Why doesn't ACPS address the violence in schools?

[Anonymous]

I cannot point to one reason why there is ACPS parent fear for speaking out.

For some, I think there is fear about being ostracized by the establishment (be it the Democratic establishment / PTAs / PTAC or ACPS leadership). For others, there may be defensiveness about ACPS in light of its outside reputation. For others, it could just be respect for “authority” and/or the purported expertise of educators (or administrators) (even if ACPS “educators” / administrators lack the expertise or are actively working against student best interest such as Specialized Instruction for special needs students (even if they have the expertise to know better).

Maybe those reasons apply to some - but I personally don't care about any of them, and neither does anyone that I am friendly with. We all just feel like we HAVE spoken out, and it doesn't have any effect or change anything. It just saps my energy and nothing changes at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues. No more. In the last week:

-a friend shared with me that he kindergartener was told by another student that he was going to take her in the class restroom and rape her
-an acquaintance with a middle school kid told me about her daughter avoiding the bathrooms because she was afraid of getting beat up and that her daughter got beat up three times in her honors class
-a friend told me her son was robbed by classmates walking home from middle school
-a friends son has been attacked 3x on the bus and then later in the cafeteria
-my son had a classmate bring a taser to class
-our neighbor was jumped in the bathroom
-our other neighbor no longer uses the bathroom and doesn't drink water at school
-my stepdaughter told my nephews to stick with the kids wearing Patagonia and Lululemon or the white and Asian kids to not be beat up

What the heck is up? Why is our school board silent? What is central office doing to address?

What I think you mean is that you are rich, white and liberal and thought that the actual non white and poor people kept to themselves and wouldn't effect you.

+1000

"I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues" aka I didn't think it was a problem until it affected me. Amazing how that works in life. So you didn't care, until it came for you. Lovely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are the bathrooms like? In my high school back in the 90s a teacher sat outside the bathroom and you had to sign in and out. Nothing ever happened except some people writing in pen or marker on the stalls from time to time.

It wasn’t like this at my high school in the 90s. There wasn’t violence in the bathrooms but kids were smoking. I avoided them other than to occasionally check my hair with friends.

As for teachers monitoring, there’s a shortage of teachers everywhere to teach classes. They don’t have extra teachers to monitor all of the bathrooms.

[Anonymous]

There has been a group of women that lost friendships, whose kids have been ostracized, and who have been blocked and banned from friendship groups because they relentlessly and doggedly have advocated to highlight the violence in our schools. They deserve an apology, and then we need to move on to working together for all kids in this community. This is not a democrat vs republican issue, this is about making our schools the best they can be in a community that fundamentally cares about its kids. Instead of ensuring that a conservative mom is not a PTA president, let's focus our energy on accountability and transparency.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues. No more. In the last week:

-a friend shared with me that he kindergartener was told by another student that he was going to take her in the class restroom and rape her
-an acquaintance with a middle school kid told me about her daughter avoiding the bathrooms because she was afraid of getting beat up and that her daughter got beat up three times in her honors class
-a friend told me her son was robbed by classmates walking home from middle school
-a friends son has been attacked 3x on the bus and then later in the cafeteria
-my son had a classmate bring a taser to class
-our neighbor was jumped in the bathroom
-our other neighbor no longer uses the bathroom and doesn't drink water at school
-my stepdaughter told my nephews to stick with the kids wearing Patagonia and Lululemon or the white and Asian kids to not be beat up

What the heck is up? Why is our school board silent? What is central office doing to address?

What I think you mean is that you are rich, white and liberal and thought that the actual non white and poor people kept to themselves and wouldn't effect you.

+1000

"I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues" aka I didn't think it was a problem until it affected me. Amazing how that works in life. So you didn't care, until it came for you. Lovely.

DP. I didn’t read it that way. I read it like OP thought the people complaining were a small group of malcontents that were blowing the issues out of proportion. But then OP recently heard issues from so many people that OP is now concerned. Just FWIW.


Idk, maybe I misread the post, but that was how I interpreted OP’s words.

[Anonymous]

Is it true that ACPS won't expel bullies?

[Anonymous]

I live in McLean, One kid in ES and one in MS, we have not come across issues listed here even once, their friends share the same experience. I don’t understand people who continue to make their kid’s life miserable so that they can congratulate themselves for being SJWs. Seriously? At the very least, put your kid in a catholic school or move to a better school district.

Alexandria real estate is expensive, I am certain majority of posters here are doing well. I work in Alexandria, I see the struggles faced by low income kids, your kids can’t understand or relate to that. Flame away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There has been a group of women that lost friendships, whose kids have been ostracized, and who have been blocked and banned from friendship groups because they relentlessly and doggedly have advocated to highlight the violence in our schools. They deserve an apology, and then we need to move on to working together for all kids in this community. This is not a democrat vs republican issue, this is about making our schools the best they can be in a community that fundamentally cares about its kids. Instead of ensuring that a conservative mom is not a PTA president, let's focus our energy on accountability and transparency.

+1000 They will never be thanked by this community and how they (and their kids) been treated is disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in McLean, One kid in ES and one in MS, we have not come across issues listed here even once, their friends share the same experience. I don’t understand people who continue to make their kid’s life miserable so that they can congratulate themselves for being SJWs. Seriously? At the very least, put your kid in a catholic school or move to a better school district.

Alexandria real estate is expensive, I am certain majority of posters here are doing well. I work in Alexandria, I see the struggles faced by low income kids, your kids can’t understand or relate to that. Flame away.

It's insane to me too.

Especially when the School Board Chair doesn't have her kids in ACPS, the former superintendent moved his kids to private while still superintendent and even the TAG director pulled her kids out of ACPS schools to go private. When the people who are in charge of ACPS don't trust ACPS to educate their kids...it's time to stop virtue signaling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in McLean, One kid in ES and one in MS, we have not come across issues listed here even once, their friends share the same experience. I don’t understand people who continue to make their kid’s life miserable so that they can congratulate themselves for being SJWs. Seriously? At the very least, put your kid in a catholic school or move to a better school district.

Alexandria real estate is expensive, I am certain majority of posters here are doing well. I work in Alexandria, I see the struggles faced by low income kids, your kids can’t understand or relate to that. Flame away.

Some do it because it give their kids a leg up on college admissions. Kids are coming from a troubled, urban school and even though it's known for grade inflation it still helps them get into schools they otherwise wouldn't get into. Some parents are willing to take the safety risks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it true that ACPS won't expel bullies?

yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues. No more. In the last week:

-a friend shared with me that he kindergartener was told by another student that he was going to take her in the class restroom and rape her
-an acquaintance with a middle school kid told me about her daughter avoiding the bathrooms because she was afraid of getting beat up and that her daughter got beat up three times in her honors class
-a friend told me her son was robbed by classmates walking home from middle school
-a friends son has been attacked 3x on the bus and then later in the cafeteria
-my son had a classmate bring a taser to class
-our neighbor was jumped in the bathroom
-our other neighbor no longer uses the bathroom and doesn't drink water at school
-my stepdaughter told my nephews to stick with the kids wearing Patagonia and Lululemon or the white and Asian kids to not be beat up

What the heck is up? Why is our school board silent? What is central office doing to address?

What I think you mean is that you are rich, white and liberal and thought that the actual non white and poor people kept to themselves and wouldn't effect you.

+1000

"I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues" aka I didn't think it was a problem until it affected me. Amazing how that works in life. So you didn't care, until it came for you. Lovely.

DP. I didn’t read it that way. I read it like OP thought the people complaining were a small group of malcontents that were blowing the issues out of proportion. But then OP recently heard issues from so many people that OP is now concerned. Just FWIW.


Idk, maybe I misread the post, but that was how I interpreted OP’s words.

Nope, that poster basically admitted they blew off the concerns and complaints of other parents because she/he labeled them disgruntled and she/he dismissed those complaints and not valid because he/she didn't have any personal knowledge or experience. Instead of believing or taking into consideration the experiences or viewpoints of other parents, she just decided they weren't true.

But now that people she/he actually knows, and people close to her/him say yeah, it is true, this poster suddenly has an about face, reconsiders. And probably has their come to Jesus moment that school violence actually can hit close to home and affect their kid too. Now is time to take action. It apparently wasn't enough before, because it didn't affect them, it didn't scare them, because it wasn't penetrating their bubble, It was NBD when it was happening to other people.

Disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues. No more. In the last week:

-a friend shared with me that he kindergartener was told by another student that he was going to take her in the class restroom and rape her
-an acquaintance with a middle school kid told me about her daughter avoiding the bathrooms because she was afraid of getting beat up and that her daughter got beat up three times in her honors class
-a friend told me her son was robbed by classmates walking home from middle school
-a friends son has been attacked 3x on the bus and then later in the cafeteria
-my son had a classmate bring a taser to class
-our neighbor was jumped in the bathroom
-our other neighbor no longer uses the bathroom and doesn't drink water at school
-my stepdaughter told my nephews to stick with the kids wearing Patagonia and Lululemon or the white and Asian kids to not be beat up

What the heck is up? Why is our school board silent? What is central office doing to address?

What I think you mean is that you are rich, white and liberal and thought that the actual non white and poor people kept to themselves and wouldn't effect you.

+1000

"I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues" aka I didn't think it was a problem until it affected me. Amazing how that works in life. So you didn't care, until it came for you. Lovely.

DP. I didn’t read it that way. I read it like OP thought the people complaining were a small group of malcontents that were blowing the issues out of proportion. But then OP recently heard issues from so many people that OP is now concerned. Just FWIW.


Idk, maybe I misread the post, but that was how I interpreted OP’s words.

Nope, that poster basically admitted they blew off the concerns and complaints of other parents because she/he labeled them disgruntled and she/he dismissed those complaints and not valid because he/she didn't have any personal knowledge or experience. Instead of believing or taking into consideration the experiences or viewpoints of other parents, she just decided they weren't true.

But now that people she/he actually knows, and people close to her/him say yeah, it is true, this poster suddenly has an about face, reconsiders. And probably has their come to Jesus moment that school violence actually can hit close to home and affect their kid too. Now is time to take action. It apparently wasn't enough before, because it didn't affect them, it didn't scare them, because it wasn't penetrating their bubble, It was NBD when it was happening to other people.

Disgusting.

We are saying the same thing except you are very, very angry. Most people have busy lives/other problems and don’t fully realize something is an issue until it affects them. And they trust the experiences of people they know more than strangers. Sorry this offends you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues. No more. In the last week:

-a friend shared with me that he kindergartener was told by another student that he was going to take her in the class restroom and rape her
-an acquaintance with a middle school kid told me about her daughter avoiding the bathrooms because she was afraid of getting beat up and that her daughter got beat up three times in her honors class
-a friend told me her son was robbed by classmates walking home from middle school
-a friends son has been attacked 3x on the bus and then later in the cafeteria
-my son had a classmate bring a taser to class
-our neighbor was jumped in the bathroom
-our other neighbor no longer uses the bathroom and doesn't drink water at school
-my stepdaughter told my nephews to stick with the kids wearing Patagonia and Lululemon or the white and Asian kids to not be beat up

What the heck is up? Why is our school board silent? What is central office doing to address?

What I think you mean is that you are rich, white and liberal and thought that the actual non white and poor people kept to themselves and wouldn't effect you.

+1000

"I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues" aka I didn't think it was a problem until it affected me. Amazing how that works in life. So you didn't care, until it came for you. Lovely.

DP. I didn’t read it that way. I read it like OP thought the people complaining were a small group of malcontents that were blowing the issues out of proportion. But then OP recently heard issues from so many people that OP is now concerned. Just FWIW.


Idk, maybe I misread the post, but that was how I interpreted OP’s words.

Nope, that poster basically admitted they blew off the concerns and complaints of other parents because she/he labeled them disgruntled and she/he dismissed those complaints and not valid because he/she didn't have any personal knowledge or experience. Instead of believing or taking into consideration the experiences or viewpoints of other parents, she just decided they weren't true.

But now that people she/he actually knows, and people close to her/him say yeah, it is true, this poster suddenly has an about face, reconsiders. And probably has their come to Jesus moment that school violence actually can hit close to home and affect their kid too. Now is time to take action. It apparently wasn't enough before, because it didn't affect them, it didn't scare them, because it wasn't penetrating their bubble, It was NBD when it was happening to other people.

Disgusting.

We are saying the same thing except you are very, very angry. Most people have busy lives/other problems and don’t fully realize something is an issue until it affects them. And they trust the experiences of people they know more than strangers. Sorry this offends you.

Wow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues. No more. In the last week:

-a friend shared with me that he kindergartener was told by another student that he was going to take her in the class restroom and rape her
-an acquaintance with a middle school kid told me about her daughter avoiding the bathrooms because she was afraid of getting beat up and that her daughter got beat up three times in her honors class
-a friend told me her son was robbed by classmates walking home from middle school
-a friends son has been attacked 3x on the bus and then later in the cafeteria
-my son had a classmate bring a taser to class
-our neighbor was jumped in the bathroom
-our other neighbor no longer uses the bathroom and doesn't drink water at school
-my stepdaughter told my nephews to stick with the kids wearing Patagonia and Lululemon or the white and Asian kids to not be beat up

What the heck is up? Why is our school board silent? What is central office doing to address?

What I think you mean is that you are rich, white and liberal and thought that the actual non white and poor people kept to themselves and wouldn't effect you.

+1000

"I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues" aka I didn't think it was a problem until it affected me. Amazing how that works in life. So you didn't care, until it came for you. Lovely.

DP. I didn’t read it that way. I read it like OP thought the people complaining were a small group of malcontents that were blowing the issues out of proportion. But then OP recently heard issues from so many people that OP is now concerned. Just FWIW.


Idk, maybe I misread the post, but that was how I interpreted OP’s words.

Nope, that poster basically admitted they blew off the concerns and complaints of other parents because she/he labeled them disgruntled and she/he dismissed those complaints and not valid because he/she didn't have any personal knowledge or experience. Instead of believing or taking into consideration the experiences or viewpoints of other parents, she just decided they weren't true.

But now that people she/he actually knows, and people close to her/him say yeah, it is true, this poster suddenly has an about face, reconsiders. And probably has their come to Jesus moment that school violence actually can hit close to home and affect their kid too. Now is time to take action. It apparently wasn't enough before, because it didn't affect them, it didn't scare them, because it wasn't penetrating their bubble, It was NBD when it was happening to other people.

Disgusting.

We are saying the same thing except you are very, very angry. Most people have busy lives/other problems and don’t fully realize something is an issue until it affects them. And they trust the experiences of people they know more than strangers. Sorry this offends you.

Wow.

You can continue with your outrage at OP but the only thing that’s “disgusting” is a school district that would allow things to get so had that some children don’t drink water all day for fear of going to the bathroom. Sounds like OP gets it now. You should channel your energy into making things better rather than attacking someone who apparently now sees what you see.