“We all want what’s best for our kids”, Discussions of D.C. public school
options in an online forum by Governance Studies – Brookings Institute is I believe one of the most profound and insightful study projects in years.
The project focuses on studying language used in “DC Urban Moms and Dads” online forums on education. However, it provides profound insight into the drivers of DC public policy in other areas such as housing, transportation, financial and public safety policies. As well, insight into the nature of and our city’s dependency on displacement as public policy tool for growth and development.
The study concludes, “The conversations on DC Urban Moms illustrate what other research has also shown: When privileged parents choose, they tend to choose segregation.”
It would be shortsighted to demonize or see “DC Urban Moms and Dads” in isolation. DC’s housing agency, DHCD, “Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice” studies (2012 and 2019) highlight a similar phenomena the call “resegregation” in our housing markets as a result of our public policy’s dependency on displacement based gentrification. Popular online forums such as Popville and Greater Greater Washington if comment sections are studied would likely yield similar results. The dynamic is now endemic and is at the heart of current Comp Plan amendments produced by OP.
Even within a gentrifying neighborhood, and even when other local schools have similar test scores, the schools with more white students receive much more attention
In effect, DC Urban Moms discussion “displaces” (by omission) and marginalizes Black students and schools from their view of educational and related civic life. This displacement would not be so critical, except that it’s gravitational pull now bends politic policy from education to transportation.
A good example of the “DC Urban Moms and Dads” dynamic gravitational power can be found in OP’s amendments to the Mid-City element. Many of the elements, policies and actions which were included in 2006 Comp Plan have been removed. Most of these elements were originally included to give visibility to Black and Brown populations which were the majority at that time. In 2006, it was understood that traditional planning tended to make these populations less visible and marginal when the future is considered. Especially when that future is rooted in gentrification, in particular large luxury multi-family projects at the changes are designed to encourage.
It is my believe that if we take the time to digest the implications of this “Urban Moms and Dads” study, we are better positioned to plan and build a more racially equitable DC.
William