ACPS school board

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I’m not sure why anyone would want to be on the board. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t with anything in ACPS.

But this board, and previous boards, have never taken any risks. They simply follow what central office and the superintendents tell them to do. They only do one thing, the results keep getting worse and they keep the course. They never do the other thing. They never take any risks.

School board is a starting point for progressive politicals. Education policy is a hot topic right now that doesn't require expertise in the subject or demonstrated results.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I’m not sure why anyone would want to be on the board. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t with anything in ACPS.

But this board, and previous boards, have never taken any risks. They simply follow what central office and the superintendents tell them to do. They only do one thing, the results keep getting worse and they keep the course. They never do the other thing. They never take any risks.

Then run yourself. Seems pretty simple, really.

Can you explain your logic?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

Dr. Hutchings has entered the chat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

Dr. Hutchings has entered the chat.

Yes. Hutchings does not understand what equity means even though it is all that it talks about. The equity means meeting both the needs of vulnerable students and gifted students (as well ask other students with other specific needs).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

Dr. Hutchings has entered the chat.

Yes. Hutchings does not understand what equity means even though it is all that it talks about. The equity means meeting both the needs of vulnerable students and gifted students (as well ask other students with other specific needs).

Agree. As a parent of two children with disabilities in ACPS, the equity argument falls REALLY flat with me. Equity for Supe is racial equity only.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of the school board members aren't even parents.

And one who is (or was, anyway) tried to fire/run off some of the best teachers TC had, so spare is the “you have to be a parent to be on the board” stuff.

[Anonymous]

Equity is equal outcomes for everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of the school board members aren't even parents.

And one who is (or was, anyway) tried to fire/run off some of the best teachers TC had, so spare is the “you have to be a parent to be on the board” stuff.

And, according to some here, another's base and most ardent supporters are private school parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I’m not sure why anyone would want to be on the board. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t with anything in ACPS.

But this board, and previous boards, have never taken any risks. They simply follow what central office and the superintendents tell them to do. They only do one thing, the results keep getting worse and they keep the course. They never do the other thing. They never take any risks.

Then run yourself. Seems pretty simple, really.

It's not that simple, and you know it. There's actually a pretty small % of residents with kids in public schools in Alexandria. And an even small % of those parents that even care or notice the school board. So voters, if they even bother to research school board candidates at all, will tend to fall in line with the establishment candidates, those hand picked, or vetted by the city political "machine". And if you're not in-line with that group, you're not going to get their blessing, and you're not going to get elected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I’m not sure why anyone would want to be on the board. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t with anything in ACPS.

But this board, and previous boards, have never taken any risks. They simply follow what central office and the superintendents tell them to do. They only do one thing, the results keep getting worse and they keep the course. They never do the other thing. They never take any risks.

Then run yourself. Seems pretty simple, really.

It's not that simple, and you know it. There's actually a pretty small % of residents with kids in public schools in Alexandria. And an even small % of those parents that even care or notice the school board. So voters, if they even bother to research school board candidates at all, will tend to fall in line with the establishment candidates, those hand picked, or vetted by the city political "machine". And if you're not in-line with that group, you're not going to get their blessing, and you're not going to get elected.

Excuses excuses

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

When 20-30% of your poorest kids aren't reading in elementary school, I'd say you're not meeting those basic needs either.

It's much worse than that. It's only 20% to 30% that can read. It's 80% to 70% cannot read. Math is even worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If there is a candidate who can show they don't have a conflict of interest and is not beholden to any special interest and can set up a small-donor campaign, I would be willing to donate regularly and volunteer. But such a candidate is fairly rare. Even more rare is one who is a parent of school-aged children. Such parents generally just don't have the time or wherewithal to run such a campaign.

Abdel Elnoubi - is a parent of school-aged children and really does his best to represent the community on the school board. His campaign was funded by small donors and I am sure he would be glad to have more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is a candidate who can show they don't have a conflict of interest and is not beholden to any special interest and can set up a small-donor campaign, I would be willing to donate regularly and volunteer. But such a candidate is fairly rare. Even more rare is one who is a parent of school-aged children. Such parents generally just don't have the time or wherewithal to run such a campaign.

Abdel Elnoubi - is a parent of school-aged children and really does his best to represent the community on the school board. His campaign was funded by small donors and I am sure he would be glad to have more.

How is he doing this?

I only watch a school board meeting about once a month so I haven't noticed anything but I may have missed something. I remember that he was one of two school board members who criticized Hutchings "suggestion" not to talk to press. He also implied that they shouldn't talk to constituents. But he's also followed the directive ever since.

I was also disappointed that not a single new school board member, including Elnoubi, spoke up when the Minnie Howard rape coverup was revealed. Maybe even more so given that he (and Baird) ran partially on transparency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is a candidate who can show they don't have a conflict of interest and is not beholden to any special interest and can set up a small-donor campaign, I would be willing to donate regularly and volunteer. But such a candidate is fairly rare. Even more rare is one who is a parent of school-aged children. Such parents generally just don't have the time or wherewithal to run such a campaign.

Abdel Elnoubi - is a parent of school-aged children and really does his best to represent the community on the school board. His campaign was funded by small donors and I am sure he would be glad to have more.

Abdel was the handpicked successor of Ramee Gentry. He wouldn't have won without her endorsement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If there is a candidate who can show they don't have a conflict of interest and is not beholden to any special interest and can set up a small-donor campaign, I would be willing to donate regularly and volunteer. But such a candidate is fairly rare. Even more rare is one who is a parent of school-aged children. Such parents generally just don't have the time or wherewithal to run such a campaign.

Abdel Elnoubi - is a parent of school-aged children and really does his best to represent the community on the school board. His campaign was funded by small donors and I am sure he would be glad to have more.

Abdel was the handpicked successor of Ramee Gentry. He wouldn't have won without her endorsement.

So he was actually an establishment candidate. My favorite Ramee story is when a 24 year old consultant said that the School Board should discount the opinions of vocal and organized parents...Ramee enthusiastically agreed. And then doubled down on it. Then she was elected chair a few months later by her wildly supportive School Board colleagues. Even the ones who knew about her statement and were privately horrified.

Now it makes sense why Elnoubi may talk a good game but actually strictly follows what the SB and ACPS establishment tell him to do.

So exactly how does he "represent the community" on the school board? What has he delivered? What has he said in SB meetings that represents the community?