Antiracist System Audit

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

I did and you're statement makes it clear you failed to grasp it. MCPS can't solve these problems. Their scope is global. MCPS job is to educate children and because it's so distracted, it is failing to do that.

Next, MCPS should fund a study on solving global warming!

It was proven that the globe is not warming, so we changed it to climate change.

Agree MCPS needs to fund a multi-million dollar study to prevent climate change and poverty too. Who needs to hire teachers when we face so many large global problems!

MCPS has been building LEED certified buildings for years to help address their part in climate change. Heck, I do stuff, too, even though I can't solve climate change.

If no one tackles their own part of an enormous problem but rather waits for someone else to take care of it, it never gets taken care of.

MCPS’s own part is to meet each kid where they’re at as an individual and teach them academic subjects, specials like music and art, and physical education. That’s what my taxpayer money is paying for.

So MCPS should sweep any implicit bias and systemic racism under the rug?

Systems level: If they used valid research to identify just exactly what parts of MCPD were systemically racist, then they should work to remove it.

Individual level: We all have implicit bias. You can't get rid of it You can only modify actions. MCPS needs to outline very clear guidance on appropriate behavior. And then hold people accountable if they violate it.

You're advocating for paralysis by analysis. You don't need expensive, never-ending studies at the local level to know that systemic racism exists in MCPS. MCPS is not some magical land that is different from every other school district in the country. You combine the information we have locally with rigorous studies from elsewhere to understand what the issues are.

I am not. Mcps has a history of implementing new programs, costing millions, with zero accountability. The don’t sufficiently train employees and/or fail to bring in true experts, and their feel-good ideas never amount to any improvement. If we (if the board would do its job) and require explicit identification of things we can change, then oversight to ensure it has the desired effect, that would be a different story. How are they measuring effectiveness of Leader in Me for example? They aren’t. They instead just take credit for all the bright shiny new programs they force on kids (and teachers).

And the truth is MCPS is light years ahead of most of the nation making schools inclusive. There are tested, evidence based ways to do that, and we have done much of it. My kid hasn’t read one work of fiction yet that’s part of the old school, traditional (white) canon. Last year he read Yoruba Girl Dancing and this year he’s reading The Book of Unknown Americans. And that’s great. Social Studies is absolutely fantastic, teaching from multiple perspectives, using primary and secondary sources, and teaching the different value of each.

The rest is interpersonal behavior within explicitly stated norms. They didn’t need an antiracist audit for that.

Why is it fantastic that kids do not read anything from the source of our culture? And a large group of kids are given the message that their own ancestors are shameful? Why do we abandon our own culture because people from around the world were drawn to live in it?

Is that what you think the slave trade was?

Look at the books the PP posted. That is what I was referring to. And MCPS does plenty of education and atonement for the slave trade already. African Americans (including all of the recent immigrants) are 12% of the population of the U.S. and their perspective and experience is conveyed during a lot more than 12% of the time in literature and history. So no, I don't have any guilt over how slavery is taught in MCPS.

The Book of Unknown Americans is by Cristina Henriquez, who is Latina. How much space would you like to allow Latino books in the curriculum?

[Anonymous]

Btw PP, you are trying to argue that books with White authors should account for 88% of the MCPS curriculum in a school system that is 25% White. Do you not see how you are upholding White supremacy?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I took the survey, the questions and answer seemed to imply that implicit bias and disparate racial outcomes already existed. The questions were just asking me to rank my experience with them. I was dissatisfied that so much of the survey seemed to have a predetermined outcome. A few other staff I talked to felt the same way. There were no personal questions about educational background, SES, family structure. Only race and ethnicity. My problem with this is that when you only look at race then the only explanation for outcomes is racism. It seems over reductive. Race is literally the only thing someone can’t change about themselves.

+ a million. Even the name of the survey suggests a pre-determined outcome.

Agreed. They were looking for a pre-determined outcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

I did and you're statement makes it clear you failed to grasp it. MCPS can't solve these problems. Their scope is global. MCPS job is to educate children and because it's so distracted, it is failing to do that.

Next, MCPS should fund a study on solving global warming!

It was proven that the globe is not warming, so we changed it to climate change.

Agree MCPS needs to fund a multi-million dollar study to prevent climate change and poverty too. Who needs to hire teachers when we face so many large global problems!

MCPS has been building LEED certified buildings for years to help address their part in climate change. Heck, I do stuff, too, even though I can't solve climate change.

If no one tackles their own part of an enormous problem but rather waits for someone else to take care of it, it never gets taken care of.

MCPS’s own part is to meet each kid where they’re at as an individual and teach them academic subjects, specials like music and art, and physical education. That’s what my taxpayer money is paying for.

So MCPS should sweep any implicit bias and systemic racism under the rug?

Systems level: If they used valid research to identify just exactly what parts of MCPD were systemically racist, then they should work to remove it.

Individual level: We all have implicit bias. You can't get rid of it You can only modify actions. MCPS needs to outline very clear guidance on appropriate behavior. And then hold people accountable if they violate it.

You're advocating for paralysis by analysis. You don't need expensive, never-ending studies at the local level to know that systemic racism exists in MCPS. MCPS is not some magical land that is different from every other school district in the country. You combine the information we have locally with rigorous studies from elsewhere to understand what the issues are.

I am not. Mcps has a history of implementing new programs, costing millions, with zero accountability. The don’t sufficiently train employees and/or fail to bring in true experts, and their feel-good ideas never amount to any improvement. If we (if the board would do its job) and require explicit identification of things we can change, then oversight to ensure it has the desired effect, that would be a different story. How are they measuring effectiveness of Leader in Me for example? They aren’t. They instead just take credit for all the bright shiny new programs they force on kids (and teachers).

And the truth is MCPS is light years ahead of most of the nation making schools inclusive. There are tested, evidence based ways to do that, and we have done much of it. My kid hasn’t read one work of fiction yet that’s part of the old school, traditional (white) canon. Last year he read Yoruba Girl Dancing and this year he’s reading The Book of Unknown Americans. And that’s great. Social Studies is absolutely fantastic, teaching from multiple perspectives, using primary and secondary sources, and teaching the different value of each.

The rest is interpersonal behavior within explicitly stated norms. They didn’t need an antiracist audit for that.

That is fine that most of the books that my kid is reading are based on POC characters, but how do you explain this?

POC have to sit separately on the bus and in classrooms.
POC are not allowed to speak in classrooms.
POC are not allowed to take Honors and AP classes.

What?...... wait.........Never mind

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I took the survey, the questions and answer seemed to imply that implicit bias and disparate racial outcomes already existed. The questions were just asking me to rank my experience with them. I was dissatisfied that so much of the survey seemed to have a predetermined outcome. A few other staff I talked to felt the same way. There were no personal questions about educational background, SES, family structure. Only race and ethnicity. My problem with this is that when you only look at race then the only explanation for outcomes is racism. It seems over reductive. Race is literally the only thing someone can’t change about themselves.

+ a million. Even the name of the survey suggests a pre-determined outcome.

Agreed. They were looking for a pre-determined outcome.

True but lnothing they do will have an impact since the scope I as so much larger than my this district

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

I did and you're statement makes it clear you failed to grasp it. MCPS can't solve these problems. Their scope is global. MCPS job is to educate children and because it's so distracted, it is failing to do that.

Next, MCPS should fund a study on solving global warming!

It was proven that the globe is not warming, so we changed it to climate change.

Agree MCPS needs to fund a multi-million dollar study to prevent climate change and poverty too. Who needs to hire teachers when we face so many large global problems!

MCPS has been building LEED certified buildings for years to help address their part in climate change. Heck, I do stuff, too, even though I can't solve climate change.

If no one tackles their own part of an enormous problem but rather waits for someone else to take care of it, it never gets taken care of.

MCPS’s own part is to meet each kid where they’re at as an individual and teach them academic subjects, specials like music and art, and physical education. That’s what my taxpayer money is paying for.

So MCPS should sweep any implicit bias and systemic racism under the rug?

Systems level: If they used valid research to identify just exactly what parts of MCPD were systemically racist, then they should work to remove it.

Individual level: We all have implicit bias. You can't get rid of it You can only modify actions. MCPS needs to outline very clear guidance on appropriate behavior. And then hold people accountable if they violate it.

You're advocating for paralysis by analysis. You don't need expensive, never-ending studies at the local level to know that systemic racism exists in MCPS. MCPS is not some magical land that is different from every other school district in the country. You combine the information we have locally with rigorous studies from elsewhere to understand what the issues are.

I am not. Mcps has a history of implementing new programs, costing millions, with zero accountability. The don’t sufficiently train employees and/or fail to bring in true experts, and their feel-good ideas never amount to any improvement. If we (if the board would do its job) and require explicit identification of things we can change, then oversight to ensure it has the desired effect, that would be a different story. How are they measuring effectiveness of Leader in Me for example? They aren’t. They instead just take credit for all the bright shiny new programs they force on kids (and teachers).

And the truth is MCPS is light years ahead of most of the nation making schools inclusive. There are tested, evidence based ways to do that, and we have done much of it. My kid hasn’t read one work of fiction yet that’s part of the old school, traditional (white) canon. Last year he read Yoruba Girl Dancing and this year he’s reading The Book of Unknown Americans. And that’s great. Social Studies is absolutely fantastic, teaching from multiple perspectives, using primary and secondary sources, and teaching the different value of each.

The rest is interpersonal behavior within explicitly stated norms. They didn’t need an antiracist audit for that.

That is fine that most of the books that my kid is reading are based on POC characters, but how do you explain this?

POC have to sit separately on the bus and in classrooms.
POC are not allowed to speak in classrooms.
POC are not allowed to take Honors and AP classes.

What?...... wait.........Never mind

Most of the students in MCPS are POC, so yes, it makes sense that most of the characters in books they read are POC. As for the rest of your garbage post? Sure, let's just write random things that nobody is accusing MCPS of and pretend we're somehow disproving something. All because you're pissed your darling child has to read about Black kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Btw PP, you are trying to argue that books with White authors should account for 88% of the MCPS curriculum in a school system that is 25% White. Do you not see how you are upholding White supremacy?

Your post implies that we need to introduce more Black and Brown authors simply because the percentage of Black and Brown students in MCPS is larger. That is also ridiculous.

My MS kid read 'The Pact' last year, likely to fulfill some quota of books about/by Black authors. It was trash. Poorly written and crap. I can guarantee you that MCPS is not doing Black and Brown kids any favors by pushing books like this on our kids. The White and Asian parents will still make sure their kids get a good education, whether it's in private school or supplementing outside of school. And, those kids, or the kids in the 'better' clusters are still reading the classics.

Quit the hyperfocus on race, and percentage of racial makeups, and all of this nonsense. Expect excellence, or at least expect competence, from kids of ALL races.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I took the survey, the questions and answer seemed to imply that implicit bias and disparate racial outcomes already existed. The questions were just asking me to rank my experience with them. I was dissatisfied that so much of the survey seemed to have a predetermined outcome. A few other staff I talked to felt the same way. There were no personal questions about educational background, SES, family structure. Only race and ethnicity. My problem with this is that when you only look at race then the only explanation for outcomes is racism. It seems over reductive. Race is literally the only thing someone can’t change about themselves.

+ a million. Even the name of the survey suggests a pre-determined outcome.

Agreed. They were looking for a pre-determined outcome.

True but lnothing they do will have an impact since the scope I as so much larger than my this district

Crime exists everywhere. Why should we try to do anything about it? This is a societal problem!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Btw PP, you are trying to argue that books with White authors should account for 88% of the MCPS curriculum in a school system that is 25% White. Do you not see how you are upholding White supremacy?

Your post implies that we need to introduce more Black and Brown authors simply because the percentage of Black and Brown students in MCPS is larger. That is also ridiculous.

My MS kid read 'The Pact' last year, likely to fulfill some quota of books about/by Black authors. It was trash. Poorly written and crap. I can guarantee you that MCPS is not doing Black and Brown kids any favors by pushing books like this on our kids. The White and Asian parents will still make sure their kids get a good education, whether it's in private school or supplementing outside of school. And, those kids, or the kids in the 'better' clusters are still reading the classics.

Quit the hyperfocus on race, and percentage of racial makeups, and all of this nonsense. Expect excellence, or at least expect competence, from kids of ALL races.

Your post implies books written by White authors are better than those written by POC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

I did and you're statement makes it clear you failed to grasp it. MCPS can't solve these problems. Their scope is global. MCPS job is to educate children and because it's so distracted, it is failing to do that.

Next, MCPS should fund a study on solving global warming!

It was proven that the globe is not warming, so we changed it to climate change.

Agree MCPS needs to fund a multi-million dollar study to prevent climate change and poverty too. Who needs to hire teachers when we face so many large global problems!

MCPS has been building LEED certified buildings for years to help address their part in climate change. Heck, I do stuff, too, even though I can't solve climate change.

If no one tackles their own part of an enormous problem but rather waits for someone else to take care of it, it never gets taken care of.

MCPS’s own part is to meet each kid where they’re at as an individual and teach them academic subjects, specials like music and art, and physical education. That’s what my taxpayer money is paying for.

So MCPS should sweep any implicit bias and systemic racism under the rug?

Systems level: If they used valid research to identify just exactly what parts of MCPD were systemically racist, then they should work to remove it.

Individual level: We all have implicit bias. You can't get rid of it You can only modify actions. MCPS needs to outline very clear guidance on appropriate behavior. And then hold people accountable if they violate it.

You're advocating for paralysis by analysis. You don't need expensive, never-ending studies at the local level to know that systemic racism exists in MCPS. MCPS is not some magical land that is different from every other school district in the country. You combine the information we have locally with rigorous studies from elsewhere to understand what the issues are.

I am not. Mcps has a history of implementing new programs, costing millions, with zero accountability. The don’t sufficiently train employees and/or fail to bring in true experts, and their feel-good ideas never amount to any improvement. If we (if the board would do its job) and require explicit identification of things we can change, then oversight to ensure it has the desired effect, that would be a different story. How are they measuring effectiveness of Leader in Me for example? They aren’t. They instead just take credit for all the bright shiny new programs they force on kids (and teachers).

And the truth is MCPS is light years ahead of most of the nation making schools inclusive. There are tested, evidence based ways to do that, and we have done much of it. My kid hasn’t read one work of fiction yet that’s part of the old school, traditional (white) canon. Last year he read Yoruba Girl Dancing and this year he’s reading The Book of Unknown Americans. And that’s great. Social Studies is absolutely fantastic, teaching from multiple perspectives, using primary and secondary sources, and teaching the different value of each.

The rest is interpersonal behavior within explicitly stated norms. They didn’t need an antiracist audit for that.

I agree with you that they need to evaluate new programs, but that's not what you were advocating for in your previous post. You are just changing the subject. And no, reading books by authors of color does not mean MCOS has overcome racism. GTFOOH.

It actually is. Sorry I wasn't clear. But you are assuming and judging instead of asking for clarification, which is exactly what antiracist training tells you not to do.

Here is what I'd like to see MCPS do:
1) Hire true educational researchers to conduct a real study on potential racial disparities caused by school practices, controlling for confounding factors external to MCPS.
2) Address those factors.
3) Report back on progress (or lack thereof).

Because this antiracism audit is all about how people feel, and MCPS will implement expensive programs based on the buzz words of today's society, and effect little change, if any. And we won't know because NOBODY HOLDS THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

And when a real research group looks at the schools, they will see we are already doing most of what needs to be done. MCPS can't be held responsible for racial disparities that are created outside the school system. That is setting them up for failure and then more community rage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

I did and you're statement makes it clear you failed to grasp it. MCPS can't solve these problems. Their scope is global. MCPS job is to educate children and because it's so distracted, it is failing to do that.

Next, MCPS should fund a study on solving global warming!

It was proven that the globe is not warming, so we changed it to climate change.

Agree MCPS needs to fund a multi-million dollar study to prevent climate change and poverty too. Who needs to hire teachers when we face so many large global problems!

MCPS has been building LEED certified buildings for years to help address their part in climate change. Heck, I do stuff, too, even though I can't solve climate change.

If no one tackles their own part of an enormous problem but rather waits for someone else to take care of it, it never gets taken care of.

MCPS’s own part is to meet each kid where they’re at as an individual and teach them academic subjects, specials like music and art, and physical education. That’s what my taxpayer money is paying for.

So MCPS should sweep any implicit bias and systemic racism under the rug?

Systems level: If they used valid research to identify just exactly what parts of MCPD were systemically racist, then they should work to remove it.

Individual level: We all have implicit bias. You can't get rid of it You can only modify actions. MCPS needs to outline very clear guidance on appropriate behavior. And then hold people accountable if they violate it.

You're advocating for paralysis by analysis. You don't need expensive, never-ending studies at the local level to know that systemic racism exists in MCPS. MCPS is not some magical land that is different from every other school district in the country. You combine the information we have locally with rigorous studies from elsewhere to understand what the issues are.

I am not. Mcps has a history of implementing new programs, costing millions, with zero accountability. The don’t sufficiently train employees and/or fail to bring in true experts, and their feel-good ideas never amount to any improvement. If we (if the board would do its job) and require explicit identification of things we can change, then oversight to ensure it has the desired effect, that would be a different story. How are they measuring effectiveness of Leader in Me for example? They aren’t. They instead just take credit for all the bright shiny new programs they force on kids (and teachers).

And the truth is MCPS is light years ahead of most of the nation making schools inclusive. There are tested, evidence based ways to do that, and we have done much of it. My kid hasn’t read one work of fiction yet that’s part of the old school, traditional (white) canon. Last year he read Yoruba Girl Dancing and this year he’s reading The Book of Unknown Americans. And that’s great. Social Studies is absolutely fantastic, teaching from multiple perspectives, using primary and secondary sources, and teaching the different value of each.

The rest is interpersonal behavior within explicitly stated norms. They didn’t need an antiracist audit for that.

Why is it fantastic that kids do not read anything from the source of our culture? And a large group of kids are given the message that their own ancestors are shameful? Why do we abandon our own culture because people from around the world were drawn to live in it?

I said the social studies curriculum is fantastic. The books are from English class, and I do think it's great to read authors of color. But I never said we should exclude traditional white texts. I think they should read both. My anecdote was meant to illustrate that the school system has changed its curricula to be more inclusive and in the case of social studies, more honest.

[Anonymous]

Please look up the mirrors and windows idea of what students should have in curriculum. They should see themselves and also get windows into other cultures. I've been delighted with my kid's exposure to other cultures through the books they've been assigned.

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Anonymous wrote:What does racial equity work look like when there is no proof that disparities in any particular measure means there is bias?

Why not just meet every child where they are and go from there?

This is such a racist dog whistle. Any such disparities are due to systemic inquities in the classroom.

It isn't racist. It's intelligent inquiry. Association is not causation.

But if you build policy on association, you end up with unintended, and often harmful impacts. And no guarantee you actually fix anything.

Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are born and remain in poverty when others come from outrageous wealth.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have robust health insurance coverage that pays for neuropsych exams and years of therapy when other kids have nothing.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids are homeless and others have stable homes, stable transportation, etc.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents with mental health or substance misuse disorders and other kids have parents with no additional medical needs.
Schools can't equalize outcomes when some kids have parents who can run to the store for the supplies they need for a last minute project and others can't.


If we ignore those systematic inequities outside of school, we have no hope of improving things within schools.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think a goal of any school should be equalized outcomes. Equalized opportunities sure, but not outcomes.

If you read the comments in the audit report, it is clear that many do not perceive equalized opportunities.

Yes, this has been an ongoing issue with the USA but not something MCPS can correct. MCPS needs to focus on educating children and leave societal issues to soceity.

Obviously MCPS can't correct all the problems of society; no one is suggesting that they should. But I see nothing wrong with MCPS trying to correct the school-based problems cited in the report.

Unfortunately those problems stem from larger societal problems and are beyond mcps' pervue.

Sounds like you haven't read the report. There are plenty of issues within MCPS's purview.

I did and you're statement makes it clear you failed to grasp it. MCPS can't solve these problems. Their scope is global. MCPS job is to educate children and because it's so distracted, it is failing to do that.

Next, MCPS should fund a study on solving global warming!

It was proven that the globe is not warming, so we changed it to climate change.

Agree MCPS needs to fund a multi-million dollar study to prevent climate change and poverty too. Who needs to hire teachers when we face so many large global problems!

MCPS has been building LEED certified buildings for years to help address their part in climate change. Heck, I do stuff, too, even though I can't solve climate change.

If no one tackles their own part of an enormous problem but rather waits for someone else to take care of it, it never gets taken care of.

MCPS’s own part is to meet each kid where they’re at as an individual and teach them academic subjects, specials like music and art, and physical education. That’s what my taxpayer money is paying for.

So MCPS should sweep any implicit bias and systemic racism under the rug?

Systems level: If they used valid research to identify just exactly what parts of MCPD were systemically racist, then they should work to remove it.

Individual level: We all have implicit bias. You can't get rid of it You can only modify actions. MCPS needs to outline very clear guidance on appropriate behavior. And then hold people accountable if they violate it.

You're advocating for paralysis by analysis. You don't need expensive, never-ending studies at the local level to know that systemic racism exists in MCPS. MCPS is not some magical land that is different from every other school district in the country. You combine the information we have locally with rigorous studies from elsewhere to understand what the issues are.

I am not. Mcps has a history of implementing new programs, costing millions, with zero accountability. The don’t sufficiently train employees and/or fail to bring in true experts, and their feel-good ideas never amount to any improvement. If we (if the board would do its job) and require explicit identification of things we can change, then oversight to ensure it has the desired effect, that would be a different story. How are they measuring effectiveness of Leader in Me for example? They aren’t. They instead just take credit for all the bright shiny new programs they force on kids (and teachers).

And the truth is MCPS is light years ahead of most of the nation making schools inclusive. There are tested, evidence based ways to do that, and we have done much of it. My kid hasn’t read one work of fiction yet that’s part of the old school, traditional (white) canon. Last year he read Yoruba Girl Dancing and this year he’s reading The Book of Unknown Americans. And that’s great. Social Studies is absolutely fantastic, teaching from multiple perspectives, using primary and secondary sources, and teaching the different value of each.

The rest is interpersonal behavior within explicitly stated norms. They didn’t need an antiracist audit for that.

I agree with you that they need to evaluate new programs, but that's not what you were advocating for in your previous post. You are just changing the subject. And no, reading books by authors of color does not mean MCOS has overcome racism. GTFOOH.

It actually is. Sorry I wasn't clear. But you are assuming and judging instead of asking for clarification, which is exactly what antiracist training tells you not to do.

Here is what I'd like to see MCPS do:
1) Hire true educational researchers to conduct a real study on potential racial disparities caused by school practices, controlling for confounding factors external to MCPS.
2) Address those factors.
3) Report back on progress (or lack thereof).

Because this antiracism audit is all about how people feel, and MCPS will implement expensive programs based on the buzz words of today's society, and effect little change, if any. And we won't know because NOBODY HOLDS THEM ACCOUNTABLE.

And when a real research group looks at the schools, they will see we are already doing most of what needs to be done. MCPS can't be held responsible for racial disparities that are created outside the school system. That is setting them up for failure and then more community rage.

I think you are vastly overestimating what "true educational researchers" can do. Establishing causality is very difficult and frankly in this case, impossible. You think they are going to come in and do an RCT? Nope.

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Anonymous wrote:Btw PP, you are trying to argue that books with White authors should account for 88% of the MCPS curriculum in a school system that is 25% White. Do you not see how you are upholding White supremacy?

Your post implies that we need to introduce more Black and Brown authors simply because the percentage of Black and Brown students in MCPS is larger. That is also ridiculous.

My MS kid read 'The Pact' last year, likely to fulfill some quota of books about/by Black authors. It was trash. Poorly written and crap. I can guarantee you that MCPS is not doing Black and Brown kids any favors by pushing books like this on our kids. The White and Asian parents will still make sure their kids get a good education, whether it's in private school or supplementing outside of school. And, those kids, or the kids in the 'better' clusters are still reading the classics.

Quit the hyperfocus on race, and percentage of racial makeups, and all of this nonsense. Expect excellence, or at least expect competence, from kids of ALL races.

Your post implies books written by White authors are better than those written by POC.

Nope. Not implying or saying that at all.

I want kids to read well-written books. Regardless of the race of the author.

Having kids read crap books just to ensure they are reading ‘diverse’ books doesn’t do them any favors. The kids are just missing out on reading the books that more ‘well-educated’ kids will have read.

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Anonymous wrote:Btw PP, you are trying to argue that books with White authors should account for 88% of the MCPS curriculum in a school system that is 25% White. Do you not see how you are upholding White supremacy?

Your post implies that we need to introduce more Black and Brown authors simply because the percentage of Black and Brown students in MCPS is larger. That is also ridiculous.

My MS kid read 'The Pact' last year, likely to fulfill some quota of books about/by Black authors. It was trash. Poorly written and crap. I can guarantee you that MCPS is not doing Black and Brown kids any favors by pushing books like this on our kids. The White and Asian parents will still make sure their kids get a good education, whether it's in private school or supplementing outside of school. And, those kids, or the kids in the 'better' clusters are still reading the classics.

Quit the hyperfocus on race, and percentage of racial makeups, and all of this nonsense. Expect excellence, or at least expect competence, from kids of ALL races.

Your post implies books written by White authors are better than those written by POC.

Nope. Not implying or saying that at all.

I want kids to read well-written books. Regardless of the race of the author.

Having kids read crap books just to ensure they are reading ‘diverse’ books doesn’t do them any favors. The kids are just missing out on reading the books that more ‘well-educated’ kids will have read.

I mean you have pretty much said that to be "well-educated" kids need to read books written by White authors. We all know what you are saying. Also you don't think children of color need to read books by authors of color. That's simply not true.