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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Look, the whole thing makes my head spin. We are trying to say that FARM % matter, but Randolph is basically saying leave us alone, we are good. So does it or doesn't it?

Then that weird numbers magic happened and they are now saying what they proposed for Drew anyhow is actually, what, 65% or something, not 85%?

Then people are basically saying it's really just commitment to the school that matters. So how are you going to fill a school with kids and families that want to be there and will make it work?

Your options aren't just to pick off Fleet. You can pick from: 1) Abingdon (aka Fairlington), 2) Oakridge, 3) Columbia Heights, and 4) Columbia Forest. And maybe more. So you have options.

I don't think any of us have seen all the maps showing what happens if you move kids from all those places. And to me a big question is whether the 65% is real or not. 65% is not awesome but you could live with it. 85% is terrible. (Although again Randolph doesn't seem to care.)[/quote]

65% is [u]not real[/u]. It is based on adding 350 to the denominator and [u]no[/u] adjustment to the numerator. It is transparently wrong.

I think you're raising a bunch of good points that reasonable people can debate. Randolph says leave us alone, so let's leave them alone. They are a tightly bound community that has been together for a long time. Drew is another story and it's not only the FR/L rate for Drew -- it is the meandering boundary and long bus rides and alignment problems, all dropped onto a brand new school community that does not even have its own PTA right now and has no existing cohesive population to advocate for it. I am a big believer that we should try to do better on FR/L generally, but this proposal is unfair to Drew [u]for many other reasons[/u] in addition to that. [/quote]

I have to disagree regarding Randolph.  APS is supposedly concerned about EVERY child, even the English-first-language middle class kids -- the ones whose parents are opting them out of Randolph.  The community that IS there may be close and supportive and of like-background to understand each other and their needs, etc.  But that doesn't mean we should just leave them alone.  The community needs to be inviting and welcoming to the Douglas Park families who are shying away.  It should be an INCLUSIVE community.

And let's face it:  the majority of the Randolph community that are supposed to be so tight-knit all live in Barcroft Apartments, which is HUGE.  The complex is already divided with some going to Barcroft.  But you redistrict a large section away from Randolph to make room for the families who have been opting out and bring more diversity to the school and you can still have a supportive and close community.  In fact, your community has expanded.

We're also doing them no favors keeping them segregated - it does nothing to help others overcome biases and prejudices.  People need to interact with each other to change their mindsets.  This boundary process is the opportunity to do that, not just at Drew - but to increase it again at Oakridge and Henry as well as hooking the white MC kids back into Randolph.[/quote]

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