WASHINGTON — Two Montgomery County students told members of the county’s board of education that it’s time for schools to install metal detectors.

Catherine Dwyer, who will be a freshman at Walt Whitman High School, sat down before the microphones at the board meeting on Thursday and said: “Board members, it is tragic and shameful that our nation has gotten to this point.”

They don't have them, just loaded guns:

"Montgomery County school officials are trying to reassure parents of students at Albert Einstein High School that the school is safe.

Parents gathered at the high school Monday evening to address their concerns over the discovery of several loaded guns and the arrest of five students and a 20-year-old man with gang connections that stemmed from a student’s firing of a gun in a boys’ bathroom.

On Monday, the school’s principal, James Fernandez, whom students describe as a strict disciplinarian, said, "Einstein is safe, as safe as any other place in the world."

In the last week, some parents have raised questions about how well-protected their children are, and they’ve wondered whether Montgomery County schools will do what many in the District of Columbia have already done — raise metal detectors outside their schools to keep weapons out."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

Well, sure, but what specifically about the schools?

Hint: it's not the quality of the curriculum, instruction, facilities, or administration, or the likely educational outcome for a given student at School A vs. School B.

It is about the outcome, who wants their kids to go to a school with a major poverty couture and double digit dropout rates? Going to a school where poverty is called culture is propagating marginal expectations and many a middle class kid has fallen for the trap of trying to look cool to people who will ride their coolness back into the generation poverty class. You better hope your middle class kid doesn't emulate the wrong kids.

The data do not support your assertion.

I'm tickled by the idea of "poverty couture", though.

Me, too! But I think PP hit the nail on the head: it's about parental anxiety that their supposedly brilliant offspring will somehow be lured into a life of disrepute by poor kids. Sure, peer groups matter in adolescence, but any high school in MCPS has a decently-sized cohort of high-achieving kids. The size of the latter matters, of course, but it's there at all schools. IME of attending a W school, a lot of the parents there check out with the assumption that their kids are surrounded by "good kids," so they don't need to monitor what they're up to. Oh, and racism.

Having never had a child in a W school, you are unqualified to opine.

Anonymous wrote:

It was only a matter of time before someone said Racism! That word is thrown around so carelessly it doesn't even mean anything anymore. You've watered it down, which is so tragic. Sorry people don't want their kids having to go through metal detectors at school. My kids are at BCC and there are problems. A kid was robbed in the bathroom by force for his phone. It's everywhere. Just worse other places.

If this bothers you, do something about it. Calling racism isn't the answer.

Which MCPS schools have metal detectors? Please list them. Thanks.

The scary Einstein moms are back.....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

Well, sure, but what specifically about the schools?

Hint: it's not the quality of the curriculum, instruction, facilities, or administration, or the likely educational outcome for a given student at School A vs. School B.

It is about the outcome, who wants their kids to go to a school with a major poverty couture and double digit dropout rates? Going to a school where poverty is called culture is propagating marginal expectations and many a middle class kid has fallen for the trap of trying to look cool to people who will ride their coolness back into the generation poverty class. You better hope your middle class kid doesn't emulate the wrong kids.

The data do not support your assertion.

I'm tickled by the idea of "poverty couture", though.

Me, too! But I think PP hit the nail on the head: it's about parental anxiety that their supposedly brilliant offspring will somehow be lured into a life of disrepute by poor kids. Sure, peer groups matter in adolescence, but any high school in MCPS has a decently-sized cohort of high-achieving kids. The size of the latter matters, of course, but it's there at all schools. IME of attending a W school, a lot of the parents there check out with the assumption that their kids are surrounded by "good kids," so they don't need to monitor what they're up to. Oh, and racism.

It was only a matter of time before someone said Racism! That word is thrown around so carelessly it doesn't even mean anything anymore. You've watered it down, which is so tragic. Sorry people don't want their kids having to go through metal detectors at school. My kids are at BCC and there are problems. A kid was robbed in the bathroom by force for his phone. It's everywhere. Just worse other places.

If this bothers you, do something about it. Calling racism isn't the answer.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

Well, sure, but what specifically about the schools?

Hint: it's not the quality of the curriculum, instruction, facilities, or administration, or the likely educational outcome for a given student at School A vs. School B.

It is about the outcome, who wants their kids to go to a school with a major poverty couture and double digit dropout rates? Going to a school where poverty is called culture is propagating marginal expectations and many a middle class kid has fallen for the trap of trying to look cool to people who will ride their coolness back into the generation poverty class. You better hope your middle class kid doesn't emulate the wrong kids.

The data do not support your assertion.

I'm tickled by the idea of "poverty couture", though.

Me, too! But I think PP hit the nail on the head: it's about parental anxiety that their supposedly brilliant offspring will somehow be lured into a life of disrepute by poor kids. Sure, peer groups matter in adolescence, but any high school in MCPS has a decently-sized cohort of high-achieving kids. The size of the latter matters, of course, but it's there at all schools. IME of attending a W school, a lot of the parents there check out with the assumption that their kids are surrounded by "good kids," so they don't need to monitor what they're up to. Oh, and racism.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

Well, sure, but what specifically about the schools?

Hint: it's not the quality of the curriculum, instruction, facilities, or administration, or the likely educational outcome for a given student at School A vs. School B.

It is about the outcome, who wants their kids to go to a school with a major poverty couture and double digit dropout rates? Going to a school where poverty is called culture is propagating marginal expectations and many a middle class kid has fallen for the trap of trying to look cool to people who will ride their coolness back into the generation poverty class. You better hope your middle class kid doesn't emulate the wrong kids.

The data do not support your assertion.

I'm tickled by the idea of "poverty couture", though.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

Well, sure, but what specifically about the schools?

Hint: it's not the quality of the curriculum, instruction, facilities, or administration, or the likely educational outcome for a given student at School A vs. School B.

It is about the outcome, who wants their kids to go to a school with a major poverty couture and double digit dropout rates? Going to a school where poverty is called culture is propagating marginal expectations and many a middle class kid has fallen for the trap of trying to look cool to people who will ride their coolness back into the generation poverty class. You better hope your middle class kid doesn't emulate the wrong kids.

Anonymous wrote:Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

No, it's the *people* who live in the community. Duh.

Anonymous wrote:Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

Well, sure, but what specifically about the schools?

Hint: it's not the quality of the curriculum, instruction, facilities, or administration, or the likely educational outcome for a given student at School A vs. School B.

Anonymous wrote:Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

The factors that make the schools "better" have an impact on other aspects of QOL that affects property values. There is less crime in those areas. I think this has changed to some degree more recently, but there are more amenities that more affluent people might want/expect in the west. Also, traditionally NW DC has been more appealing (and had more of the jobs) than NE, so proximity to the former was more appealing -- a factor that again is starting to change somewhat.

Question: if the schools are not better, and are all the same in one school district, why the big discrepancy in property values close in east county vs close in west county?

Hint: it's the schools

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you moving here because the person in the job prior to you left MOCO like everyone else?

Awooga! Russian Troll Alert!

I'm sure the Russians are very concerned about the MD v. VA v. DC debate prevalent here.

It seems by far the more likely explanation than that people would be that blatantly obtuse. And on anonymous message board? Low hanging fruit for them.

This dude needs major psych help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you moving here because the person in the job prior to you left MOCO like everyone else?

Awooga! Russian Troll Alert!

I'm sure the Russians are very concerned about the MD v. VA v. DC debate prevalent here.

It seems by far the more likely explanation than that people would be that blatantly obtuse. And on anonymous message board? Low hanging fruit for them.