Rob:
You might be onto something with the idea of enacting legislation geared toward making charter schools more accountable to their neighborhoods. How about a law that specifies that a certain percentage of every charter school's enrollment, say 50% for instance, must reside with a certain radius, perhaps 1/2 mile, of the school? (I'll defer to the statisticians and number crunchers to work out the exact radius and percentage.) I think that might encourage more community involvement, support and mentorship of the schools located in a particular neighborhood and at the same time, make the charter schools' operating boards more responsive to the concerns of community residents. I suppose there could be some variances for charter schools with a specialized focus, like say a Chinese emersion school or a science and engineering focused school, where the mandatory neighborhood percentage would be only 35% or 40% or the "residential radius" might be a mile and a half, but still there would remain some level of neighborhood stakeholder interest and input because of the neighborhood enrollment requirement.
These are just my thoughts based on having observed the large number of students being dropped off at my neighborhood charter school by adults driving cars with Maryland and Virginia tags. I'm sure others know much more about this subject than I.
Bradley A. Thomas
You might be onto something with the idea of enacting legislation geared toward making charter schools more accountable to their neighborhoods. How about a law that specifies that a certain percentage of every charter school's enrollment, say 50% for instance, must reside with a certain radius, perhaps 1/2 mile, of the school? (I'll defer to the statisticians and number crunchers to work out the exact radius and percentage.) I think that might encourage more community involvement, support and mentorship of the schools located in a particular neighborhood and at the same time, make the charter schools' operating boards more responsive to the concerns of community residents. I suppose there could be some variances for charter schools with a specialized focus, like say a Chinese emersion school or a science and engineering focused school, where the mandatory neighborhood percentage would be only 35% or 40% or the "residential radius" might be a mile and a half, but still there would remain some level of neighborhood stakeholder interest and input because of the neighborhood enrollment requirement.
These are just my thoughts based on having observed the large number of students being dropped off at my neighborhood charter school by adults driving cars with Maryland and Virginia tags. I'm sure others know much more about this subject than I.
Bradley A. Thomas
Hey Eric,
This situation is real in lots of folks lives -- not just in hers close to the site - and it has been even more real since they took the schools out of Ward 5 and will be felt again when they close schools instead of figuring out how to keep them open.
Like I told you earlier, this goes for this lady who lives here and the lady you don't know/have not met who lives over in Ft. Lincoln or who lives over in Trinidad. The way that they have this system designed, we will always have folks who will feel that same way -- depends on who you are talking to and how far they reside from the school.
Part of this is the fact that they let Charter schools choose kids from anywhere. Council should pass a law that in order to get the allotment per child, they have to fill from the neighborhood first.
I don't think the Brookland Site is the best choice for a Middle School, especially in the manner in which they are approaching it -- but we don't make that decision -- especially since they are finding ways to separate us and leading us down a "Choice of Three Site Plans" road.
Before I close, I know some folks (maybe you as well) think that I am too harsh and ........., and that is ok. I really don't have the time - But I do the dirty work that most others don't do and their silence is why we keep getting raped as a community and moreso as a Culture -- (Black). Folks will never be able to repay me for the things I do, teach or say just like I would never be able to repay those who came before me/us. And trust me, when I made the decision to step up, I know that the consequences could be harsh.
For Black Folks, just know that while the talented 10th may be moving back to the "neighborhoods"/city now but only after all the financial and chemical bombs have done their damage and our people have been pretty much destroyed -- enhancing another type of slavery. Even though so many of us are geographically present, these same "talented 10th" are now residing in their perspective neighborhood/zip code of "silence" or as a Pimp (for the most part) -- and that helps to cut many new paths and pave the existing roads to Prison for our youth. Lots of Black Folks are quiet often times because they too want certain folks away from them -- so -- they have their own reverse underground railroad made of "silent rails" that assist certain things to occur.
So, folks like me get labelled ................ So, I am not without fault and "sin" but I am really proud that I choose not to attach myself to synthetic material or rags as I did at one stage of growth. I now understand that to those who much talent are bestowed, much is expected. Ex. Look at Mark -- who writes via Animal Lover Lover emails -- he is extremely bright and someone like him in the forefront of a movement would strenthen this Weak army of ours -- yes ours weak army. They only do to us because we allow them to.
Until we really start fighting as a Community for our Communities -- as they all are interconnected -- we will always get taken advantage of and Pimped.
Rob Ramson
I posted the following to the Brookland List. I only use the web version so I am pasting it in here. KPW is absolutely right - this is a Ward 5 issue.
I was approached the other day by a single mom with 3 boys and she told
me her story which she has allowed me to share respecting her anonymity.
This is not an isolated story, but I share it because she is unable to
do so for herself. She works 2 jobs, can't afford internet access
and struggles to pay the bills. Due to her employment responsibilities,
she has been unable to come to all of the meetings, but she was at the
Saturday meeting to try and understand what is going on as she is
interested in the middle school for her boys. These kids have had to
deal with school closures and getting shifted from one school to another
as a result of the closures. She, unfortunately, doesn't really have
the time to do all of the research that many of us can do about the
schools, but she does the best she can. She tries to take her kids to
school every day, but cannot always do so. She worries about their
safety on those days she can't go with them. She forces her kids to
bring books home every night (whether they need to do so or not) and
sometimes they get bullied for it (an ongoing issue for her kids). I am
not sure any of you have been on public transportation when the schools
let out, but it can be an adventure for adults - it can be worse for the
kids. Nonetheless, her rationale for wanting a school in Brookland is
because a) it would be a much easier commute for her as she lives close
by and b) she sees Brookland as a safe community and she doesn't fear
the crime as much. She also, (right or wrong) doesn't see the school
as potentially being closed in the future and will thus provide some
stability for her kids. She also see Brookland as a diverse
neighborhood that will bring a different group of volunteers. Brookland
tends to be very educated with different perspectives and a very diverse
community - things she wants her kids to be exposed to. She also
thinks (right or wrong) that Brookland might bring better teachers since
it is Brookland. She also feels that this will truly be a "state of the
art" facility and because she lives in the neighborhood, her kids can
get in....and hopefully succeed.
Two things have been clear - timing and site selection are
non-negotiable. Please don't take this as any ploy to get you to choose
one plan over another. You have to choose the plan which you think is
best for the community and I am asking you to consider this person and
her three kids in that definition of community. I know there are a lot
of issues surrounding the school and a number of things need to be
considered for the site - like footprint, greenspace etc. To be
honest, it is a difficult pill to swallow to be sure. I am confident
that we, as a community, can figure this thing out. Not everyone will
be happy, but we need to figure out a way to make it happen for
everyone. We need space that is good for everyone - the playground, the
school and a rec center. Whiel many think the location is not ideal
for a variety of reasons, that is off the table and we need to focus on
the future. We need to focus on what we want and need given the
circumstances. We, as a community, can make this work and we need to
begin focusing our conversations on the next steps. We need to make
sure that we get everything that we want and need for EVERYONE and I
think we can all agree on that point. Nobody wants to sacrifice the
playground for the school or rec center or vice versa. We have been
presented with a challenge and we need to respond like the community we
are. Sure, I don't live on 10th St. or Shepherd, but I am doing my best
to be sensitive to those issues as I consider what is best for the site.
One piece that has been missing in this conversation is the actual
school. While I understand that this isn't a priority for everyone, it
would really help if some of you guys could focus on the programming for
the school to make sure, that if this is going to happen, it needs to
happen the right way as well. While not all of us are educators, many
of us have raised children and/or currently raising children. Some
things are common sense, but not always seen by the people involved.
What if we all got a significant portion of us volunteering in the
school? I know that this may be a bit idealistic and, while I am not an
idealistic person, sometimes it is necessary. In the end, all I am is
asking is that as we ALL consider the options, we are sensitive to the
needs of all parties involved - this includes me considering all of the
options. Let's start focusing the conversation on what we have to deal
with in the next few weeks and not the decisions that have been made.
If we focus on the decisions that have been made, we may miss the
opportunity to deal with what is coming.
Peace> Option II
--- In ward5@yahoogroups.com, KPW <WKPW3@...> wrote:
>
> Sounds good, but a meeting would have to be held this week or maybe early next week based on what was stated at the meeting Saturday. To me, it would make sense to promote one plan or prioritize the three standalone options. I believe there is a co-location option, too, if people prefer that. I do think that the people that live around Turkey Thicket (TT) should really weigh in on what changes need to be made to best accommodate the community's interest. If the middle school is coming to the TT grounds, people might want to speak up now to make it work in their interests too. I am all for the school but defer to the immediate neighborhood on what is the best option though I prefer the Standalone at the South Point of Park option.
>
>
> It was said at the meeting that people need to send their thoughts directly to the Department of General Services contact person quickly. I think it would be better to have a collective voice with groups sending the thoughts of constituents.
>
>
> Note that this school will not just be for the Brookland Community. These are some Ward 5 communities that might send kids to this school:
>
>
>
> Brookland
> Michigan Park
> North Michigan Park
> Queens Chapel
> Riggs Park
> Ft. Totten
> Pleasant Hills
> Woodridge
> South Woodridge
> Ft. Lincoln
> Edgewood
> Trinidad
> Ivy City
>
>
>
> Maybe those ANCs, CDCs, PTAs, business groups, and civic associations that are meeting this month or the first week can poll their groups and submit a statement in support of a particular option and include any suggested changes or amenities.
>
>
> I have provided the options below.
>
>
> --KPW
>
>
>
>
>
> Three options:
>
>
>
> Stand-Alone School At South Point of Park
> Stand-Alone School on Expanded Existing School Site
> Stand-Alone School on Existing School Site
>
>
>
>
> KPW
>
>
>
>
>
>
> http://dgs.dc.gov/turkey_thicket_park_brooklyn_middle_school
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Option I
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Option III
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From the handout, here is a link with the options that have been considered.
>
>
> http://www.slideshare.net/dgscomm/brookand-tt-community-meeting-slides-2013-0314
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----> From: animalloverlover animalloverlover@...
> To: ward5 ward5@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Tue, Mar 26, 2013 6:06 pm
> Subject: [ward5] Is there interest in meeting regarding the TThicket/BMS project?
>
>
>
>
>
> Everyone who has ventured an opinion on the proposed Brookland Middle School project has lifted valid concerns. I have yet to read a single pro or con that simply has no merit. Regardless, we are far, far away from an accord on how best to simultaneously satisfy the various civic interests. Any positive addition to our city's educational resources benefits all of us. On this point I feel confident that we all agree.
>
> It's my understanding that the Turkey Thicket location underwent complete due diligence regarding site selection. The matter now seems to be just how the school will be situated on the TT plat. When neighborhoods lack consensus on these types of important matters, elected officials must exhibit the primary reason for their having been so chosen: leadership ability.
>
> Is it possible for us to have a forum wherein parties may calmly and clearly register their opinions? I am calling on those of you who have talking relationships with the appropriate ANC commissioners and Messrs. Councilmembers McDuffie, Orange, and Grosso to implore them to hold an emergency meeting for citizen Brookland Middle School concerns.
>
> Perhaps our respective visions regarding the end product differ. However, if there is a single, common rallying point, then that may be the question of the speed at which things are progressing. There is ample time to prepare for the 2014 academic year. Inasmuch as these are issues that will affect us for generations, why can't we be more deliberate in our decision-making?
>
> Are there others who are also interested in meeting?
> Mark Williams
>__._,_.___
Reply via web post Reply to sender Reply to group Start a New Topic Messages in this topic (3) To Post a message, send it to: ward5@eGroups.com
To Unsubscribe, send a blank message to: ward5-unsubscribe@eGroups.com
.
__,_._,___
--
R. Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988
"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)
--
--
WardFive@googlegroups.com is open to WardFive residents for community discussion and information sharing.
To post to this group, send email to wardfive@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to wardfive+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/wardfive?hl=en
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WardFive" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to wardfive+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
--
WardFive@googlegroups.com is open to WardFive residents for community discussion and information sharing.
To post to this group, send email to wardfive@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to wardfive+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/wardfive?hl=en
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "WardFive" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to wardfive+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
0 comments:
Post a Comment