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Do I want my child to be a global leader? No thanks Do I want my child to be a global leader? No thanks
(about 2 hours later)
It’s a mark of how depressed New York is ahead of the inauguration this week that taking time out to focus on what is usually the season’s least fun event – the city’s annual deadline for preschool applications – felt like a welcome distraction. If there is a test of one’s commitment to living in this city, it is the byzantine school system, which requires a Matrix-like ability to see years into the future and try to budget for every contingency.It’s a mark of how depressed New York is ahead of the inauguration this week that taking time out to focus on what is usually the season’s least fun event – the city’s annual deadline for preschool applications – felt like a welcome distraction. If there is a test of one’s commitment to living in this city, it is the byzantine school system, which requires a Matrix-like ability to see years into the future and try to budget for every contingency.
By which I mean, the possibility of none of your school choices coming up and having to bus your kid to some distant neighbourhood; that the district border changes, moving you out of the catchment for a school with an 80% pass rate and into one with an 8% pass rate; that you decide to opt out of having disposable income ever again and enter the private school system. At one open house this week, another parent grimly advised me to knuckle down and move apartments now, when my children are two, rather than wait for the rush for the door when they get nearer kindergarten age and the new zoning boundaries come into effect.By which I mean, the possibility of none of your school choices coming up and having to bus your kid to some distant neighbourhood; that the district border changes, moving you out of the catchment for a school with an 80% pass rate and into one with an 8% pass rate; that you decide to opt out of having disposable income ever again and enter the private school system. At one open house this week, another parent grimly advised me to knuckle down and move apartments now, when my children are two, rather than wait for the rush for the door when they get nearer kindergarten age and the new zoning boundaries come into effect.
As recently as six months ago, I had thought I would be relaxed about all this. Any deficits in schooling are, I felt confident, more than made up for by the kind of fusspot parenting that even a median household income gives one time to indulge. This was naive. I had overlooked the contagious effect of mass panic, and the way in which even the most glancing exposure to the private school system chips away at your conviction that good enough will do.As recently as six months ago, I had thought I would be relaxed about all this. Any deficits in schooling are, I felt confident, more than made up for by the kind of fusspot parenting that even a median household income gives one time to indulge. This was naive. I had overlooked the contagious effect of mass panic, and the way in which even the most glancing exposure to the private school system chips away at your conviction that good enough will do.
“The thing is,” said the director of one private preschool this week, as we tip-toed around sleeping three-year-olds on a tour, “we know there’s a good government school in this zone, but most of our parents choose not to rip their children out of this programme when they’re happy and settled.” I could see this was manipulative but it still triggered the guilt. At another, I got three-quarters of the way down the application form before noticing the words “united in Christ” and jumping out of my chair.“The thing is,” said the director of one private preschool this week, as we tip-toed around sleeping three-year-olds on a tour, “we know there’s a good government school in this zone, but most of our parents choose not to rip their children out of this programme when they’re happy and settled.” I could see this was manipulative but it still triggered the guilt. At another, I got three-quarters of the way down the application form before noticing the words “united in Christ” and jumping out of my chair.
And then there was this: what is technically our nearest school, with its mission statement to create “the next generation of global leaders”, illustrated with a picture of a four-year-old staring blankly at a pot plant. With Donald Trump in the White House, that sounds less like a promise than a threat. And then there was this: what is technically our nearest school has a mission statement to create “the next generation of global leaders”, illustrated with a picture of a four-year-old staring blankly at a pot plant. With Donald Trump in the White House, that sounds less like a promise than a threat.
CNN channels PaxmanCNN channels Paxman
Like most TV news anchors in the US, Anderson Cooper, star of CNN, is not known for his aggressive style. He is known for his silvery charm and his thoughtful resting face, which he assumes after every tedious question.Like most TV news anchors in the US, Anderson Cooper, star of CNN, is not known for his aggressive style. He is known for his silvery charm and his thoughtful resting face, which he assumes after every tedious question.
It was sensational this week, therefore, to see him get properly stroppy with Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway, who came on the show to double down on Trump’s assessment that CNN is a purveyor of “fake news”. Cooper had obviously taken this personally, and he wouldn’t let it go when she conflated CNN, which did not release the intelligence report, with Buzzfeed, which did, and claimed both had published news that was untrue.It was sensational this week, therefore, to see him get properly stroppy with Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway, who came on the show to double down on Trump’s assessment that CNN is a purveyor of “fake news”. Cooper had obviously taken this personally, and he wouldn’t let it go when she conflated CNN, which did not release the intelligence report, with Buzzfeed, which did, and claimed both had published news that was untrue.
“How can you say it’s not true?” asked Cooper, in reference to CNN’s report on the existence of the dossier. A moment later, he said, “Again, you’re not answering the question. How can you say it’s not true?” Conway fudged and vacillated like a snake trying to get through a hole, eventually giving a smirk and remarking: “I know CNN must be feeling the heat today.” To which Cooper replied, “I think you guys are feeling the heat!” Woo-hoo! It wasn’t Paxman v Michael Howard, but it was better than business as usual.“How can you say it’s not true?” asked Cooper, in reference to CNN’s report on the existence of the dossier. A moment later, he said, “Again, you’re not answering the question. How can you say it’s not true?” Conway fudged and vacillated like a snake trying to get through a hole, eventually giving a smirk and remarking: “I know CNN must be feeling the heat today.” To which Cooper replied, “I think you guys are feeling the heat!” Woo-hoo! It wasn’t Paxman v Michael Howard, but it was better than business as usual.
Wealthy women’s march?Wealthy women’s march?
I have been taken to task for wimping out on the Women’s March this Saturday because I hate crowds and cold weather. Quite right; friends going to Washington are inspiring and shaming. One overlooked thing: the fleet of nannies and babysitters coming in from New York’s outer boroughs to watch the children of wealthier women marching. This is either an example of every woman doing her bit, or something the march itself might draw attention to: the luxury of who gets to protest.I have been taken to task for wimping out on the Women’s March this Saturday because I hate crowds and cold weather. Quite right; friends going to Washington are inspiring and shaming. One overlooked thing: the fleet of nannies and babysitters coming in from New York’s outer boroughs to watch the children of wealthier women marching. This is either an example of every woman doing her bit, or something the march itself might draw attention to: the luxury of who gets to protest.