Reply to Ward 2/3 High School proposal in the NW Current

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous]
As one of the folks posting, I think that is being a little harsh, don't you think Jeff?  I am just acknowledging the reality that some folks will be cut out of options that people currently deem as being desirable.  We should be working create better options around the city and believe it or not I am.  But I have to admit to myself that whatever my small contribution helps come up with, people are more likely going to grudgingly accept rather than openly embrace.  The new ideas will be just that at the start. Ideas.  And they will require a lot of additional hard work to make them reality during which time we'll still have a lot of uncertainty.[/quote]

I think it is harsh to cavalierly expect other families to be moved around like chess pieces on a board while not expecting the same for yourself. If you start with the goal that no boundary should be shifted to a lower performing school, you may not achieve that goal. But, you will come a lot closer than you will if you don't even try.

I am not saying that everyone needs to happily embrace their new boundaries. But, if the change is not one that you would find acceptable to yourself, I'm not sure you should be recommending it for others.

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+1,000 to all of the above post from Jeff.

To address another poster who said that Catania would have to break his promise if elected, I am not so sure. If you look at his record and what he says, he is very focused on improving school quality and programing options, in all parts of the city.

While it is true that the education and income levels of parents can explain a lot of student achievement, people who actually study and work in education know that programming and teaching can also make a big difference. I think Catania understands this. On DCUM I think the importance of parental "SES" is treated as the be-all-end-all, beyond what actual research and experience would suggest.

For example, did you know that Wards 7 and 8 together account for about 45% of the students in DCPS (yes, almost half), and yet there is not a single dual language school in those wards? There is a lot that can be done to improve options even with the current boundaries more or less as they are. I say more or less because there are parts of the city where schools were closed in the last 5 years and people may need to be newly assigned, but that is about all that really needs doing urgently. The rest is really up for debate and I think Catania has the right idea.

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