Earl B Middle school homophobic club?

[Anonymous]

I thought only upcounty schools were full of bigots and racists but Woods seems to be have them too. This whole thread and being upset with the principal is heartbreaking. Glad my kids don’t go there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wood parent here. Mrs Slatcoff isn’t perfect but I would much rather she overreacted than to sweep it under the rug and try to hide the situation from the parents and students. And I assure you that the kids are talking about it and the message that this behavior is serious and will not be tolerated has come across loud and clear.

Having said that, there is still a lot of work to do at Wood on bullying issues, many of them racial in nature. I hope she comes down on those issues the way she has on this one. I think this incidence has shed a lot of light on many issues that entire community needs to openly address and I hope she is the one starting the conversation.

Problem here is the principal is sending the message that the actual crimes like fighting and underage smoking/vaping won’t be dealt with and kids know it, but thought crimes- oh dear no you can’t do that- send in the COPS NOW! Unleash the dogs. Teach those kids they can’t write a word and delete it without police involvement, but they can beat the crap out of each other on a regular basis or smoke daily in the bathroom but that’s ok.

Do you really not see that as a problem?

Who said they are beating the crap out of each other and smoking in the bathrooms? I said there was some bullying issues but it’s not like kids are getting into fistfights daily.

At Wood? Yes, there are a good number of fights.

What middle school do your kids attend?

There are fights at every school and knowing the MC police, they are not required to be called. It is for the school to decide. If you want the police notified for all fights, they would be at every middle school at least 2-3x a week. That is why they need an SRO at every middle school. But that isn't going to happen.

Memo down from administration is to call police on all hate crimes. Let the police decide. Otherwise principals sweep everything under the rug. She did her job and now the police will do theirs.

This right here. If the fight is a couple of attempted thrown fists, police aren't going to be called. Hate speech, hate drawings etc... immediately go to police. If she didn't contact the police and a parent found out and complained, central would have been all over here for not doing the right thing. I am shocked how many people think this is no big deal. that is scary. It's 2023, not 1973.

I’m shocked at how many people don’t understand that writing or drawing anything is not a crime unless it is a threat (and threats have a very specific and hard to prove definition). There may be grounds for school discipline but it is NOT a crime. How did we go from “never call the police, ACAB” to “report thought crimes to the police”?

Juveniles and adults have been arrested for drawings, so um yeah they can. :roll:

And on another thread I watched a video of a teenager choke a child on a school bus. The teenager was allowed back in the same school with the victim, despite the child having an order of protection in place. But no police involvement there, even though a child was clearly assaulted. But yet this incident is reported to the police. Utter insanity in our public schools.

Having a child that currently has a protective order against another child, I know for a fact they can not force the child out of school. Provisions are made during the school day for them to avoid each other or the victim can ask to move schools under a COSA. It's ridiculous but "every child has a right to a public education." is all we heard throughout the process. They can request the child move, but if the parents are uncooperative, 90% of the victim moves schools.

If there is video of the assault, the victim's family should have contacted the SRO and then the police themselves who would have started the case and investigation. That is what we had to do. I know first hand how little the school contact police for anything and even push back when the police are called and won't give out info to the victim's family or police without a case number. It is EXTREMELY frustrating as a victim. Ours was drawn out for months.

So that is why I am for the police being called for all clear cases of hate and assault. The problem is most of the time they are not. The principal was in the right here. The police can decide and drop the case when their investigation is done. But at least the principal did her due diligence. Most don't.

+1

Rather be safe than sorry. And guess what? Kids at that school will think twice before doing hateful things again, especially on their Chromebook. The kid won't be arrested, but at least it wasn't swept away and barely talked about.

Actually, hysterical adults are exactly what some kids are looking for, even if subconsciously. Making this such a dramatic deal, instead of pulling the kid aside and telling them to be nice, is likely to create more of this, not less.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never realized how homophobic my kid's middle school was until this letter came out. I actually thought moving to Rockville was a liberal safe area. It seems most of the parents are supportive in person, but here on this board - a lot of hate. Maybe it is just the same conservative person?

I commented earlier. My child is gay, as are several other close family members. It is not clear from what was in the letter how serious this was and not is it clear it’s not an “in-joke” among kids who are gay themselves-I assure that type of thing happens. Of course it’s possible that it’s actually hate based and was an actual attempt to foment homophobic hate but that is not evident at all. Furthermore, the principal seems to be treating it as though they were actively recruiting to the club-if you want kids to sometimes think better of bad ideas and delete them you should distinguish in your response to actual events and aborted passing ideas.

you are troll and not from Wood - the LGBTQ community is horrified and scared for their kids. Not thinking "oh a gay person in the school did this." That is not this kid or their friends. So please stop

Of course, anyone who disagrees with you must be a troll.

You do realize these are KIDS? Quite posible kids who come from religious homes, where their families do not condone a gay lifestyle. They are trying to figure things out and reconcile what they hear at home with their own feelings.

Kids say stupid things. We don’t need to call the police for it. It is possible the kid who did this is gay. Either way, there was truly no hate crime committed.

Then they should enroll in a religious school. Public schools are secular and open for everyone.

And please stop saying kids say stupid things or this kid might be gay. this was a slide presentation and sign up to join a homophobic club. It was well thought out. All 3 kids involved have had prior issues.

Even religious people who believe what the vast, vast majority of people believed in this country until about 10 years ago...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wood parent here. Mrs Slatcoff isn’t perfect but I would much rather she overreacted than to sweep it under the rug and try to hide the situation from the parents and students. And I assure you that the kids are talking about it and the message that this behavior is serious and will not be tolerated has come across loud and clear.

Having said that, there is still a lot of work to do at Wood on bullying issues, many of them racial in nature. I hope she comes down on those issues the way she has on this one. I think this incidence has shed a lot of light on many issues that entire community needs to openly address and I hope she is the one starting the conversation.

Problem here is the principal is sending the message that the actual crimes like fighting and underage smoking/vaping won’t be dealt with and kids know it, but thought crimes- oh dear no you can’t do that- send in the COPS NOW! Unleash the dogs. Teach those kids they can’t write a word and delete it without police involvement, but they can beat the crap out of each other on a regular basis or smoke daily in the bathroom but that’s ok.

Do you really not see that as a problem?

Who said they are beating the crap out of each other and smoking in the bathrooms? I said there was some bullying issues but it’s not like kids are getting into fistfights daily.

At Wood? Yes, there are a good number of fights.

What middle school do your kids attend?

There are fights at every school and knowing the MC police, they are not required to be called. It is for the school to decide. If you want the police notified for all fights, they would be at every middle school at least 2-3x a week. That is why they need an SRO at every middle school. But that isn't going to happen.

Memo down from administration is to call police on all hate crimes. Let the police decide. Otherwise principals sweep everything under the rug. She did her job and now the police will do theirs.

This right here. If the fight is a couple of attempted thrown fists, police aren't going to be called. Hate speech, hate drawings etc... immediately go to police. If she didn't contact the police and a parent found out and complained, central would have been all over here for not doing the right thing. I am shocked how many people think this is no big deal. that is scary. It's 2023, not 1973.

I’m shocked at how many people don’t understand that writing or drawing anything is not a crime unless it is a threat (and threats have a very specific and hard to prove definition). There may be grounds for school discipline but it is NOT a crime. How did we go from “never call the police, ACAB” to “report thought crimes to the police”?

Juveniles and adults have been arrested for drawings, so um yeah they can. :roll:

And on another thread I watched a video of a teenager choke a child on a school bus. The teenager was allowed back in the same school with the victim, despite the child having an order of protection in place. But no police involvement there, even though a child was clearly assaulted. But yet this incident is reported to the police. Utter insanity in our public schools.

Having a child that currently has a protective order against another child, I know for a fact they can not force the child out of school. Provisions are made during the school day for them to avoid each other or the victim can ask to move schools under a COSA. It's ridiculous but "every child has a right to a public education." is all we heard throughout the process. They can request the child move, but if the parents are uncooperative, 90% of the victim moves schools.

If there is video of the assault, the victim's family should have contacted the SRO and then the police themselves who would have started the case and investigation. That is what we had to do. I know first hand how little the school contact police for anything and even push back when the police are called and won't give out info to the victim's family or police without a case number. It is EXTREMELY frustrating as a victim. Ours was drawn out for months.

So that is why I am for the police being called for all clear cases of hate and assault. The problem is most of the time they are not. The principal was in the right here. The police can decide and drop the case when their investigation is done. But at least the principal did her due diligence. Most don't.

+1

Rather be safe than sorry. And guess what? Kids at that school will think twice before doing hateful things again, especially on their Chromebook. The kid won't be arrested, but at least it wasn't swept away and barely talked about.

Actually, hysterical adults are exactly what some kids are looking for, even if subconsciously. Making this such a dramatic deal, instead of pulling the kid aside and telling them to be nice, is likely to create more of this, not less.

Yep. The over-reaction makes this way worse than is needs to be!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought only upcounty schools were full of bigots and racists but Woods seems to be have them too. This whole thread and being upset with the principal is heartbreaking. Glad my kids don’t go there.

I honestly think it’s one person posting over and over again - probably one of the kid’s parents.

The Woods parents I know are taking it very seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:[b]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wood parent here. Mrs Slatcoff isn’t perfect but I would much rather she overreacted than to sweep it under the rug and try to hide the situation from the parents and students. And I assure you that the kids are talking about it and the message that this behavior is serious and will not be tolerated has come across loud and clear.

Having said that, there is still a lot of work to do at Wood on bullying issues, many of them racial in nature. I hope she comes down on those issues the way she has on this one. I think this incidence has shed a lot of light on many issues that entire community needs to openly address and I hope she is the one starting the conversation.

Problem here is the principal is sending the message that the actual crimes like fighting and underage smoking/vaping won’t be dealt with and kids know it, but thought crimes- oh dear no you can’t do that- send in the COPS NOW! Unleash the dogs. Teach those kids they can’t write a word and delete it without police involvement, but they can beat the crap out of each other on a regular basis or smoke daily in the bathroom but that’s ok.

Do you really not see that as a problem?

Who said they are beating the crap out of each other and smoking in the bathrooms? I said there was some bullying issues but it’s not like kids are getting into fistfights daily.

At Wood? Yes, there are a good number of fights.

What middle school do your kids attend?

There are fights at every school and knowing the MC police, they are not required to be called. It is for the school to decide. If you want the police notified for all fights, they would be at every middle school at least 2-3x a week. That is why they need an SRO at every middle school. But that isn't going to happen.

Memo down from administration is to call police on all hate crimes. Let the police decide. Otherwise principals sweep everything under the rug. She did her job and now the police will do theirs.

This right here. If the fight is a couple of attempted thrown fists, police aren't going to be called. Hate speech, hate drawings etc... immediately go to police. If she didn't contact the police and a parent found out and complained, central would have been all over here for not doing the right thing. I am shocked how many people think this is no big deal. that is scary. It's 2023, not 1973.

I’m shocked at how many people don’t understand that writing or drawing anything is not a crime unless it is a threat (and threats have a very specific and hard to prove definition). There may be grounds for school discipline but it is NOT a crime. How did we go from “never call the police, ACAB” to “report thought crimes to the police”?

Juveniles and adults have been arrested for drawings, so um yeah they can. :roll:

And on another thread I watched a video of a teenager choke a child on a school bus. The teenager was allowed back in the same school with the victim, despite the child having an order of protection in place. But no police involvement there, even though a child was clearly assaulted. But yet this incident is reported to the police. Utter insanity in our public schools.

Having a child that currently has a protective order against another child, I know for a fact they can not force the child out of school. Provisions are made during the school day for them to avoid each other or the victim can ask to move schools under a COSA. It's ridiculous but "every child has a right to a public education." is all we heard throughout the process. They can request the child move, but if the parents are uncooperative, 90% of the victim moves schools.

If there is video of the assault, the victim's family should have contacted the SRO and then the police themselves who would have started the case and investigation. That is what we had to do. I know first hand how little the school contact police for anything and even push back when the police are called and won't give out info to the victim's family or police without a case number. It is EXTREMELY frustrating as a victim. Ours was drawn out for months.

So that is why I am for the police being called for all clear cases of hate and assault. The problem is most of the time they are not. The principal was in the right here. The police can decide and drop the case when their investigation is done. But at least the principal did her due diligence. Most don't.

+1

Rather be safe than sorry. And guess what? Kids at that school will think twice before doing hateful things again, especially on their Chromebook. The kid won't be arrested, but at least it wasn't swept away and barely talked about.

Actually, hysterical adults are exactly what some kids are looking for, even if subconsciously. Making this such a dramatic deal, instead of pulling the kid aside and telling them to be nice, is likely to create more of this, not less.

Yep. Nailed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:<fixed the spelling of the word Principal> Let me take a stab at recreating the 911 call...

Operator: 911 what is your emergency
Principal Heidi: We found a deleted Microsoft form titled "Homophobic Hub Club" in the recycle bin of a student's Chromebook from 2-4 months ago.
Operator: Please describe the crime ma'am
Principal Heidi: Maybe you didn't hear me correctly, the child used the word "Homophobic" in the title of a club that he was thinking about starting!
Operator: And you say the suspect then deleted the club form?
Principal Heidi: Not until after he shared it with two of his friends.
Operator: So the said club was actually started?
Principal Heidi: No, like I said, it was deleted..... 4 months ago
Operator: Is the suspect currently in the school?
Principal Heidi: No, he is at the hospital visiting his friend who was choked unconscious on a school bus.
Operator: Wait, there was an assault that occurred on a school bus? Should I send an officer to investigate?
Principal Heidi: Of course not. Let's get back to the actual crime that took place - the deleted form with the word "Homophobic" in the title. Can you confirm that this 12yo child will be charged as an adult?
Operator: We..... can't..... what?
Principal Heidi: Please hold one second..... Yes Trevor, please get a letter out to all the parents and make sure that a leaked copy makes it to the media..... boy, this is going to make me look like such a great leader
Operator: Hello... Ma'am....
Principal Heidi: Sorry.... sorry, I'm so excited.... I can't wait to tell all my friends about this.... When can I get an officer down here? I secured the Chromebook in our evidence locker.
Operator: Evidence locker?
Principal Heidi: Actually, it's the empty locker in hallway 6 that hasn't worked since Timmy Chadwick's head got smashed into it.
Operator: What? That sounds like a serious..... nevermind.... I know, back to the real crime.
Principal Heidi: I need an officer here NOW.
Operator: We can send an officer as soon as one is available. Unfortunately, our budgets were cut.
Principal Heidi: Oh yea.... Sorry.... that might have been me. I started a club in 2019 called "Defund Our Police Yesterday" (DOPY). It was, like, so fun, we made t-shirts, met at TGI Fridays every Thursday (so ironic, right?). Bottomless chili fries.... yummm.
Operator: Ok, Ma'am.... an officer will be there soon.
<click>
Operator: This is dispatch... we have a code... umm... I don't think there is a code for this. Please see Principal Heidi at Wood Middle School. Apparently 4-months ago a 12yo child created a google form about a fake club with the word homophobic in the title, shared it with his friends for a cheap laugh and immediately deleted it.
Officer: <facepalm> 10-4

Your welcome! <wink>

Epic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought only upcounty schools were full of bigots and racists but Woods seems to be have them too. This whole thread and being upset with the principal is heartbreaking. Glad my kids don’t go there.

I honestly think it’s one person posting over and over again - probably one of the kid’s parents.

The Woods parents I know are taking it very seriously.

You’re wrong. There are multiple posters. You’re also wrong about anyone disagreeing with you being a bigot. I don’t think anyone here excuses bullying gay kids. The concern is that they called the police with no indication that any crime took place. I thought this was something people also believed in - don’t call the police?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought only upcounty schools were full of bigots and racists but Woods seems to be have them too. This whole thread and being upset with the principal is heartbreaking. Glad my kids don’t go there.

I honestly think it’s one person posting over and over again - probably one of the kid’s parents.

The Woods parents I know are taking it very seriously.

You’re wrong. There are multiple posters. You’re also wrong about anyone disagreeing with you being a bigot. I don’t think anyone here excuses bullying gay kids. The concern is that they called the police with no indication that any crime took place. I thought this was something people also believed in - don’t call the police?

Especially when it’s a school with a majority Brown population. You want the White prinicpal calling the cops on all the Brown kids even when no crime has been committed? Interesting.

[Anonymous]

This thread is embarrassing. If a principal does nothing they are in the wrong. If they call the police they are the wrong.

Her job was to contact the police to investigate.

Central has been stating that for at least 2 years now. Like another poster said. They call the police for swastika drawings in other schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is embarrassing. If a principal does nothing they are in the wrong. If they call the police they are the wrong.

Her job was to contact the police to investigate.

Central has been stating that for at least 2 years now. Like another poster said. They call the police for swastika drawings in other schools.

Her job was to investigate?

Investigaste what? What crime did the principal need the po po to come investigate?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is embarrassing. If a principal does nothing they are in the wrong. If they call the police they are the wrong.

Her job was to contact the police to investigate.

Central has been stating that for at least 2 years now. Like another poster said. They call the police for swastika drawings in other schools.

Does she call the police every time someone says the n-word or f-word? Or every time someone writes then deleted an unacceptable thought?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is embarrassing. If a principal does nothing they are in the wrong. If they call the police they are the wrong.

Her job was to contact the police to investigate.

Central has been stating that for at least 2 years now. Like another poster said. They call the police for swastika drawings in other schools.

This thread is absolutely embarrassing to the people whose backwards "progressive" policies and decisions are on full display here. That "911 call" post earlier shines a huge spotlight on how absurd things have gotten in MCPS and our county as a whole. Satire is a powerful tool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is embarrassing. If a principal does nothing they are in the wrong. If they call the police they are the wrong.

Her job was to contact the police to investigate.

Central has been stating that for at least 2 years now. Like another poster said. They call the police for swastika drawings in other schools.

Can you not see that a public swastika is different than a teacher finding a months old, never posted document about an imaginary club? I am not homophobic snd my child is gay. If the kids are bullying or taunting gay read them the riot act, suspend them, hold town halls etc. If the extent is what was described this is crazy, and not at all clear that it’s homophobic rather than idiocy or an inside joke (that was deleted!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is embarrassing. If a principal does nothing they are in the wrong. If they call the police they are the wrong.

Her job was to contact the police to investigate.

Central has been stating that for at least 2 years now. Like another poster said. They call the police for swastika drawings in other schools.

Can you not see that a public swastika is different than a teacher finding a months old, never posted document about an imaginary club? I am not homophobic snd my child is gay. If the kids are bullying or taunting gay read them the riot act, suspend them, hold town halls etc. If the extent is what was described this is crazy, and not at all clear that it’s homophobic rather than idiocy or an inside joke (that was deleted!)

exactly. this is more like a teacher finding a swastika in a private notebook. I’m in a mixed faith marriage raising kids Jewish so obviously that would be disturbing and I hope the child would get counseling. But not call the police! Even if the showed it to a few other kids.