science fair. It felt incredibly jarring as all the kids were black. You didn't see a single white kid. Most of the teachers and admin milling around were black too. It was a sad feeling that we are pretty much still stuck with "separate but unequal". Ivy obsession is a privilege and talking about social justice while doing nothing about it just feels cheap to me. How about partnering with a DCPS school in Anacostia or somewhere else, raise funds for them, try to do some joint projects with their students, just do something real.

This already happens in abundance. As well as tutoring, mentoring, trash pick-ups and you name it.

No it’s not “in abundance.” It’s periodic at best, enough to give the kids something to put on their resumes and pontificate to others about. And then they go home to their lily white neighborhoods patting themselves on the back as they go.

While you all were arguing this point, GDS students spent the weekend rebuilding homes, cleaning up trash and serving meals in Puerto Rico.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I could not have my kids apply to GDS because the focus on social justice seems hypocritical and over the top. Instead of just talking about it to the pampered elite, take the kids on a field trip to almost any DCPS school east of the park. Kids will get a visceral sense of how segregation is still alive in DC. I remember walking into Dunbar HS not too long ago as I had left something at the school at a weekend science fair. It felt incredibly jarring as all the kids were black. You didn't see a single white kid. Most of the teachers and admin milling around were black too. It was a sad feeling that we are pretty much still stuck with "separate but unequal". Ivy obsession is a privilege and talking about social justice while doing nothing about it just feels cheap to me. How about partnering with a DCPS school in Anacostia or somewhere else, raise funds for them, try to do some joint projects with their students, just do something real.

This already happens in abundance. As well as tutoring, mentoring, trash pick-ups and you name it.

No it’s not “in abundance.” It’s periodic at best, enough to give the kids something to put on their resumes and pontificate to others about. And then they go home to their lily white neighborhoods patting themselves on the back as they go.

While you all were arguing this point, GDS students spent the weekend rebuilding homes, cleaning up trash and serving meals in Puerto Rico.

Why not in West Virginia? I’m about as cynical as college admissions people are about these foreign volunteer trips. And that’s saying something, because my kids have been on these trips.