Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://theaugurbit.com/2024/03/10/seminar-limits-our-ability-to-speak-freely/

Just wow on so many levels. But does it change anything?

So GDS supposedly stifles dissent, except that their students are free to publish for the world said dissent?

I can't think of many other schools in this area that would allow its students to express anti-administration views so openly.

Anonymous wrote:https://theaugurbit.com/2024/03/10/seminar-limits-our-ability-to-speak-freely/

Just wow on so many levels. But does it change anything?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does someone who's "sick of DEI" stand for affirmatively? What are their values exactly?

NP. I’m not a GDS parent but am happy to answer this question as I’m definitely “sick of DEI” in general.

My values? I’m thankful to be an American and I love my country. I’m sick at what greed and lack of moral leadership have done to it over the last 10 years, in particular, but obviously going back much farther than that.

I’m a Christian and espouse (and try to live, not always successfully) the values that Jesus taught.

I love my family and my kids and believe that all kids benefit from strong, healthy, intact two parent homes.

I believe that society has a moral obligation to protect the weakest and most vulnerable among us.

I believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I believe that the Founding Fathers were literally brilliant, humanly flawed and divinely inspired.

I believe in truth and beauty and that evil exists and tries to kill it.

I could go on and on! Thanks for asking!

That's nice...turns out, those who support DEI have the same values at least as much if not more!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does someone who's "sick of DEI" stand for affirmatively? What are their values exactly?

NP. I’m not a GDS parent but am happy to answer this question as I’m definitely “sick of DEI” in general.

My values? I’m thankful to be an American and I love my country. I’m sick at what greed and lack of moral leadership have done to it over the last 10 years, in particular, but obviously going back much farther than that.

I’m a Christian and espouse (and try to live, not always successfully) the values that Jesus taught.

I love my family and my kids and believe that all kids benefit from strong, healthy, intact two parent homes.

I believe that society has a moral obligation to protect the weakest and most vulnerable among us.

I believe in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I believe that the Founding Fathers were literally brilliant, humanly flawed and divinely inspired.

I believe in truth and beauty and that evil exists and tries to kill it.

I could go on and on! Thanks for asking!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does someone who's "sick of DEI" stand for affirmatively? What are their values exactly?

I didn’t write that myself but my 8th grader wants to write an essay without that focus. Or have a history lesson without that focus. He just wants a more traditional education where everything isn’t boiled down to identity or ethnicity or race. It’s tiresome to have it seep into their daily eduction.

But this is EXACTLY what the school said they do at the admissions open house. Did you not believe them? This is what you signed up for. This is what you said you wanted to buy.

It's been a while since we had our open house - we have high schoolers at GDS now. But before the world went crazy, GDS talked only about viewpoint diversity, being the first truly integrated school in DC. Nothing at open houses about single minded focus on DEI.

Of course, they want to model being mini-BU / Kendi institute now.

So they now say at open houses that every subject will veer into DEI/Social Justice framing?

We went to an open house in 2019 and this is what they were saying even then. We listened and went elsewhere. We tried again after Covid and had the same experience. I don’t understand how anyone can claim they weren’t aware of the school’s intense focus. It was and is right there in front of you.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does someone who's "sick of DEI" stand for affirmatively? What are their values exactly?

I didn’t write that myself but my 8th grader wants to write an essay without that focus. Or have a history lesson without that focus. He just wants a more traditional education where everything isn’t boiled down to identity or ethnicity or race. It’s tiresome to have it seep into their daily eduction.

But this is EXACTLY what the school said they do at the admissions open house. Did you not believe them? This is what you signed up for. This is what you said you wanted to buy.

It's been a while since we had our open house - we have high schoolers at GDS now. But before the world went crazy, GDS talked only about viewpoint diversity, being the first truly integrated school in DC. Nothing at open houses about single minded focus on DEI.

Of course, they want to model being mini-BU / Kendi institute now.

So they now say at open houses that every subject will veer into DEI/Social Justice framing?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nicely written editorial from a new 9th grader.
Why is a GDS seminar class being delivered lecture style? That is ridiculous. The whole point of a seminar is discussion which is clearly lacking in the 9th grade seminar. Perhaps seminar style is not age appropriate for 9th graders?

What makes this 9th grader even more brave is that they call out the teacher by name and that teacher is actually the junior grade dean. That actually takes balls for a freshman to write in any instance but especially about a CURRENT teacher of theirs and someone in the HS administration. Props to this student.

Honestly, I've been here as a parent at GDS more than 12 years and I've never ever sensed so much discontent bubbling under the surface from parents, students, and teachers about how the school is being run and how some people seem to go out of their way to stifle actual open discussions of the issues that matter. It's been 3-4 years of bad decisions and bad hires.

So, what are you parents- aka Payers of the Bills - going to do about it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nicely written editorial from a new 9th grader.
Why is a GDS seminar class being delivered lecture style? That is ridiculous. The whole point of a seminar is discussion which is clearly lacking in the 9th grade seminar. Perhaps seminar style is not age appropriate for 9th graders?

What makes this 9th grader even more brave is that they call out the teacher by name and that teacher is actually the junior grade dean. That actually takes balls for a freshman to write in any instance but especially about a CURRENT teacher of theirs and someone in the HS administration. Props to this student.

Honestly, I've been here as a parent at GDS more than 12 years and I've never ever sensed so much discontent bubbling under the surface from parents, students, and teachers about how the school is being run and how some people seem to go out of their way to stifle actual open discussions of the issues that matter. It's been 3-4 years of bad decisions and bad hires.

So, what are you parents- aka Payers of the Bills - going to do about it?

Lots of parents say things. And they are smiled at and told platitudes and nothing changes. And those who push harder get labeled as troublemakers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nicely written editorial from a new 9th grader.
Why is a GDS seminar class being delivered lecture style? That is ridiculous. The whole point of a seminar is discussion which is clearly lacking in the 9th grade seminar. Perhaps seminar style is not age appropriate for 9th graders?

What makes this 9th grader even more brave is that they call out the teacher by name and that teacher is actually the junior grade dean. That actually takes balls for a freshman to write in any instance but especially about a CURRENT teacher of theirs and someone in the HS administration. Props to this student.

Honestly, I've been here as a parent at GDS more than 12 years and I've never ever sensed so much discontent bubbling under the surface from parents, students, and teachers about how the school is being run and how some people seem to go out of their way to stifle actual open discussions of the issues that matter. It's been 3-4 years of bad decisions and bad hires.

So, what are you parents- aka Payers of the Bills - going to do about it?

Lots of parents say things. And they are smiled at and told platitudes and nothing changes. And those who push harder get labeled as troublemakers.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Another GDS student op-ed about inability for students to voice dissenting opinions in HS classes - just as we experienced with our kids who have gone through the HS (and one there now).

https://theaugurbit.com/2024/03/10/seminar-limits-our-ability-to-speak-freely/

kudos to this student for writing what many (certainly all three of our kids) feel.

A great school academically for the most part - but tramples on the right to express any dissenting opinions.

"For instance, during a class focusing on transgender issues, many students were reluctant to participate because they were afraid of getting judged by the teacher or offending other classmates. My classmates have told me that they are scared to voice their true opinions because they don’t want their teacher to send them to the Disciplinary Consultation Committee or send an email home. Because many people do not want to voice their true opinions, there is a lack of meaningful dialogue. "

and

"In one of my classes, my teacher lectured to convey the racial power dynamic in America. The lecture was focused on his opinions about why Black people cannot be racist towards white people. Seminar is supposed to be a safe space, but starting with these opinionated lectures makes students afraid to voice their opinions because they are scared of getting in trouble if they have beliefs that differ from the teacher’s views. "

and

"Students must feel safe to share their opinions ... even if they go against the left-leaning, progressive views of most people at GDS."

Well done. This student's op-ed very much captures how our senior has felt during their high school experience - especially in the last two years.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does someone who's "sick of DEI" stand for affirmatively? What are their values exactly?

I didn’t write that myself but my 8th grader wants to write an essay without that focus. Or have a history lesson without that focus. He just wants a more traditional education where everything isn’t boiled down to identity or ethnicity or race. It’s tiresome to have it seep into their daily eduction.

But this is EXACTLY what the school said they do at the admissions open house. Did you not believe them? This is what you signed up for. This is what you said you wanted to buy.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nicely written editorial from a new 9th grader.
Why is a GDS seminar class being delivered lecture style? That is ridiculous. The whole point of a seminar is discussion which is clearly lacking in the 9th grade seminar. Perhaps seminar style is not age appropriate for 9th graders?

What makes this 9th grader even more brave is that they call out the teacher by name and that teacher is actually the junior grade dean. That actually takes balls for a freshman to write in any instance but especially about a CURRENT teacher of theirs and someone in the HS administration. Props to this student.

Honestly, I've been here as a parent at GDS more than 12 years and I've never ever sensed so much discontent bubbling under the surface from parents, students, and teachers about how the school is being run and how some people seem to go out of their way to stifle actual open discussions of the issues that matter. It's been 3-4 years of bad decisions and bad hires.

So, what are you parents- aka Payers of the Bills - going to do about it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does someone who's "sick of DEI" stand for affirmatively? What are their values exactly?

I didn’t write that myself but my 8th grader wants to write an essay without that focus. Or have a history lesson without that focus. He just wants a more traditional education where everything isn’t boiled down to identity or ethnicity or race. It’s tiresome to have it seep into their daily eduction.

Anonymous wrote:What does someone who's "sick of DEI" stand for affirmatively? What are their values exactly?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Social justice should encourage open communication not shut it down. I worry that GDS has turned my kid into a quasi republican because he is completely sick of the DEI focus.
He has no interest in applying to SLACs next year as he worries they may have a similar environment. At the moment, he wants to go to a large public university like Michigan or UVA or UCLA.

Yep. Happened to my kid. Except he’s not “quasi” - he’s the chapter president of College Republicans at his school.