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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'm totally open to other ideas. Do you have any good ones? The current plan of just waiting and hoping for MacFarland to become an excellent school is a sure loser. PP's idea about eliminating OOB feeder rights is an ok one for reducing overcrowding at Deal, but I don't see how it helps to improve MacFarland.

Just as MacFarland needs an infusion of cash and know how, [b]it needs an infusion of good students[/b] and committed families. I see no way that happens voluntarily. So the only option is to make it involuntary. The Shepherd people are always bragging about their strong school, so that's an obvious choice. Similar for Powell and Bancroft. All three are at least as close to MacFarland as they are to Deal, probably closer.

What good ideas do you have?[/quote]

Why does it [i]need[/i] that?  What if it serves the students who are going to be there really well?  I'd call that a success.  And maybe it looks more like Hardy than Deal.

Unless your measure of success is entirely from the standpoint of how many white kids go there...[/quote]

I suppose if all we want is to create a middle school in Ward 4, then you are correct MacFarland doesn't "need" anything.  But the problem is that old MacFarland closed because no one sent kids there and it was less than 25% occupied.  Many people are hoping new MacFarland will be somehow better than or different from old MacFarland, so that Ward 4 families will want to send children there.  If we basically just give old MacFarland a facelift and then reopen it, what do you expect to change?  I think there will be little to no change, and it will just fail again.  Ward 4 will continue to abandon DCPS and flock to charters, while small pockets of privilege in Ward 4 will continue to apply political power to ensure their children get access to Deal.  Those in Ward 4 without money and political power will be left to fight for the scraps.

If all you want is the same failed model we had 5 years ago, then it makes sense to just open MacFarland as planned and let things take their course.  If you want something better, you need to come up with some new ideas.  I've offered one that I think is worthy of consideration, although as I said from the outset, I know nothing like my idea will never happen because the politically powerful in Ward 4 will prevent Bowser from even considering it.

And you can stuff your "white kids" accusation.  I've said nothing about race, and I don't give a flip what the race of the kids are.  In fact, I haven't looked at any of the demographics, but I'd guess my proposal leads to a majority-black MacFarland.  The racial bean counting you're doing is a big part of why DCPS is continuing to struggle.  [/quote]

There were far fewer kids in the area 5-10 years ago compared to today, and projected for 5-10 years from now.  If you look at all the trends, there is a population boom coming through - especially in this area - and not just at the toddler stage.  So no, I don't expect MacFarland of 5-10 years ago to be the same as MacFarland today or 5-10 years from now.[/quote]

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