Those following the discussion on this blog about the proposed Jefferson-Houston megadevelopment will want to check out the unsigned editorial that appeared today in alexandrianews.org.
Most readers may not realize that this Web site was founded by former school board member Rodger Digilio and that the editorial was undoubtedly written by him.
A commenter on this site noted recently, "Claire Eberwien, Roger Digilio and cronies played dirty, dirty politics to make elementary schools whiter in more affluent neighborhoods." The Growler understands that this statement is essentially true and that Mr. Digilio was closely identified with the controversial redistricting of 1999.
The appearance of this piece — which raises many questions about the proposed development — comes a whole month after the June 22 Council work session which blew the lid off the ACPS plan.
The timing is interesting.
26 comments:
No mention of redistricting in this.
Again what the heck are people afraid of? Why is ACPS and the Council so lacking in courage to confront this problem?
"Mr. Digilio was closely identified with the controversial redistricting of 1999."
We have no doubt Digilio swims like a shark. We once heard him suggest elementary students living in the Del Ray wedge use GW's empty classrooms so as to avoid mixing with other JH students.
"We have no doubt Digilio swims like a shark."
Got that right! Watch out my Republican neighbors. Digilio is a good friend of Melvin Miller's, defended him in print when he thought we were picking on him, and perfectly capable of turning Jefferson Village into another megadevlopment. Forget offsiting!
Read between the lines of his editorial. By October he will decide Sherman's proposal is "clever."
"Read between the lines of his editorial. By October he will decide Sherman's proposal is "clever."
Yep, if you went to the Council work session and listened Sherman spoke of the urban suburban dilemma. Digilio is Sherman's alternative to the blog. He will eventually think Sherman clever. Lead your little Republican ponies to the trough then dare you not to drink. The 70 somethings will soon be back in control. Digilio, Miller and Ring are all past school board members.
I've never heard of Rodger Digilio, but if he is indeed the author of that piece, he is no journalist and alexandrianews.org is no credible news source. By failing to disclose his status as a former school board member who essentially segregated J-H, he raises serious questions about the integrity of alexandrianews.org. From now on, I will read that site with a much more critical eye.
"The 70 somethings will soon be back in control. Digilio, Miller and Ring are all past school board members."
That's depressing. In addition to them Eberwein was a Republican too. Add Hughes and I will have to reach for an antacid.
"That's depressing. In addition to them Eberwein was a Republican too. Add Hughes and I will have to reach for an antacid."
Not sure how this is Republican vs. Democrat. The public housing policies of the City were created and supported by Democrats.
"That's depressing. In addition to them Eberwein was a Republican too. Add Hughes and I will have to reach for an antacid"
Let's face it, if this town were run by republicans, neighborhoods would have been allowed to develop naturally with a much better financial and racial balance. As it is, we have a very artificial community, where an inordinate amount of funding goes to aid folks who are not willing to help themselves. (not talking about elderly pub housing resident of course, but the twenty and thirty-somethings who have made living in public housing a career), and the rest of us are left picking up the mess. Concentrated poverty stricken neighborhoods cause far more problems in every aspect of society, from schools, to community safety, to over utilization of community resources. What can be done? Vote, vote to end the antiquated ways, and vote to help Alexandria become a 21st century modern community that exists for the benefit of all.
"The public housing policies of the City were created and supported by Democrats."
True but once busing ended it was mostly the Republicans on school board who moved to reclaim white neighborhoods and contain the "problem" here. Miller's acceptance of Eberwein's '99 redistricting proposal disappointed many of us. As an old civil rights activist we thought he'd hang tougher. None of them really care about the public housing kids. They're mostly caretakers at heart.
"Let's face it, if this town were run by republicans, neighborhoods would have been allowed to develop naturally with a much better financial and racial balance."
I don't buy the simplicity of the argument. In an earlier era is was the philosophical diversity within the parties, the marriage of moderate and liberal that turned Harry Byrd around.
"Add Hughes and I will have to reach for an antacid."
I get the sentiment as she takes her cues from mentors like Miller and Ring. My bias, close JH entirely and start over elsewhere. Rebuilding JH in the same location however its constructed only perpetuates Sherman's heritage argument an argument Digilio, Miller and Ring undoubtedly endorse. As for Morris and Hanbury's lead, bag em.
If the old JH becomes an administrative building if JH school is relocated to north Potomac Yard now we're talking some movement.
"My bias, close JH entirely and start over elsewhere. Rebuilding JH in the same location however its constructed only perpetuates"
I agree provided it is born of political rebirth that is proper redistricting prior to signing the dotted line.
"If the old JH becomes an administrative building"
Fine by me so long as neither initiative depends on megadevelopment. Both should be appropriated through normal CIP channels.
"As for Morris and Hanbury's lead, bag em."
At what point do they compromise with the rest of us. A new building alone is not a solution.
"Rebuilding JH in the same location however its constructed only perpetuates Sherman's heritage argument an argument Digilio, Miller and Ring undoubtedly endorse."
This is the problem in a nutshell. Exactly like Bland. Build big but still contain. Whites will dilute what is. (School Board) Income aka whites will dilute. (Hamer) Except for public housing the neighborhood is now mostly white. The heritage argument is crap! Parker Gray is not a symbol of pride. It's a political euphemism for black poverty. Isn't that why we now have the Parker Gray Roundtable Comm-something meeting with public housing? All is an insult to Samuel Tucker's legacy.
I agree with the Growler and some commenters here on at least one point: the 1999 redistricting was a disaster for Jefferson Houston. The school went from a vibrant, diverse center of academic achievement to a half-empty school that drew almost entirely from the poorest and least engaged segments of the community. Since Kim Grave’s arrival four years ago brought an end to the revolving-door principals at the school, Jefferson Houston has made steady progress in test scores, administration, and personnel. That's a good thing. But, at the same time, I join others in wondering why redistricting is “off the table.” Why do we tolerate siphoning the poorest kids into one building and the richest ones into another? The current district – plus all the opt-outs, administrative transfers, “legacy” admissions – preserve a dysfunctional system that destroys a sense of community, pit neighbor against neighbor, and robs Jefferson Houston of some of its most active parents. Why not redistrict and pursue other paths at all the same time?
As for the public-private partnership, I've got no special insight here, but I do think that the concept is at least worth exploring because it has the potential to both improve the neighborhood and get us a new school. Of course, there are a million ways the project could go wrong, but it seems like a worthwhile effort to think about what the indispensable features of such a project would be.
I have no child in the fight but can District A (Old Town) not align with the West End to drive Sherman's boundary adjustments, pounding the h-ll out of the central district in the process? Sweet revenge? I remember how Eberwein handled Old Town's Windmill Park. My sympathies.
"Since Kim Graves's arrival four years ago brought an end to the revolving-door principals at the school, Jefferson Houston has made steady progress in test scores, administration, and personnel."
Trey, we're glad to hear that under Kim Graves the school has finally stabilized and that there has been meaningful improvement. Can you tell us a little about your child's positive experiences in JH under the new leadership?
This was from an earlier post but it's relevant in this topic.
"Ever think of running for office or working on one of the committees instead of sitting at your computer complaining about how the city is run? Ever think about offering suggestions instead of constantly critiquing others?"
Folks, don't pay this poster any mind. Just another screamer who is trying to divide us.
Many posters here are involved with the WOTCA and attended many of the Braddock Road Metro Small Area Plan meetings.
A lot of us have sat for hours at City Council open mic sessions to speak & provide alternative ideas, just to be cut off after a measily 5 minutes.
We've written letters to council asking why they refuse the ideas provided from the community on many issues.
We have asked city officials as to why they treat Resolution 830 as if it were the first amendment and then pretend that the city's fair policy doesnt even exist.
Some have attend ARHA meetings to ask questions and provide reasonable alternatives to the never ending crime and nusiance problems.
We've sent long letters to council with new ideas which could improve the quality of life in P-G for both citizens and public housing folks.
Many have attended neighborhood walk thru's with our part time mayor and part time council. All this effort on our part just to be called gentrifying racists behind our backs.
Most here have attended ACPS meetings to ask questions, & offer alternatives, only to be cut off, talked over and ignored by those holding the meetings.
We attended the Monarch meetings and held the developers feet to the fire on the particulars regarding the massive structure.
What upsets me more than anything else is ignorant comments from people like the above poster. You probably don't live in PG and you need stay off this blog which has become one of our greatest tools in our fight for an even better neighborhood.
People like you wiith their insipid thoughts and comments are part of the problem. Go scream somewhere else if you don't want to be part of the solution.
"Jefferson Houston has made steady progress in test scores"
I am probably looking in the wrong place, but I don't see this according to:
http://www.acps.k12.va.us/mes/sol/2010-sol-estimates.pdf
The Gazette carried an article on the Jefferson-Houston redevelopment proposal. A couple of choice excerpts. http://connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=342855&paper=59&cat=104
"The jury is still out on this," Councilman Rob Krupicka explained to members of the Upper King Street Neighborhood Association this week. "If it’s not this, it’s going to come from your tax dollars."
"Dramatically rising enrollment figures have created a crunch in Alexandria, and School Board members are eager to see a new school at the site within the next three to five years. Jefferson-Houston is the only school in the city that has more capacity than students, the result of years of failing test scores and neighborhood parents choosing to send their children to other schools. Now school officials and city leaders are considering a plan they say would be unprecedented in Alexandria although it’s been tried in other jurisdictions across the country."
"The jury is still out on this," Councilman Rob Krupicka explained to members of the Upper King Street Neighborhood Association this week. "If it’s not this, it’s going to come from your tax dollars."
Hey Rob, take it from OUR tax dollars. MY neighborhood shouldn't have to suffer again to save tax dollars for the rest of the City.
"The jury is still out on this," Councilman Rob Krupicka explained to members of the Upper King Street Neighborhood Association this week. "If it’s not this, it’s going to come from your tax dollars."
Or it'll cost us our community's valuable open space and an unacceptable rise in daily traffic congestion, especially as almost none of those city ed workers would be taking Metrorail to the area.
Sorry, Rob, but we're not going to trade our neighborhood's presnt and future well-being over your tax threats or any other tactic. Stick your workers and your high-density development in places better suited for it. Try the Del Ray business district, and tell all the workers to take the bus to get there! (Sound ridiculous? So does the J-H stealth plan.)
"Sorry, Rob, but we're not going to trade our neighborhood's presnt and future well-being over your tax threats or any other tactic."
The same weinie Rob who told us we should wait to disperse public housing residents until after Bland was built so more whites home-buyers would be living in the neighborhood to argue the case? His children should attend school where the family feels they are best served. No problem. Just don't keep using us to serve everybody else's need especially school staffers.
"Most here have attended ACPS meetings to ask questions, & offer alternatives, only to be cut off, talked over and ignored by those holding the meetings."
Everyone ducked my question. Are college bound children not better off with AYP? Something to do with accepted credits fewer with IB. I have always worried that Sherman's heritage argument when combined with IB dumbs down future potential. Can anyone answer the question with accuracy?
"
The same weinie Rob who told us we should wait to disperse public housing residents until after Bland was built so more whites home-buyers would be living in the neighborhood to argue the case?"
He actually said that?
What a clown.....
Everyone ducked my question. Are college bound children not better off with AYP? Something to do with accepted credits fewer with IB. I have always worried that Sherman's heritage argument when combined with IB dumbs down future potential. Can anyone answer the question with accuracy?
I think you are confusing AYP (Adequate Yearly Progress) with AP (Advanced Placement Highschool Classes). Both of my children graduated with several AP Credits from TC - saved us about one semester's tuition for each child. From what I've heard from my kids and those we know who attended IB Schools in Fairfax County, AP credits are much more accepted by most colleges and universities than IB Credits.
Also, I seem to remember from several years ago that ACPS did not go with the IB program because it did not mesh with our middle school model. It seems like a waste to start IB at J-H with no intention of offering a continuation at the middle school level.
"It seems like a waste to start IB at J-H with no intention of offering a continuation at the middle school level."
I probably did have the acronyms confised. My fault. But could that be one of the reasons Sherman extended JH to K-8? To keep the IB curriculum tidy? His heritage argument offends me I make no bones and I don't my child caught in his racial chaos.
ibo.org
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