Request to delete thread

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, factual and pertinent information about Watkins has come directly from this forum. I have discovered particular events reported here that the administration never reported to parents and teachers. What appeared to be there rumor mill, actually has quite a bit of truth. The letter written on page 91 was the best synopsis of the situation from an AA parent's point of view. Although I may not agree with the summary, it was a very crucial document. Apparently, this document has been sent to DCPS leaders. I would not have known that this group of stakeholders has joined forces in their quest to get answers.

I have seen all kinds of crap on this forum and others. Some of it is downright stupid; however, it puts life into perspective. Not everyone will agree with me or my issues. There are very different sides to this coin. Some of the comments are painful, but they are reality and reflect what parents are seeking for the neighborhood school.

Regarding the personal information, if links are provided from public websites, that's fair game. Social networking can be helpful and hurtful. If you do not want people to know your work history, keep it private. My resume is not open to every eye on the internet. I do not believe that anyone has provided information that is not publicly available. Ms. Clemens offered her phone number on a site that 5600 people have access to, Linkedin is easily accessible, and other contact information is available on the public Cluster website. I do not have a problem with the removal of over-the-top comments. One of mine was deleted and I understood why, sorry. Those reminders of the "rules" are helpful. People should report those comments that break the code of conduct for DCUM.

Also, it would be rather easy for another forum to pop up somewhere else. This forum has been extremely helpful in determining what steps have been taken and what steps are still needed. The long list of teachers leaving Watkins is upsetting, but it is better to know now than in August when transferring is much more cumbersome. Those 99 pages are road maps to the problem and the probably the solution. Besides, DCUM has gained thousands of new fans as a result. If most of us play nice, give it another try.

[Anonymous]

I agree 100% and I was one of the people named.
Erin

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jeff - thank you for locking down the vitriol in this thread:
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1470/381804.page

As a Cluster PTA rep, I respectfully request that you delete the entire thread. It is full of speculation about data, personal motivations, and facts about the students, admin, and schools; internal name calling; derogatory statements about AA and homeless kids in our community; and conjecture about variables in the DME boundary/feeder review process, which is now over. It doesn't serve value in addressing the issues talked about. There is not value to having this thread live in the archives.

+1: This is not how we should treat educators in this country, whether we like them or not. By publicly (but anonymously) land blasting teachers, administrators, PTA, etc., it sends a negative message and brings down our schools when we should all be working together to bring them up. I read through some of these threads and they are very racist (both ways) and pretty derogatory. I can only imagine what I didn't read. This makes me so sad that this even exists. I recommend deleting it all together. A new school year is about to begin. Let the new teachers come into this cluster with a sense of positivity and desire to do great. I don't want angry people teaching my children.

[Anonymous]

That thread had a lot of interesting discussion and as a parent of a young child who is in bounds for that school, I found it valuable (even if there were a few posts that went off the rails - that happens in almost every DCUM thread). I strongly disagree with deleting it.

[Anonymous]

As another parent inbounds, I disagree with deleting it. I am fully-aware there may be inappropriate motivations here, but the whole purpose of the anonymity of the board is to allow for a candid discussion without fear of reprimand. I understand this could be a serious situation for many involved, but if 18 teachers quit this year, there's a reason. Deleting this thread does not work toward an open discourse - and freedom of speech. Reading the thread it's easy to see how one person may be 50% of the posts! and I'll keep that in mind! but if there is even a fraction of truth in here that would not have been heard otherwise, it would be a mistake.

[Anonymous]

What Watkins School? The high school?

[Anonymous]

Is the thread talking about Watkins Elementary?

[Anonymous]

Watkins Elementary in DC

[Anonymous]

Keep it.
Freedom of expression.
Don't believe or disbelieve everything you hear.
Be respectful and ignore those who are not.
You don't have to read it if you don't want to.
Everyone deserves an opportunity to be heard.
Thank you for the opportunity to share.

[Anonymous]

I am coming from a different school system (public in DC area) and please leave the thread up. There are teachers/admins who need to be called out for their behaviors. It is very hard to criticize a teacher or principal or school board decision. This is a forum that allows for some discussion. (we had a teacher who was finally removed for her constant shouting and rage attacks on the children -- it took years) The school just stood by and let it happen -- it was the kids who paid the price. I agree no over the top attacks, but there is a time to air things out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am coming from a different school system (public in DC area) and please leave the thread up. There are teachers/admins who need to be called out for their behaviors. It is very hard to criticize a teacher or principal or school board decision. This is a forum that allows for some discussion. (we had a teacher who was finally removed for her constant shouting and rage attacks on the children -- it took years) The school just stood by and let it happen -- it was the kids who paid the price. I agree no over the top attacks, but there is a time to air things out.

An anonymous forum is never an appropriate place to "air things out" nor is it a vehicle for a school to change. If there's a problem, then parents need to work together and insist on meeting with principals, supervisors and superintendents. Keep insisting on meeting until improvements are made. But don't for one second think that posting on a anonymous forum is the solution or even part of the solution.

[jsteele]

I am currently going through the last few pages of the thread and removing messages that seem inappropriate. If anyone knows of a message that they think is particularly bad, and are so inclined, please post a link here.

I may re-open the thread. However, contrary to the suggestion of the poster a couple posts above, I absolutely do not want the forum used for "calling teachers out" by anonymous posters. If you want to identify yourself in a verifiable manner, you are welcome to say almost anything that you want. But, DCUM is not a place for taking risk-free pot shots at people who can't defend themselves. One of the biggest issues I have with that thread was the attempt to launch a witch hunt to identify who from the school was posting. It is ironic that posters who want to remain anonymous themselves would engage in trying to identifying others. The posters may want to Google "Goose" and "Gander".

[Anonymous]

Once something is a matter of public record, you are not "calling out" anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Once something is a matter of public record, you are not "calling out" anyone.

Clearly there are things that were not a matter of public record that were being discussed. I can assume that we are not talking about linkedin resumes and the like.

[Anonymous]

I don't have a dog in this fight. I scanned over the edited version (about 45 pages worth -- I am sure I missed something) But it sounds to me like the parents are very angry about a school in a neighborhood some consider "rough" There are a lot of documents posted, but they mostly refer to things of public record (police report) letter to admin, cluster boundaries. The teachers who are named can be found on the school website, I presume. And a lot of arguing back and forth. But I read the edited version so who knows? If school discussions that get heated are off bounds, then perhaps that should be stated at the top of the forum? Like, hey no names! Yet some people whose names are mentioned are OK with that.