PTA wealth redistribution article in Arlnow

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nah, won’t happen. People can donate to any school. There’s nothing stopping anyone from writing a check to Randolph or Carlin Springs. If people really cared they would already be doing it.

Equity isn't about voluntary action. It's about forcing people to do what progressives.

Ok then, by all means please force all parents from low performing schools to work with their kids from an early age, read daily, do math with them, no yelling, I think that will solve lots of problems. And oh by all means donate your own money to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find this concerning:

Some PTA leaders tell ARLnow that they know the money their organizations raise can exacerbate existing inequities among Arlington’s schools, and are trying to raise awareness and effect change.

“We already have schools that are unequal and on top of that — like really thick icing on a cake — it’s making disparities bigger,” said Emily Vincent, a member of the Arlington County Council of PTAs.

So Emily Vincent asserts that Arlington schools are unequal. I don't see any supporting APS budget numbers to support that but isn't that the bigger issue to address? Is Arlington spending more per pupil at some schools and less at others?

That's a pretty awful thing to assert and pretty lazy of the reporter not to find out more.

Shouldn't there be lawsuits? Why isn't Arlington County Council of PTAs suing APS on behalf of these kids that APS isn't funding in the same way as at the other schools?

All the kids in some schools can afford the field trip to Jamestown in fourth grade during Virginia Studies. Lots of kids can’t manage the cost of the bus at some other schools, so they have to fundraiser to make sure all the kids can go. See the inequity?

Can they be allocated more money for field trips?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools get hundreds of thousands of dollars extra sometimes close to a million to fund things for the schools.

To fund teachers

Not whatever they want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find this concerning:

Some PTA leaders tell ARLnow that they know the money their organizations raise can exacerbate existing inequities among Arlington’s schools, and are trying to raise awareness and effect change.

“We already have schools that are unequal and on top of that — like really thick icing on a cake — it’s making disparities bigger,” said Emily Vincent, a member of the Arlington County Council of PTAs.

So Emily Vincent asserts that Arlington schools are unequal. I don't see any supporting APS budget numbers to support that but isn't that the bigger issue to address? Is Arlington spending more per pupil at some schools and less at others?

That's a pretty awful thing to assert and pretty lazy of the reporter not to find out more.

Shouldn't there be lawsuits? Why isn't Arlington County Council of PTAs suing APS on behalf of these kids that APS isn't funding in the same way as at the other schools?

All the kids in some schools can afford the field trip to Jamestown in fourth grade during Virginia Studies. Lots of kids can’t manage the cost of the bus at some other schools, so they have to fundraiser to make sure all the kids can go. See the inequity?

Can they be allocated more money for field trips?

By whom? APS doesn’t allocate money for out of town field trips. That’s the point. Some schools can raise the money for kids to have these experiences, and some can’t. Some PTAs can raise a lot of money for “teacher appreciation” and some can’t, and even teachers have an opportunity to transfer within APS guess what happens? For a while, some schools had PTA funded smart boards and others didn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds great. Part of the firm belief in equity — not just equality of opportunity — that so many in Arlington have.

That ... isn't what equity means.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools get hundreds of thousands of dollars extra sometimes close to a million to fund things for the schools.

To fund teachers

Not whatever they want

The cost per pupil at many low performing Arlington schools are way higher than the cost per pupil in other Arlington schools. No kid in Arlington ever missed any field trip because he/she can't afford it, no school has a limited supply of pencils, please stop making up fake stories.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools get hundreds of thousands of dollars extra sometimes close to a million to fund things for the schools.

To fund teachers

Not whatever they want

The cost per pupil at many low performing Arlington schools are way higher than the cost per pupil in other Arlington schools. No kid in Arlington ever missed any field trip because he/she can't afford it, no school has a limited supply of pencils, please stop making up fake stories.

My home country has lots of schools with no field trip at all, not enough pencils, leaking roof in classrooms, kids with no shes, maybe those earth-loving Arlington crazy parents can donate some money to those schools instead, why limit equity to Arlington county? There are REAL poor people out there whose schools can't even afford chalks and chalk boards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools get hundreds of thousands of dollars extra sometimes close to a million to fund things for the schools.

To fund teachers

Not whatever they want

The cost per pupil at many low performing Arlington schools are way higher than the cost per pupil in other Arlington schools. No kid in Arlington ever missed any field trip because he/she can't afford it, no school has a limited supply of pencils, please stop making up fake stories.

You have data on that?
Regardless, even if it's true, the students at poor schools may not miss out on a field trip that happens at their school due to money (because others are paying for them); but they have fewer field trips because their PTAs can't afford to sponsor as many as other schools.
So, stop accusing people of falsifying facts and learn a little more about the broader picture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find this concerning:

Some PTA leaders tell ARLnow that they know the money their organizations raise can exacerbate existing inequities among Arlington’s schools, and are trying to raise awareness and effect change.

“We already have schools that are unequal and on top of that — like really thick icing on a cake — it’s making disparities bigger,” said Emily Vincent, a member of the Arlington County Council of PTAs.

So Emily Vincent asserts that Arlington schools are unequal. I don't see any supporting APS budget numbers to support that but isn't that the bigger issue to address? Is Arlington spending more per pupil at some schools and less at others?

That's a pretty awful thing to assert and pretty lazy of the reporter not to find out more.

Shouldn't there be lawsuits? Why isn't Arlington County Council of PTAs suing APS on behalf of these kids that APS isn't funding in the same way as at the other schools?

All the kids in some schools can afford the field trip to Jamestown in fourth grade during Virginia Studies. Lots of kids can’t manage the cost of the bus at some other schools, so they have to fundraiser to make sure all the kids can go. See the inequity?

Can they be allocated more money for field trips?

By whom? APS doesn’t allocate money for out of town field trips. That’s the point. Some schools can raise the money for kids to have these experiences, and some can’t. Some PTAs can raise a lot of money for “teacher appreciation” and some can’t, and even teachers have an opportunity to transfer within APS guess what happens? For a while, some schools had PTA funded smart boards and others didn’t.

Actually, APS does allocate "x" dollars for field trips (or at least used to). Maybe it's up to the principal in setting their budget; but APS requires chartered buses for field trips more than a certain distance away. If the school's budget covers it, then it's covered. If not, the students have to pay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools get hundreds of thousands of dollars extra sometimes close to a million to fund things for the schools.

To fund teachers

Not whatever they want

The cost per pupil at many low performing Arlington schools are way higher than the cost per pupil in other Arlington schools. No kid in Arlington ever missed any field trip because he/she can't afford it, no school has a limited supply of pencils, please stop making up fake stories.

My home country has lots of schools with no field trip at all, not enough pencils, leaking roof in classrooms, kids with no shes, maybe those earth-loving Arlington crazy parents can donate some money to those schools instead, why limit equity to Arlington county? There are REAL poor people out there whose schools can't even afford chalks and chalk boards.

Happy to donate. Is someone organizing donations? Link?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Title I schools get hundreds of thousands of dollars extra sometimes close to a million to fund things for the schools.

To fund teachers

Not whatever they want

The cost per pupil at many low performing Arlington schools are way higher than the cost per pupil in other Arlington schools. No kid in Arlington ever missed any field trip because he/she can't afford it, no school has a limited supply of pencils, please stop making up fake stories.

My home country has lots of schools with no field trip at all, not enough pencils, leaking roof in classrooms, kids with no shes, maybe those earth-loving Arlington crazy parents can donate some money to those schools instead, why limit equity to Arlington county? There are REAL poor people out there whose schools can't even afford chalks and chalk boards.

Happy to donate. Is someone organizing donations? Link?

God bless you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds great. Part of the firm belief in equity — not just equality of opportunity — that so many in Arlington have.

That ... isn't what equity means.

Sure it is. Equity in this context means trying to get equal funding. Getting people at the same starting point. Is it easy? Heck no. The privileged rich white kids from the great white north have unequal advantages.

[Anonymous]

This underscores why affirmative action is still so necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds great. Part of the firm belief in equity — not just equality of opportunity — that so many in Arlington have.

That ... isn't what equity means.

Sure it is. Equity in this context means trying to get equal funding. Getting people at the same starting point. Is it easy? Heck no. The privileged rich white kids from the great white north have unequal advantages.

This is such BS.

All Arlington schools are rich, your school probably richer, your kids are still performing poorly because of their family and parents (you), it has nothing to do with money.

Many poor minorities are thriving because they work hard, they don’t sit there and envy what others have more than them. There is always someone with more resources than you. Compared to private schools, all N Arlington schools pretty much suck, should all parents just cry and insist that parents from private schools share their fundings with all public schools? Or should you focus on learning (not some useless field trip). Plenty of poor kids choose to focus on learning and went on to great colleges.

[Anonymous]

Would people support the idea of choosing some specific enrichment programs for after school and trying to offer those at every ES? Like a coding class, robotics class, art club, drama club, and chess club. That way there would be similar after school programs offered at every ES. I know that our PTA helps to find and pay for these type of activities at our school. I understand that there are fewer of these activities available at the less well off schools, so joint funds to provide the same base after school activities.