Anonymous wrote:What about public school is "progressive" (whether in terms of pedagogy or otherwise)?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL I take a few months break and find this gem

Psssssshhhh boy did you miss a time 🤣 we had some hard core troll take over threads the past few weeks most of which got deleted and I'm not gonna lie, part of me is shocked this one survived...

yes, my new york field trip thread was hilarious..... but blocked.

I knew that had to be a troll! It was ridiculous. I will say, that was a troll post that turned out funny.

It’s just a social experiment. Who honestly cares if a bunch kids go to D&B’s. Just to show that parents argue for things with no importance.

Come on, was anyone honestly upset about the D&B? The legit parents only seemed a little upset about the lack of the Broadway show. Most people were taking cracks at the OP troll.

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen a recent influx of posts from parents looking for a "nice private alternative" to MCPS or DCPS because they want "rigorous academics" and "small classes." As someone who has been through the cycle with multiple kids at Sidwell and GDS, I feel compelled to say: You are fundamentally doing this wrong.

If your primary goal is just a heavy workload and high AP/IB participation, stay in the public system. The top-tier tracks in MoCo and DC are just as rigorous as anything you’ll find in an independent school. In fact, if you go the private route just to "avoid" public, you often end up paying $45k+ for facilities that are—let’s be honest—frequently dated or even inferior to what a well-funded public school offers. I’ve seen some of these smaller parochial campuses in the Olney/Sandy Spring area, and I’m baffled why anyone would pay tuition for a "campus" that looks like a 1970s office park when the local public has better labs and fields.

You don't send your LOs to the crown jewels of DC private to escape public school. You send them for a values-based, progressive experiential education. You go because you want your DS to be an out-of-the-box thinker who understands social justice and pluralism at a cellular level.

What makes Sidwell special isn't the math curriculum—it’s the intentionality. It’s the school-wide Iftar dinners, the student-led seders focused on sustainability, the niche global theater productions (the recent African folk tale was breathtaking), and the Quaker values.

There’s also a deeper "values" component we rarely talk about. If a parent is fleeing public school to find a "stifling" or narrow environment—like some of the "diploma mills" up-county (GC comes to mind)—it makes me wonder if they’re actually just trying to avoid the diversity and pluralism that makes the DC area great. If you aren't seeking the beauty of a truly progressive education, you’re just paying for a smaller, more homogeneous pond.

Choose a school for its mission, not because you’re afraid of the public school "boogeyman." Otherwise, you’re just paying a premium for a mediocre outlook.

Anonymous wrote:Segregation is now socioeconomic. Poor people should have their own water fountains!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL I take a few months break and find this gem

Psssssshhhh boy did you miss a time 🤣 we had some hard core troll take over threads the past few weeks most of which got deleted and I'm not gonna lie, part of me is shocked this one survived...

yes, my new york field trip thread was hilarious..... but blocked.

I knew that had to be a troll! It was ridiculous. I will say, that was a troll post that turned out funny.

It’s just a social experiment. Who honestly cares if a bunch kids go to D&B’s. Just to show that parents argue for things with no importance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen a recent influx of posts from parents looking for a "nice private alternative" to MCPS or DCPS because they want "rigorous academics" and "small classes." As someone who has been through the cycle with multiple kids at Sidwell and GDS, I feel compelled to say: You are fundamentally doing this wrong.

If your primary goal is just a heavy workload and high AP/IB participation, stay in the public system. The top-tier tracks in MoCo and DC are just as rigorous as anything you’ll find in an independent school. In fact, if you go the private route just to "avoid" public, you often end up paying $45k+ for facilities that are—let’s be honest—frequently dated or even inferior to what a well-funded public school offers. I’ve seen some of these smaller parochial campuses in the Olney/Sandy Spring area, and I’m baffled why anyone would pay tuition for a "campus" that looks like a 1970s office park when the local public has better labs and fields.

You don't send your LOs to the crown jewels of DC private to escape public school. You send them for a values-based, progressive experiential education. You go because you want your DS to be an out-of-the-box thinker who understands social justice and pluralism at a cellular level.

What makes Sidwell special isn't the math curriculum—it’s the intentionality. It’s the school-wide Iftar dinners, the student-led seders focused on sustainability, the niche global theater productions (the recent African folk tale was breathtaking), and the Quaker values.

There’s also a deeper "values" component we rarely talk about. If a parent is fleeing public school to find a "stifling" or narrow environment—like some of the "diploma mills" up-county (GC comes to mind)—it makes me wonder if they’re actually just trying to avoid the diversity and pluralism that makes the DC area great. If you aren't seeking the beauty of a truly progressive education, you’re just paying for a smaller, more homogeneous pond.

Choose a school for its mission, not because you’re afraid of the public school "boogeyman." Otherwise, you’re just paying a premium for a mediocre outlook.

Have you ever set foot in GC? If you are a Sidwell family why on earth are you commenting on GC? The two communities never cross paths and you're so absolutely WRONG. GC is extremely diverse and values driven.

This post screams TROLL with a personal vendetta. Go find a better hobby.

+1 - troll post with a whiff of AI

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL I take a few months break and find this gem

Psssssshhhh boy did you miss a time 🤣 we had some hard core troll take over threads the past few weeks most of which got deleted and I'm not gonna lie, part of me is shocked this one survived...

yes, my new york field trip thread was hilarious..... but blocked.

I knew that had to be a troll! It was ridiculous. I will say, that was a troll post that turned out funny.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL I take a few months break and find this gem

Psssssshhhh boy did you miss a time 🤣 we had some hard core troll take over threads the past few weeks most of which got deleted and I'm not gonna lie, part of me is shocked this one survived...

yes, my new york field trip thread was hilarious..... but blocked.

Anonymous wrote:Well, to be clear, what you described sounds like Inspired Teaching Demonstration School, a public charter in DC.

It also sounds nothing like the boarding school I taught at. Some independent schools are as you described, and others are not. Obviously.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL I take a few months break and find this gem

Psssssshhhh boy did you miss a time 🤣 we had some hard core troll take over threads the past few weeks most of which got deleted and I'm not gonna lie, part of me is shocked this one survived...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen a recent influx of posts from parents looking for a "nice private alternative" to MCPS or DCPS because they want "rigorous academics" and "small classes." As someone who has been through the cycle with multiple kids at Sidwell and GDS, I feel compelled to say: You are fundamentally doing this wrong.

If your primary goal is just a heavy workload and high AP/IB participation, stay in the public system. The top-tier tracks in MoCo and DC are just as rigorous as anything you’ll find in an independent school. In fact, if you go the private route just to "avoid" public, you often end up paying $45k+ for facilities that are—let’s be honest—frequently dated or even inferior to what a well-funded public school offers. I’ve seen some of these smaller parochial campuses in the Olney/Sandy Spring area, and I’m baffled why anyone would pay tuition for a "campus" that looks like a 1970s office park when the local public has better labs and fields.

You don't send your LOs to the crown jewels of DC private to escape public school. You send them for a values-based, progressive experiential education. You go because you want your DS to be an out-of-the-box thinker who understands social justice and pluralism at a cellular level.

What makes Sidwell special isn't the math curriculum—it’s the intentionality. It’s the school-wide Iftar dinners, the student-led seders focused on sustainability, the niche global theater productions (the recent African folk tale was breathtaking), and the Quaker values.

There’s also a deeper "values" component we rarely talk about. If a parent is fleeing public school to find a "stifling" or narrow environment—like some of the "diploma mills" up-county (GC comes to mind)—it makes me wonder if they’re actually just trying to avoid the diversity and pluralism that makes the DC area great. If you aren't seeking the beauty of a truly progressive education, you’re just paying for a smaller, more homogeneous pond.

Choose a school for its mission, not because you’re afraid of the public school "boogeyman." Otherwise, you’re just paying a premium for a mediocre outlook.

If you want a progressive school and want social justice, go to public school. If you want a progressive school and social justice for rich families, go to a private school like Sidwell.

Anonymous wrote:I’ve seen a recent influx of posts from parents looking for a "nice private alternative" to MCPS or DCPS because they want "rigorous academics" and "small classes." As someone who has been through the cycle with multiple kids at Sidwell and GDS, I feel compelled to say: You are fundamentally doing this wrong.

If your primary goal is just a heavy workload and high AP/IB participation, stay in the public system. The top-tier tracks in MoCo and DC are just as rigorous as anything you’ll find in an independent school. In fact, if you go the private route just to "avoid" public, you often end up paying $45k+ for facilities that are—let’s be honest—frequently dated or even inferior to what a well-funded public school offers. I’ve seen some of these smaller parochial campuses in the Olney/Sandy Spring area, and I’m baffled why anyone would pay tuition for a "campus" that looks like a 1970s office park when the local public has better labs and fields.

You don't send your LOs to the crown jewels of DC private to escape public school. You send them for a values-based, progressive experiential education. You go because you want your DS to be an out-of-the-box thinker who understands social justice and pluralism at a cellular level.

What makes Sidwell special isn't the math curriculum—it’s the intentionality. It’s the school-wide Iftar dinners, the student-led seders focused on sustainability, the niche global theater productions (the recent African folk tale was breathtaking), and the Quaker values.

There’s also a deeper "values" component we rarely talk about. If a parent is fleeing public school to find a "stifling" or narrow environment—like some of the "diploma mills" up-county (GC comes to mind)—it makes me wonder if they’re actually just trying to avoid the diversity and pluralism that makes the DC area great. If you aren't seeking the beauty of a truly progressive education, you’re just paying for a smaller, more homogeneous pond.

Choose a school for its mission, not because you’re afraid of the public school "boogeyman." Otherwise, you’re just paying a premium for a mediocre outlook.