Fox 5 Is MCPS Still a Premier School District

[Anonymous]

I found this article by Stephanie Ramirez disappointing.
How can you write an article about how MCPS has lost its status and Standing without addressing the decline in academics??

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/is-mcps-still-a-premier-school-district

[Anonymous]

It IS Fox so what are we to expect?

[Anonymous]

The report asks a good question that it ultimately fails to answer. And to your point, it doesn’t even address all of the actual declines in the school system that have everyone asking the question: What Happened to MCPS?

[Anonymous]

What happened is we have a rotten board

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The report asks a good question that it ultimately fails to answer. And to your point, it doesn’t even address all of the actual declines in the school system that have everyone asking the question: What Happened to MCPS?

Because the answer to what happened is obvious, a district with a few very wealthy high schools and a lot of upper middle class and middle class schools has slowly accumulated ELL and FARMs students. Those kids don't test as well and don't have the same college out comes, so the district looks worse

[Anonymous]

Parent your kid. Vote sensibly. The ELLs will get a better education in MCPS and benefit our society. Remember they along with others bring the "diversity" that everyone claims they want for their kid to be exposed to, but have their kid turn their heads when a "diverse" person approaches them or sees them. Ya those people. The upper and upper middles will do fine regardless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parent your kid. Vote sensibly. The ELLs will get a better education in MCPS and benefit our society. Remember they along with others bring the "diversity" that everyone claims they want for their kid to be exposed to, but have their kid turn their heads when a "diverse" person approaches them or sees them. Ya those people. The upper and upper middles will do fine regardless.

Claiming everyone wants diversity as if people are buying homes here to expose their family to diversity is such a crock. People buy for the academic excellence first and foremost. Unfortunately, that's gone in the toilet. And no- it's not true that if you're wealthy you'll be fine. Your child may test higher on standardized tests but spending 12 years in a school system that doesn't correct grammar leads to poor outcomes for every child. I suspect those who make the "if you're rich you'll be fine" claims aren't actually reading their students work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent your kid. Vote sensibly. The ELLs will get a better education in MCPS and benefit our society. Remember they along with others bring the "diversity" that everyone claims they want for their kid to be exposed to, but have their kid turn their heads when a "diverse" person approaches them or sees them. Ya those people. The upper and upper middles will do fine regardless.

Claiming everyone wants diversity as if people are buying homes here to expose their family to diversity is such a crock. People buy for the academic excellence first and foremost. Unfortunately, that's gone in the toilet. And no- it's not true that if you're wealthy you'll be fine. Your child may test higher on standardized tests but spending 12 years in a school system that doesn't correct grammar leads to poor outcomes for every child. I suspect those who make the "if you're rich you'll be fine" claims aren't actually reading their students work.

And that is a direct result of the nonsense like Curriculum 2.0 and other garbage the board is responsible for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent your kid. Vote sensibly. The ELLs will get a better education in MCPS and benefit our society. Remember they along with others bring the "diversity" that everyone claims they want for their kid to be exposed to, but have their kid turn their heads when a "diverse" person approaches them or sees them. Ya those people. The upper and upper middles will do fine regardless.

Claiming everyone wants diversity as if people are buying homes here to expose their family to diversity is such a crock. People buy for the academic excellence first and foremost. Unfortunately, that's gone in the toilet. And no- it's not true that if you're wealthy you'll be fine. Your child may test higher on standardized tests but spending 12 years in a school system that doesn't correct grammar leads to poor outcomes for every child. I suspect those who make the "if you're rich you'll be fine" claims aren't actually reading their students work.

Everyone may not care about diversity but many people do, especially minorities. Yes they want academic excellence but they also want to be sure there kids will be in school where they won’t be a token and where they will see themselves reflected in the curriculum and staff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent your kid. Vote sensibly. The ELLs will get a better education in MCPS and benefit our society. Remember they along with others bring the "diversity" that everyone claims they want for their kid to be exposed to, but have their kid turn their heads when a "diverse" person approaches them or sees them. Ya those people. The upper and upper middles will do fine regardless.

Claiming everyone wants diversity as if people are buying homes here to expose their family to diversity is such a crock. People buy for the academic excellence first and foremost. Unfortunately, that's gone in the toilet. And no- it's not true that if you're wealthy you'll be fine. Your child may test higher on standardized tests but spending 12 years in a school system that doesn't correct grammar leads to poor outcomes for every child. I suspect those who make the "if you're rich you'll be fine" claims aren't actually reading their students work.

Everyone may not care about diversity but many people do, especially minorities. Yes they want academic excellence but they also want to be sure there kids will be in school where they won’t be a token and where they will see themselves reflected in the curriculum and staff.

Black and brown parents do care about diversity, but they care MORE about academic excellence and safety and security.

That's why you'll often see black and brown parents MOVE their kids to more well-to-do, majority-white schools within MCPS, even though they're less diverse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The report asks a good question that it ultimately fails to answer. And to your point, it doesn’t even address all of the actual declines in the school system that have everyone asking the question: What Happened to MCPS?

Because the answer to what happened is obvious, a district with a few very wealthy high schools and a lot of upper middle class and middle class schools has slowly accumulated ELL and FARMs students. Those kids don't test as well and don't have the same college out comes, so the district looks worse

Demographic shifts are part of the issue but nowhere near the totality or even necessarily the most significant contributing factor to MCPS's decline.

There is an abundance of:

1. Failed and incompetent leadership at all levels of MCPS
2. Inconceivable silos between people and departments, which results in contradictory or conflicting information and guidance
3. An erosion of standards for academics and student behavior due to socio-political ideals and theories that are failing everyone
4. A blind allegiance to the MCPS brand, which results in denial, gaslighting and outright lies when stakeholders raise concerns of complain instead of engaging in earnest problem solving

None of those things have been brought on by the demographic shifts in the county.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent your kid. Vote sensibly. The ELLs will get a better education in MCPS and benefit our society. Remember they along with others bring the "diversity" that everyone claims they want for their kid to be exposed to, but have their kid turn their heads when a "diverse" person approaches them or sees them. Ya those people. The upper and upper middles will do fine regardless.

Claiming everyone wants diversity as if people are buying homes here to expose their family to diversity is such a crock. People buy for the academic excellence first and foremost. Unfortunately, that's gone in the toilet. And no- it's not true that if you're wealthy you'll be fine. Your child may test higher on standardized tests but spending 12 years in a school system that doesn't correct grammar leads to poor outcomes for every child. I suspect those who make the "if you're rich you'll be fine" claims aren't actually reading their students work.

And that is a direct result of the nonsense like Curriculum 2.0 and other garbage the board is responsible for.

Curriculum 2.0 was started by Jerry Weast.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent your kid. Vote sensibly. The ELLs will get a better education in MCPS and benefit our society. Remember they along with others bring the "diversity" that everyone claims they want for their kid to be exposed to, but have their kid turn their heads when a "diverse" person approaches them or sees them. Ya those people. The upper and upper middles will do fine regardless.

Claiming everyone wants diversity as if people are buying homes here to expose their family to diversity is such a crock. People buy for the academic excellence first and foremost. Unfortunately, that's gone in the toilet. And no- it's not true that if you're wealthy you'll be fine. Your child may test higher on standardized tests but spending 12 years in a school system that doesn't correct grammar leads to poor outcomes for every child. I suspect those who make the "if you're rich you'll be fine" claims aren't actually reading their students work.

Everyone may not care about diversity but many people do, especially minorities. Yes they want academic excellence but they also want to be sure there kids will be in school where they won’t be a token and where they will see themselves reflected in the curriculum and staff.

Black and brown parents do care about diversity, but they care MORE about academic excellence and safety and security.

That's why you'll often see black and brown parents MOVE their kids to more well-to-do, majority-white schools within MCPS, even though they're less diverse.

And often they fine, that while the academics are better their kids are often LESS safe and secure in said majority-white schools. Hence all the dust ups about racism, bullying and bias in schools generally but especially the majority schools. Because even after being in the better academic environment they still have to fight to have their child recognized as capable, still have to fight for equal opportunities, and have to work overtime at home and outside of school to be sure their kid is comfortable with their being. Which is why those black and brown parents will take a school that’s 8/10 or 7/10 and diverse instead of 9/10 but a majority white school.

The people in 3/10 schools often can’t afford to move to majority white school and really are fighting to have their community given what’s needed so they can raise the bar. And frankly what’s likely needed most needs to happen outside of the school day. After school programs that do tutoring and homework. Community programs that teach families English. Erin study programs for Junior/Senior HS students. Community policing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parent your kid. Vote sensibly. The ELLs will get a better education in MCPS and benefit our society. Remember they along with others bring the "diversity" that everyone claims they want for their kid to be exposed to, but have their kid turn their heads when a "diverse" person approaches them or sees them. Ya those people. The upper and upper middles will do fine regardless.

Claiming everyone wants diversity as if people are buying homes here to expose their family to diversity is such a crock. People buy for the academic excellence first and foremost. Unfortunately, that's gone in the toilet. And no- it's not true that if you're wealthy you'll be fine. Your child may test higher on standardized tests but spending 12 years in a school system that doesn't correct grammar leads to poor outcomes for every child. I suspect those who make the "if you're rich you'll be fine" claims aren't actually reading their students work.

Everyone may not care about diversity but many people do, especially minorities. Yes they want academic excellence but they also want to be sure there kids will be in school where they won’t be a token and where they will see themselves reflected in the curriculum and staff.

Black and brown parents do care about diversity, but they care MORE about academic excellence and safety and security.

That's why you'll often see black and brown parents MOVE their kids to more well-to-do, majority-white schools within MCPS, even though they're less diverse.

And often they fine, that while the academics are better their kids are often LESS safe and secure in said majority-white schools. Hence all the dust ups about racism, bullying and bias in schools generally but especially the majority schools. Because even after being in the better academic environment they still have to fight to have their child recognized as capable, still have to fight for equal opportunities, and have to work overtime at home and outside of school to be sure their kid is comfortable with their being. Which is why those black and brown parents will take a school that’s 8/10 or 7/10 and diverse instead of 9/10 but a majority white school.

The people in 3/10 schools often can’t afford to move to majority white school and really are fighting to have their community given what’s needed so they can raise the bar. And frankly what’s likely needed most needs to happen outside of the school day. After school programs that do tutoring and homework. Community programs that teach families English. Erin study programs for Junior/Senior HS students. Community policing.

This is not as universally true for black and brown parents as you're stating. Yes, I agree with you, there are SOME parents who will make that calculated tradeoff in academic performance/safety and diversity to the 7 or 8/10 as you put it. But there are ALSO black and brown parents who actively seek the 9/10 majority-white schools no matter what. Some of this might be rooted in white-supermacist programming that anything white is better, but that is the reality: Some black and brown parents want their kids in a W school no matter what just like some of the most fervent W school parents here on DCUM.

Black and brown parents aren't a monolith. Diversity is not the highest priority for all of them when making decisions about their schools. Is it a priority for some? Sure. To what degree? Your mileage may vary.

What's really jarring for most black and brown parents is thaty they chose to live in MCPS to not have to worry about academic quality and safety and security at all. Now, we're being woken up to the reality that our schools have similar concerns with regard to safety and academics as we do to our neighboring school districts that we have historically seen as our inferiors: PG County Public Schools and DC Public Schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The report asks a good question that it ultimately fails to answer. And to your point, it doesn’t even address all of the actual declines in the school system that have everyone asking the question: What Happened to MCPS?

Because the answer to what happened is obvious, a district with a few very wealthy high schools and a lot of upper middle class and middle class schools has slowly accumulated ELL and FARMs students. Those kids don't test as well and don't have the same college out comes, so the district looks worse

Demographic shifts are part of the issue but nowhere near the totality or even necessarily the most significant contributing factor to MCPS's decline.

There is an abundance of:

1. Failed and incompetent leadership at all levels of MCPS
2. Inconceivable silos between people and departments, which results in contradictory or conflicting information and guidance
3. An erosion of standards for academics and student behavior due to socio-political ideals and theories that are failing everyone
4. A blind allegiance to the MCPS brand, which results in denial, gaslighting and outright lies when stakeholders raise concerns of complain instead of engaging in earnest problem solving

None of those things have been brought on by the demographic shifts in the county.

+1,000 this is why.