Reply to APS - how to advocate for fourth high school now

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]How do I support a school that doesn't concentrate poverty or affluence in one area, and offers enough advanced academics to prepare kids for college? Is there a better way to advocate for that?

I assume if there is a 4th comprehensive school put at the Career Center, in South Arlington, the lines will be redrawn. I worry that it will make Wakefield deeply poor and make the new school a split between north and south, which would be good for my 'hood, but bad for others.[/quote]

I don't think there's an easy way to do that.  Multiple smaller choice programs which draw via lottery from the 3 comprehensive HS areas *might* end up with small schools with more diverse student bodies.  BUT, smaller programs won't all necessarily have sufficient advanced academics (or even be designed to), certainly won't have access to all the other elements of a typical HS like field space, large auditoriums, etc, and it presumes that they would draw equally from all three comprehensive high schools.

The challenge is to redraw boundaries in a way that balances enrollment at least a bit more.  In that regard, without significant bussing, there really isn't a way to make Yorktown more diverse since it's so far north and surrounding primarily by middle and upper income neighborhoods.  Boundaries can be rezoned among the three other HS (W-L, Wakefield, and a third to-be-named HS) that could spread a bit more equitably.  Again, TBH, since poverty is so very concentrated in the southern part of Arlington, it is really really hard to equalize without bussing kids back and forth past other closer HS in order to essentially desegregate.[/quote]

I think Kenmore site is as good as it gets. Try to spread the poverty between 3 schools- try to keep a three below 40%. Yorktown stays the same. It would mean rezoning some very affluent housing currently zoned Yorktown and WL to the new school and well as some extreme poverty out of Wakefield. People won't be pleased, but needs to happen. [/quote]

And I know we are talking about high schools, but this needs to happen at the elem level too. [b]I think Maura is for neighborhood schools to force the middle class back to their neighborhoods to improve the south Arlington schools. I think Monique is for choice because it lets people who want to try get out - but doesn't help those who don't win the lotteries.
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I tend to agree with another comprehensive high school because there will be less losers, but the elem situation is worse right now.[/quote]

This is not correct, based on what I've heard at debates and what I know of the candidates. I don't think either candidate is only about neighborhood or only about choice. I think they both agree that the system we now have needs some tweaks, but neither has said they'd move all in one direction. I've heard O'Grady say that choice schools are a relief valve for overcrowding, and they promote diversity. And I've heard McMahon say that the overcrowding issue can't be solved by choice schools/programs alone, and that diversity could be promoted in more ways than just with choice schools. I think they're both right, and it's complicated. I think they both approach the issue from the perspective of what they know: McMahon's kids have only attended their neighborhood schools; O'Grady's kids have only attended choice schools/programs. In the end, there are probably multiple ways to go forward and wind up close to the same place, and each approach has its drawbacks and its positives. Both candidates have supporters whose children attend neighborhood and choice schools, with some supporters from the same schools. I don't think it's a battle between the neighborhood vs. choice schools. In fact, I'm sure it's not.

I prefer one candidate over the other, but it's not because of this issue. I think one of them will be less beholden to outside interests, after looking through their campaign finance reports (they're public, if you want to look). I'm voting for the candidate who appears to be less entangled.

Either candidate, if elected, will inherit many decisions that were made without their vote, and they'll have to make lemonade.

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