BOE/MCPS is a mess

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As far as the increase in compensation for admins, here is the breakdown of that.

1) Admins used to be expected to work over winter and spring break (minus the state mandated closures)
2) Some admins would use leave to take that time off
3) Now those admins won't have to use leave and will have additional leave days
4) After a certain tenure, MCPS admins can convert leave days to retirement contributions.

So these seven days of leave are potentially thousands of dollars of retirement contributions to admin staff.

And this is happening a) without any public calculation of the cost, b) justification over the intended outcomes of this action, and c) packaged with a more attention-getting proposal about half-days that distracted from questions.

Also, in today's revote, they clarified that any 12-month employee who is called into work on a system closure will get both double pay AND the use of that day off another time. So even discounting the deferrred/indirect cost of this, what's the direct cost going to be of the double pay across MCAAP, MCBOA, and SEIU?

Also, the BOE handbook explicitly says that materials should be available 3 business days before a meeting. The only public material about this proposal was the text of the resolution, no supporting information, no fiscal note, etc.

Finally, when this was being justified, Dr. McKnight says MCPS is an outlier in school districts for not having a winter break system closure. That is not true, unless you count being one of the majority of schools NOT closing as an outlier.

Are the 7 extra leave days a permanent thing for administration or just for this year?

That would be part of the calendar approval process, so the board votes on it each year.

[Anonymous]

Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

Then get your union on the side of parents. Your union stood by and allowed Curriculum 2.0 debacle FOR A DECADE. Your union doesn’t fight for kids on IEPs - actual dyslexia training for you. Your union allows lead in the water in schools - mold to continue. Your union protects sexual predators and principals who protect them and get sweet gigs in Central Office. Stop being victims and get on the side of justice and your quality of life will improve. Your union only cares about small unethical ball. (Paying bus drivers who don’t drive in a pandemic and then leave when pandemic is over)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

Then get your union on the side of parents. Your union stood by and allowed Curriculum 2.0 debacle FOR A DECADE. Your union doesn’t fight for kids on IEPs - actual dyslexia training for you. Your union allows lead in the water in schools - mold to continue. Your union protects sexual predators and principals who protect them and get sweet gigs in Central Office. Stop being victims and get on the side of justice and your quality of life will improve. Your union only cares about small unethical ball. (Paying bus drivers who don’t drive in a pandemic and then leave when pandemic is over)

I agree with you about 2.0 and the need for more support for kids with IEPs, but teachers and bus drivers are not part of the same union. Which makes sense, right? They are totally different skill sets.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

If you have written documentation (ie. email or memo) telling teachers to do whatever it takes to pass students at the point of dumbing down the curriculum or giving assignments designed to makeup low performance on assessments then send the information to Kevin Lewis at WJLA. Someone needs to expose what is happening and written evidence would be helpful. Students are being passed without showing mastery of the curriculum. That has an impact for other subjects and fundamental skills upon high school graduation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

Then get your union on the side of parents. Your union stood by and allowed Curriculum 2.0 debacle FOR A DECADE. Your union doesn’t fight for kids on IEPs - actual dyslexia training for you. Your union allows lead in the water in schools - mold to continue. Your union protects sexual predators and principals who protect them and get sweet gigs in Central Office. Stop being victims and get on the side of justice and your quality of life will improve. Your union only cares about small unethical ball. (Paying bus drivers who don’t drive in a pandemic and then leave when pandemic is over)

THe union doesn't exist to make curriculum decisions. That would be the BoE. The union exists to support teachers and ensure things like reasonable and safe working conditions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

Then get your union on the side of parents. Your union stood by and allowed Curriculum 2.0 debacle FOR A DECADE. Your union doesn’t fight for kids on IEPs - actual dyslexia training for you. Your union allows lead in the water in schools - mold to continue. Your union protects sexual predators and principals who protect them and get sweet gigs in Central Office. Stop being victims and get on the side of justice and your quality of life will improve. Your union only cares about small unethical ball. (Paying bus drivers who don’t drive in a pandemic and then leave when pandemic is over)

THe union doesn't exist to make curriculum decisions. That would be the BoE. The union exists to support teachers and ensure things like reasonable and safe working conditions.

Correct. Everyone needs to stop pretending MCEA is interested in the equities of students. It's not- it exists to lobby for policies that benefit teachers, regardless of the impact those policies have on students. It boggles my mind that parents would vote for the Apple Ballot given that means they're putting the interests of teachers above the interests of students.

[Anonymous]

Not sure how widely this is known but teachers are not paid for the days off over winter and spring break (other than state mandated holidays). Now there is inequity between compensation between 10 and 12 month employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how widely this is known but teachers are not paid for the days off over winter and spring break (other than state mandated holidays). Now there is inequity between compensation between 10 and 12 month employees.

Of course there's inequity between the employees. They have unequal jobs.

But a B+ on the DCUM Trolling Scale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

Then get your union on the side of parents. Your union stood by and allowed Curriculum 2.0 debacle FOR A DECADE. Your union doesn’t fight for kids on IEPs - actual dyslexia training for you. Your union allows lead in the water in schools - mold to continue. Your union protects sexual predators and principals who protect them and get sweet gigs in Central Office. Stop being victims and get on the side of justice and your quality of life will improve. Your union only cares about small unethical ball. (Paying bus drivers who don’t drive in a pandemic and then leave when pandemic is over)

THe union doesn't exist to make curriculum decisions. That would be the BoE. The union exists to support teachers and ensure things like reasonable and safe working conditions.

Correct. Everyone needs to stop pretending MCEA is interested in the equities of students. It's not- it exists to lobby for policies that benefit teachers, regardless of the impact those policies have on students. It boggles my mind that parents would vote for the Apple Ballot given that means they're putting the interests of teachers above the interests of students.

It boggles my mind that you can’t get it through your head that without teachers, there would be no students. Working conditions matter. This isn’t the 1700s. Try and catch up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

Then get your union on the side of parents. Your union stood by and allowed Curriculum 2.0 debacle FOR A DECADE. Your union doesn’t fight for kids on IEPs - actual dyslexia training for you. Your union allows lead in the water in schools - mold to continue. Your union protects sexual predators and principals who protect them and get sweet gigs in Central Office. Stop being victims and get on the side of justice and your quality of life will improve. Your union only cares about small unethical ball. (Paying bus drivers who don’t drive in a pandemic and then leave when pandemic is over)

THe union doesn't exist to make curriculum decisions. That would be the BoE. The union exists to support teachers and ensure things like reasonable and safe working conditions.

Correct. Everyone needs to stop pretending MCEA is interested in the equities of students. It's not- it exists to lobby for policies that benefit teachers, regardless of the impact those policies have on students. It boggles my mind that parents would vote for the Apple Ballot given that means they're putting the interests of teachers above the interests of students.

Let’s be real, as a union MCEA is pretty weak. That said, unions represent the employees. They have no bearing on curriculum decisions but they are representing teachers who do care about the curriculum and want their students to be successful with whatever means possible. The problem is when administration becomes inflexible and expects curriculum packages to be followed with fidelity. With any curriculum, half of the students will make steady progress regardless of the program. A quarter will make progress with scaffolds and enrichment that is (sometimes) included in the program. The other 25% need something more. It’s a matter of providing schools with additional staffing and intervention/enrichment supports to help those students be successful. That support means additional money they don’t budget for properly. Rather than spending money on before and after school cares tutoring, spend that money hiring additional intervention, ESOL, and focus teachers.

The reality is that we need to stop thinking a specific curriculum is the magic cure. Spending millions of dollars every few years to analyze data, purchase a new curriculum and train teachers is wasteful. Better to find more effective assessment tools to determine specific areas of trouble for each individual student and use the programs we already have to tailor instruction for individual students. However, if we did that we would need to throw out the concept of the traditional grade cards. Transition to standards based reports/checklists based on the skills they are working on.

This would be for grades k-3, my area of expertise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how widely this is known but teachers are not paid for the days off over winter and spring break (other than state mandated holidays). Now there is inequity between compensation between 10 and 12 month employees.

Of course there's inequity between the employees. They have unequal jobs.

But a B+ on the DCUM Trolling Scale.

Idiot, this has nothing to do with it. There are “unequal jobs” with 10 month employees. There are “unequal jobs” within 12 month employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure, they are a complete mess, as evidenced by the last Board meeting, but I wouldn't cite the crazy Parents' Coalition for that.

Yes this “org” is crazy and I am putting it in quotations because it only has one member - Janis Sartucci. Don’t believe the hype. She also posts here a lot - would not be surprised if she was the one giving kudos to her “org”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Leadership, principals, and central office are never held accountable. Their job is supper teachers and students especially with the fact that there are NO subs. Instead those in leadership just tell everyone below address all these issues without actually helping the teachers do this. Blame gets put on teachers but the leadership of a school and especially central office is what needs to be accountable and changed. Teachers have to do what admin and central tell us. Many things that parents have the right to be upset about (“dumbing down” lessons for example) is because we are told that the most important thing it to pass the students. Admin and central claim they care about rigor but then we get yelled at about the kids who are failing. Just keep in mind that many of the things that you see a teacher doing has to do with the admin at that school and orders from central. We don’t agree with it either.

Then get your union on the side of parents. Your union stood by and allowed Curriculum 2.0 debacle FOR A DECADE. Your union doesn’t fight for kids on IEPs - actual dyslexia training for you. Your union allows lead in the water in schools - mold to continue. Your union protects sexual predators and principals who protect them and get sweet gigs in Central Office. Stop being victims and get on the side of justice and your quality of life will improve. Your union only cares about small unethical ball. (Paying bus drivers who don’t drive in a pandemic and then leave when pandemic is over)

THe union doesn't exist to make curriculum decisions. That would be the BoE. The union exists to support teachers and ensure things like reasonable and safe working conditions.

Correct. Everyone needs to stop pretending MCEA is interested in the equities of students. It's not- it exists to lobby for policies that benefit teachers, regardless of the impact those policies have on students. It boggles my mind that parents would vote for the Apple Ballot given that means they're putting the interests of teachers above the interests of students.

It boggles my mind that you can’t get it through your head that without teachers, there would be no students. Working conditions matter. This isn’t the 1700s. Try and catch up.

It turns out that even having teachers doesn't mean having schools. We found that out last year.

Yes, working conditions, compensation, etc., matter, but so does having administrators and policymakers that will prioritize the needs of students rather than simply caving to the union.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure, they are a complete mess, as evidenced by the last Board meeting, but I wouldn't cite the crazy Parents' Coalition for that.

Yes this “org” is crazy and I am putting it in quotations because it only has one member - Janis Sartucci. Don’t believe the hype. She also posts here a lot - would not be surprised if she was the one giving kudos to her “org”.

Why do multiple people post on the blog? Earning your $130/h?