Reply to How to help other APS elementary schools?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]A few years ago our N Arlington school PTA used to hold various drives (school supplies, winter clothing, holiday gifts, grocery cards, books) to help support the families at a S Arlington sister school. Then the S Arlington school got a new principal who felt this was condescending toward their families and put an end to it. Meanwhile the N Arlington school PTA every year raises over $100,000 and is constantly looking for ways to spend that money. Surely there has to be a way to support our fellow Arlington families?[/quote]

I kind of understand where the school principal was coming from, in a way. I can see where someone [i]might [/i]see shades of paternalism. The sense of noblesse oblige that prompts a wealthy N Arlington school to "help" a poor school in S Arlington, that may be segregated to an almost apartheid level, all while the civic association that the N Arlington school is located within will fight tooth and nail (and sue the county) to try to prevent lower socioeconomic status families and children from living within their neighborhood and attending their school.

That said, the principal cut off her nose to spite her face. She should have just accepted the donations, because it is likely that they were needed, and then blessed some hearts and muttered under her breath. This is a really tricky thing to navigate and I think your PTA was doing what you believed to be a kind and generous thing. You were acknowledging your privilege and trying to help, within a messed up system that is not of your making. It's a first step. And maybe one day we won't need donations from individuals outside of our own school community, or partner schools, and/or a CCPTA fund. One can dream. [/quote]

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