Can we hear from the teachers please?

[Anonymous]

My spouse teaches seniors in HS and appears to have been prioritized for a first over colleagues who teach lower grades in HS. Seniors are phased in with K-3.

We have been lucky to bubble with grandparents for childcare support during most of the past year. Anticipating a return to the classroom for my spouse and our elementary-age child, we are paying for a daycare spot for our infant but not using it yet.

We will break up the bubble and put the baby in daycare once schools reopen. Not sure where that leaves us with the elementary-school age kid while we wait for the grandparents to get vaccinated. We anticipate having to hire a babysitter or something, just waiting to hear what the elementary school's plans are, just like everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a 5th-grade teacher. We have not heard a word from our administration, even when we ask. We are being told that she wants to wait to tell us anything until there are clear directions from the higher-ups.

Only around 25% of my school elected to come back for hybrid, so I am not sure how that changes things.

As a parent, this is also frustrating. I see friends from other schools have details on numbers returning and the model they will use. Meanwhile, our principal says that they aren't permitted to reveal anything until after the 2/9 meeting and our school will have a town hall shortly thereafter.

Consistent and transparent messaging from MCPS would have gone a LONG way in keeping both sides of this debate calmer.

"This debate" is only taking place on DCUM, right?

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here? It's also happening on social media, in the newspaper, at BOE meetings?

Or are you saying that's dishonest to call it a debate? Kind of like calling climate change a "debate"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Per MCPS email to staff:

“Currently, DHHS is continuing its vaccination administration for Phase 1B (Tier 1), which prioritizes county residents who are 75 years or older. Because the demand for vaccinations far exceeds the currently available supply, DHHS estimates that vaccines will not be available for MCPS staff for up to five weeks.”

I thought MCPS had an arrangement with Hopkins. The once that excluded private school teachers?

Yeah that’s weird. I know my MCPS principal got her shot as did many teachers, paras, food staff, etc at my ES. They were encouraged to use only the Hopkins program though, not the public sites. Maybe the email was part of that?

The agreement was for 4,000-5000 shots. MCPS has twice as many teachers as that, plus now has to share those shots with private school teachers. Including some tiny (often ultra-religious and exclusionary) academies that serve a handful of students with parents as “teachers”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a 5th-grade teacher. We have not heard a word from our administration, even when we ask. We are being told that she wants to wait to tell us anything until there are clear directions from the higher-ups.

Only around 25% of my school elected to come back for hybrid, so I am not sure how that changes things.

As a parent, this is also frustrating. I see friends from other schools have details on numbers returning and the model they will use. Meanwhile, our principal says that they aren't permitted to reveal anything until after the 2/9 meeting and our school will have a town hall shortly thereafter.

Consistent and transparent messaging from MCPS would have gone a LONG way in keeping both sides of this debate calmer.

"This debate" is only taking place on DCUM, right?

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here? It's also happening on social media, in the newspaper, at BOE meetings?

Or are you saying that's dishonest to call it a debate? Kind of like calling climate change a "debate"?

How much responsibility do you think MCPS to address the rumors and misinformation that people are spreading on DCUM and on Facebook? I'm asking sincerely. What I'm seeing on DCUM is lots and lots of posts that are taking and running with rumors, and now complaints that MCPS isn't doing anything to stop that. What about people's responsibility to stop spreading rumors and misinformation on DCUM and Facebook?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Per MCPS email to staff:

“Currently, DHHS is continuing its vaccination administration for Phase 1B (Tier 1), which prioritizes county residents who are 75 years or older. Because the demand for vaccinations far exceeds the currently available supply, DHHS estimates that vaccines will not be available for MCPS staff for up to five weeks.”

I thought MCPS had an arrangement with Hopkins. The once that excluded private school teachers?

Yeah that’s weird. I know my MCPS principal got her shot as did many teachers, paras, food staff, etc at my ES. They were encouraged to use only the Hopkins program though, not the public sites. Maybe the email was part of that?

The agreement was for 4,000-5000 shots. MCPS has twice as many teachers as that, plus now has to share those shots with private school teachers. Including some tiny (often ultra-religious and exclusionary) academies that serve a handful of students with parents as “teachers”.

I am a teacher at an ES and I don't know a single staff member from my school who received an invitation to schedule a vaccine appointment at Johns Hopkins. This includes teachers in K - 3 who are slated to return to in-person instruction first. The staff at my school that have been vaccinated have been lucky enough to schedule through Adventist or Holy Cross etc. Teachers were told to wait for their Johns Hopkins invite and now we are being told to try to get vaccinated an alternative way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Per MCPS email to staff:

“Currently, DHHS is continuing its vaccination administration for Phase 1B (Tier 1), which prioritizes county residents who are 75 years or older. Because the demand for vaccinations far exceeds the currently available supply, DHHS estimates that vaccines will not be available for MCPS staff for up to five weeks.”

I thought MCPS had an arrangement with Hopkins. The once that excluded private school teachers?

Yeah that’s weird. I know my MCPS principal got her shot as did many teachers, paras, food staff, etc at my ES. They were encouraged to use only the Hopkins program though, not the public sites. Maybe the email was part of that?

The agreement was for 4,000-5000 shots. MCPS has twice as many teachers as that, plus now has to share those shots with private school teachers. Including some tiny (often ultra-religious and exclusionary) academies that serve a handful of students with parents as “teachers”.

I am a teacher at an ES and I don't know a single staff member from my school who received an invitation to schedule a vaccine appointment at Johns Hopkins. This includes teachers in K - 3 who are slated to return to in-person instruction first. The staff at my school that have been vaccinated have been lucky enough to schedule through Adventist or Holy Cross etc. Teachers were told to wait for their Johns Hopkins invite and now we are being told to try to get vaccinated an alternative way.

Teacher here. We just got an email that they're out of shots, and there won't be any (through Hopkins partnership anyways) for up to 5 weeks. Like the PP mentioned, teachers are being told to look for other avenues to get vaccinated. So MCEA has just sent out an email to teachers/union members asking to sign a petition that teachers not go back until "shots are in arms". I went through other channels because I have an autoimmune disorder. P

[Anonymous]

Hundreds of thousands of teachers have been back in the classroom since August without a vaccine. What makes MCPS teachers so special?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a 5th-grade teacher. We have not heard a word from our administration, even when we ask. We are being told that she wants to wait to tell us anything until there are clear directions from the higher-ups.

Only around 25% of my school elected to come back for hybrid, so I am not sure how that changes things.

As a parent, this is also frustrating. I see friends from other schools have details on numbers returning and the model they will use. Meanwhile, our principal says that they aren't permitted to reveal anything until after the 2/9 meeting and our school will have a town hall shortly thereafter.

Consistent and transparent messaging from MCPS would have gone a LONG way in keeping both sides of this debate calmer.

"This debate" is only taking place on DCUM, right?

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here? It's also happening on social media, in the newspaper, at BOE meetings?

Or are you saying that's dishonest to call it a debate? Kind of like calling climate change a "debate"?

How much responsibility do you think MCPS to address the rumors and misinformation that people are spreading on DCUM and on Facebook? I'm asking sincerely. What I'm seeing on DCUM is lots and lots of posts that are taking and running with rumors, and now complaints that MCPS isn't doing anything to stop that. What about people's responsibility to stop spreading rumors and misinformation on DCUM and Facebook?

That tends to happen when you refuse to provide official information in a timely manner.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a 5th-grade teacher. We have not heard a word from our administration, even when we ask. We are being told that she wants to wait to tell us anything until there are clear directions from the higher-ups.

Only around 25% of my school elected to come back for hybrid, so I am not sure how that changes things.

As a parent, this is also frustrating. I see friends from other schools have details on numbers returning and the model they will use. Meanwhile, our principal says that they aren't permitted to reveal anything until after the 2/9 meeting and our school will have a town hall shortly thereafter.

Consistent and transparent messaging from MCPS would have gone a LONG way in keeping both sides of this debate calmer.

"This debate" is only taking place on DCUM, right?

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here? It's also happening on social media, in the newspaper, at BOE meetings?

Or are you saying that's dishonest to call it a debate? Kind of like calling climate change a "debate"?

How much responsibility do you think MCPS to address the rumors and misinformation that people are spreading on DCUM and on Facebook? I'm asking sincerely. What I'm seeing on DCUM is lots and lots of posts that are taking and running with rumors, and now complaints that MCPS isn't doing anything to stop that. What about people's responsibility to stop spreading rumors and misinformation on DCUM and Facebook?

That tends to happen when you refuse to provide official information in a timely manner.

Exactly right. The rumors on DCUM are a symptom. The problem is the poor communication and transparency from MCPS is the problem. It 100% is their responsibility to address the underlying issue, and then the symptoms will go away.

So, no, they don't need to be on this message board with official responses to people. But they don't need to. If they had a cohesive consistent communication plan across all their schools, these rumors would go away

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a 5th-grade teacher. We have not heard a word from our administration, even when we ask. We are being told that she wants to wait to tell us anything until there are clear directions from the higher-ups.

Only around 25% of my school elected to come back for hybrid, so I am not sure how that changes things.

As a parent, this is also frustrating. I see friends from other schools have details on numbers returning and the model they will use. Meanwhile, our principal says that they aren't permitted to reveal anything until after the 2/9 meeting and our school will have a town hall shortly thereafter.

Consistent and transparent messaging from MCPS would have gone a LONG way in keeping both sides of this debate calmer.

"This debate" is only taking place on DCUM, right?

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here? It's also happening on social media, in the newspaper, at BOE meetings?

Or are you saying that's dishonest to call it a debate? Kind of like calling climate change a "debate"?

How much responsibility do you think MCPS to address the rumors and misinformation that people are spreading on DCUM and on Facebook? I'm asking sincerely. What I'm seeing on DCUM is lots and lots of posts that are taking and running with rumors, and now complaints that MCPS isn't doing anything to stop that. What about people's responsibility to stop spreading rumors and misinformation on DCUM and Facebook?

That tends to happen when you refuse to provide official information in a timely manner.

Exactly right. The rumors on DCUM are a symptom. The problem is the poor communication and transparency from MCPS is the problem. It 100% is their responsibility to address the underlying issue, and then the symptoms will go away.

So, no, they don't need to be on this message board with official responses to people. But they don't need to. If they had a cohesive consistent communication plan across all their schools, these rumors would go away

Eh. I'm not going to defend MCPS's communications, but no, it's not MCPS's fault that posters are rumormongering anonymously on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

I’m sure this is already off the rails, but I’ll try OP.
What do teachers know?
It varies based on school. Some principals have shared plans already, some have not. I happen to work in a school that has not shared any plans.
I know the status of my ADA request and I know my vaccine status.
I know that I will continue teaching in March and in the fall. I have no idea what that will look like.
I also know dcum is not a place to find credible information about schools.
I know I need to be patient and make a plan for every possibility.

[Anonymous]

I work for an elementary school as a non-classroom teacher.

We were told on Monday that each grade level team would give their advice and consent about what model they wanted to use for in-person learning. they all unanimously agreed that wanted to do virtual support.

Part of the issue is that in order to make class cohorts of 12 students they would have to move a lot of children around and parents were very clear that they did not want their child to be changing teachers in March. a lot of the teachers were reluctant to have their students switch classes as well.


What's really frustrating is that Montgomery county prioritize vaccinating classroom teachers and special education teachers without any concept of who was actually going to be back in the building. Many of the para educators are being assigned to go in without a vaccine and we just got an email saying that there was no more vaccines available for staff and that we're on our own to find a vaccine. I hope SEIU raises hell about this because it's infuriating. I'm really pissed off at my colleagues who got the vaccine so they could stay at home and teach while sending in a para educator in their place who is not vaccinated

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hundreds of thousands of teachers have been back in the classroom since August without a vaccine. What makes MCPS teachers so special?

Well that was their choice

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hundreds of thousands of teachers have been back in the classroom since August without a vaccine. What makes MCPS teachers so special?

Well that was their choice

And they sound like idiots for accepting that kind of treatment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Per MCPS email to staff:

“Currently, DHHS is continuing its vaccination administration for Phase 1B (Tier 1), which prioritizes county residents who are 75 years or older. Because the demand for vaccinations far exceeds the currently available supply, DHHS estimates that vaccines will not be available for MCPS staff for up to five weeks.”

I thought MCPS had an arrangement with Hopkins. The once that excluded private school teachers?

Yeah that’s weird. I know my MCPS principal got her shot as did many teachers, paras, food staff, etc at my ES. They were encouraged to use only the Hopkins program though, not the public sites. Maybe the email was part of that?

The agreement was for 4,000-5000 shots. MCPS has twice as many teachers as that, plus now has to share those shots with private school teachers. Including some tiny (often ultra-religious and exclusionary) academies that serve a handful of students with parents as “teachers”.

I am a teacher at an ES and I don't know a single staff member from my school who received an invitation to schedule a vaccine appointment at Johns Hopkins. This includes teachers in K - 3 who are slated to return to in-person instruction first. The staff at my school that have been vaccinated have been lucky enough to schedule through Adventist or Holy Cross etc. Teachers were told to wait for their Johns Hopkins invite and now we are being told to try to get vaccinated an alternative way.

Teacher here. We just got an email that they're out of shots, and there won't be any (through Hopkins partnership anyways) for up to 5 weeks. Like the PP mentioned, teachers are being told to look for other avenues to get vaccinated. So MCEA has just sent out an email to teachers/union members asking to sign a petition that teachers not go back until "shots are in arms". I went through other channels because I have an autoimmune disorder. P

Honestly that didn’t help. DH is a cancer patient. I have two autoimmune disorders and am running tests this week to find out if my pre-cancerous condition has turned cancerous or I am having a reoccurrence of a previously cured malignancy. Neither of us have been able to get shots as either teachers or high risk individuals. MoCo doesn’t care about teachers or they would support shots in arms before in-person.