Reply to APS middle school boundary process

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I admit to being part of the problem. We live in S Arlington and have kids in the Immersion program. When the idea was raised to send half of Immersion to Williamsburg, we were up in arms. I really admire the academics there, but it's just way too far - especially juggling several kids at different school ages. And I was a little worried about some of the social problems at Williamsburg as well. Bottom line, I'd like to see the schools better integrated - [b]but honestly don't want my kids bussed all the way to Williamsburg.[/b]  [/quote]

[b]I don't think we've found anyone who wants THEIR kid to be bussed to Williamsburg. [/b]People want other people's brown and/or poor kids to be bussed to Williamsburg so that "the numbers look better.". You're not part of any problem.[/quote]
dumb question but has anyone considered moving hb woodlawn to williamsburg?  i think that would make an option program there much more appealing.  [/quote]

Not even the students who live nearby want to go to Williamsburg if they have a decent other option. I have not argued that they should be forced to do so. Many of us arguing for diversity actually DON'T want ED or ethnic/racial minorities put on buses and sent away, rather the other way around ([b]send some north kids who live closer south[/b]), until the County makes good on their promise of diverse and inclusive communities.[/quote]

This is where all the calls for diversity fall apart and the argument goes around and around.  Both of the PPs pointed out that they want OTHER kids to bus to achieve parity.  This is the rock and hard place that the APS staff found themselves in.  Which group of people to you point to and say "sorry, you lose. Everyone else gets to stay close to home, but we're going to shuttle you around like pawns on a chessboard to fix economic disparities consciously and deliberately created by the County Board."  APS staff did the right thing, treat everyone equally in how they made determinations.  If you watched the presentation on Tuesday, they spoke to families in the north, they spoke with families in apartment complexes in the south, with English and with Spanish speakers.  Everyone wants their kids closer to home.  Everyone wants to fix the disparity, but only by moving other people's kids.  [/quote]

But they are moving other people's kids, just not the ones who show up to school board meetings or who have Civic Associations to send letters and lobby at open office hours. Abingdon is getting split into 3 MS, kids on the Pike who are close to Jefferson are getting shuttled to Gunston. It happens, just to the families who aren't aware and/or organized. So if we're doing this anyway, and we always will because the boundaries aren't going to be perfect, it should be in a mindful way to address capacity AND diversity. 
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