School is partially childcare, and we should run with that instead of chanting "school isn't childcare" and hoping that becomes true.

School programming should be available at least 9 to 5 if not longer. It shouldn't all be mandatory or in the classroom but we need to accommodate working parents and we need provide the supervision and enrichment activities that lower income working parents cant/won't. Our society would be much better for it.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher and a parent. Schools should only teach academics. No P.E. (Your parents need to let you run around outside more.). No learning about all religions nor gender/sexuality indoctrination (Families focus on their own views and morals, in their own house.)

I disagree 100% and also believe it's impossible to "only teach academics." History, literature, etc. can only be taught from a point of view: there is no neutral. Even in math and science, the way we teach, the behavior we require of students, even the way students and teachers are addressed, is all "indoctrination" and completely cultural.

Inclusion is not a good thing for most children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most accelerated kids are garden-variety bright, not gifted.

+1

And once they get to upper level high school courses they work incredibly hard but pretend it is just innate ability.

+1

You’ll recognize them now as the parents who act like this is all just nature. It has nothing at all to do with the hours of tutoring and extra help and motivation (read: pressure)

AAP is a joke. The vast majority in AAP should not have to be separated out. It’s a ridiculous system.

Private schools in the DC are have very weak STEM programs compared to a lot of the public schools.

I’m a teacher and a parent. Schools should only teach academics. No P.E. (Your parents need to let you run around outside more.). No learning about all religions nor gender/sexuality indoctrination (Families focus on their own views and morals, in their own house.)

Anonymous wrote:Most accelerated kids are garden-variety bright, not gifted.

+1

And once they get to upper level high school courses they work incredibly hard but pretend it is just innate ability.

Most accelerated kids are garden-variety bright, not gifted.

Anonymous wrote:Achievement gaps will only ever be eliminated by changes in homes and society in general. Attempting to correct them in the schools is too little, too late.

I agree with this and I am a teacher. The students who do well in school tend to come from homes where school is seen as important. Parents make sure kids get to school on time and come to school regularly. They may not be able to help their kids with their homework due to language barriers but they take advantage of the myriad of opportunities for help- after school homework help club, 2 after school programs (free), teachers willing to help, etc. The kids who struggle have parents who are full of excuses and the kids learn early to make them too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achievement gaps will only ever be eliminated by changes in homes and society in general. Attempting to correct them in the schools is too little, too late.

+1

X a million

But I’m gonna up the anti...
If we removed children from their shitty homes and boarded them, we’d see a dramatic drop in crime within 20 years.

Boarding school? It's Lord of the Flies there. There's a reason we closed the orphanages.

Go spend a day with a social worker making home visits in DC and get back to me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achievement gaps will only ever be eliminated by changes in homes and society in general. Attempting to correct them in the schools is too little, too late.

+1

X a million

But I’m gonna up the anti...
If we removed children from their shitty homes and boarded them, we’d see a dramatic drop in crime within 20 years.

Boarding school? It's Lord of the Flies there. There's a reason we closed the orphanages.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Achievement gaps will only ever be eliminated by changes in homes and society in general. Attempting to correct them in the schools is too little, too late.

+1

X a million

But I’m gonna up the anti...
If we removed children from their shitty homes and boarded them, we’d see a dramatic drop in crime within 20 years.

A significant percentage of kids who go to academically rigorous/high pressure high schools struggle in college because they are already burned out and they have been overtrained and struggle to approach ideas/problems/projects creatively.

Being bilingual or multilingual and comfortable in multiracial/ethnic environments will be a key factor in the success of our kids.

I homeschooled then sent my DC to middle school. I think he learns virtually nothing in MS compared to homeschool. The exception is science. I do prefer a brick and mortar school for science. I'm only sending him to public MS because we can't afford a strong private school and he needs to learn to fend for himself socially.