I do agree that the school is not really Quaker and is too monied -- like most other expensive privates -- but this feature of the student newspaper is not offensive at all. You have to agree to do it and it's usually great kids, not always great looking, who are not in relationships. Who cares.

You guys are nuts! I am a Sidwell parent, and I can tell you that's a regular feature of the newspaper. I have my complaints about the school, but I never gave this a second thought. The kids are hardly objectified -- the blurbs talk mostly about interests and ideal date night. Harmless. Sidwell is a Quaker school but it's a high school with real kids. Come on!

Gah. 82' graduate here. I don't really recognize the glittery, gold encrusted spectacle that my school has spiraled down to. They seem to have compromised some core values to attract people who can jump on their obscene tuition gravy train.

Yikes! Really Sidwell? Does anyone know what publication this is?

Anonymous wrote:Yes, that's the problem with Sidwell -- not liberal enough and not supportive enough of feminism. This thread is great. People love to find reasons to bash the best schools in town. Reading only this forum I would be convinced that the schools sometimes called the "big 3" are the worst and least desirable schools in the area.

You shouldn't confuse desirable with quality. Sidwell certainly attracts many very smart kids, but perhaps not a sufficiently thoughtful or high-caliber community, which is surprising for Friends' school. Perhaps though, Sidwell no longer feels that is part of its mission. Certainly, reading these boards, one would not get the impression that Quaker values play much of a role in the school's daily life. This thread (along with the unattractive ones about how superior the children are who attend because of their SAT scores and college admissions) only highlights the direction Sidwell appears to be going.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure I will tell my girls to just laugh it off when they are sexually objectified, no one will take them seriously if they complain anyway. Why not just go with the flow? It is probably their fault for wearing makeup and short skirts. When they get date raped I will tell them to think about how they probably teased the guy and led him on.

And people wonder why sexual assault us so prevalent in college! You defenders of this stuff should be seriously ashamed of yourselves.

All Sidwell 9th-graders participate in a guidance program that includes extensive discussion of sexuality, including issues related to date rape and consent. The school takes this quite seriously and it makes a strong impression on the kids. What the school doesn't do, though, is shame the students for having feelings or thoughts related to sexuality. Just as it's absurdly prudish to think that girls who wear makeup and short skirts deserve to get raped, it's also absurdly prudish to think that boys who see a girl as sexy are going to turn into rapists.

I would cringe at "sexy" and "sassy", but "hurry up" and "get in line" push it over the line. And, harking back to our high school yearbooks, the "Best Body" was for a single male/female candidate, rather than a list of the beautiful, and also done in good fun with "Most Likely to Succeed," "Funniest," and "Best Hair." I think that makes a difference.

Yes, that's the problem with Sidwell -- not liberal enough and not supportive enough of feminism. This thread is great. People love to find reasons to bash the best schools in town. Reading only this forum I would be convinced that the schools sometimes called the "big 3" are the worst and least desirable schools in the area.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please. Get a life. This thread is absurd.

Wow. You really think that?

Of course the thread is absurd -- only two or three posters have ever seen the Bachelor/Bachelorette of the month feature. You can't have a serious discussion with no actual information.

I don't see anyone denying that it happened. Then it would be absurd.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please. Get a life. This thread is absurd.

Wow. You really think that?

Of course the thread is absurd -- only two or three posters have ever seen the Bachelor/Bachelorette of the month feature. You can't have a serious discussion with no actual information.

Anonymous wrote:Please. Get a life. This thread is absurd.

Wow. You really think that?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We were surprised to see this headline in the Sidwell student newspaper (October 15 issue). The article profiled 4 girls--freshman to senior--calling them "babe" "sassy" "sexy" "feisty" "hottie" and urging boys to "hurry up" and "get in line." I had to double check to make sure it wasn't the April Fool's issue. Can anyone provide context? Seems a weirdly sexist and patriarchal viewpoint from what should be a progressive school...

It's gotta be a parody issue. Who from Sidwell would qualify as a desirable Bachelor or Bachelorette?

She who wears the tightest sweatpants?

Anonymous wrote:Lighten up, Francis; they also do a bachelor of the month feature.

Grow up, Francis.

Please. Get a life. This thread is absurd.

Of course they should do this. It's Sidwell. It's part of enforcing a culture in which appearance/money/SES matter above all. If you don't run a glam-up award, what's the point of the rest of the unwritten code of behavior?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure I will tell my girls to just laugh it off when they are sexually objectified, no one will take them seriously if they complain anyway. Why not just go with the flow? It is probably their fault for wearing makeup and short skirts. When they get date raped I will tell them to think about how they probably teased the guy and led him on.

And people wonder why sexual assault us so prevalent in college! You defenders of this stuff should be seriously ashamed of yourselves.

All Sidwell 9th-graders participate in a guidance program that includes extensive discussion of sexuality, including issues related to date rape and consent. The school takes this quite seriously and it makes a strong impression on the kids. What the school doesn't do, though, is shame the students for having feelings or thoughts related to sexuality. Just as it's absurdly prudish to think that girls who wear makeup and short skirts deserve to get raped, it's also absurdly prudish to think that boys who see a girl as sexy are going to turn into rapists.

Clearly Sidwell skipped the part of the curriculum about sexual harassment and how lewd comments can contribute to a "hostile environment" for girls and women. I wouldn't tolerate that kind of atmosphere at work and girls shouldn't have to tolerate it at school.

Double yuck that the paper was distributed at an admissions event. That has me seriously questioning the judgment of the adults at Sidwell.