Anonymous
Post 12/22/2011 00:03     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Mennonite is a religion.

Hebrew is a language.
Anonymous
Post 12/22/2011 00:01     Subject: Washington Hebrew
wait, pp here. i just re-read this. are we on the same side of the argument and arguing each other about the same thing just to see our own thoughts in type? Three thoughts:

a) i need to go to bed
b) this thread has seen enough after 18 pages
c) good reason for usernames
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 23:58     Subject: Washington Hebrew


Are you saying that there aren't people who use things that they know nothing about (such as the Keystone Pipeline or his birth certificate, depending on the circles in which they run) to disagree with the President because it is un-PC to just say that they don't like having a black president? Just because you are not one of those people doesn't mean that they aren't out there.


Not at all! No more than a PP (you?) is saying that there aren't people who use things that they know nothing about (such as the stereotype that not only are all Jews rich Shylocks, but they are so at the expense of everyone else) to disagree with the concept of Washington Hebrew because it's un-PC to just say that they don't like Jews. Just because PP (or you) is not one of those people, doesn't mean that they aren't out there.



You are clearly quite knowledgeable, so Im assuming that you know that the Shylock character is based in the fact that for centuries moneylending was one of the only jobs Jews were allowed to perform. Just as the civil rights movement happened within one lifetime of many alive today, so did the Holocaust. Just because you are above the fray doesn't mean that all are.

The way that FARMS kids or District residents who live East of the river are often referred to on DCUM should be proof positive to this. People don't like those that are different and find all sorts of reasons to discredit them without directly pointing to race/religion.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 23:23     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:That's why it says Mennonite studies, not Mennonite immersion.


And... it's therefore not the equivalent of a language immersion program.


But... it would be a charter that segregates by a small, narrow interest that's only shared by a minority of parents in town. That's the whole point.


It's strange. Your understanding of charter law is a disco-ball demonstration of "look at me." But you got attention, right? However, your comprehension of English is poor, and your angst is all about Hebrew as a language. And (in code) Jews as a people and culture.

You'd be so much better served mastering English on your own, rather than complaining about someone else's bilingual fluency.

Charters don't segregate. Period. You should acquaint yourself with the law before you waste any more electrons.

Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 21:47     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:That's why it says Mennonite studies, not Mennonite immersion.


And... it's therefore not the equivalent of a language immersion program.


But... it would be a charter that segregates by a small, narrow interest that's only shared by a minority of parents in town. That's the whole point.

No. Some families--mine included--value bilingual education, period; while Hebrew wouldn't be a first choice for us, it would be better than most monolingual alternatives.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 21:24     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:That's why it says Mennonite studies, not Mennonite immersion.


And... it's therefore not the equivalent of a language immersion program.


But... it would be a charter that segregates by a small, narrow interest that's only shared by a minority of parents in town. That's the whole point.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 21:07     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote:That's why it says Mennonite studies, not Mennonite immersion.


And... it's therefore not the equivalent of a language immersion program.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 19:18     Subject: Washington Hebrew
That's why it says Mennonite studies, not Mennonite immersion.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 17:32     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote:I would oppose a kurdish immersion school. And a Mennonite-studies school. Happy?


Kurdish is a language. Mennonite is not.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 17:12     Subject: Washington Hebrew
I would oppose a kurdish immersion school. And a Mennonite-studies school. Happy?
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 17:02     Subject: Re:Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote:Ditto on the previous post. I think a Hebrew immersion school is an inappropriate use of public charter school dollars for the same reason that I think a school based on an in-depth examination of the Kurdish culture and language, or an Ireland-themed school, or an immersion school taught in Old German (as spoken by some Mennonite/Old Order groups) would be inappropriate. Rather than draw a broad-based group of potential students, it seems like to appeal to a relatively small, self-selected group of people, defined largely along religious, ethnic, or cultural lines, who predominantly want to educate their own children in a particular skill set of interest but to do so using public funds. If you wouldn't support a Kurdish immersion school in D.C., I'm hard-pressed to see how I'm supposed to support a Hebrew immersion school. That doesn't make me an anti-Semite.


A straw man if I've ever seen one.

Who here has said they wouldn't support a Kurdish immersion school in DC? I think it sounds like a great idea. The more international the choices are, the better.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 16:52     Subject: Washington Hebrew
OK, I get it. As long as I don't tag each of my posts with a disclaimer about how I support affirmative action and desegregation, it will be assumed that I'm anti-Semitic.

I'm out of here. Frankly I don't understand either why this thread has been going on so long, except it looks like a booster keeps bumping it up. When you cut out the bs, the debate comes down to whether or not this school will attract a narrow vs. broad student population. If you scroll back 4-10 pages this was already hashed out, and it's clear lots of people are asserting it will or won't appeal to blacks et cetera, but nobody has a shred of polling or other data to back up their assertions. Let's just wait for the charter board to decide.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 16:16     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote: It infuriates me to be called a racist when I have substantive reasons for disagreeing with the President. I spent a lot of time studying Economics, and I am appalled at the idea of rejecting the Keystone Pipeline. It's asinine to not develop so many high-paying American jobs, not to mention the stupidity of the energy policy in general which enriches Russia and Iran at our expense. Disgustingly stupid.



Are you saying that there aren't people who use things that they know nothing about (such as the Keystone Pipeline or his birth certificate, depending on the circles in which they run) to disagree with the President because it is un-PC to just say that they don't like having a black president? Just because you are not one of those people doesn't mean that they aren't out there.


Not at all! No more than a PP (you?) is saying that there aren't people who use things that they know nothing about (such as the stereotype that not only are all Jews rich Shylocks, but they are so at the expense of everyone else) to disagree with the concept of Washington Hebrew because it's un-PC to just say that they don't like Jews. Just because PP (or you) is not one of those people, doesn't mean that they aren't out there.

Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 15:58     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote: It infuriates me to be called a racist when I have substantive reasons for disagreeing with the President. I spent a lot of time studying Economics, and I am appalled at the idea of rejecting the Keystone Pipeline. It's asinine to not develop so many high-paying American jobs, not to mention the stupidity of the energy policy in general which enriches Russia and Iran at our expense. Disgustingly stupid.



Are you saying that there aren't people who use things that they know nothing about (such as the Keystone Pipeline or his birth certificate, depending on the circles in which they run) to disagree with the President because it is un-PC to just say that they don't like having a black president? Just because you are not one of those people doesn't mean that they aren't out there.
Anonymous
Post 12/21/2011 15:36     Subject: Washington Hebrew
Anonymous wrote:It simply infuriates me to be called an anti-Semite when I have substantive reasons for disagreeing with you. I spent a lot of time on another thread yesterday defending affirmative action, even though it most definitely hurts my white kids, because I strongly believe in certain progressive educational policies. I support charters, BTW, unless they serve to resegregate, which is why I was agreeing with the other PP. I hope you can at least try to understand why your "anti-Semite" blasts are infuriating, and don't reflect very well on you either.


I definitely understand your feelings. It infuriates me to be called a racist when I have substantive reasons for disagreeing with the President. I spent a lot of time studying Economics, and I am appalled at the idea of rejecting the Keystone Pipeline. It's asinine to not develop so many high-paying American jobs, not to mention the stupidity of the energy policy in general which enriches Russia and Iran at our expense. Disgustingly stupid.

(Oh, right. This thread is about education. Sorry, I couldn't help "feeling my feelings" and empathizing with you, that way. I'll carry that soapbox to another thread.)

I agree it's unfair to label you an anti-semite simply because you're opposed to the idea of this school. Unfortunately, most (if not all) of the opposition to this school is focused on the hypothetical prospective religion AND hypothetical prospective class of the families who would apply. I find that odd, because having been through the charter school lotteries, I can tell you with certainty that there is a huge (and growing) population of parents who will apply to every promising charter - regardless of its mission - and then ultimately choose whatever they perceive to be the best fit (best program, best mission, best commute, best SES profile) for their family, based on their choices of where they get accepted. This school will be flooded with applicants of all races, regardless of religion. It will end up accepting students of all races, regardless of religion. And it will be required to instruct them, according to its mission, regardless of race or religion.

This isn't automatically about religion. The heat you're feeling is from people who reject your attempt to make it so.