Ditch the PTA, join the Parents' Coalition?

[Anonymous]

Maybe we need a student "union" where the educational needs of the MCPS students are vigorously defended, lobbied, and taken seriously. Right now, it seems that teachers have advocated, parents complaints fall on deaf ears, and kids lose out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ever see the old Mel Gibson movie "Conspiracy Theory"? This is what the PC reminds me of to some degree. Come up with enough outlandishly crazy ideas and accusations and eventually they'll get one right.

Witness the hysteria they tried to create with the Wootton concert or the way they are running with the accusations that Highland Elementary cheated on their test scores.

Be realistic. PC is a group that exists to promote Janis and Roseanne and ..... The group seems to be using the blog to create hysteria and generate attention to promote the political aspiration of some in the group. Yes, they take shots at the PTA but are they any better?

Look at the blog and you will notice some post under pseudonyms!!! So much for transparency!!!! So, look at the list and get to know the folks to avoid.

Otherwise, enjoy the blog for what it is--a gossip column.

I you are going overboard and I think you are a Union/MCPS employee. I can't think of any parent that get's this exercised about PC. The Wootton concert was not a big deal to me, but I wasn't going to judge for others. Highland is a big deal and it was embarrassingly discoverred by an Atlanta Newpaper. That test score spike is suspcious. Given the backdrop of other testing scandals, it is a valid concern. The article quoted independent experts that raised concerns about it. As I posted in the Highland thread, my concern is with Josh Starr's response. It is a reflexive defense of the system and totally anthithical to the growth mindset he presented in the first book club meeting he had. Parents Coalition is posting MCPS' own data on budgets and resources that contradict Josh Starr's statement. I have lost a lot of trust with the BOE and now that trust is starting to disappear with Josh Starr. He needs to find the facts and present a credible explanation.

[Anonymous]

I needs to be stated here that many parents that show any inclination to "side" with the Parents Coalition are subjected to threats and intimidation by the PTA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I needs to be stated here that many parents that show any inclination to "side" with the Parents Coalition are subjected to threats and intimidation by the PTA.

Its true -- a couple of PTA goons mocked my quilted jacket and then sped off in a Prius.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I needs to be stated here that many parents that show any inclination to "side" with the Parents Coalition are subjected to threats and intimidation by the PTA.

I have heard of that happen in out school too.

[Anonymous]

NP here: It amazes me how vocal some people get about PC. I learn all sort of things about MCPS from that web site. You can criticize their tone, sure, but I don't see anyone here defending the purchase of $2M in promethian boards from a company whose stock has dropped 90%, whose product is not open sourced, and whose value on learning is not proven. All this at a time when we are increasing class sizes. I think this is a debatable issue that would never see the light of day without PC.

To me, it fascinating that some of this anit-PC posters are so exercised about PC. It just shows what people are up against when they disagree with the MCPS status quo. And no one here is critical of PC saying something false, like Fox news does. All criticism is essentially personality driven. MCPS would be better if we could have more open discussions. But alas, MoCo voters keep voting the same Apple Ballot folks into office. Fred Evans did lose the other day, though, so one non-apple ballot candidate is on the board. We need more voices for a better school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here: It amazes me how vocal some people get about PC. I learn all sort of things about MCPS from that web site. You can criticize their tone, sure, but I don't see anyone here defending the purchase of $2M in promethian boards from a company whose stock has dropped 90%, whose product is not open sourced, and whose value on learning is not proven. All this at a time when we are increasing class sizes. I think this is a debatable issue that would never see the light of day without PC.

To me, it fascinating that some of this anit-PC posters are so exercised about PC. It just shows what people are up against when they disagree with the MCPS status quo. And no one here is critical of PC saying something false, like Fox news does. All criticism is essentially personality driven. MCPS would be better if we could have more open discussions. But alas, MoCo voters keep voting the same Apple Ballot folks into office. Fred Evans did lose the other day, though, so one non-apple ballot candidate is on the board. We need more voices for a better school system.

a better school system?

Obviously your bubble stays w/in MCPS boundaries, as it's apparent you HAVEN'T been outside the system.

Take a look, fool, and see how far ahead MCPS is when compared to other school systems.

I love the ignorance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here: It amazes me how vocal some people get about PC. I learn all sort of things about MCPS from that web site. You can criticize their tone, sure, but I don't see anyone here defending the purchase of $2M in promethian boards from a company whose stock has dropped 90%, whose product is not open sourced, and whose value on learning is not proven. All this at a time when we are increasing class sizes. I think this is a debatable issue that would never see the light of day without PC.

To me, it fascinating that some of this anit-PC posters are so exercised about PC. It just shows what people are up against when they disagree with the MCPS status quo. And no one here is critical of PC saying something false, like Fox news does. All criticism is essentially personality driven. MCPS would be better if we could have more open discussions. But alas, MoCo voters keep voting the same Apple Ballot folks into office. Fred Evans did lose the other day, though, so one non-apple ballot candidate is on the board. We need more voices for a better school system.

a better school system?

Obviously your bubble stays w/in MCPS boundaries, as it's apparent you HAVEN'T been outside the system.

Take a look, fool, and see how far ahead MCPS is when compared to other school systems.

I love the ignorance.

For all the criticism of Janis Sartuci's tone, the anonymous MCPS/MCEA posters here take the cake. Somehow they get off scott free for their word bombs, while JS get's a ton of grief. People should connect the dots between JS's tone and these childish responses. This is what she faces. Wouldn't you talk like a stern adult, if your kids behaved this way.

Your response shows me a couple of things:

1) disrepect for other opinions
2) overconfidence of your own school system
3) no desire to improve

This kind of arrogance is not a recipe for success.

[Anonymous]

While some individuals certainly cross the line with their commentary on Janis, she gets the same as she delivers. Failure to see that is failure to understand her group and organization could improve and get better results with a better tone.

For example, the ONLY posters on her site that are disrespected are those that disagree with her. Even those who disagree nicely get blasted in disrespectful ways.

The ONLY posters ever attacked for posting anonymously are those that disagree with her. Interestingly enough they usually called MCPS PR people with no proof of that.

Posts that provide alternate views with facts and opinions are often not published. These include posts that aren't disrespectful but just poke holes in her opinions.

That kind of arrogance and overconfidence limits their ability to positively impact the system or be taken seriously by the broader public.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I needs to be stated here that many parents that show any inclination to "side" with the Parents Coalition are subjected to threats and intimidation by the PTA.

YES, this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I needs to be stated here that many parents that show any inclination to "side" with the Parents Coalition are subjected to threats and intimidation by the PTA.

YES, this.

How exactly does the PTA intimidate someone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I needs to be stated here that many parents that show any inclination to "side" with the Parents Coalition are subjected to threats and intimidation by the PTA.

YES, this.

How exactly does the PTA intimidate someone?

Another poster who is curious. What can the PTA actually do to you, if you agree with the Parents Coalition on something like Promethean boards? Refuse to sell you citrus, or refuse to let you bring a dish to International Night? I don't find the idea of "PTA intimidation" very credible. But feel free to give some examples that prove me wrong.

Plus, I know lots of our PTA members, and some of them probably have some of the same positions -- say, Promethean boards -- as the PC. I don't think there's such a stark divide, PTA vs. PC, as some here apparently believe.

[Anonymous]

They can also make snide remarks about you in the grocery store and spread gossip on the internet group.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can also make snide remarks about you in the grocery store and spread gossip on the internet group.

Can't tell if this is serious or jokey. If serious -- some examples, please?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can also make snide remarks about you in the grocery store and spread gossip on the internet group.

There was a thread on something like this a few months ago. But it was quite clearly, indisputably, infected with at least one troll. To the point where neutral readers (like me) couldn't tell fact from fiction. Plus, the OP of that thread seemed to have more of a problem with personal/self esteem-type issues than with any politicized PTA issues about promethean boards or the like. Could we get some examples of PTA intimidation we can actually trust?

Also, could someone explain how the PTA even *knows* someone is reading the PC blog? And how the PTA even *knows* you agree with something or anything Janis says? Seems to me these are threshold issues, before you can even start to talk about PTA intimidation.

Asking because I'm open to being convinced. But so far, nobody has offered a credible scenario of PTA intimidation of PC blog readers.