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[quote=Anonymous]Agree that GDS has real strengths (academics, TEACHERS, arts programs, historic commitment to diversity and social justice) -- that's why I sent my kid there in the first place.  Some of those strengths are enduring.  Others feel increasingly at risk.

To give you a sense of what I'm talking about, I'll say a bit more about one of the issues I've flagged.

Governance -- GDS, while nominally a parent-run school, has Soviet-style elections in which there are only as many candidates as there are slots.  No real choice.  Board is not representative of the community as a whole.  These are old issues and ones most parents don't notice unless or until they think something is going wrong. They are also problems that, a few years ago, the then-new Head pledged to address.

New wrinkle.  Board members apparently sign confidentiality statements and pretty much refuse to discuss policy with their parent "constituents."  So there's an inner-circle echo chamber effect that seems to prevent effective oversight of the Administration.  Bad decisions get made without any prior outreach beyond the Board, at which point Board and Administration are defensive and entrenched in their position.  No meaningful dialogue prior to decisionmaking; damage control thereafter.

Meanwhile, a variety of formal and informal spaces where parents talked among themselves (committees, lobby) have been effectively gutted (with committees eliminated or members replaced when tough questions are being asked).  In general, there seems to be a divide and conquer approach that pits groups with different issues against each other rather than searches for common ground.  Definitely a my way or the highway vibe -- which you see even in this thread.   [/quote]

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