Reply to Who said there isn't a North-South divide?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If they moved there and then advocated for things to reduce the FARMS rate (e.g., no more AH in the area, relocating option programs to break up poverty clusters), I would respect that. But when you buy in a 70% FARMS school hoping you'll back-door into a "good" school via the option lottery or neighborhood transfer, don't throw a temper tantrum about the unfairness when it doesn't pan out and then demand that the county give you additional options for getting out of your own neighborhood. I have zero sympathy for that.[/quote]

I really don't think this perspective is fair and I'm rather tired of hearing/reading it from so many posters on this forum and elsewhere.  Not everyone who does not qualify for FRL can afford the most expensive neighborhoods in north Arlington.  Or, they have a combination of priorities they want when purchasing a house and making a home for their family - not just the school.  Like, size of house, condition of house, size of yard, availability at the time they are purchasing and budget, convenience to public transit, access to major roads for commute to work.  Besides, not everyone was born and raised here and knows everything about every school before they buy a home; or have a naive understanding/vision of what academic sacrifices they might actually be making for their child.  Not all of us bought here banking on option schools.  We bought where we could find a home we like enough and could afford, under the impression that "all Arlington schools are good."  And, with few exceptions, they are -- just not equally good.

Secondly, [b]"they" ARE advocating but the SB doesn't give a crap [/b]and the AH advocates and providers have such a hold on the CB that "they" can't break through and everyone calls them racists when they try.  South Arlington residents can't win no matter what - vitriol and accusations when they speak up, told they only have themselves to blame when they don't speak up.[/quote]

What are "they" advocating for? What is "their" position on the upcoming boundary process? So far all I see is more elementary option programs and county-wide busing, neither of which is feasible at this point in time (or ever, in the case of the latter). Oh, and one person saying we should reopen the location review and move the immersion schools to Barcroft/Carlin Springs, which would be a good idea to look at further but it's kind of funny to be treating it as something "they" wanted all along considering that while the process was going on, "they" called the NA folks who also supported that plan racists who didn't want brown kids bused into 22207.

You have to admit, it's a little hard to figure out what "we're" supposed to be supporting "them" on here.[/quote]

Not sure why you think there is one person, or even one group of people acting as a bloc, commenting in here. Who is calling for countywide busing? And as for increasing options, I haven't mentioned that yet, I only talked about placement and admissions policies. However, now that you mention it, if enrollment keeps going up, we may need to increase the number of option schools to keep pace and maintain the current level of access to those highly sought-after programs. Not sure that we're at that point yet, but we will be eventually. I think Key has to move. I have always said so. That area needs a neighborhood school and the program should be located closer the denser populations of native Spanish speakers. Carlin Springs makes more sense than Barcroft. That doesn't mean 22207 is off the hook. I think they're still going to get an option school, simply because there will be too many seats nearby. I don't think any school in that quadrant makes sense as an option program for any other reason. [/quote]

Go ahead and put ATS at Nottingham, you'll only make it harder for your kid to get in when the application numbers from Tuckahoe, Discovery, and Jamestown skyrocket.[/quote]

My kids are already in ES. Do you have a better suggestion for what they can do in the NW? I really don't care one way or the other how they solve the NW seat overrun. Not my mess or business. [/quote]

How about they do it Williamsburg-style, making the schools under capacity and then allow neighborhood transfers up to the transfer cap. That would solve the "overrun," and I'm sure you wouldn't protest since you don't care one way or another.[/quote]

Well, no, because without a program that is a draw, transfers won't happen in meaningful enough numbers. If you can't fill a school through a boundary, the only thing that makes sense is a program. If you can show that there isn't an "overrun," and that the schools can all be filled with regular neighborhood boundaries, problem solved.

Again, this is a mess of APS's own making. Be angry at them. [/quote]

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