Anonymous wrote:

OP here- thanks for all the feedback. The checklists are very helpful. DS has been able to do all of the tasks listed on the checklists since he was 3 and is mature for his age. He is bored with pre-k and is more than ready to go to kindergarten. Most of the people I talk to hold their kids back a year, so I really was just wondering how common it was. It is good to hear that not everyone redshirts.

Too bad he is bored with pre-K. Pre-k should be fun for kids--not focusing on academics. If he is bored, then they must be focusing on academics below his level instead of providing a learning environment that allows kids to thrive. Bored, to me, indicates too many worksheets, etc. Pre-K should have lots and lots of playtime. That is what kids need at that age. Learning should be directed by activities--not sit and listen. Sit and listen should be in the classroom, but it should be in short spurts.

I agree- why is he bored?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Summer birthdays are good for swimming
Soccer now the cutoff is Jan 1 to Dec. 31
Little League is August to August
Basketball seems to be by grade

Sometimes it annoys me that they split up kids in the same grades / friends with these sports but it is what it is - I don't care that much and it's "good" for kids to have the opportunity to take turns being oldest and youngest, etc.

Only good in summer swim league because they use age as of June 1 for all meets.

however, for USA swimming your age on the first day of the meet it the age you swim, so you could change age group during the season.

True true

Anonymous wrote:Swimming is for losers. Who cares?

Swimming is for losers. Who cares?

Anonymous wrote:Summer birthdays are good for swimming
Soccer now the cutoff is Jan 1 to Dec. 31
Little League is August to August
Basketball seems to be by grade

Sometimes it annoys me that they split up kids in the same grades / friends with these sports but it is what it is - I don't care that much and it's "good" for kids to have the opportunity to take turns being oldest and youngest, etc.

Only good in summer swim league because they use age as of June 1 for all meets.

however, for USA swimming your age on the first day of the meet it the age you swim, so you could change age group during the season.

Just did a search on DCUM for "redshirting". Posts go back to 2009. Lots in 2011 and 2013. Yes, "redshirting" is due to Trump.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand how redshirting can help soccer. Doesn’t the soccer league have a cut off date too? My son has a late aug birthday, we redshirted him. He is with his grade mates in soccer, since the cut off for soccer was early Aug.

Yes. Most of the sports do. And, as for the "coach" who posted above, I'm pretty sure that waivers for age are very rare--if at all.
And, as for redshirting being "Trump's fault", I suggest said "coach" research DCUM threads!

That's me and I am a coach. Might even be your kid's coach, who knows?

Waivers are rare. Thank you for proving my point. That doesn't stop entitled, fat, middle aged white ladies from seeking them though, does it?

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand how redshirting can help soccer. Doesn’t the soccer league have a cut off date too? My son has a late aug birthday, we redshirted him. He is with his grade mates in soccer, since the cut off for soccer was early Aug.

Yes. Most of the sports do. And, as for the "coach" who posted above, I'm pretty sure that waivers for age are very rare--if at all.
And, as for redshirting being "Trump's fault", I suggest said "coach" research DCUM threads!

Summer birthdays are good for swimming
Soccer now the cutoff is Jan 1 to Dec. 31
Little League is August to August
Basketball seems to be by grade

Sometimes it annoys me that they split up kids in the same grades / friends with these sports but it is what it is - I don't care that much and it's "good" for kids to have the opportunity to take turns being oldest and youngest, etc.

I don’t understand how redshirting can help soccer. Doesn’t the soccer league have a cut off date too? My son has a late aug birthday, we redshirted him. He is with his grade mates in soccer, since the cut off for soccer was early Aug.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In ACPS it's gotten ridiculous. I know of two 13 year olds in my son's 6th grade homeroom. They're almost two years older than some of their classmates. I can't believe the school system tolerates it.

These boys could be 19.5 at HS graduation. Think about that.

What I fins amusing is how the parent's narrative has shifted over the years. When the kids were in K, or 1 it was all " Ohh, you're not redshirting him?! You do know that boys mature more slowly, right?! You're denying him an advatage!"

Now, when people give odd looks at the thought of an eighth grader with a learners permit they stay completely mum. It's like theyre embarrassed.

Please, this is not redshirting. If they are going to be 19+ at graduation, they they stayed back for two years. Rethink your calculations. Something else is going on here.

OP here. Nope. They were not held back. This was intentional. These are white boys of affluent educated parents. The boy in my son's class was born in March of 2005. My son was born in September of 2006. Same grade. My wife and I loosely run in the same social circle and I have personally heard the mom go on and on about how well little Timmy is doing in middle school. It's cringeworthy and reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Kramer brags about his karate skills. Turns out he was competing against kids.

Redshirting a March birthday boy is a little outside the norm but not by that much. He’ll turn 19 senior year of HS and be 19 at graduation. He’ll turn 20 freshman year of college. Not a huge deal IMO. Just worry about yourself and your own kid. Maybe there was something going on with that child early in elementary that you didn’t know about and he ended up repeating K or something like that.

OP stated that they knew the family. The boy was fine, came from a privileged family, and was looking to extend their privilege further by redshirting. This is an actual issue. I don't think anyone has qualms with a disabled kid getting some help but most people do object to people using the 'normal aged kids' as fall guys for their own child's success.

You are such an idiot, for most families, redshirting is based on what the parents think is best for their kid. They are not trying to abuse their white privilege to disadvantage others. That may be the narrative you want to push, but not the reality for parents facing the decision. And since soccer is so big in the area, the age benefit is no advantage in travel soccer.

Uhh, wrong, lady.

I coach soccer and parents most definitely try and work the registration to their favor. If I had a dollar for every time some pushy 45 year old mom (it's always a mom) tried to tell me 'whats best for their son' (ie letting them on a team with much younger kids) I'd be a rich man. I've had moms submit falsified medical documents in an attempt to get their sons to play down. I don't work in the schools but I'd bet every dollar I have that these same moms try to redshirt their kid there too.

Welcome to the Trump era, where cheating is the new norm.

Oh, and I reported you for name calling. If you can't be civil, go post elsewhere.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In ACPS it's gotten ridiculous. I know of two 13 year olds in my son's 6th grade homeroom. They're almost two years older than some of their classmates. I can't believe the school system tolerates it.

These boys could be 19.5 at HS graduation. Think about that.

What I fins amusing is how the parent's narrative has shifted over the years. When the kids were in K, or 1 it was all " Ohh, you're not redshirting him?! You do know that boys mature more slowly, right?! You're denying him an advatage!"

Now, when people give odd looks at the thought of an eighth grader with a learners permit they stay completely mum. It's like theyre embarrassed.

Please, this is not redshirting. If they are going to be 19+ at graduation, they they stayed back for two years. Rethink your calculations. Something else is going on here.

OP here. Nope. They were not held back. This was intentional. These are white boys of affluent educated parents. The boy in my son's class was born in March of 2005. My son was born in September of 2006. Same grade. My wife and I loosely run in the same social circle and I have personally heard the mom go on and on about how well little Timmy is doing in middle school. It's cringeworthy and reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Kramer brags about his karate skills. Turns out he was competing against kids.

Redshirting a March birthday boy is a little outside the norm but not by that much. He’ll turn 19 senior year of HS and be 19 at graduation. He’ll turn 20 freshman year of college. Not a huge deal IMO. Just worry about yourself and your own kid. Maybe there was something going on with that child early in elementary that you didn’t know about and he ended up repeating K or something like that.

OP stated that they knew the family. The boy was fine, came from a privileged family, and was looking to extend their privilege further by redshirting. This is an actual issue. I don't think anyone has qualms with a disabled kid getting some help but most people do object to people using the 'normal aged kids' as fall guys for their own child's success.

You are such an idiot, for most families, redshirting is based on what the parents think is best for their kid. They are not trying to abuse their white privilege to disadvantage others. That may be the narrative you want to push, but not the reality for parents facing the decision. And since soccer is so big in the area, the age benefit is no advantage in travel soccer.

OP - I understand why you're asking this question. From DCUM it seemed like redshirting was pretty common for boys with summer birthdays. My DS has a mid-summer birthday and we started him on time in West Springfield. I think he only had one redshirted kid in his kindergarten class. I know of at least two other boys with summer birthdays and at least one girl who all started on time. I realize the choice is an individual one, but it made me feel better that he wasn't the only young one in his class. I think red-shirting is more common in other areas of FCPS (McLean?).

When talking to his teacher about redshirting, she said "Oh, I have one of those this year." Almost as though she viewed it negatively and as though she doesn't see them that often. She's taught in both the Alexandria area of FCPS and West Springfield. Now that we're past kindergarten, I don't pay attention to the ages as much. There are obviously kids who are having their birthdays at the beginning of the year and turning a year older a good 9-10 months of the year before DS, but that's to be expected.

He's doing fine in all regards. Kindergarten was an adjustment for him, but I think it would have been even if we'd waited a year. The level of expected independence is just much higher than in preschool. As he moves up in the grades, the transitions are easier and easier and the differences between the kids are less pronounced.

The S Arlington mom posting on here about her privilege is almost as bad as my Facebook friends who just built houses in the richest neighborhoods possible, but then post about BLM and white privilege. Good lord.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You know all these people out there fighting against Trump and shouting about Nazis and against white supremacy should take a long hard look at issues like red shirting.

The majority of folks who red shirt and going to be white upper class. You here excuses about kids not being mature enough, not wanting them to be behind, wanting to make sure they can compete, but what you really want is for your kid to maintain their supremacy. I am tired of hearing of what is best of "my kid" or "our family" maybe we should take a minute and ask ourselves what is best for society. What is best for all the kids and what can we can personally do to close the achievement gap.

- mom of a July boy going on time.

You are a complete hypocrite unless you've deliberately moved to a low-performing school district, do not supplement your child's education, and sent your child to the neighborhood public school.

There is literally no evidence that redshirting has any impact on the achievement gap. None whatsoever. What has a huge impact on the achievement gap, however, is what school you send your child to. So unless you've taken that step, you are just another hypocrite bleating on about how other people should fix the achievement gap but certainly not you.

Well, I live in S. Arlington and send my kid to a neighborhood school. I am not saying I am perfect. OF course I want to fight for my kids and get them the best of the best, but that doesn't mean I don't recognize that I am using my privilege to put my kid ahead and when I do that it impacts other kids.

If you want to be blind to the fact that white women through their school choices have helped to maintain white supremacy be my guest. But whether it is red shirting, fighting against rezoning, or busing these actions help maintain white supremacy. No one has to be overtly racist for their actions to impact that.

Go back to GBCN.

DP. I didn't know there were GBCN people here, haha.

It’s like a train wreck you can’t look away from.