Anonymous wrote:Np here, I am. IB hardy! but sent my kid to Basis this year (and I have mixed feelings about the school, so no, I am not a booster) poster who said Patricia pride gave an estimate of turn around time you did not like-what was the estimate? Also, I think a swarm of kids is alarming to everyone, despite their actual behavior, the mass is intimidating. I will also say that even though DC goes to Basis (vs hardy) just yesterday they witnessed a 5th grade fistfight that resulted in bloody nOses and appears to be so suspension time. DC made a point to note that the initiator was a great kid and the other child always disruptive and distracting or instigating things. Like another person said, this is "typical middle school behavior"-I went to an all girls catholic school, so it was different for me but I tend to Agree, and I would be more concerned about class behavior and teacher control! because that is where it makes a difference for my child.

There are unfortunately going to be the occasional disruptors and instigators in any school, and yes, that includes catholic girls schools and even the most prestigious private schools. The question is, does it happen all the time, or rarely, how is it dealt with, and what is the school culture around it.

Anonymous wrote:Np here, I am. IB hardy! but sent my kid to Basis this year (and I have mixed feelings about the school, so no, I am not a booster) poster who said Patricia pride gave an estimate of turn around time you did not like-what was the estimate? Also, I think a swarm of kids is alarming to everyone, despite their actual behavior, the mass is intimidating. I will also say that even though DC goes to Basis (vs hardy) just yesterday they witnessed a 5th grade fistfight that resulted in bloody nOses and appears to be so suspension time. DC made a point to note that the initiator was a great kid and the other child always disruptive and distracting or instigating things. Like another person said, this is "typical middle school behavior"-I went to an all girls catholic school, so it was different for me but I tend to Agree, and I would be more concerned about class behavior and teacher control! because that is where it makes a difference for my child.

This is a really confusing post. I'm hoping you mean that "typical middle school behavior" is being loud and boisterous outside of school, and not fighting in school like your DC described at Basis. Right?

Np here, I am. IB hardy! but sent my kid to Basis this year (and I have mixed feelings about the school, so no, I am not a booster) poster who said Patricia pride gave an estimate of turn around time you did not like-what was the estimate? Also, I think a swarm of kids is alarming to everyone, despite their actual behavior, the mass is intimidating. I will also say that even though DC goes to Basis (vs hardy) just yesterday they witnessed a 5th grade fistfight that resulted in bloody nOses and appears to be so suspension time. DC made a point to note that the initiator was a great kid and the other child always disruptive and distracting or instigating things. Like another person said, this is "typical middle school behavior"-I went to an all girls catholic school, so it was different for me but I tend to Agree, and I would be more concerned about class behavior and teacher control! because that is where it makes a difference for my child.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a Hardy parent, I can tell you there is a lot of sensitivity to the way Hardy students are judged based on their behavior out of school. I've seen it firsthand - an exuberant group of AA Hardy students outside of school is judged as being a bunch of thugs; a similarly exuberant group of white students from a different school is viewed completely differently - as a happy group of non-threatening middle schoolers. It happens again and again.

I was exiting the Safeway this morning and witnessed it 1st hand. A bunch of children got off the bus and 2 (or 3) girls started fighting with one another. 3 guys jumped in to break it up.

You may call it exuberant, it is not a school I want for my children.

Okay, just called my son in for a check. He's a 7th grader at Hardy and was there last year as well.

Me: In the entire time you've been at Hardy, both this year and last, how many fights have you seen?
Son: One. But a teacher was there in seconds and broke it up right away.
Me: So in the entire school, in all the time you've been there, both sixth and seventh grade, at lunch, in the hallways, before and after school, you've seen only one fight?
Son:Yup. They do not mess around. There are always teachers and principals around.
Me: Do you feel safe there?
Son: Yeah! Totally.

What I witnessed may have been an exception - but I definitely saw a few girls fighting in front of Safeway this morning. Maybe it does not count b/c it was not on school grounds?

Nope, it doesn't count. I'd bet my paycheck that there are plenty of Sidwell kids that are smoking pot on their way to school. Does that mean you won't send your kids to Sidwell either?

I happen by Hardy at dismissal a lot. They behavior is horrible. Do they ever have a crossing guard by the Safeway? Typically my car is surrounded by kids swarming on WI Ave. their behavior isn't horrible but they definitely are disrespectful, loud, aggressive-- typical middle school stuff. Very different from Deal dismissal but Deal isn't right on the road and has crossing guards on Nebraska.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a Hardy parent, I can tell you there is a lot of sensitivity to the way Hardy students are judged based on their behavior out of school. I've seen it firsthand - an exuberant group of AA Hardy students outside of school is judged as being a bunch of thugs; a similarly exuberant group of white students from a different school is viewed completely differently - as a happy group of non-threatening middle schoolers. It happens again and again.

I was exiting the Safeway this morning and witnessed it 1st hand. A bunch of children got off the bus and 2 (or 3) girls started fighting with one another. 3 guys jumped in to break it up.

You may call it exuberant, it is not a school I want for my children.

Sounds like the glass is half full.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a Hardy parent, I can tell you there is a lot of sensitivity to the way Hardy students are judged based on their behavior out of school. I've seen it firsthand - an exuberant group of AA Hardy students outside of school is judged as being a bunch of thugs; a similarly exuberant group of white students from a different school is viewed completely differently - as a happy group of non-threatening middle schoolers. It happens again and again.

I was exiting the Safeway this morning and witnessed it 1st hand. A bunch of children got off the bus and 2 (or 3) girls started fighting with one another. 3 guys jumped in to break it up.

You may call it exuberant, it is not a school I want for my children.

Okay, just called my son in for a check. He's a 7th grader at Hardy and was there last year as well.

Me: In the entire time you've been at Hardy, both this year and last, how many fights have you seen?
Son: One. But a teacher was there in seconds and broke it up right away.
Me: So in the entire school, in all the time you've been there, both sixth and seventh grade, at lunch, in the hallways, before and after school, you've seen only one fight?
Son:Yup. They do not mess around. There are always teachers and principals around.
Me: Do you feel safe there?
Son: Yeah! Totally.

What I witnessed may have been an exception - but I definitely saw a few girls fighting in front of Safeway this morning. Maybe it does not count b/c it was not on school grounds?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a Hardy parent, I can tell you there is a lot of sensitivity to the way Hardy students are judged based on their behavior out of school. I've seen it firsthand - an exuberant group of AA Hardy students outside of school is judged as being a bunch of thugs; a similarly exuberant group of white students from a different school is viewed completely differently - as a happy group of non-threatening middle schoolers. It happens again and again.

I was exiting the Safeway this morning and witnessed it 1st hand. A bunch of children got off the bus and 2 (or 3) girls started fighting with one another. 3 guys jumped in to break it up.

You may call it exuberant, it is not a school I want for my children.

Okay, just called my son in for a check. He's a 7th grader at Hardy and was there last year as well.

Me: In the entire time you've been at Hardy, both this year and last, how many fights have you seen?
Son: One. But a teacher was there in seconds and broke it up right away.
Me: So in the entire school, in all the time you've been there, both sixth and seventh grade, at lunch, in the hallways, before and after school, you've seen only one fight?
Son:Yup. They do not mess around. There are always teachers and principals around.
Me: Do you feel safe there?
Son: Yeah! Totally.

Anonymous wrote:

As a Hardy parent, I can tell you there is a lot of sensitivity to the way Hardy students are judged based on their behavior out of school. I've seen it firsthand - an exuberant group of AA Hardy students outside of school is judged as being a bunch of thugs; a similarly exuberant group of white students from a different school is viewed completely differently - as a happy group of non-threatening middle schoolers. It happens again and again.

I was exiting the Safeway this morning and witnessed it 1st hand. A bunch of children got off the bus and 2 (or 3) girls started fighting with one another. 3 guys jumped in to break it up.

You may call it exuberant, it is not a school I want for my children.

Anonymous wrote:In other Hardy news, the school's algebra team won the math bowl this weekend, and the pre-algebra team came in second.

Great to hear. I resubmit my baseless claim (from last week) that I expect Hardy to improve significantly in the coming years, with the first changes being to math and languages this summer (if I recall correctly) and other curricula to follow.

(Yup, still me (8:10 and 10:37 and subsequent posts).)

Anonymous wrote:

I would argue that this is more relevant to the question of how well students can and do learn at Hardy than baseless accusations regarding out-of-school behavior.

I observed Hardy's kids behaving disrespectfully and obnoxiously outside school. This is not a baseless accusation, just an observation. And this does not detract from the potentially wonderful things that Hardy students might accomplish.

I'm sorry, life is complicated.

In other Hardy news, the school's algebra team won the math bowl this weekend, and the pre-algebra team came in second.

I would argue that this is more relevant to the question of how well students can and do learn at Hardy than baseless accusations regarding out-of-school behavior.

If you don't think AA children - in DC and otherwise - are held to a different standard than non-AA children - than you are blinkered from reality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any in boundary families sending their kids to Hardy next year?

IB for Hardy here, we considered for a moment but after a talk with the "new-old" principal and after having seen how Hardy students behave outside school we decided to send our daughter to a charter (and we are very happy with our choice).

I'm the person who originally posted this comment.

I was just trying, maybe not eloquently, to share the reason why we didn't send our kid to Hardy. I don't have any agenda, if I did, I don't think I would be using this board to push it. In fact, I would consider myself a sore loser if I considered this board a viable medium to push an agenda.

I really didn't like what the old (new at that time) principal said about the school (in particular the amount of time she thought it would take to turn the school around) and I did not like the way the Hardy students behaved outside school. And yes, it is true that I didn't run an experiment to ascertain if the differences in behavior between the Hardy kids and kids from other schools were statistically significant. Guilty! Now, you might make this into a racial/class issue, and that's your prerogative, but for me it was just the matter of making a rational decision about something that is my responsibility as a parent. I don't think something terrible would have happened had I sent my child to Hardy, but I looked around and I thought that there were better choices, options that would suit my child better.

I'm assuming that if one decided to send their child to Hardy she thought it was an OK decision. I really don't feel I have any standing to criticize or judge their decision. In general I tend to think that people make thoughtful and responsible decisions, but I know that I give some people too much credit.

Peace

Anonymous wrote:No, I'm not. I'm 8:10 and 10:37 from this morning.

By the way, are you familiar with the concept of sample selection? You mention that in your years of professional experience dealing with children around the city, the ONES YOU SEE behave the same. I assume you don't see a random selection of children, but children who all meet some criteria. Stands to reason they'd have many similarities while simultaneously saying NOTHING about children you don't see through your non-random professional sampling.

Think more deeply about the limits of your knowledge/experience before making leaps about other people.

And, again, I'm not even who you're calling out.

So are the parents making judgement about the behavior of Hardy children also seeing a perfect professional sampling of the students at Hardy? No, they are not. They see a few kids, once in a while, and they are making a judgement on the entire school based on that.