What is the disciplinary process like for teachers in MCPS?

[Anonymous]

My child has a teacher this year who is a. a terrible person/or mentally ill and b. obviously under strict scrutiny by the school. The teacher has had some recent incidents involving potentially discriminatory verbal outbursts towards students. They are currently out for the next month. I assume it is related to their conduct but I'm curious how this all works with the union. I have professional experience working with a small union but nothing like MCPS. How hard is it to actually fire a teacher who deserves to be fired?

[Anonymous]

MCPS can’t afford to fire bad teachers when there are no replacements. Is this new to you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS can’t afford to fire bad teachers when there are no replacements. Is this new to you?

No but this one is particularly bad and a long term sub would be preferred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child has a teacher this year who is a. a terrible person/or mentally ill and b. obviously under strict scrutiny by the school. The teacher has had some recent incidents involving potentially discriminatory verbal outbursts towards students. They are currently out for the next month. I assume it is related to their conduct but I'm curious how this all works with the union. I have professional experience working with a small union but nothing like MCPS. How hard is it to actually fire a teacher who deserves to be fired?

They use RJ and I hear it works great.

[Anonymous]

It is not a transparent process and you will probably never know.

[Anonymous]

They can't and won't tell you, so it's good you're asking on DCUM, if someone in the know can tell you. But the reality is that there is a teacher AND a substitute shortage, so this teacher is probably here to stay, unless they have a total medical breakdown. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS can’t afford to fire bad teachers when there are no replacements. Is this new to you?

No but this one is particularly bad and a long term sub would be preferred.

Please find one or stop complaining.

[Anonymous]

I don't know but it came up at DC's old school. The teacher kept losing her temper with the kids and never responded to communication from parents while that school requires a response within 48 hours. We heard was even a no-show at staff meetings and parent teacher conferences. It was supposed to be an impossible process for administrators. Everyone - admin, other teacher, parents, kids -wanted her gone but she called in the union so she was able to hold the kids hostage the whole year.

She was obviously a hated and pretty hateful person. They finally got her pushed from the school but we heard she's still somewhere in MCPS.

There are other teachers we've encountered who have also grossly violated codes of conduct. For one it involved racially derogatory comments and other discriminatory behavior, another MCPS employee should be liable for gross ethics violations for taking money from families from a second job. But MCPS does nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can't and won't tell you, so it's good you're asking on DCUM, if someone in the know can tell you. But the reality is that there is a teacher AND a substitute shortage, so this teacher is probably here to stay, unless they have a total medical breakdown. Sorry.

or comit a crime

[Anonymous]

The one thing MCPS does respond to is bad press. You should post about it on social media or contact local reporters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't know but it came up at DC's old school. The teacher kept losing her temper with the kids and never responded to communication from parents while that school requires a response within 48 hours. We heard was even a no-show at staff meetings and parent teacher conferences. It was supposed to be an impossible process for administrators. Everyone - admin, other teacher, parents, kids -wanted her gone but she called in the union so she was able to hold the kids hostage the whole year.

She was obviously a hated and pretty hateful person. They finally got her pushed from the school but we heard she's still somewhere in MCPS.

There are other teachers we've encountered who have also grossly violated codes of conduct. For one it involved racially derogatory comments and other discriminatory behavior, another MCPS employee should be liable for gross ethics violations for taking money from families from a second job. But MCPS does nothing.

Your first story reminds me of a teacher we encountered at Bradley Hills. I'd bet money on it this is one and the same. I am also hoping there are not multiple versions of this situation going on in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

My experience is that the system gives bad teachers a long leash and a long rope. Definitely keep up the pressure and don't be afraid to use press to increase the pressure on the system.

[Anonymous]

When a poor teacher was confronted by the principal at DC's school after a tsunami of parent complaints she disappeared for a while and I was told it was due to some union advice like a mini-strike type thing.

We heard she still got paid and it wasn't an administrative leave. I think it's how the union operates. It's like terrorism. They can't replace the teacher and the class doesn't have a teacher which creates a huge problem for the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When a poor teacher was confronted by the principal at DC's school after a tsunami of parent complaints she disappeared for a while and I was told it was due to some union advice like a mini-strike type thing.

We heard she still got paid and it wasn't an administrative leave. I think it's how the union operates. It's like terrorism. They can't replace the teacher and the class doesn't have a teacher which creates a huge problem for the school.

Teacher unions are the worst of all unions. So shameful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When a poor teacher was confronted by the principal at DC's school after a tsunami of parent complaints she disappeared for a while and I was told it was due to some union advice like a mini-strike type thing.

We heard she still got paid and it wasn't an administrative leave. I think it's how the union operates. It's like terrorism. They can't replace the teacher and the class doesn't have a teacher which creates a huge problem for the school.

If they go on leave when they return the documenting process starts over, or something like that. so it's a strategic move to leave when you think you're in jeopardy, before you get fired. Principals have to follow a very strict timeline and if they miss a step they have to start over.