Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's just yucky. And I'm sorry, it is not "normal" to rank kids. Does everything associated with DC schools need ot be ranked?

I'm unclear on how this "ranks" kids. The bachelor/bachelorette is chosen pretty randomly - it's not a contest.

As a parent/alum, I don't particularly like the feature, but most of the reactions on this thread are to what people think it must be, not to reality.

Correct -- there is no "ranking". The "bachelor/ette" participates willingly and answers questions like "what would be your dream date?" To those who are freaking out over the use of the word "hottie", you might recall that even back in the day we referred to guys as "hunks" and girls as "babes". Really nothing to look at here, folks.

Anonymous wrote:It's just yucky. And I'm sorry, it is not "normal" to rank kids. Does everything associated with DC schools need ot be ranked?

I'm unclear on how this "ranks" kids. The bachelor/bachelorette is chosen pretty randomly - it's not a contest.

As a parent/alum, I don't particularly like the feature, but most of the reactions on this thread are to what people think it must be, not to reality.

Gross.

It's just yucky. And I'm sorry, it is not "normal" to rank kids. Does everything associated with DC schools need ot be ranked?

This actually raises my opinion of sidwell, making their kids seem normal.

Anonymous wrote:Well, I would like to know if the article is a one time thing - or if it continues to the current day … which might affect whether I care to follow up further. I would rather not contact the school and ask about something that no longer exists. If it is a current column that comes out in the paper regularly then, yes, I might want to explore the issue further. Is it so hard for someone on this forum to say whether the column is a regular feature that still exists in the Sidwell Paper?

It has been a minor part of the paper ever since I can remember and I have never heard actual Sidwell parents complain. It's funny!

Yes its still there and will be for many years. If that keeps your daughter out. Well, that's kind of interesting.

Anonymous wrote:Well, I would like to know if the article is a one time thing - or if it continues to the current day … which might affect whether I care to follow up further. I would rather not contact the school and ask about something that no longer exists. If it is a current column that comes out in the paper regularly then, yes, I might want to explore the issue further. Is it so hard for someone on this forum to say whether the column is a regular feature that still exists in the Sidwell Paper?

They've been doing it for years, and there's no reason to believe it will end anytime soon. If you or your DD feel this constitutes a "hostile environment" or "objectification" and that you can't take it as the joke it's meant to be or simply ignore it, then Sidwell probably isn't the best choice for your DD. I wish you well, but if you think that at a girls' school the students never think or talk about who's hot or not, then you're probably kidding yourself.

Anonymous wrote:Well, I would like to know if the article is a one time thing - or if it continues to the current day … which might affect whether I care to follow up further. I would rather not contact the school and ask about something that no longer exists. If it is a current column that comes out in the paper regularly then, yes, I might want to explore the issue further. Is it so hard for someone on this forum to say whether the column is a regular feature that still exists in the Sidwell Paper?

Contact the school. "Hi there, Ms. AD. In considering our options for Ashley for 9th grade, especially since she's coming from a single-sex school, one of the things we focus on is how girls interact with boys. Someone recently told me about a "bachelorette" feature in the student newspaper, and it has gotten me worried about how those issues are handled at your school. Could you please email me a copy of the feature so I can see it for myself? Also, is this a one-time feature, or a regular one? Thanks for your help."

I bet you'll get a response in under 2 hours.

Well, I would like to know if the article is a one time thing - or if it continues to the current day … which might affect whether I care to follow up further. I would rather not contact the school and ask about something that no longer exists. If it is a current column that comes out in the paper regularly then, yes, I might want to explore the issue further. Is it so hard for someone on this forum to say whether the column is a regular feature that still exists in the Sidwell Paper?

Anonymous wrote:Our DD is considering admission offer now. She would be coming from non-coed environment. My question is whether the feature still exists in the paper. Can anyone answer?

If your DD truly has an admission offer from Sidwell in hand, and this silly newspaper thing is truly something that might affect your decision, then you should pose your questions directly to the school. They can email you a copy of whatever this thing is, so you can judge more accurately, and they can answer all your questions about it. Heck, they might even let your DD talk to some of the newspaper staff, so she can understand exactly how they feel about it.

What makes zero sense is asking for feedback from anonymous pot-stirrers on DCUM.

Anonymous wrote: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!

+1 -- The spirit of the bachelor/bachelorette of the month is kind of goodfy and tongue-in-cheek -- it actually reads like a print version of that late-20th-century kitsch treasure "The Dating Game."

Our DD is considering admission offer now. She would be coming from non-coed environment. My question is whether the feature still exists in the paper. Can anyone answer?

Some people are spending far too much time worrying about a newspaper feature they've never seen, at a high school their children don't attend.

So it's still a feature in the paper?