Your Chance to Run for MCPS BOE

[Anonymous]

The best BOE members often have no kids in school districts so free of conflicts

[Anonymous]

I’m sure good people are scared off by the possibility of getting raked over the coals on places like DCUM if they are on the board. I’d be nervous to put my family through that. I think we probably scare off good superintendents too. Whatever you thought of dr Starr, he clearly wasn’t the reason for the problems in MCPS, much as Dr Smith will be unlikely to be able to fix them. As far as I can see, booting Starr out did nothing to improve anything and just introduced more turmoil. Jack Smith seems fine too, but we’ll probably throw him into the fire soon too. The state needs to make education a priority and that board of ed needs to go. I actually think Starr and Smith are both well-intentioned and trying (or tried) to make good changes.

[Anonymous]

"I’m sure good people are scared off by the possibility of getting raked over the coals on places like DCUM if they are on the board. I’d be nervous to put my family through that. I think we probably scare off good superintendents too. Whatever you thought of dr Starr, he clearly wasn’t the reason for the problems in MCPS, much as Dr Smith will be unlikely to be able to fix them. As far as I can see, booting Starr out did nothing to improve anything and just introduced more turmoil. Jack Smith seems fine too, but we’ll probably throw him into the fire soon too. The state needs to make education a priority and that board of ed needs to go. I actually think Starr and Smith are both well-intentioned and trying (or tried) to make good changes."

To support this I would add that changes for the better happen, slowly. Only in movies does someone come in, change things all at once, and then everyone lives happily ever after.

If we keep jumping from curriculum to curriculum there is no time for everyone to even get fully trained, let alone optimize things for their own classes. At this point, I think it would be better to learn to implement 2.0 at something approaching a flawless level rather than to start over and set us even further back. There are so many other things that could use this type of slow improvement rather than throwing the baby out with the bath water, I wish someone would run on a slow but steady platform.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The best BOE members often have no kids in school districts so free of conflicts

What? That is so assbackwards!! I would want BOE members to have kids in school district. The fact that ex-MCPS administrators are BOE members means that they are not really looking out for the interests of parents and students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree they need more parents on the Board. I think that would be helpful.

This will only happen if candidates who are current MCPS parents run for MCPS BoE.

If you know somebody who would be a good candidate, suggest it to them!

+1 Grab that parent who has terrific organizational and finance skills and a strong ethical compass and ask them to run.

I have all of those qualities, but I do not have a background in education. It's intimidating to consider going up against people with 20+ years in the education system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I have all of those qualities, but I do not have a background in education. It's intimidating to consider going up against people with 20+ years in the education system.

Don't be intimidated, PP! They know stuff you don't know, but you also know stuff they don't know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree they need more parents on the Board. I think that would be helpful.

This will only happen if candidates who are current MCPS parents run for MCPS BoE.

If you know somebody who would be a good candidate, suggest it to them!

+1 Grab that parent who has terrific organizational and finance skills and a strong ethical compass and ask them to run.

I have all of those qualities, but I do not have a background in education. It's intimidating to consider going up against people with 20+ years in the education system.

Ha ha!! Watch a board meeting and see what flippin idiots they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure good people are scared off by the possibility of getting raked over the coals on places like DCUM if they are on the board. I’d be nervous to put my family through that. I think we probably scare off good superintendents too. Whatever you thought of dr Starr, he clearly wasn’t the reason for the problems in MCPS, much as Dr Smith will be unlikely to be able to fix them. As far as I can see, booting Starr out did nothing to improve anything and just introduced more turmoil. Jack Smith seems fine too, but we’ll probably throw him into the fire soon too. The state needs to make education a priority and that board of ed needs to go. I actually think Starr and Smith are both well-intentioned and trying (or tried) to make good changes.

I think you are dramatically overstating the impact of DCUM. Do you really think that that potential superintendents think, "Wow, would love to take that job, but that anonymous message board sure can get mean. Pass!" Come on. Also, I am thinking about running, and I don't give a flip if anonymous posters call me names.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m sure good people are scared off by the possibility of getting raked over the coals on places like DCUM if they are on the board. I’d be nervous to put my family through that. I think we probably scare off good superintendents too. Whatever you thought of dr Starr, he clearly wasn’t the reason for the problems in MCPS, much as Dr Smith will be unlikely to be able to fix them. As far as I can see, booting Starr out did nothing to improve anything and just introduced more turmoil. Jack Smith seems fine too, but we’ll probably throw him into the fire soon too. The state needs to make education a priority and that board of ed needs to go. I actually think Starr and Smith are both well-intentioned and trying (or tried) to make good changes.

I think you are dramatically overstating the impact of DCUM. Do you really think that that potential superintendents think, "Wow, would love to take that job, but that anonymous message board sure can get mean. Pass!" Come on. Also, I am thinking about running, and I don't give a flip if anonymous posters call me names.

You should hear the names board members call parents.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I have all of those qualities, but I do not have a background in education. It's intimidating to consider going up against people with 20+ years in the education system.

Don't be intimidated, PP! They know stuff you don't know, but you also know stuff they don't know.

+1. You don’t want a board full of MCPS retirees. There needs to be a diversity of skills and viewpoints. For example, I would love someone with quant skills on the Board who could point out flaws in their enrollment projections.

[Anonymous]

Bumping because the deadline is Feb 27. Hope a few good MCPS residents are thinking of running.

[Anonymous]

Why would ANYONE want that job? Has anyone EVER said anything nice about any Board member? No! And has anyone ever went and talked or wrote an email to one saying something nice to one of them (I doubt it!). Only people complaining about something talks to Board members, and who wants to spend 20-30 hours a week listening to people who are complaining and/or mad at you?!?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would ANYONE want that job? Has anyone EVER said anything nice about any Board member? No! And has anyone ever went and talked or wrote an email to one saying something nice to one of them (I doubt it!). Only people complaining about something talks to Board members, and who wants to spend 20-30 hours a week listening to people who are complaining and/or mad at you?!?!

Patty, Parents love you! That's why you have been on the Board for 50 years!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would ANYONE want that job? Has anyone EVER said anything nice about any Board member? No! And has anyone ever went and talked or wrote an email to one saying something nice to one of them (I doubt it!). Only people complaining about something talks to Board members, and who wants to spend 20-30 hours a week listening to people who are complaining and/or mad at you?!?!

Well, there is the chance for the lucrative 30K/year salary and the power of having MCPS at your beck and call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would ANYONE want that job? Has anyone EVER said anything nice about any Board member? No! And has anyone ever went and talked or wrote an email to one saying something nice to one of them (I doubt it!). Only people complaining about something talks to Board members, and who wants to spend 20-30 hours a week listening to people who are complaining and/or mad at you?!?!

Yes, I have. But I agree that they probably hear far more complaints than compliments or thank-yous. It's in the nature of the job.

If you want a friend, get a dog. If you want to complain, post on DCUM. If you want to maybe actually fix some of the problems you complain about (or at least learn why they're difficult to fix), run for MCPS BoE.