Well, for better or worse, the thread has raised the do they walk the walk question re GDS and social justice. So if the school is deferring to a "team of aces" who are allegedly "the smartest guys in the room" the kinds of deals they've been involved with are relevant. What GDS is proposing for Tenleytown has nothing to do with social justice and everything to do with developer profits by any means necessary.

I, too, wish, discussions about GDS could focus on education rather than real estate -- but, unfortunately, RE is where the focus is now and that's the school's fault -- not the neighbors'.

Look, I am all for discussing local issues, but can this thread stay on the topic of GDS?

The Congress Heights project that prompted the slumlord pickets is really scummy. Here's some of the Post's coverage:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/poorer-tenants-fear-being-pushed-out-by-planned-congress-heights-complex/2015/10/14/1ecaad34-6c9b-11e5-9bfe-e59f5e244f92_story.html

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/mice-bedbugs-broken-heaters-what-it-takes-for-dc-to-sue-a-landlord-for-neglect/2016/01/08/3f7dbc40-b630-11e5-9388-466021d971de_story.html

So people who have lived next to a school for many years know less about it than someone who has visited the campus three times in the context of the admissions process? What an arrogant attitude. So "top tier"!

Anonymous wrote:The husband of GDS consultant is in the news. http://dcist.com/2015/12/activists_take_complaints_about_con.php

Nor is it the first time for them.

Out of all if the IS (considered top tier) we have visited this far GDS by far stands out as one truly committed to diversity. We visited GDS three times and we saw the diversity in its student body, staff, administration, social diversity commitment, etc. Community people (who have no affiliation with the school) always have a lot of negative crap to say about a school which often time is baseless. GDS purchase of the Safeway building and the Volvo building goes against their so called interest. However, as far as I know GDS isn't responsible for Safeway or Volvo selling. The community should ask themselves why Safeway needed to sale... because that's the real issue. GDS couldn't purchase a building that someone didn't need to sale.

But the people commenting are the local residents who are opposing the development proposal, so they don't are about the veracity of their statements about the school or community.

I am a GDS mom, and I think GDS is truly committed to its values and it is truly diverse. I have just to take a look to my DC's class. Ethnic diversity, racial diversity, SES diversity, religion diversity, types of families diversity... You name it. So many examples to mention, so intrinsic to the school and its community. Those writing that there is a lot of saying but not a lot of showing are probably not GDS parents. I can't imagine how someone from the GDS community will not see its coherence.

This level of political connection is one reason why GDS is likely to get approval for nearly everything that it is seeking.

The husband of GDS consultant is in the news. http://dcist.com/2015/12/activists_take_complaints_about_con.php

Anonymous wrote:At some point, GDS should prove its actual commitment to diversity which may not match with its rhetoric. As far as I can tell, on a variety of issues, GDS does a lot of telling but not a lot of showing.

This is true.

At some point, GDS should prove its actual commitment to diversity which may not match with its rhetoric. As far as I can tell, on a variety of issues, GDS does a lot of telling but not a lot of showing.

Bullseye.

Anonymous wrote:None of this is relevant to the ZC or the BZA. They're both supposed to apply the legal standards articulated in the zoning regs regardless of their members' attitudes toward the parties before them.

None of this is relevant to the ZC or the BZA. They're both supposed to apply the legal standards articulated in the zoning regs regardless of their members' attitudes toward the parties before them.

Vernon Jordan sat on the board of Union Carbide of Bhopal fame. Clearly they take social justice seriously. Actually he sat on at least 10 corporate boards, including JC Penney, Revlon, and American Express. I didn't know all those companies were paragons of racial and social justice.

Anonymous wrote:Wow. A prominent African-American was on their board = they take social justice and racial equality seriously. Obviously you don't get how retrograde this comment is.

I would think this is just a troll trying to make GDS look bad, but its probably a real GDS board member or Ward Three Vision shill.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a laugh! We have far more racial diversity at Deal and Wilson. Commitment to social justice? GDS not only refused to do one iota more affordable housing than the law requires, but Mr. Payola found a way for them to do less than the law requires for the zoning they are building in. This is a school primarily for rich children with liberal parents who believe they are special. The GDS boosters who think the Zoning Commission will or should give GDS special consideration are smoking the same weed their kids smoke in Tenleytown alleys.

Anonymous wrote:Don't you think that the BZA will consider and value the GDS commitment to racial diversity and social justice? Both should resonate well with the DC authorities.

The school takes these values very seriously. You know that Attorney General Holder was a GDS trustee?