Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^ why would they? They have no affordable housing near them. They are used to the status quo - which is them being untouched. If rhetoric really heats up about the west end of Columbia Pike being shifted to Yorktown, I'm sure we'll hear from 22207.

So which is it? The accusations that Yorktown parents "are fighting against FARMS kids being moved to their school" or that they are complacent so unbothered by the whole thing?

There are so many blind prejudices on APS threads.

What do you mean, "which is it"? Y parents don't expect an increase in the FARMS population at their school because the affordable housing is relatively distant from their HS. If they hear that the school demographics are going to change, they'll kick up a fuss.

Anonymous wrote:^^ why would they? They have no affordable housing near them. They are used to the status quo - which is them being untouched. If rhetoric really heats up about the west end of Columbia Pike being shifted to Yorktown, I'm sure we'll hear from 22207.

So which is it? The accusations that Yorktown parents "are fighting against FARMS kids being moved to their school" or that they are complacent so unbothered by the whole thing?

There are so many blind prejudices on APS threads.

Anonymous wrote:^^ why would they? They have no affordable housing near them. They are used to the status quo - which is them being untouched. If rhetoric really heats up about the west end of Columbia Pike being shifted to Yorktown, I'm sure we'll hear from 22207.

I guess that's kind of what I'm saying. Except for the directly affected planning units, the Yorktown families probably don't have much at stake here. That's why I was puzzled by the notion that they would be digging their heels in and taking a position adverse to the rest of the community.

^^ why would they? They have no affordable housing near them. They are used to the status quo - which is them being untouched. If rhetoric really heats up about the west end of Columbia Pike being shifted to Yorktown, I'm sure we'll hear from 22207.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious - are most of the posters here worried about how it is going to affect them personally and within their neighborhood (in other words, families who reside in the planning units that may get reassigned)? Or is there also a lot of concern coming from families who reside in planning units that are not going to get reassigned, but are nevertheless worried about how decisions based on demographics might impact the school their child attends?

We're assigned to W-L, and our PU is not in play. I wouldn't necessarily mind a shift in the school's demographics, but I think things are pretty good as they stand. Not all lilywhite rich kids, not all kids who need extra attention to make up for any shortcomings of their past experiences at home or school.

I am very concerned that Yorktown families are going to dig in their heels and fight any effort to bring more economically disadvantaged kids their school. I am dubious as to their commitment to the needs of the community as a whole.

Is that what's actually happening, though? We're zoned Yorktown and our PU is nowhere close to being in play and because of that I'm not paying much attention. I'm much more concerned about overcrowding than demographics. I'd be surprised if anyone zoned Yorktown but whose planning unit is not in play would have strong feelings about the boundary changes one way or the other. That is to say, assuming the enrollment numbers at Yorktown will be impacted in a similar fashion regardless of which planning units are moved, I don't know that they're overly concerned about how those planning units get divided between WL/WF/YT. Maybe my head is in the sand, but I just haven't seen a lot of concern coming from Yorktown planning units that aren't in play. I can imagine anyone who is at risk of being moved would dig their heels in if they have a preference for where their kids go to school and I won't judge that response (because I think it's fair to have a preference and to advocate in favor of that preference), but the idea that the larger community of Yorktown is taking a strong view is something I just haven't observed.

Anonymous wrote:Just curious - are most of the posters here worried about how it is going to affect them personally and within their neighborhood (in other words, families who reside in the planning units that may get reassigned)? Or is there also a lot of concern coming from families who reside in planning units that are not going to get reassigned, but are nevertheless worried about how decisions based on demographics might impact the school their child attends?

WL parent in a planning unit that will not be moved. I've had two graduate in the last 4 years and another who will attend in the fall of 2018. I do not want the demographics of students who attend to change.

Anonymous wrote:Just curious - are most of the posters here worried about how it is going to affect them personally and within their neighborhood (in other words, families who reside in the planning units that may get reassigned)? Or is there also a lot of concern coming from families who reside in planning units that are not going to get reassigned, but are nevertheless worried about how decisions based on demographics might impact the school their child attends?

We're assigned to W-L, and our PU is not in play. I wouldn't necessarily mind a shift in the school's demographics, but I think things are pretty good as they stand. Not all lilywhite rich kids, not all kids who need extra attention to make up for any shortcomings of their past experiences at home or school.

I am very concerned that Yorktown families are going to dig in their heels and fight any effort to bring more economically disadvantaged kids their school. I am dubious as to their commitment to the needs of the community as a whole.

Anonymous wrote:Just curious - are most of the posters here worried about how it is going to affect them personally and within their neighborhood (in other words, families who reside in the planning units that may get reassigned)? Or is there also a lot of concern coming from families who reside in planning units that are not going to get reassigned, but are nevertheless worried about how decisions based on demographics might impact the school their child attends?

I'm a future Wakefield parent, so in the latter category. Having followed the entire thread, I'd say the Wakefield/S. Arl posters are in the minority. I'd also say most people have stopped responding at this point. There's probably not much else to be said. I for one am fairly depressed.

Just curious - are most of the posters here worried about how it is going to affect them personally and within their neighborhood (in other words, families who reside in the planning units that may get reassigned)? Or is there also a lot of concern coming from families who reside in planning units that are not going to get reassigned, but are nevertheless worried about how decisions based on demographics might impact the school their child attends?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Don't assume PP is a troll. It is an interesting point. For everyone on here calling for the importance of diversity and the benefit to the disadvantaged kids at Wakefield, have you already submitting the transfer request to have your child attend Wakefield even though you are zoned for Yorktown or W-L? There is capacity, so your transfer request would be approved. It's very easy to be a liberal in far north Arlington and talk about the importance of diversity, but very hypocritical to not then live it when the opportunity exists.

Arlington county as a whole is about 30% economically disadvantaged, and so is W-L.

Wakefield is about 46%.
Yorktown is about 14%.

Can you see where the problem is?

Totally see it, got it, agree with you. My point, that I pulled out of the PP's post is that considering the number of people on this site saying don't put the western Pike units down at Wakefield, balancing enrollment diversity-wise is important, I'm assuming all those families are lining up to send their kids to Wakefield to help provide some balance there. Otherwise, all the commentary is classic NIMBY - "I want your kids to go there, but not mine" to solve this problem.

would you be on board with sending more FARMs kids to Yorktown instead to balance out the %s between WF and YT? or are you against increase of enrollment diversity at YT, period?

Boundary changes are always so stressful no matter how fair and necessary the process. Glad to not be in any of the affected planning units this go-around.

Anonymous wrote:

Comments like this are a huge turn off and strengthen the divide. People who would like to work towards a solution to these problems turn away at the mudslinging. You handicap the cause that you claim to care about.

If the shoe doesn't fit, don't wear it.

But calling people on their bullshit is not as bad as purveying the bullshit.

Arlington's well-to-do are not the victims here.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The real problem is that there are six elementary schools over 50% and six elementary schools under 5%.

They're both real problems. There is no limit to the numbers of real problems Arlington can have (most of them live in 22207)

Comments like this are a huge turn off and strengthen the divide. People who would like to work towards a solution to these problems turn away at the mudslinging. You handicap the cause that you claim to care about.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

The real problem is that there are six elementary schools over 50% and six elementary schools under 5%.

They're both real problems. There is no limit to the numbers of real problems Arlington can have (most of them live in 22207)

Agree, but the Yorktown folks probably think they are doing OK by sending their kids to a high school that's three times as diverse

Anonymous wrote:

The real problem is that there are six elementary schools over 50% and six elementary schools under 5%.

They're both real problems. There is no limit to the numbers of real problems Arlington can have (most of them live in 22207)