Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 12:08     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Almost certainly won’t move. I went to lousy public schools and turned out fine. Motivated high-achieving students will do fine anywhere. Plus it’s good to go to diverse schools—helps you learn how to deal with people of different backgrounds and with different approaches to life.

If we moved anyplace, it would be DC, just for shorter commutes as we both work downtown.


I too grew up in lousy public schools and had lousy parents on top of that. And we’ve decided that we’ll most certainly move anywhere where the BOE does not dictate and force us via redrawing boundary lines the quality of school our children will be educated in. That is a privilege I choose to hang on to. So it will be private for us but so disappointed in MCPS.


So you will home school? Or move to a rural area/tiny town with 1 ES and 1 secondary school?

In every public school system, boundaries can be redrawn.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:44     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm worried about Moco losing its high income tax payers while simultaneously disgusted by the people who consider the rest of the county riffraff

So I'm conflicted


That simply shows that you are smart and not swayed by empty slogans from the left or the right. It is easy to simply say F- the rich or blame everything on immigrants or other "poors," but neither presents a realistic view of the world. You seem to recognize that if the county wants to have a robust social safety net, which largely benefits the poor which includes but is not limited to many immigrants, than you need to have a robust tax base. If the rich were to actually leave, it would be the poor that are hurt most.

Therefore, the county needs to find a balance and enact policies that take into account the interests of both groups.


DP

I agree with this, and this is why I'm concerned. My kids attend a Focus school, so I understand the challenges. And, have been to BOE meetings to advocate for our school, so I feel that I have gotten a sense of the BOE members.

I truly think the BOE and MCPS does not do enough to take into account the interest of middle class, and upper middle class families. They seem to demonstrate that in their policies and in the rhetoric.

I am an immigrant, who comes from a country with a weak public school system. I have seen first-hand what happens when a public school system is dessimated, and middle class families do not believe it will work for their kids. It's not a good situation. Strong public schools depend on buy-in from middle class and upper middle class families. When those families leave, there are fewer advocates for the students. Often times, the lower income families don't have the time/money/knowledge to advocate for their kids.

MCPS faces some immense challenges and is too large to be run efficiently. And, I don't see Jack Smith or the BOE as capable strong leaders who can solve the myriad of problems facing the school district.


This is why the suggestion that there have to be massive boundary changes that spread a declining pool of UMC white and Asian kids throughout the county will accelerate departures out of the county or to private schools. People are naive and think MCPS could never end up like PGCPS. It is already happening. That trend will only stop when there are clear signals that the integrity of neighborhood schools will be respected.


What does that mean? Why should the boundary lines drawn by decades-ago BOE members be "respected"? Were they carved in stone, never to be questioned? Things change.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:36     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm worried about Moco losing its high income tax payers while simultaneously disgusted by the people who consider the rest of the county riffraff

So I'm conflicted


That simply shows that you are smart and not swayed by empty slogans from the left or the right. It is easy to simply say F- the rich or blame everything on immigrants or other "poors," but neither presents a realistic view of the world. You seem to recognize that if the county wants to have a robust social safety net, which largely benefits the poor which includes but is not limited to many immigrants, than you need to have a robust tax base. If the rich were to actually leave, it would be the poor that are hurt most.

Therefore, the county needs to find a balance and enact policies that take into account the interests of both groups.


DP

I agree with this, and this is why I'm concerned. My kids attend a Focus school, so I understand the challenges. And, have been to BOE meetings to advocate for our school, so I feel that I have gotten a sense of the BOE members.

I truly think the BOE and MCPS does not do enough to take into account the interest of middle class, and upper middle class families. They seem to demonstrate that in their policies and in the rhetoric.

I am an immigrant, who comes from a country with a weak public school system. I have seen first-hand what happens when a public school system is dessimated, and middle class families do not believe it will work for their kids. It's not a good situation. Strong public schools depend on buy-in from middle class and upper middle class families. When those families leave, there are fewer advocates for the students. Often times, the lower income families don't have the time/money/knowledge to advocate for their kids.

MCPS faces some immense challenges and is too large to be run efficiently. And, I don't see Jack Smith or the BOE as capable strong leaders who can solve the myriad of problems facing the school district.


This is why the suggestion that there have to be massive boundary changes that spread a declining pool of UMC white and Asian kids throughout the county will accelerate departures out of the county or to private schools. People are naive and think MCPS could never end up like PGCPS. It is already happening. That trend will only stop when there are clear signals that the integrity of neighborhood schools will be respected.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:30     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:You people just love white people

I don’t think it’s that at all. Look at some of the top performing schools and they aren’t all white. They have a high percentage of Asian and Indian kids.
Saying you just love rich and high scoring is more accurate.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:26     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We’re heading to Frederick. Seems like the easiest move.




I'm old enough to remember when Frederick was referred to as "Fredneck". You pearl clutchers who are afraid of the poors ought to be careful what you wish for.


Yeah, can’t imagine that Frederick is going to be better than different boundaries in MoCo. Plus given the MD tax situation with no SALT deduction it makes more sense to go to VA. We are considering it for that reason.

I'm assuming that people live in Bethesda/Potomac in part due to to commute and the nice homes. The equivalent areas in Virginia are places like Arlington and McLean. Those areas are seeing multiple bids, in part due to Amazon coming. So people who want to move to those areas are going to pay a lot more for the same house, or they will have to move further out which increases their commute time. The SALT deduction limit would hit you in VA too if you buy a really expensive home. Now, if you work in NoVa, then it makes sense to move there.

I'm sure some people will say that it's worth it for their kids' education, but I'm not buying it. I don't think most people would do it. It's all talk, kind of like how some people said they would move to Canada if Trump was elected. I get it. I was one of those who wanted to move after Trump was elected, but reality is far different from "I wish...".

So, I'm not worried that there will be a mass exodus of wealthy people moving to NoVa or HoCo. I can see some staying put and going private, which goes back to how that benefits the public school kids.


There is no comparison between moving to VA or Canada. One requires a move 10-20 minutes away, where you can keep your same job and probably comparable commute. The other involves entirely uprooting your life, dealing with visa issues, possibly dealing with new national licensing requirements, finding a new job, etc. Almost no one will actually move to Canada -- plenty of people will move to VA if the disparity becomes too large. (You could have far higher national taxes without having many people leave; you don't have that luxury on the state level.)

As people moving to Bethesda for the commute/homes, that's true. But you can get the same in VA. The fact that VA homes now are more expensive is proving the point. Many people who are able to afford more expensive houses are choosing VA. Even if that means some current MD residents will choose not to move, it will overtime lead to homes in MD being less valuable, which reduces property taxes. And less expensive homes are purchased by people with lower incomes, meaning income tax rates will be reduced as well.

Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:25     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm worried about Moco losing its high income tax payers while simultaneously disgusted by the people who consider the rest of the county riffraff

So I'm conflicted


That simply shows that you are smart and not swayed by empty slogans from the left or the right. It is easy to simply say F- the rich or blame everything on immigrants or other "poors," but neither presents a realistic view of the world. You seem to recognize that if the county wants to have a robust social safety net, which largely benefits the poor which includes but is not limited to many immigrants, than you need to have a robust tax base. If the rich were to actually leave, it would be the poor that are hurt most.

Therefore, the county needs to find a balance and enact policies that take into account the interests of both groups.


DP

I agree with this, and this is why I'm concerned. My kids attend a Focus school, so I understand the challenges. And, have been to BOE meetings to advocate for our school, so I feel that I have gotten a sense of the BOE members.

I truly think the BOE and MCPS does not do enough to take into account the interest of middle class, and upper middle class families. They seem to demonstrate that in their policies and in the rhetoric.

I am an immigrant, who comes from a country with a weak public school system. I have seen first-hand what happens when a public school system is dessimated, and middle class families do not believe it will work for their kids. It's not a good situation. Strong public schools depend on buy-in from middle class and upper middle class families. When those families leave, there are fewer advocates for the students. Often times, the lower income families don't have the time/money/knowledge to advocate for their kids.

MCPS faces some immense challenges and is too large to be run efficiently. And, I don't see Jack Smith or the BOE as capable strong leaders who can solve the myriad of problems facing the school district.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:25     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:You people just love white people


Huh?

We're not white, but we do value education. I don't care what color the kids are at my kids' school.

Also, we have a diverse friend and family circle (interracial couple), and I know 4 families that are leaving MCPS next year. One is send the kids to a Christian school, two chose a non-religious private, and one left to Frederick Co.

Why would you assume that people dislike MCPS because they like white people? There are plenty of brown people who also value education, despite what you think.


Thank you! We have a high regard for education and that too is why we are leaving MoCo. Our decision is not based on color.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:19     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:I'm worried about Moco losing its high income tax payers while simultaneously disgusted by the people who consider the rest of the county riffraff

So I'm conflicted


High income Moco resident here $350K living in N. Potomac aka Gaithersburg. We're staying put and so are my friends and neighbors. The hysteria seems to be coming from the DCUM crowd. We are highly educated and expect our kids to do well in school.. Most importantly, we're not scared of brown people. So for those of you who are, you all need to move out of the DC area. FYI, your kids are shaking their heads at you.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:18     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:You people just love white people


Huh?

We're not white, but we do value education. I don't care what color the kids are at my kids' school.

Also, we have a diverse friend and family circle (interracial couple), and I know 4 families that are leaving MCPS next year. One is send the kids to a Christian school, two chose a non-religious private, and one left to Frederick Co.

Why would you assume that people dislike MCPS because they like white people? There are plenty of brown people who also value education, despite what you think.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 11:02     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We’re heading to Frederick. Seems like the easiest move.




I'm old enough to remember when Frederick was referred to as "Fredneck". You pearl clutchers who are afraid of the poors ought to be careful what you wish for.


Yeah, can’t imagine that Frederick is going to be better than different boundaries in MoCo. Plus given the MD tax situation with no SALT deduction it makes more sense to go to VA. We are considering it for that reason.

I'm assuming that people live in Bethesda/Potomac in part due to to commute and the nice homes. The equivalent areas in Virginia are places like Arlington and McLean. Those areas are seeing multiple bids, in part due to Amazon coming. So people who want to move to those areas are going to pay a lot more for the same house, or they will have to move further out which increases their commute time. The SALT deduction limit would hit you in VA too if you buy a really expensive home. Now, if you work in NoVa, then it makes sense to move there.

I'm sure some people will say that it's worth it for their kids' education, but I'm not buying it. I don't think most people would do it. It's all talk, kind of like how some people said they would move to Canada if Trump was elected. I get it. I was one of those who wanted to move after Trump was elected, but reality is far different from "I wish...".

So, I'm not worried that there will be a mass exodus of wealthy people moving to NoVa or HoCo. I can see some staying put and going private, which goes back to how that benefits the public school kids.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 10:48     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:I'm worried about Moco losing its high income tax payers while simultaneously disgusted by the people who consider the rest of the county riffraff

So I'm conflicted


That simply shows that you are smart and not swayed by empty slogans from the left or the right. It is easy to simply say F- the rich or blame everything on immigrants or other "poors," but neither presents a realistic view of the world. You seem to recognize that if the county wants to have a robust social safety net, which largely benefits the poor which includes but is not limited to many immigrants, than you need to have a robust tax base. If the rich were to actually leave, it would be the poor that are hurt most.

Therefore, the county needs to find a balance and enact policies that take into account the interests of both groups.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 10:43     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
I'm worried about Moco losing its high income tax payers while simultaneously disgusted by the people who consider the rest of the county riffraff

So I'm conflicted
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 10:39     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:We’re heading to Frederick. Seems like the easiest move.




I'm old enough to remember when Frederick was referred to as "Fredneck". You pearl clutchers who are afraid of the poors ought to be careful what you wish for.


Yeah, can’t imagine that Frederick is going to be better than different boundaries in MoCo. Plus given the MD tax situation with no SALT deduction it makes more sense to go to VA. We are considering it for that reason.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 10:34     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't think there are many families that are going to move over this

Sounds like all talk

+1 I know a few parents in W schools. They are not looking at going to private or moving. We live in the RM cluster. We're not moving either. Or do we not count because we are not in a W cluster?

But, if people do move or go to private, that would alleviate some of the crowding, so .. bye, I guess.


Right? This is sort of best case scenario. Stay, pay property taxes, but reduce utilization of the schools. I'm not seeing the downside here.


The problem is if people don't stay in decent numbers. That would cause a reduction in property and income tax collected, which would hurt on a county and state level. Many of the wealthier folks in the county live quite close to VA and/or DC, making a move relatively less disruptive to their lives than other situations where people threaten to pack up and go.

Even if people don't leave, we are already seeing more people of means choosing Va or DC, causing MoCo property values (and therefore tax collections) lag surrounding areas.

+1
It’s not sustainable. It may be fine for a few years, but then people will start selling or not move in.
Anonymous
Post 03/30/2019 10:33     Subject: Where are all you families of high performing students planning on moving to?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:

The problem is if people don't stay in decent numbers. That would cause a reduction in property and income tax collected, which would hurt on a county and state level. Many of the wealthier folks in the county live quite close to VA and/or DC, making a move relatively less disruptive to their lives than other situations where people threaten to pack up and go.

Even if people don't leave, we are already seeing more people of means choosing Va or DC, causing MoCo property values (and therefore tax collections) lag surrounding areas.


I'm having real trouble squaring "we're smart, and our kids are smart" with "panic!!!! we're moving to [somewhere where the grass is greener!"


Smart and rich aren't the same, but I agree with your broader point. I don't think people will leave over this per se. But there has been a general trend where certain things, including schools, have deteriorated and it seems the county is focused almost exclusively on the interest of other parts of the county, viewing certain parts as little more than a piggy bank. As more steps are taken along these lines, including potential boundary changes, the cumulative effect could cause people to leave and we are already seeing fewer people with means come.