What My Daughter Taught Me

In his article for Outlook, David Nicholson describes feeling guilty for moving to Fairfax County rather than "sacrificing his son" to an education in a D.C. public or charter school. Yet he also seems proud at having done the right thing for his son.

I found this mixture of pride and shame ironic -- and sadly shallow. I compare his impressions with those of my 8th-grade daughter, Ann Elise, who has attended D.C. public schools for 10 years. She recently wrote an essay for her social studies class on the history of her school, Stuart-Hobson Middle School on E Street NE. The D.C. public schools, she acknowledged, are "in the news a lot" for their problems. And yet:

I love my school and couldn't imagine going anywhere else. Recently, I learned a lot about my school's very interesting history. I learned about everything from where the name came from, to when we were integrated, to what kind of clubs and activities we had here, to some of the scandals that went on. Amidst all the news reports of building falling apart and people getting shot at D.C. public schools, doing this report made me appreciate my school even more. A lot of work went into making my school how it is today.

Much of my daughter's essay is devoted to describing segregation, shifting populations and the desegregation of her own middle school and other public schools in our community. Her conclusion brought tears to my eyes:

Finding out about what went into my school's history gave me a greater respect and understanding for all the hard work that made my school into the wonderful place it is today. By learning about my school's history, I also learned a slice of D.C.'s history. I hope that I am making history for future generations to look back on.

I credit Ann Elise's experience in the public schools for her ability to recognize that her school's history mirrors her city's -- and that she is part of that history now. My 13-year-old articulated better than I ever could the value of a public school education in this city. She understands, from personal experience, that she is one person among many, that building community takes time and effort.

Those lessons will serve her well as she grows to become a contributing member of our society. She has an understanding that she cannot be taught later in life: She realizes she plays a small role in a much bigger world. I could not be more proud of her, or of her education.

My daughter's gentle rebuke regarding the media portrayals of our public schools was not lost on me when I read her report. Kids -- students -- pay attention to what The Post and public officials say about our schools. My daughter, for one, doesn't seem to appreciate or believe the media portrayal that tells only part of our D.C public schools story.

Although many writers and readers may approach the issue of public education by looking at a narrow slice of history, it doesn't take much to broaden our horizons. It's doesn't take much to make the connections between where our schools are now and the development over the years of the charter/voucher/privatization movement. My daughter's 13-year-old understanding of these matters is more sophisticated than many adults will ever obtain.

I appreciate the education Ann Elise has gotten in the D.C. public schools. She and I both know that improvements must be made, and that they will take hard work. Meanwhile, I share her sentiments: I can't imagine her going to any other school.

The writer is president of the PTA at the Capitol Hill Cluster School, a D.C. public school.