Comments on: Sometimes dinner is about something else http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/ recipe-driven observations from the sublime to the ridiculous Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:11:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Caroline http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1866 Caroline Wed, 22 Oct 2008 02:26:17 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1866 Fantastic commentary! (And great comments from readers too.) I blogged about your blog: http://tinyurl.com/6jgt25 I'm dying to know if the person who inspired this post has had her eyes opened. Fantastic commentary! (And great comments from readers too.) I blogged about your blog:

http://tinyurl.com/6jgt25

I’m dying to know if the person who inspired this post has had her eyes opened.

]]> By: Robin Whiteside http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1863 Robin Whiteside Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:28:34 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1863 Yes indeed. I started out the process a couple years ago looking for the ritziest best private school I could for my kid. I ended up at a great San Francisco public school and we're very happy. Getting from point a to point b was a byzantine journey. The short of it is, I am shocked at how great the public schools are in San Francisco. There are at least a dozen or a dozen and a half that are every bit as good as the top private schools, and frankly, because they are more diverse and public and free, the competition isn't even close. Perhaps they need to revamp the admissions/lottery in the City, sure. It's not easy. But I have to admit, nine months of round one, round two, waitpools, and tours and all that, we found a great school. Considering we're talking six years of *free* education, before I have to do it again for middle school, it's not a bad deal. Yes indeed. I started out the process a couple years ago looking for the ritziest best private school I could for my kid. I ended up at a great San Francisco public school and we’re very happy. Getting from point a to point b was a byzantine journey. The short of it is, I am shocked at how great the public schools are in San Francisco. There are at least a dozen or a dozen and a half that are every bit as good as the top private schools, and frankly, because they are more diverse and public and free, the competition isn’t even close. Perhaps they need to revamp the admissions/lottery in the City, sure. It’s not easy. But I have to admit, nine months of round one, round two, waitpools, and tours and all that, we found a great school. Considering we’re talking six years of *free* education, before I have to do it again for middle school, it’s not a bad deal.

]]> By: Chris http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1862 Chris Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:40:17 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1862 Thank you so much for this! I am currently touring elementary schools and have found I just can't talk about this subject with many of my fellow white, middle class parents because so many of them have written off all but a few of the public schools here. They are all terrified of the process. I am nervous but EXCITED and committed to the idea of public schools. It's nice to know there are others out there on the internets who feel the same way I do. Thank you so much for this! I am currently touring elementary schools and have found I just can’t talk about this subject with many of my fellow white, middle class parents because so many of them have written off all but a few of the public schools here. They are all terrified of the process. I am nervous but EXCITED and committed to the idea of public schools. It’s nice to know there are others out there on the internets who feel the same way I do.

]]> By: Molly Watson http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1861 Molly Watson Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:00:36 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1861 Thanks for writing in, Rachel. The interviews should be very helpful for SF voters! Reminder to California voters: study up ahead of time. I vote absentee both so I never "forget" to vote and so I can fill out the ballot in the peace and quiet of my own home. It took me almost 2 hours to vote this year! (Of course, I was researching each proposition and candidate as I filled out the stack of ballots!) Thanks for writing in, Rachel. The interviews should be very helpful for SF voters!
Reminder to California voters: study up ahead of time. I vote absentee both so I never “forget” to vote and so I can fill out the ballot in the peace and quiet of my own home. It took me almost 2 hours to vote this year! (Of course, I was researching each proposition and candidate as I filled out the stack of ballots!)

]]> By: rpnorton http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1860 rpnorton Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:06:32 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1860 The single biggest thing people can do to support our schools is to get educated about school board candidates and VOTE. There are four seats up this year, and 13 candidates running to fill them. (OK, I'm one of them :-). "Senior Dad" and public school parent Stan Goldberg has conducted hour-long interviews with each candidate and made them available on his web site - http://srdad.com/SrDad/SFBoE/SFBoE.html - For the time-challenged, links to most of the candidates' web sites are here: http://www.sfusualsuspects.com/BattlefortheBoard (scroll down to "Board of Education"). And please, consider voting for PARENTS who are already making a difference in the schools. The single biggest thing people can do to support our schools is to get educated about school board candidates and VOTE. There are four seats up this year, and 13 candidates running to fill them. (OK, I’m one of them :-) . “Senior Dad” and public school parent Stan Goldberg has conducted hour-long interviews with each candidate and made them available on his web site -
http://srdad.com/SrDad/SFBoE/SFBoE.html -
For the time-challenged, links to most of the candidates’ web sites are here:
http://www.sfusualsuspects.com/BattlefortheBoard
(scroll down to “Board of Education”).
And please, consider voting for PARENTS who are already making a difference in the schools.

]]> By: Amy http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1855 Amy Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:39:11 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1855 Public schools in SF ARE NOT a lost cause. In fact, the schools in this city are doing quite well. We are the best urban school district in the state. Like you, I'm so tired of hearing people complain about schools. If someone thinks they're so bad, then they ought to do something about it. Public schools in SF ARE NOT a lost cause. In fact, the schools in this city are doing quite well. We are the best urban school district in the state. Like you, I’m so tired of hearing people complain about schools. If someone thinks they’re so bad, then they ought to do something about it.

]]> By: Dani in NC http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1848 Dani in NC Sat, 18 Oct 2008 19:23:48 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1848 Brava! I live in a part of NC where we don't have all the issues of school lotteries and waiting lists for private schools. I've heard about it from friends in other parts of the country, though. Whatever happened to sending your kids to the public school in your district and working to make that the best school it can be? Brava! I live in a part of NC where we don’t have all the issues of school lotteries and waiting lists for private schools. I’ve heard about it from friends in other parts of the country, though. Whatever happened to sending your kids to the public school in your district and working to make that the best school it can be?

]]> By: Deborah http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1846 Deborah Fri, 17 Oct 2008 22:43:38 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1846 Molly - it was great seeing you today and getting worked up over SF public schools. Excellent post. Molly – it was great seeing you today and getting worked up over SF public schools. Excellent post.

]]> By: tabitha http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/2008/10/17/sometimes-dinner-is-about-something-else/comment-page-1/#comment-1844 tabitha Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:09:39 +0000 http://www.thedinnerfiles.com/?p=519#comment-1844 Thank you! I couldn't agree with you more! I live in Chicago and we have some great public schools and some not so great but I think they all can be great with a little time and effort from the community. Plus there is something wonderful about the experience a public school can give a child vs. a private school. Thank you! I couldn’t agree with you more! I live in Chicago and we have some great public schools and some not so great but I think they all can be great with a little time and effort from the community. Plus there is something wonderful about the experience a public school can give a child vs. a private school.

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