Reply to What school is Petula Devorak talking about?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]What schools require lands end ???? Christ. We've had two kids in 4 DC public schools and all have required uniforms, none have been so specific.

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Latin. Vendors are Lands End and another uniform store in Georgetown. [/quote]

A fairly cheap uniform store in Georgetown. Our child went to Latin - we bought 2-3 shirts from the cheap store, cheap khakis from old navy. Done. We also donated outgrown clothes to the many yearly uniform exchanges which appeared to have a massive overflow. [/quote]

There's nothing cheap in Georgetown. I guess whether something is cheap is relative to One's bank account. [/quote]

I'll say this for Latin - they are experts at all the small and subtle (and sadly legal) things that can be done to keep and get poor kids out of their "public" school.  [/quote]

Please back up that assertion. As someone whose child went to WL since fifth grade and saw how the school and parent community went out of their way to draw students from all four quadrants of the city and support students with every kind of struggle. As someone who knows students who were homeless at Latin who were supported all the way through college, I am not going to descend to your level by saying all the great things WL does as this thread is not about WL. However, if you throw out such a scurrilous, flip and irresponsible remark be prepared to back it up. Please detail your extensive examples and direct experience (no speculation and assumptions please so you don't waste all of our time) of the small, subtle and sadly legal things WL has done to keep poor kids out. Thanks. [/quote]

The facts speak for themselves - surely it is not a coincidence that in a city where almost 2/3 of public school kids are AA, less than half of Latin kids are AA.  In a city where about 3/4 of kids receive Free and Reduced Meals, only 18% of kids at Latin do.

[i]Sources:  DCPS as a whole:  http://dcps.dc.gov/node/966292
Latin:  http://www.greatschools.org/washington-dc/washington/809-Washington-Latin-PCS---Middle-School/details/
[/i]

You want examples of small and subtle things?  How about the aggressive recruiting at JKLM schools, and the non-existent recruiting east of the river.  How about putting the school way up in the middle of nowhere in Ward 4, hard to reach by metro, impossible to reach by bus (especially for kids who live in Wards 7 and 8).  How about the uniforms that are required to be purchased at either LL Bean or in Georgetown.  How about the school-organized buses, that happen to be predominantly in wealthier parts of the city, and cost $1,500 annually.

All those things create huge barriers to poor kids.  Granted, the kids who make it past these hurdles get help - they can apply for free busing, they can get help with uniforms, etc.  But it's all of the first steps that weed out poor kids, kids from non-English speaking households, etc.

These aren't giant obvious things - but the proof is in the results: a disproportionately white and wealthy student body in a public charter school that is supposed to be open equally to all children in the city.

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good points on transportation in particular. the Charter Board needs to start requiring charters with severe imbalances to provide transportation options if they chose to locate away from Metro or good bus lines. Or alternatively, fund a couple of bus lines. [/quote]

Since you made this point, I'm sure you are aware that they have requested the city provide alternative lines pretty much every year since these schools opened. Also, do you attend the DCPCSB meetings? They are monthly - what have you done on this issue?  I've been working on the transportation issue for 4 years. Since you think it's so easy, give me your email address and I'm happy to involve you in our effort. [/quote]

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