Let's assume for the sake of argument that Kaya and her protégés are not up to the task. How much longer should we be expected to stand around and let the middle school situation stagnate before marching on the Wilson building and demanding with a unified voice that someone take ownership and advance the ball in a meaningful way.

Anonymous wrote:Let's get the conversation back on track. I would love to discuss ideas for creating more Deal-like middle schools in DC.

Agree 100%
If most parents want their children to go to a school like Deal for MS, we need to figure out how to provide this experience for children in every ward. Well.....Ms. Henderson needs to figure this out.....

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Wait did you not hear that the Mayor is funding more low-income housing. Such the case; that means more single-moms with three or more children will soon out number the married couples with the 1.3 ratio.

Wait, what? Do you think single moms with 3+ kids will suddenly materialize when mayor funds low-income housing? These families are already here and in shelters (and schools). You are stirring up hate. Low-income housing made available in all neighborhoods will lift us all up.

For every unit of "affordable housing" (not "low-income housing") made available through new programs, four units are being eliminated. And you'll notice the term of art is no longer "low-income housing" or "public housing" but "affordable housing". What that means is that a good number of those units are reserved for families making around $60k a year.

It's only in the uninformed quasi-racist fantasies of some that DC is throwing huge amounts of money into free housing for "single moms with 3+ kids".

Thank you!!! Seriously, I have to check out of DCUM for a while for the sake of my blood pressure.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Keep saying that until DCHA tries to put Section 8 housing next to your property.

I'd have zero problem with neighbors living on subsidy. The fact that the city is so geographically segregated is a problem for everyone, we all pay for concentrated poverty.

Yes but the problem I have with it is that affordable housing does not apply to large swaths of people who make too much for affordable housing and yet cannot live in many areas of DC that are not affordable to them. Our family makes about $120,000 per year and we cannot afford most places in DC and would not qualify for affordable housing.

it is not fair to offer affordable housing everywhere while leaving many folks who cannot afford these same areas in bind with no affordable options.

Anonymous wrote:Keep saying that until DCHA tries to put Section 8 housing next to your property.

I'd have zero problem with neighbors living on subsidy. The fact that the city is so geographically segregated is a problem for everyone, we all pay for concentrated poverty.

Anonymous wrote:Where are we going to get theses so-called magnet school students from surely the 2% white student population can fill a room much less a building. Then the percentage points of the other races could fill the seats in a SUV. Yes, everyone wants a TJ in DC but that is not going to happen in your life-time. So get over it. Wait did you not hear that the Mayor is funding more low-income housing. Such the case; that means more single-moms with three or more children will soon out number the married couples with the 1.3 ratio.

+1.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Wait did you not hear that the Mayor is funding more low-income housing. Such the case; that means more single-moms with three or more children will soon out number the married couples with the 1.3 ratio.

Wait, what? Do you think single moms with 3+ kids will suddenly materialize when mayor funds low-income housing? These families are already here and in shelters (and schools). You are stirring up hate. Low-income housing made available in all neighborhoods will lift us all up.

For every unit of "affordable housing" (not "low-income housing") made available through new programs, four units are being eliminated. And you'll notice the term of art is no longer "low-income housing" or "public housing" but "affordable housing". What that means is that a good number of those units are reserved for families making around $60k a year.

It's only in the uninformed quasi-racist fantasies of some that DC is throwing huge amounts of money into free housing for "single moms with 3+ kids".

Anonymous wrote:Where are we going to get theses so-called magnet school students from surely the 2% white student population can fill a room much less a building. Then the percentage points of the other races could fill the seats in a SUV. Yes, everyone wants a TJ in DC but that is not going to happen in your life-time. So get over it. Wait did you not hear that the Mayor is funding more low-income housing. Such the case; that means more single-moms with three or more children will soon out number the married couples with the 1.3 ratio.

Low-income housing is being eliminated at a much faster rate than it's being replaced by affordable housing programs. You don't really seem to know much about the issue, if you'll forgive my saying.

Anonymous wrote:Where are we going to get theses so-called magnet school students from surely the 2% white student population can fill a room much less a building. Then the percentage points of the other races could fill the seats in a SUV. Yes, everyone wants a TJ in DC but that is not going to happen in your life-time. So get over it. Wait did you not hear that the Mayor is funding more low-income housing. Such the case; that means more single-moms with three or more children will soon out number the married couples with the 1.3 ratio.

God. You wake up full of hate, and then you spew it on anyone who happens to be in your area.

Actually---gauging the impact on local schools should be a factor in DCHA's deciding whether to approve low-income housing projects, since a high percentage of FARMs students has a negative impact on the school. (Yes, there are those rare schools that do an exemplary job with high FARMs students but those are the exceptions---not the rule---despite the TFA kool-aid.).

There are a variety of different types of affordable housing---very low income, moderate income, etc. To my knowledge, there is NO consideration of the impact on the local ES when it comes to DCHA's approving low income tax credit financing and other affordable housing supports. But instead of approving projects on a one-off basis, DCHA should be looking at how many very low income buildings, moderate income, etc. buildings are already within the school's catchment area.

Let's get the conversation back on track. I would love to discuss ideas for creating more Deal-like middle schools in DC.

Keep saying that until DCHA tries to put Section 8 housing next to your property.

Anonymous wrote: Wait did you not hear that the Mayor is funding more low-income housing. Such the case; that means more single-moms with three or more children will soon out number the married couples with the 1.3 ratio.

Wait, what? Do you think single moms with 3+ kids will suddenly materialize when mayor funds low-income housing? These families are already here and in shelters (and schools). You are stirring up hate. Low-income housing made available in all neighborhoods will lift us all up.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP- completely agree. If she can't find a way to make better MS options, how can she be chancellor of the system?

She was never qualified to run DC's school system and Catania's oversight is finally pulling the veil from some people's eyes. It is time to recruit a professional cadre from some other city clear out the bloated Central Office with professionals who will live in DC and put their kids in our schools.

If they don't have skin in the game, they have no business running our schools.

Um... Kaya's two kids are in DCPS.

Kaya did not birth any kids they are her boyfriends kids. Although she may want to look out for their best interest it's not the same as having your own in the system.

Just, wow. I have some issues with the Chancellor, but I'm sure step parents and adoptive parents everywhere are cringing at your statement. She may not have "birthed" these kids, but you have no idea how she feels about them unless you know her.

Stick to her policy not her personal life.

Anonymous wrote:

And when those children get to high school, and I have to teach them using Common Core and Impact I will be assessed as a lousy teacher, because it is my fault the student can not achieve the benchmarks on the DC CAS. Now if we could be honest, and meet the students were they are at instead of grandstanding about how wonderful DC test scores are this year maybe we could get somewhere. Where is the admission that many students in DCPS cannot read, we need to do more than differentiate a graphic organizer to help them meet a high school standard these students should be in remedial supplemental targeted intervention programs.

Actually, those kids should be in separate full time remedial programs until brought up to speed.