Beware quince orchard Parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

This is a troll poster. I have a hard time believing that someone could mail out letters via USPS. USPS is both costly for a high school size and how would this parent have gotten this information. OP, email is move believable, next time stick to thinking your lies through.

ALL children should be highlighted not just black students---no matter the size of their student population. If this story is indeed true it is sad on both the part of the school and the part of the alleged racist parent.

I'd be upset too, if my child worked just as hard as another black student and was not recognized.

I'm leaning toward troll as well.

There is a an argument to be made that highlighting the accomplishments of the black students may help lower performing black students more than it would hurt higher performing white students. I have no idea what the demographic breakdown is at Ridgeview. I do know that in several of the Silver Spring schools the racial/SES/performance breakdown is very stark. The majority of AA and Latino students are lower SES/lower performing while the white kids are UMC/higher performing. The inside of the school is very segregated - AA/Latino kids not winning academic awards, filling the lower tier classes, higher drop out rate etc. In those schools, highlighting and focusing on AA or Latino kids who are succeeding can send a powerful message to other kids that they can do it too. If the majority of kids up there are all white and the everyday experience is segregated within the school, the AA students don't see themselves as someone who can succeed.

In that scenario, the successful AA and Hispanic kids should be recognized just like the successful white and Asian kids. There is no reason to highlight or focus on their achievements to the exclusion of others who through no fault of their own were not born black or brown.

I still don't know what the letter in the OP was about, but am going to assume that Black kids just beat out white kids fair and square for academic honors and that the letter writer assumed that the deck had been stacked in some way.

DP.. not necessarily. I think MCPS does like to call out the successes of its URM, which is fine, but if a AA got straight As for example, and then was given a shout out, but no other white/Asian kid was given a shout out for this accomplishment, then that's wrong.

However, this part of OP's post is worrying:

This parent in the letter went on to bash the handful of black students in the school by name calling them everything from non talented to being sexually promiscuous and making claims of harassment and bullying.

That screams racism. I'm pretty sure there are some white/Asian students who are promiscuous, or a bully or not talented.

[Anonymous]

^that poster again... after reading that part from OP, I would send that letter to MCPS and let them handle it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

So what if they did decide to bus kids to create more diversity? That benefits all kids

No it doesn't. By bussing kids from far away into a school that is 400 students over capacity while the school system does nothing to relieve the crowding, all students are harmed. What is so damn frustrating for parents at Rachel Carson is that MCPS will not do anything to alleviate this. Travilah, Dufief and Cold Spring all are under enrolled and need students. Favorite teachers have been pushed into retirement or transferred. Staff has been cut creating logistical issues. Those schools would happily take more kids. MCPS said no to allowing voluntary COSAs from RCES into those schools because those kids would be higher SES kids. MCPS also said no to bussing the lower income students that travel from further away to RCES over to Travilah or Dufief because that would leave RCES with not enough minority students. Its reasonable that Cold Soring is too far but Travilah or Dufief are not. URM students do very well at Travilah and this would be better for them.

Its so stupid that all the kids at RCES, Travilah and Dufief need to suffer because some dim wit that cares more about balancing the racial profiles than educating students is in charge at central office.

Besides paying for an addition to Dufief ES, and then rezoning when the addition is complete.

As for your statement about how it would benefit those kids from the apartments to get rezoned away from Rachel Carson ES - I think we all know what it means when affluent, educated parents talk about how it would be better for the poor kids to go to a different school. It means: we don't want those kids at our school. I've been on the receiving end of it myself during an elementary-school rezoning (and I am affluent and educated). How much happier your area would be at a different school where you would have a better sense of community! they told us.

[Anonymous]

To the above: there’s also a supposed plan to potentially build a new elementary school in the RCES area. Given the new residential development planned they really don’t have a choice.

[Anonymous]

Can someone please post the letter? I heard about it, but want to see the crazy first hand.

[Anonymous]

I think we all know what it means when affluent, educated parents talk about how it would be better for the poor kids to go to a different school. It means: we don't want those kids at our school.

This so doesn't apply to the above situation because the Travilah/Dufief parents who want the additional kids are more affluent than the RCES parents. Stop trying to cover MCPS incompetence and inaction with race issues that don't exist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think we all know what it means when affluent, educated parents talk about how it would be better for the poor kids to go to a different school. It means: we don't want those kids at our school.

This so doesn't apply to the above situation because the Travilah/Dufief parents who want the additional kids are more affluent than the RCES parents. Stop trying to cover MCPS incompetence and inaction with race issues that don't exist.

Well, it’s probably not true vis-a-vis the Kentlands/Lakelands RCES people, but I get your point and agree generally.

[Anonymous]

Well the school has finally addressed the letter mailed to parents by sending a letter stating that they do not condone what happened and that they do not support the opinions staated by the author. The letter the school published can be read on the Ridgeview Middle school PTSA Facebook page.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well the school has finally addressed the letter mailed to parents by sending a letter stating that they do not condone what happened and that they do not support the opinions staated by the author. The letter the school published can be read on the Ridgeview Middle school PTSA Facebook page.

How many parents actually received the original letter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think we all know what it means when affluent, educated parents talk about how it would be better for the poor kids to go to a different school. It means: we don't want those kids at our school.

This so doesn't apply to the above situation because the Travilah/Dufief parents who want the additional kids are more affluent than the RCES parents. Stop trying to cover MCPS incompetence and inaction with race issues that don't exist.

Where and when have Travilah/Dufief parents asked MCPS to rezone the Rachel Carson kids from out Quince Orchard Road/Muddy Branch Rd to their schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think we all know what it means when affluent, educated parents talk about how it would be better for the poor kids to go to a different school. It means: we don't want those kids at our school.

This so doesn't apply to the above situation because the Travilah/Dufief parents who want the additional kids are more affluent than the RCES parents. Stop trying to cover MCPS incompetence and inaction with race issues that don't exist.

Where and when have Travilah/Dufief parents asked MCPS to rezone the Rachel Carson kids from out Quince Orchard Road/Muddy Branch Rd to their schools

1. RCES kids don’t just come from Muddy Branch Rd; that part of your comment is weird.

2. There was an effort a few years ago by RCES, Travilah, Dufief, and Cold Spring parents to provide COSAs to RCES kids to attend one of those other schools, since they’re all under enrolled. Parents would have provided their own transportation. MCPS said no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I think we all know what it means when affluent, educated parents talk about how it would be better for the poor kids to go to a different school. It means: we don't want those kids at our school.

This so doesn't apply to the above situation because the Travilah/Dufief parents who want the additional kids are more affluent than the RCES parents. Stop trying to cover MCPS incompetence and inaction with race issues that don't exist.

yah, can’t imagine why I read this and thought there were racist tones from rich white parents wanting black and brown Kids out of “our” school with “our” kids

URM students do very well at Travilah and this would be better for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think we all know what it means when affluent, educated parents talk about how it would be better for the poor kids to go to a different school. It means: we don't want those kids at our school.

This so doesn't apply to the above situation because the Travilah/Dufief parents who want the additional kids are more affluent than the RCES parents. Stop trying to cover MCPS incompetence and inaction with race issues that don't exist.

Where and when have Travilah/Dufief parents asked MCPS to rezone the Rachel Carson kids from out Quince Orchard Road/Muddy Branch Rd to their schools

1. RCES kids don’t just come from Muddy Branch Rd; that part of your comment is weird.

2. There was an effort a few years ago by RCES, Travilah, Dufief, and Cold Spring parents to provide COSAs to RCES kids to attend one of those other schools, since they’re all under enrolled. Parents would have provided their own transportation. MCPS said no.

The context of this discussion, on this thread, is students zoned for Rachel Carson who don't live in Kentlands or Lakelands, such as students at the Governor Square Apartments (and the other residential areas northeast of Great Seneca Highway). The question on this thread was, why are these students at Rachel Carson, instead of at some other school, somewhere else, that is not Rachel Carson? See the service area map, here: http://gis.mcpsmd.org/ServiceAreaMaps/RachelCarsonES.pdf

Are you suggesting that parents at Travilah, Dufief, and Cold Spring wanted MCPS to provide COSAs to the kids in these apartments, with parents providing their own transportation?

[Anonymous]

I’m perfectly aware of the context. We are zoned for RCES, so I am intimately aware of the discussion.

Of course no one said “let’s have the kids who live in the apartments receive COSAs,” but they didn’t said they shouldn’t receive them either. It was viewed as a mutually beneficial solution for both RCES and the receiving schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think we all know what it means when affluent, educated parents talk about how it would be better for the poor kids to go to a different school. It means: we don't want those kids at our school.

This so doesn't apply to the above situation because the Travilah/Dufief parents who want the additional kids are more affluent than the RCES parents. Stop trying to cover MCPS incompetence and inaction with race issues that don't exist.

Well, it’s probably not true vis-a-vis the Kentlands/Lakelands RCES people, but I get your point and agree generally.

I think that the person who started this thread sent the letter and is trying to stir up controversy so that he/she can seek out fame for her ‘plight’.
I’d ignore her.