Anonymous wrote:But as a PP mentioned, Arlington and Falls Church have separate small school districts. It is not written in stone that school districts need to be organized along huge-county lines. Bethesda/Potomac do not benefit from being a part of MoCo.

That's how it works in Maryland. Plus, Bethesda and Potomac aren't even official places, just census-designated areas. Maybe what you should be working on is incorporation as a municipality?

(Also, it's Arlington COUNTY Public Schools.)

But as a PP mentioned, Arlington and Falls Church have separate small school districts. It is not written in stone that school districts need to be organized along huge-county lines. Bethesda/Potomac do not benefit from being a part of MoCo.

Anonymous wrote:Many parts of MoCo are subsidized by Bethesda/Potomac. If those parts are OK with receiving this subsidy, then please allow us to contribute to the funding of teacher's aides.

Yes, that is the way large municipalities work in a democratic system. It does not follow that affluent citizens can buy better public resources.

Do you think that Bethesda/Potomac should have better libraries, roads, traffic signals, and recreational facilities than less affluent parts of the county, as well?

Many parts of MoCo are subsidized by Bethesda/Potomac. If those parts are OK with receiving this subsidy, then please allow us to contribute to the funding of teacher's aides.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't think that it has had such a dire result in Janney or Mann (in DCPS). It seems like people have accepted it, and perhaps it has attracted a highly-motivated group of parents to stay in DCPS.

It's important to persuade high-income people to stay in MCPS. I am not exaggerating when I say that a lot of people I know in Bethesda/Potomac want a smaller school system where they can have more impact. For example, Arlington and Falls Church each have their own school districts. How about something similar for Bethesda/Potomac?

First I'd like to see some evidence that high-income people are not staying in MCPS, and that this is due to class sizes.

We're working on leaving. For now we're doing private. My son has an IEP. The biggest accommodation he needs is smaller number of human beings in a physical space. He does not need other services and he is on grade level academically. MCPS cannot meet his special education needs. They offered all sorts of alternatives in an attempt to meet the need but it's useless. The funny thing is that his needs aren't really special. He has anxiety and gets overwhelmed easily and then shuts down. In a small class size he functions beautifully.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I don't think that it has had such a dire result in Janney or Mann (in DCPS). It seems like people have accepted it, and perhaps it has attracted a highly-motivated group of parents to stay in DCPS.

It's important to persuade high-income people to stay in MCPS. I am not exaggerating when I say that a lot of people I know in Bethesda/Potomac want a smaller school system where they can have more impact. For example, Arlington and Falls Church each have their own school districts. How about something similar for Bethesda/Potomac?

First I'd like to see some evidence that high-income people are not staying in MCPS, and that this is due to class sizes.

Very small sample size. Three families on my block. And not high-high income either and not "big 3" type school destination.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes. I am. Taking your general statement -- how does it hurt the rest of society if rich people decide to pitch in and, say, repave their public road. Not asking for money from the state/county. They just pay for it and do it themselves because they're tired of the potholes. That's harming people elsewhere in the county who don't have enough money to repave their road?

How does it hurt the rest of society if people in rich neighborhoods decide to pitch in and, say, be responsible for their own neighborhood security with gates, walls, and a private security force?

So now you think gated communities should be illegal?

No, I think that gated communities harm the rest of society.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Well, I think we are in the same position. Because we are struggling with the same issue -- not enough funding to provide a good educational environment.

No, that's not the issue in DCPS.

Really, you don't think inadequate funding for education is a major issue in DCPS. Okay, then you're officially unhinged.

Funding per student is higher in DCPS than in MCPS.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/report-finds-wide-disparities-in-local-per-pupil-spending-dc-charters-spend-most/2014/10/14/f8b94b8c-53cd-11e4-ba4b-f6333e2c0453_story.html

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My sister is a realtor in Arlington, and she's seeing Bethesda people with kids at her open houses.

Do you have another sister who is a realtor in Bethesda? If so, I bet she sees Arlington people with kids at her open houses.

Ha! So true.

one person says they know something for a fact. Another person says they bet the opposite fact is also true. Those are not the same things.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My sister is a realtor in Arlington, and she's seeing Bethesda people with kids at her open houses.

Do you have another sister who is a realtor in Bethesda? If so, I bet she sees Arlington people with kids at her open houses.

Ha! So true.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes. I am. Taking your general statement -- how does it hurt the rest of society if rich people decide to pitch in and, say, repave their public road. Not asking for money from the state/county. They just pay for it and do it themselves because they're tired of the potholes. That's harming people elsewhere in the county who don't have enough money to repave their road?

How does it hurt the rest of society if people in rich neighborhoods decide to pitch in and, say, be responsible for their own neighborhood security with gates, walls, and a private security force?

So now you think gated communities should be illegal?

Here's kind of an interesting WaPo article. If it's correct that the average class size in MoCo elementary is 19 kids, then my example of a 26-kid K class really is unusual. And, I would argue, a meaningfully inequitable discrepancy. People should at least be able to address it. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/local/wp/2015/01/07/class-sizes-and-per-student-spending-how-d-c-area-schools-stack-up/

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it's not as if you're making the world more equal by telling the rich people they're not allowed to buy that. They'll just find a way to buy it elsewhere. The poor people are in exactly the same position they were before, only now you've driven out the tax dollars of the rich people.

You're basically saying: The poor people lose regardless, so why not let rich people buy their children better "public" schools?

If the rich people want their children to go to private schools, then they should send their children to actual private schools, not to private "public" schools. DCPS had to make a devil's bargain. MCPS is not in the same position.

Well, I think we are in the same position. Because we are struggling with the same issue -- not enough funding to provide a good educational environment.

No, that's not the issue in DCPS.

Really, you don't think inadequate funding for education is a major issue in DCPS. Okay, then you're officially unhinged.

Anonymous wrote:

My sister is a realtor in Arlington, and she's seeing Bethesda people with kids at her open houses.

Do you have another sister who is a realtor in Bethesda? If so, I bet she sees Arlington people with kids at her open houses.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Yes, it's not as if you're making the world more equal by telling the rich people they're not allowed to buy that. They'll just find a way to buy it elsewhere. The poor people are in exactly the same position they were before, only now you've driven out the tax dollars of the rich people.

You're basically saying: The poor people lose regardless, so why not let rich people buy their children better "public" schools?

If the rich people want their children to go to private schools, then they should send their children to actual private schools, not to private "public" schools. DCPS had to make a devil's bargain. MCPS is not in the same position.

Well, I think we are in the same position. Because we are struggling with the same issue -- not enough funding to provide a good educational environment.

No, that's not the issue in DCPS.