Anonymous wrote:If the parents of the kids in W 5 keep electing people like Thomas then no amount of new schools would help out their offspring due to the genetics they would have inherited. I can't stand Cheh but she makes a good point.

What a jackass remark. You deserve to be run over by a bus in front of your litter for that one.

If the parents of the kids in W 5 keep electing people like Thomas then no amount of new schools would help out their offspring due to the genetics they would have inherited. I can't stand Cheh but she makes a good point.

On the other hand, another Ward 3 school might just be the ticket to create another diverse middle school for more kids...

I thought she was removing Pope from Hardy to head up such a magnet? Seems ironic somehow, unless he comes back? I am fine with specialized schools in the District--open admission, but standards to stay in would be best. SO TIRED OF SCHOOLS BEING EXPECTED TO BE ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE

Anonymous wrote:Why????? Deal on one end of Ward 3, Hardy on the other. So we need one in the middle? Wow, the arrogance of it!

Hardy is in Ward 2. Almost no Ward 3 kids attend Hardy. If you read the article, you'd see that she is also proposing that Hardy become a "true district-wide magnet for the performing arts."

I recall you recommended voting for him on the strength of that vote alone, which you called courageous.

Anonymous wrote:
As to our Ward 5 councilmember, indeed he has not shown leadership in education. Doesn't have much to recommend him except name recognition (son of the longtime Harry Thomas Sr who used to represent the ward). That didn't stop Jeff from praising him in the general election when these allegations had already surfaced (and it was clear how little he had done for the ward).

Point of clarification. I praised HTJ for voting in support of gay marriage. I stand by my praise today. At that time, there were allegations about Team Thomas, but those allegations involved private donations and not city money. Good luck in your quest to get a middle school in your ward. I applaud the community's efforts.

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Cant blame her to trying to appease the people in her district - the ones that voted and will vote for her. Where are the ideas from the council people in Ward 5.

Do you really want schools to become political spoils? Schools no longer be built because of need, but only as a result of a Council Member's efforts? As for Ward 5, their Council Member was busy stealing the city's money. But, the children of Ward 5 don't deserve to be punished because of his corruption. There is already enough inequity in DCPS. There is really no reason to increase it.

As to our Ward 5 councilmember, indeed he has not shown leadership in education. Doesn't have much to recommend him except name recognition (son of the longtime Harry Thomas Sr who used to represent the ward). That didn't stop Jeff from praising him in the general election when these allegations had already surfaced (and it was clear how little he had done for the ward).

Anyway, the Ward 5 Council on Education has developed a Middle School Campaign to address the lack of resources (i.e., language classes, science classes, appropriately sized facilities, extracurriculars) in Ward 5. They met with Kaya, who said that Ward 5 would be next (for dealing with middle school issues), following in the shoes of Ward 6. So I think Ward 3 will have to wait its turn.

Anonymous wrote:
Cant blame her to trying to appease the people in her district - the ones that voted and will vote for her. Where are the ideas from the council people in Ward 5.

Do you really want schools to become political spoils? Schools no longer be built because of need, but only as a result of a Council Member's efforts? As for Ward 5, their Council Member was busy stealing the city's money. But, the children of Ward 5 don't deserve to be punished because of his corruption. There is already enough inequity in DCPS. There is really no reason to increase it.

jsteele wrote:I believe Ward 5 has no middle school and Ward 3 has the best one. So, obviously, the solution is a new middle school in Ward 3. Has Mary Cheh lost her mind? I guess Palisades parents are not satisfied with the Rhee-ification of Hardy so now they want their own. That's quite a "Plan B" they've got there. Incredible. I imagine that diversity at the new school will be measured by the number of students from each side of MacArthur Blvd.

Cant blame her to trying to appease the people in her district - the ones that voted and will vote for her. Where are the ideas from the council people in Ward 5.

Why????? Deal on one end of Ward 3, Hardy on the other. So we need one in the middle? Wow, the arrogance of it!

jsteele wrote:I believe Ward 5 has no middle school and Ward 3 has the best one. So, obviously, the solution is a new middle school in Ward 3. Has Mary Cheh lost her mind? I guess Palisades parents are not satisfied with the Rhee-ification of Hardy so now they want their own. That's quite a "Plan B" they've got there. Incredible. I imagine that diversity at the new school will be measured by the number of students from each side of MacArthur Blvd.

Jeff, you made my day. We're in a ward 3 school and ITA with you. What the ??? If/When the economy turns around and if/when there is a Republican president, a public middle school that is not an exact replica of Deal as it is now (not how it was not too long ago) would be a complete white elephant. So to speak.

How would they pay for it? There are schools already slated for renovation in 2012 and it's already a concern that the money won't be available.

I believe Ward 5 has no middle school and Ward 3 has the best one. So, obviously, the solution is a new middle school in Ward 3. Has Mary Cheh lost her mind? I guess Palisades parents are not satisfied with the Rhee-ification of Hardy so now they want their own. That's quite a "Plan B" they've got there. Incredible. I imagine that diversity at the new school will be measured by the number of students from each side of MacArthur Blvd.

Mary Cheh is proposing a new Ward 3 middle school.

http://washingtonexaminer.com/local/dc/2011/08/new-middle-school-proposed-ward-3