At what point will gentrification in Washington DC end? (neighborhood, private school tuition)

[Moth]

Originally Posted by rlchurch

I agree it has little to do with the money spent. Gentrification will change the character of the students and the parents of students. IMO DC's school problem is 80-90% caused by some of the intractable problems of poverty. Montgomery County and Fairfax schools aren't so good because of their "systems," they are good because of the demographics of the population.

I cannot say I disagree with you. Indeed you are absolutely correct.

But man, that is as Libertarian/Conservative as one can get.

Welcome aboard.

[14thandYou]

Originally Posted by rlchurch

I agree it has little to do with the money spent. Gentrification will change the character of the students and the parents of students. IMO DC's school problem is 80-90% caused by some of the intractable problems of poverty. Montgomery County and Fairfax schools aren't so good because of their "systems," they are good because of the demographics of the population.

Thing is, parents with the means to do so don't send their children to DC public schools, they send them to a private institution. DC has been gentrifying for some time now, and it's arguable whether the school system has witnessed even a modicum of improvement.

[Moth]

Originally Posted by 14thandYou

Thing is, parents with the means to do so don't send their children to DC public schools, they send them to a private institution. DC has been gentrifying for some time now, and it's arguable whether the school system has witnessed even a modicum of improvement.

Au contraire.

Some of us chose DC public for the whole ride.

Do you think I am stupid?

[14thandYou]

Originally Posted by Moth

Au contraire.

Some of us chose DC public for the whole ride.

Do you think I am stupid?

OK, yes, should amend my statement that a *majority*--but not all--parents do...sorry, no offense intended. I'm a product of public schools myself, just not in DC.

[Moth]

Originally Posted by 14thandYou

OK, yes, should amend my statement that a *majority*--but not all--parents do...sorry, no offense intended. I'm a product of public schools myself, just not in DC.

No apology needed as I was just kidding around. I did do public as the private schools my parents offered (i.e. could afford) were not my cup of tea.

[rlchurch]

Originally Posted by Moth

I cannot say I disagree with you. Indeed you are absolutely correct.

But man, that is as Libertarian/Conservative as one can get.

Welcome aboard.

Not at all. I just recognize that running a school system in an area with endemic poverty is a major challenge. Simplistic measures of achievement will never be met in such an environment. Gentrification of the area will bring a natural improvement and potentially help the remaining students as well.

People are making a big deal out of some very recent test results that suggests charter schools are doing a better job than the public schools. Those result may or may not turn out to persist through multiple years of testing, but the results from an affluent school perspective would be considered abysmal.

[rlchurch]

Originally Posted by 14thandYou

Thing is, parents with the means to do so don't send their children to DC public schools, they send them to a private institution. DC has been gentrifying for some time now, and it's arguable whether the school system has witnessed even a modicum of improvement.

There are some decent DC public schools. As the population continues the gentrify and the city takes schools seriously, the number of descent schools will increase and there will likely emerge very good/ excellent schools.

[Moth]

Originally Posted by rlchurch

Not at all. I just recognize that running a school system in an area with endemic poverty is a major challenge. Simplistic measures of achievement will never be met in such an environment. Gentrification of the area will bring a natural improvement and potentially help the remaining students as well.

People are making a big deal out of some very recent test results that suggests charter schools are doing a better job than the public schools. Those result may or may not turn out to persist through multiple years of testing, but the results from an affluent school perspective would be considered abysmal.

As I said I agree with you.

Funny thing is though, I was at a reading by the legendary Libertarian-Conservative author and pundit, PJ O'Rourke. He was talking about the honesty- or lack thereof- of politicians on both sides of the fence. And he said the exact thing you just said about schools as an example of what a Conservative would say to the public were he being honest.

And George Will, another Conservataive, recently wrote that schools are a function of the communities they serve.

The three of you are of one mind- conservatives all.

[rlchurch]

Originally Posted by Moth

As I said I agree with you.

Funny thing is though, I was at a reading by the legendary Libertarian-Conservative author and pundit, PJ O'Rourke. He was talking about the honesty- or lack thereof- of politicians on both sides of the fence. And he said the exact thing you just said about schools as an example of what a Conservative would say to the public were he being honest.

And George Will, another Conservataive, recently wrote that schools are a function of the communities they serve.

The three of you are of one mind- conservatives all.

To improve our schools we are going to have the face the facts. Poverty in and of itself is a major challenge. The more heterogeneous nature of current gentrification will provide a mixed student body, which IMO is much easier to manage to an acceptable level of achievement.

Even liberals in Washington are basically supportive of charter schools a long time Republican political banner. Not everything the Republicans come up with is bad. Sometime they screw up and do something good for the country. Sometimes, as in the case of charter schools, they at least don't make things worse.

[Moth]

Originally Posted by rlchurch

To improve our schools we are going to have the face the facts. Poverty in and of itself is a major challenge. The more heterogeneous nature of current gentrification will provide a mixed student body, which IMO is much easier to manage to an acceptable level of achievement.

Even liberals in Washington are basically supportive of charter schools a long time Republican political banner. Not everything the Republicans come up with is bad. Sometime they screw up and do something good for the country. Sometimes, as in the case of charter schools, they at least don't make things worse.

The point you are making, in so many words, is that it is not the schools per se that are bad. Rather it is the students who compose them.

As I said, I agree with you. I am just noting the irony, nothing more.