MCEA and Jennifer Martin act like a bunch of lunatics at Council yesterday

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The real issue is kids aren't getting the proper education and need to get back to basics. The no textbooks, group projects and discussions and lack of teaching per MCPS mandates is when the academics started to decline.

Both schools and parents need to be held accountable.

I agree with you up the part about textbooks. This is 2023. We don't need to focus on outmoded content.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic the superintendent and board got knocked down a few pegs today. So MCEA even though they weren’t physically present at the table.

How so?

MCPS/BOE tried to get the committee’s cuts restored by the full council. Not only did that fail, but nine of the council members lectured them on poor performance, transparency, bullying, and fiscal responsibility.

Hard to believe but awesome!

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I always thought at some point people would get tired of the MCEA and their similar groups, strong arming the council and the executive to get whatever they want.

I know I pay absolutely no mind to the apple ballot, but it's still a winner.

You'd think with the schools in decline, and them all championing a 10% property tax increase in the middle of high inflation and an economic downturn- that people would change their tune, but I doubt it.

Schools aren't in decline. I think you're confusing this with broad shifts in demographics that have gone on here over the past 2-3 decades. The same kid can do as well today as 30 years ago, maybe even better, but now we're a more diverse group with differing goals and values.

Schools are in decline. We can quibble about the degree of decline but the academic stats and performance are indisputably down from pre-pandemic for sure, and again, we debate the degree of the decline over the previous decade, but there are definitely schools where the decline is more tangible and felt than in others.

Denying this and attempting to paint anyone who feels that MCPS is not where it should as racist is the problem. I'm a black parent, and a product of MCPS myself and I feel the school system is not in a good place and needs to improve. So trot out another talking point because fear of demographic shifts won't work with me.

Anybody of any race or ethnicity can have fear of demographic shifts.

Why would I, as a black person, fear an increase in black and brown students? I volunteer at my black and brown majority school because I know they don't get the support of their majority white counterparts.

Again, pick another talking point. It won't work with me.

I don't know why you would, and I don't know that you do, but I do know that this is a thing. Anybody, from any demographic group, can have bigoted/racist beliefs, including about demographic groups that they themselves belong to.

Statistics aren't bigoted. It's rational to fear increased trouble from a demographic that has higher rates of trouble. That doesn't mean you hate the demographic, or blame everyone in that demographic, and doesn't mean you oppose improving social support that demographic, and doesn't mean you won't accept the risk because other values and concerns are more important.

You're right. The data doesn't lie. It seems like a lot of people would rather ignore the facts than try to honestly address these issues. Sweeping these problems under the rug by lowering standards isn't helping anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Back on topic the superintendent and board got knocked down a few pegs today. So MCEA even though they weren’t physically present at the table.

How so?

MCPS/BOE tried to get the committee’s cuts restored by the full council. Not only did that fail, but nine of the council members lectured them on poor performance, transparency, bullying, and fiscal responsibility.

Video is here:

MCPS portion starts at 1 hour and 24 minutes in

Thank you for sharing this! You MUST watch Dawn @ 2:00. SHE NAILED IT! As a teacher, I have always questioned the accuracy of any of student data. We are not allowed to hold students accountable when our admin forces us to practically change the grades to make them pass! During COVID, I had an admin try to force me to change everyone's grade to passing (C or better) which means even if they never did any work. Once that conversation happened, I lost all respect for MCPS. I also left that school. I refused and told them they had to change the grades themselves. I won't. Your kids are not going to be prepared for life after MCPS unless you as a parent teach them about the importance of executive functioning. MCPS is failing students not literally, but in so many ways. So many ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! Dawn Luedtke TORE THEM UP! She brought up how asleep at the wheel MCPS is with fostering and developing student accountability:


"Those due dates and deadline dates, I have not seen one of my students' classes enforce them."

"At the end of the day, if they exit MCPS schools feeling like a deadline doesn't matter at all, what service have we done them?"

A little off topic. But my son's 10th teachers are adhering to deadline requirements. At least, there are two teachers who do not give 50% for missing work but give actual zeroes. And when my son has turned in some assignments late, he was knocked down 10% on the grade. Which I agree with. And honestly, he has done much better this year meeting those requirements, I think precisely because they are enforced.

Can't speak to any other teachers/grades/schools in MCPS, but my child's experience this year is a complete 180 from last year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! Dawn Luedtke TORE THEM UP! She brought up how asleep at the wheel MCPS is with fostering and developing student accountability:


"Those due dates and deadline dates, I have not seen one of my students' classes enforce them."

"At the end of the day, if they exit MCPS schools feeling like a deadline doesn't matter at all, what service have we done them?"

A little off topic. But my son's 10th teachers are adhering to deadline requirements. At least, there are two teachers who do not give 50% for missing work but give actual zeroes. And when my son has turned in some assignments late, he was knocked down 10% on the grade. Which I agree with. And honestly, he has done much better this year meeting those requirements, I think precisely because they are enforced.

Can't speak to any other teachers/grades/schools in MCPS, but my child's experience this year is a complete 180 from last year.

YES!! Punishment will learn 'em! It's better they suffer than actually learn anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! Dawn Luedtke TORE THEM UP! She brought up how asleep at the wheel MCPS is with fostering and developing student accountability:


"Those due dates and deadline dates, I have not seen one of my students' classes enforce them."

"At the end of the day, if they exit MCPS schools feeling like a deadline doesn't matter at all, what service have we done them?"

A little off topic. But my son's 10th teachers are adhering to deadline requirements. At least, there are two teachers who do not give 50% for missing work but give actual zeroes. And when my son has turned in some assignments late, he was knocked down 10% on the grade. Which I agree with. And honestly, he has done much better this year meeting those requirements, I think precisely because they are enforced.

Can't speak to any other teachers/grades/schools in MCPS, but my child's experience this year is a complete 180 from last year.

YES!! Punishment will learn 'em! It's better they suffer than actually learn anything.

Those are logical consequences. Punishment is different. There are always natural or logical consequences to inappropriate action or lack of action. Some kids, like mine, need structure and clear expectations to do their best work. I am not a child behavioral expert, but I think most kids (and people) want clear expectations and consequences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! Dawn Luedtke TORE THEM UP! She brought up how asleep at the wheel MCPS is with fostering and developing student accountability:


"Those due dates and deadline dates, I have not seen one of my students' classes enforce them."

"At the end of the day, if they exit MCPS schools feeling like a deadline doesn't matter at all, what service have we done them?"

A little off topic. But my son's 10th teachers are adhering to deadline requirements. At least, there are two teachers who do not give 50% for missing work but give actual zeroes. And when my son has turned in some assignments late, he was knocked down 10% on the grade. Which I agree with. And honestly, he has done much better this year meeting those requirements, I think precisely because they are enforced.

Can't speak to any other teachers/grades/schools in MCPS, but my child's experience this year is a complete 180 from last year.

YES!! Punishment will learn 'em! It's better they suffer than actually learn anything.

Really....🙄 What is the purpose of this statement? I don't understand people like you who come here and make senseless statements just to incite. Please find another hobby. Ok? And let the grownups talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yikes! Dawn Luedtke TORE THEM UP! She brought up how asleep at the wheel MCPS is with fostering and developing student accountability:


"Those due dates and deadline dates, I have not seen one of my students' classes enforce them."

"At the end of the day, if they exit MCPS schools feeling like a deadline doesn't matter at all, what service have we done them?"

A little off topic. But my son's 10th teachers are adhering to deadline requirements. At least, there are two teachers who do not give 50% for missing work but give actual zeroes. And when my son has turned in some assignments late, he was knocked down 10% on the grade. Which I agree with. And honestly, he has done much better this year meeting those requirements, I think precisely because they are enforced.

Can't speak to any other teachers/grades/schools in MCPS, but my child's experience this year is a complete 180 from last year.

YES!! Punishment will learn 'em! It's better they suffer than actually learn anything.

10% off is not a PUNISHMENT but a natural consequence and a penalty for missing a deadline, which is a fundamental fact of so much of adult life.

If I pay my taxes late, I pay a late fee to the IRS. If I pay my credit card bill late, I pay a late fee to the credit card company. I pay my mortgage late, I pay a late fee to the lender. HELL, if I don't turn in my library book to the MCPS library, I pay a penalty!

That is the real world. Why not prepare students for that?

[Anonymous]

Natali Fani-Gonzalez also tore them up about the piss poor literacy rates:

She said they ARE NOT closing the Achievement Gap, despite this being Monifa's supposed top priority. She went after Bench from a literacy curriculum perspective.

[Anonymous]

I'm more than halfway through the session and Evan Glass absolutely murdered MCPS. And he's absolutely right. MCPS is turning its noses up at over a $200 million increase and demanding that its budget being FULLY FUNDED OR ELSE.

As Evan Glass points out, NO MOCO AGENCY IS GETTING ITS FULLY FUNDED BUDGET. So why should MCPS be any different?

This strategy has been catastrophic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm more than halfway through the session and Evan Glass absolutely murdered MCPS. And he's absolutely right. MCPS is turning its noses up at over a $200 million increase and demanding that its budget being FULLY FUNDED OR ELSE.

As Evan Glass points out, NO MOCO AGENCY IS GETTING ITS FULLY FUNDED BUDGET. So why should MCPS be any different?

This strategy has been catastrophic.

I have not finished either, but the COO guy who said they absolutely can’t $40 million? It’s only 1.3% of their tax-supported budget. Council just dinged police with almost that percentage in additional hiring freezes.

So I agree with Glass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The real issue is kids aren't getting the proper education and need to get back to basics. The no textbooks, group projects and discussions and lack of teaching per MCPS mandates is when the academics started to decline.

Both schools and parents need to be held accountable.

I agree with you up the part about textbooks. This is 2023. We don't need to focus on outmoded content.

Kids need structure and references. Some kids learn better by reading, some watching, some hearing, some a mix.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm more than halfway through the session and Evan Glass absolutely murdered MCPS. And he's absolutely right. MCPS is turning its noses up at over a $200 million increase and demanding that its budget being FULLY FUNDED OR ELSE.

As Evan Glass points out, NO MOCO AGENCY IS GETTING ITS FULLY FUNDED BUDGET. So why should MCPS be any different?

This strategy has been catastrophic.

Mcps has plenty of money. They have a spending issue.

[Anonymous]

Dawn. You rock as a champion for teachers. I wish I knew who you were before I left the profession!