Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually researching and knowing facts about a school apparently are pretty rare for most parents, even educated well off parents. Instead, more often word of mouth, general perceptions tend to be the norm on at least suburban schools in recent studies. I would guess within DC Deal/Wilson would be the suburban equivalent. It would also explain why people make such uniformed judgmental statements in these threads. Schools can accomplish a lot but fighting adult ignorance is out of their mandate

Sociologists Shed Light on Suburban School Choice

The Wauters are not rare. In fact, their uninformed decision was the rule rather than the exception for the 46 middle- and working-class suburban families whose stories are summarized in a chapter of Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools, a book published by the Russell Sage Foundation in March. Lareau, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, edited the book with Kimberly Goyette, an associate professor of sociology at Temple University, also in Philadelphia. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2014/05/parent_choice.html

Parents are judging Hardy based on their experience with Patrick Pope telling them to go to hell when they asked for advanced or at least on grade level classes, then DCPS assigning what was it - 4 different principals in 4 years? The skepticism about the school is well justified.

Everyone hopes it will turn around. But what I have asked for is some evidence that hardy grads are doing well wherever they head to for us, and so far I have not received any information.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Actually researching and knowing facts about a school apparently are pretty rare for most parents, even educated well off parents. Instead, more often word of mouth, general perceptions tend to be the norm on at least suburban schools in recent studies. I would guess within DC Deal/Wilson would be the suburban equivalent. It would also explain why people make such uniformed judgmental statements in these threads. Schools can accomplish a lot but fighting adult ignorance is out of their mandate

Sociologists Shed Light on Suburban School Choice

The Wauters are not rare. In fact, their uninformed decision was the rule rather than the exception for the 46 middle- and working-class suburban families whose stories are summarized in a chapter of Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools, a book published by the Russell Sage Foundation in March. Lareau, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, edited the book with Kimberly Goyette, an associate professor of sociology at Temple University, also in Philadelphia. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2014/05/parent_choice.html

Parents are judging Hardy based on their experience with Patrick Pope telling them to go to hell when they asked for advanced or at least on grade level classes, then DCPS assigning what was it - 4 different principals in 4 years? The skepticism about the school is well justified.

Everyone hopes it will turn around. But what I have asked for is some evidence that hardy grads are doing well wherever they head to for us, and so far I have not received any information.

Anonymous wrote:Actually researching and knowing facts about a school apparently are pretty rare for most parents, even educated well off parents. Instead, more often word of mouth, general perceptions tend to be the norm on at least suburban schools in recent studies. I would guess within DC Deal/Wilson would be the suburban equivalent. It would also explain why people make such uniformed judgmental statements in these threads. Schools can accomplish a lot but fighting adult ignorance is out of their mandate

Sociologists Shed Light on Suburban School Choice

The Wauters are not rare. In fact, their uninformed decision was the rule rather than the exception for the 46 middle- and working-class suburban families whose stories are summarized in a chapter of Choosing Homes, Choosing Schools, a book published by the Russell Sage Foundation in March. Lareau, a sociology professor at the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, edited the book with Kimberly Goyette, an associate professor of sociology at Temple University, also in Philadelphia. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2014/05/parent_choice.html

Anonymous wrote:Just wanted to point out how appallingly offensive and ill-informed this thread - and the thread on Eaton shifting to Hardy are. The ill-informed assumptions, the factually incorrect stereotyping, the double standards to which Hardy is held...it goes on and on.

You would have no idea that there are effective teachers, solid administrators, and really great and talented kids who attend Hardy and thrive - academically, socially, in sports, in music and the arts, and in many other ways.

Please open your eyes and stop stereotyping this school and its students. If you don't know about the school, we welcome you to come and visit.

Thank you,

- A Hardy Parent (white and IB, for those who care about such things)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not the poster, but I believe the author meant it, like, literally, as in "the school is located within the confines of a city." this is to be contrasted with schools that sit on a dozen acres abutting a river (where, presumably, crew is more natural).

Hard is subject to such ridiculous nitpicking. It is a rapidly improving school with all the elements necessary for success. Just watch.

--not a parent of dcps kids, but an interested observer.

There are dozens of crew teams on the Potomac every morning. Hardy is one of the closest schools to it - I guess 1-1.5 miles. Not exactly land-locked.

Ah, but a PP suggests that students and their parents have no right to expect such "anomalous" programs in "inner city schools." I guess PP's mantra is suck it up or pay up for private.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm not the poster, but I believe the author meant it, like, literally, as in "the school is located within the confines of a city." this is to be contrasted with schools that sit on a dozen acres abutting a river (where, presumably, crew is more natural).

Hard is subject to such ridiculous nitpicking. It is a rapidly improving school with all the elements necessary for success. Just watch.

--not a parent of dcps kids, but an interested observer.

There are dozens of crew teams on the Potomac every morning. Hardy is one of the closest schools to it - I guess 1-1.5 miles. Not exactly land-locked.

Anonymous wrote:I'm not the poster, but I believe the author meant it, like, literally, as in "the school is located within the confines of a city." this is to be contrasted with schools that sit on a dozen acres abutting a river (where, presumably, crew is more natural).

Hard is subject to such ridiculous nitpicking. It is a rapidly improving school with all the elements necessary for success. Just watch.

--not a parent of dcps kids, but an interested observer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Deal has a program (really just a feeder to Wilson, they don't compete against other DCPS middle schools) which is a complete anomaly in inner city public schools. Yes there are jr rowing programs via clubs but to expect an inner city public school to have a crew team is ridiculous.

I think the rub is that Eaton families don't want to settle for an "inner city" middle school where academic and athletic enrichment programs are "anomalous" and should "not be expected" -- when they can expect them now!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes, middle school crew at inner city public school-- so popular.

It's very popular at deal. Ever been to NW DC?

Anonymous wrote:Yes, Deal has a program (really just a feeder to Wilson, they don't compete against other DCPS middle schools) which is a complete anomaly in inner city public schools. Yes there are jr rowing programs via clubs but to expect an inner city public school to have a crew team is ridiculous.