Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

This is about the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. This is a high school not a college ...

Exactly -- in high school they should learn high school stuff like math and reading and science.

And if the arts classes are what get them to school so they actually attend their math and science classes...?

I’m the art school-attending PP. I started high school hating math and science, but I knew that in order to go to my theatre classes, I had to go to (and succeed in) all of my classes. I wouldn’t have given them half of the effort I did otherwise. And I’m so glad I did.

That's GREAT for you.

The data discussed in this thread shows that unfortunately few students in Ellington succeed academically as you do.

The art part becomes an end in itself, substituting the high school education part.

Now I never said I “succeeded academically” in math and science. I pulled Bs and Cs. But I went to those classes because I knew my theatre classes were coming up. (I now have higher ed degrees in an arts field, Which I also count as academic success.)

I went to school because I was going to be able to study what did make me feel like a success. And I stayed for the whole school day. Can I still recite the quadratic equation? No. But the same things don’t make everyone successful. And wouldn’t you rather students went to school and felt good about school, or would you rather they completely tune out and skip out on everything?

Folks on DCUM just like to B**** & complain about everything! There really is no hope for DC students, it's all about the parents.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

This is about the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. This is a high school not a college ...

Exactly -- in high school they should learn high school stuff like math and reading and science.

And if the arts classes are what get them to school so they actually attend their math and science classes...?

I’m the art school-attending PP. I started high school hating math and science, but I knew that in order to go to my theatre classes, I had to go to (and succeed in) all of my classes. I wouldn’t have given them half of the effort I did otherwise. And I’m so glad I did.

That's GREAT for you.

The data discussed in this thread shows that unfortunately few students in Ellington succeed academically as you do.

The art part becomes an end in itself, substituting the high school education part.

Now I never said I “succeeded academically” in math and science. I pulled Bs and Cs. But I went to those classes because I knew my theatre classes were coming up. (I now have higher ed degrees in an arts field, Which I also count as academic success.)

I went to school because I was going to be able to study what did make me feel like a success. And I stayed for the whole school day. Can I still recite the quadratic equation? No. But the same things don’t make everyone successful. And wouldn’t you rather students went to school and felt good about school, or would you rather they completely tune out and skip out on everything?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

This is about the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. This is a high school not a college ...

Exactly -- in high school they should learn high school stuff like math and reading and science.

And if the arts classes are what get them to school so they actually attend their math and science classes...?

I’m the art school-attending PP. I started high school hating math and science, but I knew that in order to go to my theatre classes, I had to go to (and succeed in) all of my classes. I wouldn’t have given them half of the effort I did otherwise. And I’m so glad I did.

That's GREAT for you.

The data discussed in this thread shows that unfortunately few students in Ellington succeed academically as you do.

The art part becomes an end in itself, substituting the high school education part.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

This is about the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. This is a high school not a college ...

Exactly -- in high school they should learn high school stuff like math and reading and science.

And if the arts classes are what get them to school so they actually attend their math and science classes...?

I’m the art school-attending PP. I started high school hating math and science, but I knew that in order to go to my theatre classes, I had to go to (and succeed in) all of my classes. I wouldn’t have given them half of the effort I did otherwise. And I’m so glad I did.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

This is about the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. This is a high school not a college ...

Exactly -- in high school they should learn high school stuff like math and reading and science.

And yet time and again this board laments the fact that DCPS' programs for students entering careers, not colleges, is lacking.

I didn't used to believe it, but after a few years on this board I think it just galls some people that Ellington is in a beautiful building in Burleith. If Ellington were in a more modest space EOTP or even the same facility over the river I do not believe it would it get on some people's nerves nearly so much.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

This is about the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. This is a high school not a college ...

Exactly -- in high school they should learn high school stuff like math and reading and science.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

The math is basically the same for professional sports. Encouraging kids to bet their future there is also not a sensible idea.

This is not FAME, it is a school, and the kids go. So lets enroll them at Coolidge, Anacostia, and Dunbar instead - please you all are crazy. Kids at Ellington want to go to school they are motivated to learn, they go to college. Will they all be rich and famous no, but that's not the goal we can't be all STEM and Math. It's one ###ing school, and if the ARTS is not your thing, don't go. This is such as stupid thread

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

The math is basically the same for professional sports. Encouraging kids to bet their future there is also not a sensible idea.

As a PP mentioned, “a life in the arts” does not necessarily equal (and very rarely equals) “a life as a famous performer.” I went to an arts high school—not Ellington—and while some of my cohort do make their livings as performers or visual artists, others are teachers, stage managers, lyricists, composers, music producers, playwrights, arts non-profit managers, artistic directors, theatre/art/music critics, etc. And that’s not even mentioning the people who make their living in non-arts field who use skills every day that they gained through a rigorous art education.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

The math is basically the same for professional sports. Encouraging kids to bet their future there is also not a sensible idea.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

This is about the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. This is a high school not a college ...

In what way?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

This is about the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard. This is a high school not a college ...

Anonymous wrote:

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

The problem with preparing kids for careers in the arts is that very few people make a living as performers. There may be a lot of money, but just about all of it goes to a very small group of performers. I was just reading about the Screen Actors Guild. There are about 100,000 actors in the SAG, and 80% make less than $5,000 a year from acting. Most of the money is made by the top 50.

At any given time 99% of the kids at Ellington don't have a realistic chance of making a living as a performer. It's not a knock on them or the school, it's just the reality of the numbers. The arts can still enrich their lives, but they're going to need to earn a living some day. Those kids aren't done any favors with an education that short-changes fundamentals.

Anonymous wrote:Do a little research, please. Nearly every arts high school works in America in the same sort of private/public partnership agreement as Ellington for a couple of reasons. (1) There is no such thing as a formal arts curriculum in American education so school systems don't know how to run them and (2) teachers at that level of instruction by default tend to be professionals in their fields, not necessarily professional teachers so their hiring cannot work within the normal public school structure and they are almost always non-union and get paid much less than union teachers.

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

So what are the schools that are comparable to Ellington?

Anonymous wrote:Do a little research, please. Nearly every arts high school works in America in the same sort of private/public partnership agreement as Ellington for a couple of reasons. (1) There is no such thing as a formal arts curriculum in American education so school systems don't know how to run them and (2) teachers at that level of instruction by default tend to be professionals in their fields, not necessarily professional teachers so their hiring cannot work within the normal public school structure and they are almost always non-union and get paid much less than union teachers.

That days everything about how far American has gotten away from public support of arts and culture. People talk about STEM this, STEM that, then binge on Netflix all night and listen to music all day but want to shut down a school that teaches people to makes films and music. Really WTF people?

We have an amazing school that nurtures young peoples talents in areas outside tech, science, and languages why the hate? You don't think microsoft, apple, pearson, etc have a huge influence in schools and as for common core...what do you want these kids to do? If that is their passion and it keeps them in school and motivated to learn and contribute to society what is the problem with one school focusing on that. We have so many failing high schools with low enrollment, truant students, abysmal test scores, and a revolving door of teachers and principals. Some people just want to hate, on another board folks are moaning about Cooldige and how it doesn't have the talent to be a Med/Tech focussed school and yet you don't want students inclined to the arts to have a school either that nurtures their talents. Could the board etc be more transparent and it should be only for DC residents or fee=paying out of state, but quit the hate