Reply to Peggy Cooper Cafritz, grande dame of the Washington arts and education scene, dies at 70

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Reply to "Peggy Cooper Cafritz, grande dame of the Washington arts and education scene, dies at 70"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm just your average DCUM who sends kids to DCPS (and lotteried into east of the park schools),  active in the PTA, in not upper NW (not ward 2 or 3), reasonably high SES.

My oldest would actually like ot go to Ellington in another year or two.

ANd I know she was amazing for the arts in DC, and did a lot of good things.

But I can't get over the Ellington renovation and fight to keep it in Georgetown.  That taints her legacy, to me.  [/quote]

My opinion about Ellington is 180 degrees opposite yours. I have no idea if my kid will have any interest in attending, but I’m so glad it’s there as an example of the value our culture places on the arts.

And that makes me curious why you believe it taints her legacy. [/quote]

I don't know enough to have more than uninformed opinions.  I think the overrun on expenses at Ellington is unconscionable.  Flat out people should be fired for this overrun.

I'm not certain Ellington is as good as it should be for being a flagship arts program.  Ellington should be featured all over DC.  Tied in with that, I am seriously concerned that academically it's not that good.

I have real problems with the number of kids attending who don't live in DC.

Then, this is where I have an even more uninformed opinion - I feel like keeping it in Georgetown was done for old school appearances - "our DCPS kids are good enough to be in tony, upper crust Georgetown.  We belong there as much as anyone else!"  and I think that's a fight that's 20 years behind the times.  Really exciting, innovative things are happening all over this city, and Ellington could have been a part of a vibrancy that I think it won't have in fusty, old Georgetown.

So bottom line - I completely agree with you that we as a culture should value the arts.  I just have this feeling that Ellington isn't the place that's really doing that.  [/quote]

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