Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 20:31     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Imagine if these parents devoted as much energy to getting their kids IEPs or tutoring instead of trying to get them enrolled in kindergarten. If their kids are really so much slower at learning than other kids in the neighborhood, what magic do they think is going to happen in kindergarten?


It's really obvious the kids have no special needs and the parents know it. They don't want to get their kid an IEP or a tutor, they want their son to effortlessly excel and be told by every teacher that he's the very smartest, the tallest, the cleverest, the most impressive kid in the grade. If it's not looking like something that's going to happen organically they'll just put them in a class with younger kids so they "stand out" the way mom and dad wanted/expected them to.

It's funny because I'm from Texas where redshirting parents are *extremely* upfront about this - they want their sons to have the height/weight/testosterone/muscle advantage when they get to high school so they can start on their sports teams and maybe even get a scholarship. In DC people want the same thing - an unearned advantage for their son - but twist themselves into pretzels to pretend that they aren't trying to rig the system. In fact, they pretend the system is the unfair thing! How could they say that kids with a certain birthday should enroll by a certain date and then . . . have the nerve to enforce it??! Rules that apply to other kids also apply to my kid? How is that fair? Not for my dear Henry!


Texas is NOT DC. Name one wealthy parent who cares about football. Most won’t even let their children play football
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 18:26     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:“I’ve lost faith in our public schools,” says parent trying to get another year of public school.


The article never mentions that the parents didn't enroll their kids K at the right time and didn't contact the school to discuss delaying enrollment a year ago. Just assumed they could make their own policy for their own kids whenever they wanted.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 18:07     Subject: Re:Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Lots of kids going into first grade don’t know how to read or write sentences. If that is the barrier to entry then DCPS should have a balloon of kids in K. This is ridiculous of these parents.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 14:01     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Imagine if these parents devoted as much energy to getting their kids IEPs or tutoring instead of trying to get them enrolled in kindergarten. If their kids are really so much slower at learning than other kids in the neighborhood, what magic do they think is going to happen in kindergarten?


It's really obvious the kids have no special needs and the parents know it. They don't want to get their kid an IEP or a tutor, they want their son to effortlessly excel and be told by every teacher that he's the very smartest, the tallest, the cleverest, the most impressive kid in the grade. If it's not looking like something that's going to happen organically they'll just put them in a class with younger kids so they "stand out" the way mom and dad wanted/expected them to.

It's funny because I'm from Texas where redshirting parents are *extremely* upfront about this - they want their sons to have the height/weight/testosterone/muscle advantage when they get to high school so they can start on their sports teams and maybe even get a scholarship. In DC people want the same thing - an unearned advantage for their son - but twist themselves into pretzels to pretend that they aren't trying to rig the system. In fact, they pretend the system is the unfair thing! How could they say that kids with a certain birthday should enroll by a certain date and then . . . have the nerve to enforce it??! Rules that apply to other kids also apply to my kid? How is that fair? Not for my dear Henry!


I don't think any of us know if that's true. The parents are wealthy and literate. The children are in private preschools. Many kids graduate from those preschools with more reading skills than these children apparently have, even though these kids are several months older. It's not like they would be top of their class in Lafayette's kindergarten if they were allowed to enroll in that grade.


It's significantly more likely they'd be at the top of the K class than first grade, which is what these parents consider their options to be.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 13:59     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Imagine if these parents devoted as much energy to getting their kids IEPs or tutoring instead of trying to get them enrolled in kindergarten. If their kids are really so much slower at learning than other kids in the neighborhood, what magic do they think is going to happen in kindergarten?


It's really obvious the kids have no special needs and the parents know it. They don't want to get their kid an IEP or a tutor, they want their son to effortlessly excel and be told by every teacher that he's the very smartest, the tallest, the cleverest, the most impressive kid in the grade. If it's not looking like something that's going to happen organically they'll just put them in a class with younger kids so they "stand out" the way mom and dad wanted/expected them to.

It's funny because I'm from Texas where redshirting parents are *extremely* upfront about this - they want their sons to have the height/weight/testosterone/muscle advantage when they get to high school so they can start on their sports teams and maybe even get a scholarship. In DC people want the same thing - an unearned advantage for their son - but twist themselves into pretzels to pretend that they aren't trying to rig the system. In fact, they pretend the system is the unfair thing! How could they say that kids with a certain birthday should enroll by a certain date and then . . . have the nerve to enforce it??! Rules that apply to other kids also apply to my kid? How is that fair? Not for my dear Henry!


I don't think any of us know if that's true. The parents are wealthy and literate. The children are in private preschools. Many kids graduate from those preschools with more reading skills than these children apparently have, even though these kids are several months older. It's not like they would be top of their class in Lafayette's kindergarten if they were allowed to enroll in that grade.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 13:47     Subject: Re:Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Anyone see the WP article?
Apparently there was some testing and the DCPS admin stood firm on the no redshirting policy.
I don't have access to the online article to link but Google it up.


https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/dc/dcps-parents-still-odds-over-redshirting-policy/65-a1826e53-3c67-46b4-98f2-9d3ae7c90186

Now, Seigel and other families are exploring legislative or legal options to challenge the policy and push for clearer guidelines. “We’re not stopping,” she said.



I read that and thought, well ok, let the kids start the year and reassess after Term 1 once the kids have actually been in the environment. The school won’t keep them there if there’s a clear reason they will not be able to keep up. These parents are just mad that they aren’t the sole decision maker.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 13:17     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:Not to mention that, if they need the extra support, all the more reason to go with age appropriate peers AND receive additional support like an IEP.

But no, it’s not about their kids being behind or delayed. It’s about the shock of not getting what they wanted and felt entitled to, and now not wanting the perceived stigma of an IEP or anything else that could suggest Mom and Dad made a mistake. I’m sympathetic to that last part. It sucks as a parent when hindsight proves that I took the wrong gamble or made the wrong call. It would suck even more when it’s about my kids education, not matter how well intentioned or reasonable that I think I was/am. They messed up this time. Show your kid how to accept your mistakes and try your best to turn it around (summer tutoring? play dates with new classmates?), rather than launching a very public crusade and threaten lawsuits.


It does seem like one or more of the parents — not sure that it includes either of the ones quoted here — did raise it with the principal in advance and were told (in writing!) they would be able to redshirt their kids. I don’t think a parent who received permission and whose kid is now being forced to skip kindergarten actually “messed up” — in fact I think DCPS is doing wrong by them. Those are the ones I have a lot of sympathy for.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 13:15     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:So this is only happening at Lafayette? Why do these parents keep getting airtime?


These parents keep getting airtime because they are trying to get airtime. Parents at other schools have sensibly kept their mouth shut and have been able to quietly convince their principals to allow the redshirting. But you can’t bow to a public tantrum.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 12:06     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
So this is only happening at Lafayette? Why do these parents keep getting airtime?
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 11:56     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
100%

Even the kid with the Sept 30th bday. Man, what luck. Your son was born on the cut-off date. How does “shucks, my son will be the youngest” transform to “my son deserves to be the oldest!”?
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 11:07     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Imagine if these parents devoted as much energy to getting their kids IEPs or tutoring instead of trying to get them enrolled in kindergarten. If their kids are really so much slower at learning than other kids in the neighborhood, what magic do they think is going to happen in kindergarten?


It's really obvious the kids have no special needs and the parents know it. They don't want to get their kid an IEP or a tutor, they want their son to effortlessly excel and be told by every teacher that he's the very smartest, the tallest, the cleverest, the most impressive kid in the grade. If it's not looking like something that's going to happen organically they'll just put them in a class with younger kids so they "stand out" the way mom and dad wanted/expected them to.

It's funny because I'm from Texas where redshirting parents are *extremely* upfront about this - they want their sons to have the height/weight/testosterone/muscle advantage when they get to high school so they can start on their sports teams and maybe even get a scholarship. In DC people want the same thing - an unearned advantage for their son - but twist themselves into pretzels to pretend that they aren't trying to rig the system. In fact, they pretend the system is the unfair thing! How could they say that kids with a certain birthday should enroll by a certain date and then . . . have the nerve to enforce it??! Rules that apply to other kids also apply to my kid? How is that fair? Not for my dear Henry!


I would find that so refreshing! Just be up front about wanting advantages.

I feel the same way about private school parents who twist themselves into a pretzel explaining why their kid is sooo unique and would not thrive in public school. No one cares why you made that choice, I never even ask!
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 11:04     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Anonymous wrote:Imagine if these parents devoted as much energy to getting their kids IEPs or tutoring instead of trying to get them enrolled in kindergarten. If their kids are really so much slower at learning than other kids in the neighborhood, what magic do they think is going to happen in kindergarten?


It's really obvious the kids have no special needs and the parents know it. They don't want to get their kid an IEP or a tutor, they want their son to effortlessly excel and be told by every teacher that he's the very smartest, the tallest, the cleverest, the most impressive kid in the grade. If it's not looking like something that's going to happen organically they'll just put them in a class with younger kids so they "stand out" the way mom and dad wanted/expected them to.

It's funny because I'm from Texas where redshirting parents are *extremely* upfront about this - they want their sons to have the height/weight/testosterone/muscle advantage when they get to high school so they can start on their sports teams and maybe even get a scholarship. In DC people want the same thing - an unearned advantage for their son - but twist themselves into pretzels to pretend that they aren't trying to rig the system. In fact, they pretend the system is the unfair thing! How could they say that kids with a certain birthday should enroll by a certain date and then . . . have the nerve to enforce it??! Rules that apply to other kids also apply to my kid? How is that fair? Not for my dear Henry!
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 10:56     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
If the kids ever learn to read and google themselves or their families, they may be very embarrassed. I hope they realize that none of this was their fault. Kids learn at different rates, and some have disabilities. Their parents were trying to help but maybe didn't do it in the most effective way.
Anonymous
Post 08/07/2025 00:45     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Not to mention that, if they need the extra support, all the more reason to go with age appropriate peers AND receive additional support like an IEP.

But no, it’s not about their kids being behind or delayed. It’s about the shock of not getting what they wanted and felt entitled to, and now not wanting the perceived stigma of an IEP or anything else that could suggest Mom and Dad made a mistake. I’m sympathetic to that last part. It sucks as a parent when hindsight proves that I took the wrong gamble or made the wrong call. It would suck even more when it’s about my kids education, not matter how well intentioned or reasonable that I think I was/am. They messed up this time. Show your kid how to accept your mistakes and try your best to turn it around (summer tutoring? play dates with new classmates?), rather than launching a very public crusade and threaten lawsuits.
Anonymous
Post 08/06/2025 23:14     Subject: Redshirting consequences at Lafayette
Imagine if these parents devoted as much energy to getting their kids IEPs or tutoring instead of trying to get them enrolled in kindergarten. If their kids are really so much slower at learning than other kids in the neighborhood, what magic do they think is going to happen in kindergarten?