Bullying problem at Wyngate Elementary

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All I heard about Wyngate is that there's a tense between principal and PTA. Sounds awkward that a principal is against PTA...

Have you met the PTA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All I heard about Wyngate is that there's a tense between principal and PTA. Sounds awkward that a principal is against PTA...

Have you met the PTA?

I haven't, can you elaborate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:All I heard about Wyngate is that there's a tense between principal and PTA. Sounds awkward that a principal is against PTA...

Have you met the PTA?

I haven't, can you elaborate?

Don't expect a serious reply. It's a probably an entitled, lazy and lackluster MCPS employee who views engaged and active parents as the opposition rather than key collaborators.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The behavior problems seem to be escalating and the Principal seems incredibly nonchalant and patronizing towards the parents. My child was emotionally and physically bullied in 2022, but I’m hearing nightmare stories from former classmate’s parents of this year.

Any other parents here from Wyngate who can relate?

Both my kids at Wyngate and I have not heard anything. Can you elaborate on what is happening/has happened?

[Anonymous]

Shocked! I thought Wyngate was perfect in every way

[Anonymous]

OP here, responding to PP’s asking more. The number of parents who have filled out the bullying form had skyrocketed, and hence the tense relationship between the PTA and the principal. The principal no longer shows up to meetings with parents when there is a physician incident that needs to be addressed. She told the parents that they were “complainers” and that “the parents in silver spring never complained so much”.

Apparently the principal is good friends with McKnight.

But unfortunately the bullying is intense. My child was strangled, my friends child was pushed down and almost had his teeth knocked out, and then a litany of other verbal abuses and exclusions.

I think a lot of the parents being NIH employees kept their children too isolated during Covid and they developed issues, and then later on a principal who doesn’t care to do her job, and it’s a recipe for disaster.

The principal is trying to keep the parents out of the school as much as possible.

Ugh it’s so messed up.

[Anonymous]

The only way McNight and her minions respond is when there is bad publicity. Document, get teachers onboard, and write to Bethesda Beat and the Washington Post. Complaining here will not make a difference, but I can assure you that if a news publication puts this principal on blast, they have no choice but to respond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a parent who lives outside of the Bethesda/Potomac bubble, I'm surprised that an elementary in Bethesda has a rep for bullying like this that no one has kicked a fuss over. What's the root and nature of the bullying, and how would it persist year after year?

Most schools in wealthy districts have Principals that are competent and clamp down hard on issues such as bullying, but every now and then you do get a dud Principal. Hence the issues. My kids went to Bethesda ES and Chevy Chase ES, and there was zero tolerance for bullying. However, I've heard stories about the previous Principal of Somerset ES, for example...

hahahahaha

Right? Hilarious.

PP, it’s funny (not really) because people with privilege are often some of the worst bullies. It persists in those circles because people are hyper aware of power differentials, real or perceived. Thinking that nothing bad happens at “good” schools is painfully naive.

In my close to 25 years teaching in this county, I found bullying was worse at affluent schools, because in lower-income schools, someone eventually beats the crap out of the bully. Usually in the neighborhood on the way home or over the weekend, but it powers them down at school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, responding to PP’s asking more. The number of parents who have filled out the bullying form had skyrocketed, and hence the tense relationship between the PTA and the principal. The principal no longer shows up to meetings with parents when there is a physician incident that needs to be addressed. She told the parents that they were “complainers” and that “the parents in silver spring never complained so much”.

Apparently the principal is good friends with McKnight.

But unfortunately the bullying is intense. My child was strangled, my friends child was pushed down and almost had his teeth knocked out, and then a litany of other verbal abuses and exclusions.

I think a lot of the parents being NIH employees kept their children too isolated during Covid and they developed issues, and then later on a principal who doesn’t care to do her job, and it’s a recipe for disaster.

The principal is trying to keep the parents out of the school as much as possible.

Ugh it’s so messed up.

Take it to the press.

Seriously, if you and the other parents have done everything you can up to this point, and feel it's not helping because of chummy relationships, then it's time to make it public. Organize yourselves and speak out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here, responding to PP’s asking more. The number of parents who have filled out the bullying form had skyrocketed, and hence the tense relationship between the PTA and the principal. The principal no longer shows up to meetings with parents when there is a physician incident that needs to be addressed. She told the parents that they were “complainers” and that “the parents in silver spring never complained so much”.

Apparently the principal is good friends with McKnight.

But unfortunately the bullying is intense. My child was strangled, my friends child was pushed down and almost had his teeth knocked out, and then a litany of other verbal abuses and exclusions.

I think a lot of the parents being NIH employees kept their children too isolated during Covid and they developed issues, and then later on a principal who doesn’t care to do her job, and it’s a recipe for disaster.

The principal is trying to keep the parents out of the school as much as possible.

Ugh it’s so messed up.

So, you’re blaming these issues on the kids of NIH employees, specifically? That’s an interesting take. Are there really that many NIH families who still live there? There were when I was growing up, but it’s gotten far more expensive than most Feds can afford.

Ultimately, I agree with PP - if it’s this bad, go to the press. And the police. Don’t play nice anymore if they refuse to protect your children.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried contacting the bully's mother? That's what I did. I'm from Moco. She was from Moco. We settled it between ourselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried contacting the bully's mother? That's what I did. I'm from Moco. She was from Moco. We settled it between ourselves.

I always wonder about this. Are the parents of a bully in denial or do they accept that their child has been bullying?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you tried contacting the bully's mother? That's what I did. I'm from Moco. She was from Moco. We settled it between ourselves.

I always wonder about this. Are the parents of a bully in denial or do they accept that their child has been bullying?

with each of the worst two bullies my middle child dealt with, the mother claimed her DD was the real victim. One girl terrorized numerous other students. The other had the same issue at 4 different schools in four years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Have you completed the official mcps bullying form? That usually gets immediate action

How do you even fond out about that if nobody tells you?

You didn’t search the MCPS website?

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/info/bullying/

OP, as many have suggested you need to fill this out.