Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

You seriously think an intelligent child is unable to catch up in the later elementary grades if they move to a better school then? If so, then how early do you need to worry about academic school quality? In PK?

I do not know. What I know is once kids are put on certain track, it's hard to get on a different track. I realize how crazy I sound (OP told me so already ) but it is what it is. It's not like changing TV channel... You don't just change the channel and expect all is well. You want to put kids on the right track from the start.

Perspective from white, middle class parent of a middle and high-school stdent. Honestly, it can be hard to be sanguine about this stuff when it seems all others are racing ahead.

My DC went to a DCUM "HRC" and enrolled in BASIS for 6th. Through grade school DC's teachers had always said math was an area of strength. Based on the BASIS placement test, DC was placed in pre-Algebra, which seemed fine until kid was crushed to learn that there are 30+ students who are at least one grade level ahead of DC in math. I met with the school and saw the test results and couldn't really argue for a more advanced placement.

I understand the need to run one's own race, but it's not fun when you realize lots of kids are significantly 'ahead' of yours at what still seems like a young age. Obviously it doesn't necessarily mean DC won't get into college of his/her choice but the competition and pressure is ever-present in DC and feeds the issues on this thread.

Anonymous wrote:

You seriously think an intelligent child is unable to catch up in the later elementary grades if they move to a better school then? If so, then how early do you need to worry about academic school quality? In PK?

I do not know. What I know is once kids are put on certain track, it's hard to get on a different track. I realize how crazy I sound (OP told me so already ) but it is what it is. It's not like changing TV channel... You don't just change the channel and expect all is well. You want to put kids on the right track from the start.

You seriously think an intelligent child is unable to catch up in the later elementary grades if they move to a better school then? If so, then how early do you need to worry about academic school quality? In PK?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why sacrifice her education and view of the world when you could do better. You surely want better for your kids?

OP is not sacrificing her education. That is the whole point of this thread.

New poster here. With the information we have, I'd say that OP is certainly sacrificing her kid's education. But that's her right to do, in the context of overall parenting and overall family priorities. I am not in her shoes, so I can't judge her decisions.

Her daughter is getting a great education right now and is learning a lot - ahead of grade level. You and others can't seem to fathom that a non-white school can do that, the horror!

But being above grade level in a low performing school isn't the same as being above grade level in an average or high performing school. What is grade level appropriate to begin with is a low bar and then it's a bit lower in lower performing schools because it has to be to accommodate the majority of children.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you aware that you have the foundation set for an AMAZING college application essay?

That actually hadn't occurred to me. I'm sure that DD will have any number of experiences that she can write about in her college application essays, though.

If she goes to college.

Her dad and I went to college, as did our parents. I have no reason to believe that she will not go to college. If she doesn't want to go to college, I'm sure she will do something that requires an application essay, and she can use this experience for that.

Not sure how you figure. Maybe if it were reversed (only {insert minority here} in class), but I don't think a college would like to hear it from the other perspective.

Signed,
College graduate who was once "the only white kid" in the whole school.

I don't think OP has any idea how competitive college admission process has become. She also has no idea the ripple effect she has created for her DD down the road.

OP here. Jeez.

When I was deciding what school to send my daughter to, at age 4, the last thing I was concerned about was the college admissions process. Do you have any idea how crazy you sound when you say things like that? By your logic, no one who goes to DCPS, unless it's a DCPS that has more than 50% white kids, will ever go to college, because their parents created a ripple effect that prevented them from getting educated.

I think that many on DCUM truly believe this. That's why they run to the burbs.

Very American. Can't start the rat race too early! As a European, I might be concerned with my kid's social experience of being the only one of her race (which apparently is racist to worry about), but I wouldn't worry too much about the academics in early elementary, if general standards are met.

It was true here when I went to college in 80s. Not so any longer. College process is totally out of control but you have to play the game.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you aware that you have the foundation set for an AMAZING college application essay?

That actually hadn't occurred to me. I'm sure that DD will have any number of experiences that she can write about in her college application essays, though.

If she goes to college.

Her dad and I went to college, as did our parents. I have no reason to believe that she will not go to college. If she doesn't want to go to college, I'm sure she will do something that requires an application essay, and she can use this experience for that.

Not sure how you figure. Maybe if it were reversed (only {insert minority here} in class), but I don't think a college would like to hear it from the other perspective.

Signed,
College graduate who was once "the only white kid" in the whole school.

I don't think OP has any idea how competitive college admission process has become. She also has no idea the ripple effect she has created for her DD down the road.

OP here. Jeez.

When I was deciding what school to send my daughter to, at age 4, the last thing I was concerned about was the college admissions process. Do you have any idea how crazy you sound when you say things like that? By your logic, no one who goes to DCPS, unless it's a DCPS that has more than 50% white kids, will ever go to college, because their parents created a ripple effect that prevented them from getting educated.

I think that many on DCUM truly believe this. That's why they run to the burbs.

Very American. Can't start the rat race too early! As a European, I might be concerned with my kid's social experience of being the only one of her race (which apparently is racist to worry about), but I wouldn't worry too much about the academics in early elementary, if general standards are met.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you aware that you have the foundation set for an AMAZING college application essay?

That actually hadn't occurred to me. I'm sure that DD will have any number of experiences that she can write about in her college application essays, though.

If she goes to college.

Her dad and I went to college, as did our parents. I have no reason to believe that she will not go to college. If she doesn't want to go to college, I'm sure she will do something that requires an application essay, and she can use this experience for that.

Not sure how you figure. Maybe if it were reversed (only {insert minority here} in class), but I don't think a college would like to hear it from the other perspective.

Signed,
College graduate who was once "the only white kid" in the whole school.

I don't think OP has any idea how competitive college admission process has become. She also has no idea the ripple effect she has created for her DD down the road.

OP here. Jeez.

When I was deciding what school to send my daughter to, at age 4, the last thing I was concerned about was the college admissions process. Do you have any idea how crazy you sound when you say things like that? By your logic, no one who goes to DCPS, unless it's a DCPS that has more than 50% white kids, will ever go to college, because their parents created a ripple effect that prevented them from getting educated.

I think that many on DCUM truly believe this. That's why they run to the burbs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you aware that you have the foundation set for an AMAZING college application essay?

That actually hadn't occurred to me. I'm sure that DD will have any number of experiences that she can write about in her college application essays, though.

If she goes to college.

Her dad and I went to college, as did our parents. I have no reason to believe that she will not go to college. If she doesn't want to go to college, I'm sure she will do something that requires an application essay, and she can use this experience for that.

Not sure how you figure. Maybe if it were reversed (only {insert minority here} in class), but I don't think a college would like to hear it from the other perspective.

Signed,
College graduate who was once "the only white kid" in the whole school.

I don't think OP has any idea how competitive college admission process has become. She also has no idea the ripple effect she has created for her DD down the road.

OP here. Jeez.

When I was deciding what school to send my daughter to, at age 4, the last thing I was concerned about was the college admissions process. Do you have any idea how crazy you sound when you say things like that? By your logic, no one who goes to DCPS, unless it's a DCPS that has more than 50% white kids, will ever go to college, because their parents created a ripple effect that prevented them from getting educated.

I think that many on DCUM truly believe this. That's why they run to the burbs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you aware that you have the foundation set for an AMAZING college application essay?

That actually hadn't occurred to me. I'm sure that DD will have any number of experiences that she can write about in her college application essays, though.

If she goes to college.

Her dad and I went to college, as did our parents. I have no reason to believe that she will not go to college. If she doesn't want to go to college, I'm sure she will do something that requires an application essay, and she can use this experience for that.

Not sure how you figure. Maybe if it were reversed (only {insert minority here} in class), but I don't think a college would like to hear it from the other perspective.

Signed,
College graduate who was once "the only white kid" in the whole school.

I don't think OP has any idea how competitive college admission process has become. She also has no idea the ripple effect she has created for her DD down the road.

OP here. Jeez.

When I was deciding what school to send my daughter to, at age 4, the last thing I was concerned about was the college admissions process. Do you have any idea how crazy you sound when you say things like that? By your logic, no one who goes to DCPS, unless it's a DCPS that has more than 50% white kids, will ever go to college, because their parents created a ripple effect that prevented them from getting educated.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny, I moved my child from a low-performing school to a high-performing one and noticed no difference in the quality of her education. In fact, I suspect the low-performing school from which I moved DD was the same one OP's daughter goes to just from what she has said. And no, I will not name the school to respect OP's privacy, if it is the same one.

Probably both weren't high performing, what was the great schools ratings

9 for the new school.

why did you move?

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Okay, skeptics. What would y'all consider "above grade level" in a "good" school in kindergarten? In first grade?

I don't see what I've posted that would indicate that I'm sacrificing DD's education. All you know is that she goes to a DCPS with a lot of poor kids and few white kids and less than stellar test scores. I haven't named the school and I haven't gone into detail about DD's academic skills at this time - partially because this thread is about her social experience and partially because she is in first grade so "academic" skills are not really academic at this time.

At this point, I'm inclined to think that many of you do not have kids in DCPS or DC at all. The things I've said about our school could describe many schools in DC. If you truly believe that the only place children can be educated is a wealthy school with a lot of white kids, please find another thread because I'm getting pretty tired of being polite to people who post here to remind me - over and over - that I'm a terrible parent. Your comments aren't about the school and aren't contributing to any dialogue about the experience of being the only _____ in a class. Thank you.

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Okay, skeptics. What would y'all consider "above grade level" in a "good" school in kindergarten? In first grade?

I don't see what I've posted that would indicate that I'm sacrificing DD's education. All you know is that she goes to a DCPS with a lot of poor kids and few white kids and less than stellar test scores. I haven't named the school and I haven't gone into detail about DD's academic skills at this time - partially because this thread is about her social experience and partially because she is in first grade so "academic" skills are not really academic at this time.

At this point, I'm inclined to think that many of you do not have kids in DCPS or DC at all. The things I've said about our school could describe many schools in DC. If you truly believe that the only place children can be educated is a wealthy school with a lot of white kids, please find another thread because I'm getting pretty tired of being polite to people who post here to remind me - over and over - that I'm a terrible parent. Your comments aren't about the school and aren't contributing to any dialogue about the experience of being the only _____ in a class. Thank you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny, I moved my child from a low-performing school to a high-performing one and noticed no difference in the quality of her education. In fact, I suspect the low-performing school from which I moved DD was the same one OP's daughter goes to just from what she has said. And no, I will not name the school to respect OP's privacy, if it is the same one.

Probably both weren't high performing, what was the great schools ratings

9 for the new school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Funny, I moved my child from a low-performing school to a high-performing one and noticed no difference in the quality of her education. In fact, I suspect the low-performing school from which I moved DD was the same one OP's daughter goes to just from what she has said. And no, I will not name the school to respect OP's privacy, if it is the same one.

Probably both weren't high performing, what was the great schools ratings