Anonymous wrote:As a former SWS parent, from the pre-woke times, I believe what PP says about the environment. It sounds like SWS has changed a lot over the years, but if one thing has remained the same it is the cult-like environment. PP, please know that in other schools, parents are not scared to challenge the administration or teachers. This sort of environment is really toxic. I’d argue that it is also counter to Reggio principles, which are supposed to encourage critical thinking!

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Anonymous wrote:Is it not odd that the first 2 groups are open to anyone “identifying as” Black or a POC, but not the White group - it’s not sufficient to “identify as White” - apparently entry allowed only if you pass as White.

Is there a committee that decides if you’re white enough?

Again, how is any of this legal at a public school?!

Forget legality- how are parents allowing this? Especially considering the mediocre academics at SWS?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it not odd that the first 2 groups are open to anyone “identifying as” Black or a POC, but not the White group - it’s not sufficient to “identify as White” - apparently entry allowed only if you pass as White.

Is there a committee that decides if you’re white enough?

Again, how is any of this legal at a public school?!

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Anonymous wrote:Is it not odd that the first 2 groups are open to anyone “identifying as” Black or a POC, but not the White group - it’s not sufficient to “identify as White” - apparently entry allowed only if you pass as White.

Is there a committee that decides if you’re white enough?

Anonymous wrote:Is it not odd that the first 2 groups are open to anyone “identifying as” Black or a POC, but not the White group - it’s not sufficient to “identify as White” - apparently entry allowed only if you pass as White.

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Anonymous wrote:This isn't even the most offensive email that SWS leadership has sent recently about which students and families are allowed to go to which events.

If you're so offended, take your kid out of the school.

You're mad because they had a social event for Black families and that all of this came out of direct feedback from black families at the school? I mean SWS can't win, first they are attacked on DCUM for being too white, then when they address specific and direct concerns that have been addressed, they're too woke?

It did feel exclusionary to be honest. Is it really ok to have [insert race or ethnicity]-only events hosted by and at public schools? I don't understand how that brings a community together.

White parent and I felt glad they did that in light of actual feedback I've heard (directly)/read (on DCUM) from other Black parents.

What is the feedback you've heard? That black families want to the school to sponsor an event where only people of color are allowed?

Wouldn't the recent Supreme Court decision now ban public schools from hosting events meant to boost a particular racial group?!

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Anonymous wrote:This isn't even the most offensive email that SWS leadership has sent recently about which students and families are allowed to go to which events.

If you're so offended, take your kid out of the school.

You're mad because they had a social event for Black families and that all of this came out of direct feedback from black families at the school? I mean SWS can't win, first they are attacked on DCUM for being too white, then when they address specific and direct concerns that have been addressed, they're too woke?

It did feel exclusionary to be honest. Is it really ok to have [insert race or ethnicity]-only events hosted by and at public schools? I don't understand how that brings a community together.

White parent and I felt glad they did that in light of actual feedback I've heard (directly)/read (on DCUM) from other Black parents.

What is the feedback you've heard? That black families want to the school to sponsor an event where only people of color are allowed?

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Anonymous wrote:My kids go to a school where they emphasize kindness and acceptance but they also really worry about good parcc scores. It’s not mutually exclusive.

Congratulations, do you live in rich real estate on the Hill or in NW? Some of us don't have that luxury.

Not to worry. The upper NW schools also have these types of exclusive affinity groups.

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Anonymous wrote:My kids go to a school where they emphasize kindness and acceptance but they also really worry about good parcc scores. It’s not mutually exclusive.

Congratulations, do you live in rich real estate on the Hill or in NW? Some of us don't have that luxury.

Anonymous wrote:Some of the parents can come off as brash. Just a vibe you get when you run into them on the playground and hear them talk about how awesome their weekend was.

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Anonymous wrote:Where does one lottery into that has better scores when one doesn't live in bounds for rich real estate elementary schools/preschool?

This is exactly it. I think it is totally fair to want SWS over many low-performing IB schools in DC. Just have eyes wide open as to what you are choosing. I think that the smugness that SWS is better than Brent, Maury, Ludlow, however, needs to stop. SWS is simply not producing kinder or more academically prepared students than any of those schools. We know people at all of them. ( I say this with the caveat that SWS does seem to nip bullying in the bud at school better than many other schools. I don't think it changes the bullies long-term-- plenty do graduate from SWS and go on to bully kids at MS. But it does have the benefit of keeping it out of the school day. Some parents are going to be more concerned about this than others, depending on their kid).

At this point, SWS *feels* like it has changed in demographics over the past few years to become a bit more diverse, has more non-Hill parents of more diverse backgrounds and SES. More than half my kid's friends (maybe two thirds?) don't live in bounds for any Hill school and couldn't afford to. However, DCUM talks like everyone at SWS lives on Capitol Hill, has choices, and chose SWS when things are changing each year. Even if I had a choice (I don't live on Capitol Hill or rich NW), knowing a school does do a decent job of combating bullying and promoting kindness (even if yes, bad apples and incidents occur, speaking on the whole), I WILL prioritize that over a school that gets higher PARCC scores. It matters that much to me, as a previously bullied person. Our experience is that yes, SWS does do a good job on the bullying front.

How exactly, do you know that your kids' friends couldn't afford to live on Capitol Hill. You might assume about my family but you would be wrong. Not everyone prefers to live on Capitol Hill, you know.

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Anonymous wrote:Where does one lottery into that has better scores when one doesn't live in bounds for rich real estate elementary schools/preschool?

This is exactly it. I think it is totally fair to want SWS over many low-performing IB schools in DC. Just have eyes wide open as to what you are choosing. I think that the smugness that SWS is better than Brent, Maury, Ludlow, however, needs to stop. SWS is simply not producing kinder or more academically prepared students than any of those schools. We know people at all of them. ( I say this with the caveat that SWS does seem to nip bullying in the bud at school better than many other schools. I don't think it changes the bullies long-term-- plenty do graduate from SWS and go on to bully kids at MS. But it does have the benefit of keeping it out of the school day. Some parents are going to be more concerned about this than others, depending on their kid).

At this point, SWS *feels* like it has changed in demographics over the past few years to become a bit more diverse, has more non-Hill parents of more diverse backgrounds and SES. More than half my kid's friends (maybe two thirds?) don't live in bounds for any Hill school and couldn't afford to. However, DCUM talks like everyone at SWS lives on Capitol Hill, has choices, and chose SWS when things are changing each year. Even if I had a choice (I don't live on Capitol Hill or rich NW), knowing a school does do a decent job of combating bullying and promoting kindness (even if yes, bad apples and incidents occur, speaking on the whole), I WILL prioritize that over a school that gets higher PARCC scores. It matters that much to me, as a previously bullied person. Our experience is that yes, SWS does do a good job on the bullying front.

How exactly, do you know that your kids' friends couldn't afford to live on Capitol Hill. You might assume about my family but you would be wrong. Not everyone prefers to live on Capitol Hill, you know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Where does one lottery into that has better scores when one doesn't live in bounds for rich real estate elementary schools/preschool?

This is exactly it. I think it is totally fair to want SWS over many low-performing IB schools in DC. Just have eyes wide open as to what you are choosing. I think that the smugness that SWS is better than Brent, Maury, Ludlow, however, needs to stop. SWS is simply not producing kinder or more academically prepared students than any of those schools. We know people at all of them. ( I say this with the caveat that SWS does seem to nip bullying in the bud at school better than many other schools. I don't think it changes the bullies long-term-- plenty do graduate from SWS and go on to bully kids at MS. But it does have the benefit of keeping it out of the school day. Some parents are going to be more concerned about this than others, depending on their kid).

At this point, SWS *feels* like it has changed in demographics over the past few years to become a bit more diverse, has more non-Hill parents of more diverse backgrounds and SES. More than half my kid's friends (maybe two thirds?) don't live in bounds for any Hill school and couldn't afford to. However, DCUM talks like everyone at SWS lives on Capitol Hill, has choices, and chose SWS when things are changing each year. Even if I had a choice (I don't live on Capitol Hill or rich NW), knowing a school does do a decent job of combating bullying and promoting kindness (even if yes, bad apples and incidents occur, speaking on the whole), I WILL prioritize that over a school that gets higher PARCC scores. It matters that much to me, as a previously bullied person. Our experience is that yes, SWS does do a good job on the bullying front.