Hidden Gems

[jsteele]

While I think the Brookings report that was based on DCUM posts is utter trash that was only saved from being used to line our cats' litter box by the fact that is it digital and not physical, several posters have asked me to reflect on what DCUM could do better. With the understanding that we all can always do better, I agree that DCUM could do more. I propose with this thread that posters nominate "hidden gem" schools. These should be schools that don't get much attention on DCUM, but are worth posters' attention. To keep the list to "hidden" schools, let's eliminate from nomination any of the schools mentioned in the Brookings report as "high-attention". On page 10 of the report:

https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Discussions_DC_public_school_options_online_forum_Brookings-Report.pdf

There are clusters of schools categorized by the amount of attention they get on DCUM. Please do not nominate schools from the 145 Charter Cluster, the 145 Traditional Cluster, the High-Attention ES Cluster, the High-Attention MS/HS Cluster, or the Ward 6 Cluster. Any schools outside those lists are fair game.

Here is my nomination: McKinley Technology High School.

McKinley Technology High School has a Five Star rating, but only 3% of its students are white. Personally, I think the biggest challenge with the school is its location which might not work for everyone. While a STEM focus might not be for everyone, for those who are interested it seems like an excellent choice. I think McKinley is deserving of more attention on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Whittier
Langley
Kimball
Burroughs
Brookland Middle

[Anonymous]

Whittier
Sela
Dorothy Haight

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Whittier
Sela
Dorothy Haight

Sela is in the 145 Charter cluster.

[Anonymous]

Amidon-Bowen. I understand it isn't so convenient for most people though.

[Anonymous]

Jeff, the concept of "hidden gems" is the topic of an entire episode of the Integrated Schools podcast. I commend it to you (and others here):

https://integratedschools.org/podcast/ep-6-the-hidden-gem/

[Anonymous]

I second McKinley- the location was a deal breaker for us but know a family there who are very happy with the overall high school experience

[International Travel attention etc]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I second McKinley- the location was a deal breaker for us but know a family there who are very happy with the overall high school experience

[International Travel attention etc]

I would happily attend and love the location. If only DD would discover a passion for math!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, the concept of "hidden gems" is the topic of an entire episode of the Integrated Schools podcast. I commend it to you (and others here):

https://integratedschools.org/podcast/ep-6-the-hidden-gem/

surprise! there is literally nothing we can do not to be racist. any action we take other than enrolling our kids in the worst performing schools is racist. we may not discuss test scores, curriculum, administrators, teachers, or anything else. That is ALL racist. I repeat, the only way to be anti-racist is to seek out the most challenged school and enroll there. But, once you enroll there, you cannot join the PTA or try to help address the challenges, because that is also racist. In fact, the only truly anti-racist thing a white parent could do is just not enroll in school at all to ensure our children are wholly deprived of an education and thus do not perpetuate white supremacy. (That last seems like an exaggeration except it’s actually where we are now with the discourse on pandemic closures! Even saying you want your white child to actually go to school is racist.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, the concept of "hidden gems" is the topic of an entire episode of the Integrated Schools podcast. I commend it to you (and others here):

https://integratedschools.org/podcast/ep-6-the-hidden-gem/

surprise! there is literally nothing we can do not to be racist. any action we take other than enrolling our kids in the worst performing schools is racist. we may not discuss test scores, curriculum, administrators, teachers, or anything else. That is ALL racist. I repeat, the only way to be anti-racist is to seek out the most challenged school and enroll there. But, once you enroll there, you cannot join the PTA or try to help address the challenges, because that is also racist. In fact, the only truly anti-racist thing a white parent could do is just not enroll in school at all to ensure our children are wholly deprived of an education and thus do not perpetuate white supremacy. (That last seems like an exaggeration except it’s actually where we are now with the discourse on pandemic closures! Even saying you want your white child to actually go to school is racist.)

It's remarkable that you were able to listen to the entire episode of the podcast and reach the wrong conclusion about it in so little time.

[Anonymous]

Sojourner Truth MS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, the concept of "hidden gems" is the topic of an entire episode of the Integrated Schools podcast. I commend it to you (and others here):

https://integratedschools.org/podcast/ep-6-the-hidden-gem/

surprise! there is literally nothing we can do not to be racist. any action we take other than enrolling our kids in the worst performing schools is racist. we may not discuss test scores, curriculum, administrators, teachers, or anything else. That is ALL racist. I repeat, the only way to be anti-racist is to seek out the most challenged school and enroll there. But, once you enroll there, you cannot join the PTA or try to help address the challenges, because that is also racist. In fact, the only truly anti-racist thing a white parent could do is just not enroll in school at all to ensure our children are wholly deprived of an education and thus do not perpetuate white supremacy. (That last seems like an exaggeration except it’s actually where we are now with the discourse on pandemic closures! Even saying you want your white child to actually go to school is racist.)

It's remarkable that you were able to listen to the entire episode of the podcast and reach the wrong conclusion about it in so little time.

I didn’t listen to it. I just read the summary that states the concept of a “hidden gem” leads to colonizer mentality or something equally absurd.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, the concept of "hidden gems" is the topic of an entire episode of the Integrated Schools podcast. I commend it to you (and others here):

https://integratedschools.org/podcast/ep-6-the-hidden-gem/

Here is a summary of the episode:

There are lots of great schools without many white kids, however, when white parents start to integrate a global majority school because they think they’ve found a hidden gem, it can lead in some troubling directions. Anna from LA (you may remember her from Ep 1) joins us to discuss the problems that arise when we come to integration just looking for a hidden gem. We touch on the narrative around what makes a “good” school, and we discuss how the Hidden Gem story encourages resource hoarding and can pave the way for colonizing.

I thought the earlier poster was exaggerating, but I guess not. So, I'm out. Clearly nothing I do will ever be right.

[Anonymous]

The old beloved Principal of Cap City (Irving Street Location) started a new charter - I Dream Academy

If I had kids the were the right age, I would commute far to be at a school that she was leading:
https://www.idreampcs.org/

They had the misfortune of having last year be their 1st year - I am hoping they get traction as she is an inspiring leader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff, the concept of "hidden gems" is the topic of an entire episode of the Integrated Schools podcast. I commend it to you (and others here):

https://integratedschools.org/podcast/ep-6-the-hidden-gem/

surprise! there is literally nothing we can do not to be racist. any action we take other than enrolling our kids in the worst performing schools is racist. we may not discuss test scores, curriculum, administrators, teachers, or anything else. That is ALL racist. I repeat, the only way to be anti-racist is to seek out the most challenged school and enroll there. But, once you enroll there, you cannot join the PTA or try to help address the challenges, because that is also racist. In fact, the only truly anti-racist thing a white parent could do is just not enroll in school at all to ensure our children are wholly deprived of an education and thus do not perpetuate white supremacy. (That last seems like an exaggeration except it’s actually where we are now with the discourse on pandemic closures! Even saying you want your white child to actually go to school is racist.)

It's remarkable that you were able to listen to the entire episode of the podcast and reach the wrong conclusion about it in so little time.

I didn’t listen to it. I just read the summary that states the concept of a “hidden gem” leads to colonizer mentality or something equally absurd.

“we discuss how the Hidden Gem story encourages resource hoarding and can pave the way for colonizing.”