WaPo: How D.C. and its teachers, with shifting plans and demands, failed to reopen schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this also means probably evan more DCPS parents are going to leave for Charters. since its clear DPCS has no clue what they are doing and just making that case the charter schools are better for kids.
The pandemic is going to erase the gains DCPS was actually making over the last ten years.

This is not true. The parents squawking to reopen schools would only send their DCs to a handful of charters, most of which have outrageously long waitlists. They paid $$$$ for those Wilson feeders! More likely they’ll move to MD...which is also still fully virtual.

There are some charters that are easier to get into while parents continue to play the lottery, and they'll probably be a lot better than any DCPS school judging by how they've mismanaged this whole situation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:this also means probably evan more DCPS parents are going to leave for Charters. since its clear DPCS has no clue what they are doing and just making that case the charter schools are better for kids.
The pandemic is going to erase the gains DCPS was actually making over the last ten years.

This is not true. The parents squawking to reopen schools would only send their DCs to a handful of charters, most of which have outrageously long waitlists. They paid $$$$ for those Wilson feeders! More likely they’ll move to MD...which is also still fully virtual.

Which will be equally bad for DCPS. You may think good riddance (your post suggests that's what you think), but if DCPS loses significant numbers of UMC parents, the whole school system will suffer. And I am saying this as someone who can't afford to move unless I wanted to move really far out. I worry about the future of DCPS, which I was planning to have my kids attend for another decade. This disaster will have ripple effects none of us can hope for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But the blame goes to all of you, too. Where were you? Who organized parents to reopen like in NYC? This has been a huge disappointment. You’d think reading DCUM that plenty of parents are angry and fired up, but there wasn’t any public pressure? A petition, one article in the WaPo, and that’s it?

Are you too scared to stick your neck out?

“ The result: Teachers were applying maximum pressure to stay closed, but there was virtually no public pressure to reopen.”

Well, this isn't an excuse, it's just an explanation:

Many MC and UMC white parents who wanted schools to re-open were shamed by WTU and by a small minority of parents supporting the teacher's union into staying quiet. We were threatened with the prospect of being labeled racist, Trump/DeVos supporters, and suffering the social and community consequences. We were afraid to speak up because wanting schools open was effectively equated with things like being a Covid denier, voting for Trump, hating unions, and not caring about POC. So we stayed quiet.

That this whole debate happened on the heels of a summer of BLM protests, and a real reckoning for white people, compounded the issue. We genuinely wondered whether advocating for our kids was an okay thing to do. Especially since survey after survey showed that white parents were far more likely to support re-opening. So many of us because uncertain in our convictions. I know I did. I was afraid to speak out, and I was effectively shamed by the union and other parents into believing that I needed to suck it up and stop complaining. That's a big reason I post on this board instead of taking a more vocal position at my school or in the community. In those places, I let other voices take the lead because I don't want to be seen as an entitled white person. But here, I tell the truth.

I'm not proud of this but I also don't know what the solution is, because as you can see, anyone who advocates for reopening is indeed accused of being a tone-deaf, privileged white person who doesn't care about POC or teachers. I have live in my community and my kid has to go to school, and I can't risk becoming a pariah.

I appreciate the self-reflection, and I think you know this already, but kindly, you’re a big part of the problem. I was a loud voice at my charter advocating to reopen. Maybe some have labeled me a pariah, but I’m proud of what I tried to do. Science and history will be on my side in this. I wish more parents had voiced their support instead is being honest here instead—which is useless.

How have DC charters navigated the school opening issue? I ask as a newcomer to this debate because I'm applying for preK 3 for 21-22, and I want to make sure I list charters that have at least attempted to do something about getting kids back in school.

They're all different. Some seem to be waiting on DCPS to make a decision. My kids' charter has not brought back any students and I am doubtful that they will this school year. The grass is not always greener, at least in my experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Problem is that teachers have a lot of power here. There is a national teacher shortage. If we fire all the teachers, we will be in an even worse off position. Alienating teachers and principals was a very stupid move by the mayor and chancellor. I don’t fully blame teachers as the US worships at the altar of capitalism and why wouldn’t teachers act in their own best interests.

Teachers don’t actually have much power here.

1.) Teachers in DC are — by a mile — the best paid in America. It’s not uncommon for teachers to make six figures.

2.) If they quit, who is going to hire them? Governments across the country are cutting their budgets. Who is going to hire thousands of teachers suddenly on the market.

3.) In most of the country, schools are back in session — IN PERSON. Many of the places that might hire DC teachers who quit would require them to go back to the classroom.

Bowser should call their bluff and tell teachers who refuse to show up for work are fired immediately. 98 percent would show up.

Only she cant fire any of them. the union forbids firing for demanding work.

She can obviously fire them. And she should. They’re refusing to do their jobs. The government is not required to pay workers who refuse to work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Problem is that teachers have a lot of power here. There is a national teacher shortage. If we fire all the teachers, we will be in an even worse off position. Alienating teachers and principals was a very stupid move by the mayor and chancellor. I don’t fully blame teachers as the US worships at the altar of capitalism and why wouldn’t teachers act in their own best interests.

Teachers don’t actually have much power here.

1.) Teachers in DC are — by a mile — the best paid in America. It’s not uncommon for teachers to make six figures.

2.) If they quit, who is going to hire them? Governments across the country are cutting their budgets. Who is going to hire thousands of teachers suddenly on the market.

3.) In most of the country, schools are back in session — IN PERSON. Many of the places that might hire DC teachers who quit would require them to go back to the classroom.

Bowser should call their bluff and tell teachers who refuse to show up for work are fired immediately. 98 percent would show up.

Only she cant fire any of them. the union forbids firing for demanding work.

She can order all teachers back to work. If the union members strike, she can fine the union into oblivion and arrest the President. Day 1 of a strike teachers benefits start going unpaid and they receive no salary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t have much sympathy for entitlement. I have sympathy for low SES families trying to survive. Strange how they don’t complain about DL and yet you do.

I honestly wish the WTU asked for more, at least when we’d come back in person all kid’s schools could have working lights, toilets, opening windows, working heat/air, etc.

While they were at it they should have asked for more pay for teachers on the caveat they are deemed essential workers, unless they have a condition or someone in their immediate family who lives with them.

I acknowledge my privilege, it doesn’t mean I don’t suffer, DL is hard for us all but I’m not worrying about how to pay my bills.

What percentage of low SES families are just not doing DL? (DCPS statistics suggest the number is significant.) Why would they be complaining if they’re not bothering with it in the first place?

Many may be too busy working multiple jobs to pay attention to how their kids are doing or simply not have the human and cultural capital to discern how their children are doing school. That’s one reason we have compulsory schooling. Don’t use low income kids as a justification to stay home and bake.

I’m PP, and I agree with you. I disagree with the initial commenter above who chides high SES parents for complaining when low SES parents are apparently fine with DL. I don’t equate not speaking up with being content.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t have much sympathy for entitlement. I have sympathy for low SES families trying to survive. Strange how they don’t complain about DL and yet you do.

I honestly wish the WTU asked for more, at least when we’d come back in person all kid’s schools could have working lights, toilets, opening windows, working heat/air, etc.

While they were at it they should have asked for more pay for teachers on the caveat they are deemed essential workers, unless they have a condition or someone in their immediate family who lives with them.

I acknowledge my privilege, it doesn’t mean I don’t suffer, DL is hard for us all but I’m not worrying about how to pay my bills.

What percentage of low SES families are just not doing DL? (DCPS statistics suggest the number is significant.) Why would they be complaining if they’re not bothering with it in the first place?

Many may be too busy working multiple jobs to pay attention to how their kids are doing or simply not have the human and cultural capital to discern how their children are doing school. That’s one reason we have compulsory schooling. Don’t use low income kids as a justification to stay home and bake.

I’m PP, and I agree with you. I disagree with the initial commenter above who chides high SES parents for complaining when low SES parents are apparently fine with DL. I don’t equate not speaking up with being content.

Hard agree.

[Anonymous]

After reading this article my only question is where I am supposed to go to collect a refund on the portion of my property taxes that funds public education?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After reading this article my only question is where I am supposed to go to collect a refund on the portion of my property taxes that funds public education?

+1. In the coming years we’ll focus on looking for jobs outside of the DMV area to get out of here. Or make more $$ to pay for private. Not worth it for our kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After reading this article my only question is where I am supposed to go to collect a refund on the portion of my property taxes that funds public education?

+1. In the coming years we’ll focus on looking for jobs outside of the DMV area to get out of here. Or make more $$ to pay for private. Not worth it for our kids.

+2. I am the poster who created a thread a couple months ago asking for a check from the government to pay for childcare/education for my child, since the public school system decided to abandon us. I'm still waiting. People yelled at me for it, but the point still stands. And that was back when I actually still had some goodwill towards the teachers and the union. That's gone!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTU may have won the battle to close schools for a year or so, but I wonder if they’ve lost the war to fund public schools in the future. Surely the union’s behavior over the past few months has lost the hearts and minds of many voters. I know I’ll think twice before voting for any candidates who touts their WTU endorsement.

+1

I am a DCPS teacher and worry that any support we had from parents or any goodwill is squandered by the union. I wonder if budgets will be cut and Bowser won’t negotiate to increase them.

I am a DCPS parent. Don’t worry. We know the mayor and chancellor have cut parents and teachers out of this process
And we back the union.

Why? I am a DCPS parent and a DCPS parent and I feel like the union has mishandled this from the beginning. I am grasping at reasons to support the union at this point because I feel like it has let me down. I am wondering what a DCPS parent feels like the union has done right.

They have kept its teachers safe and covid-free. Same goes for the students. Ever thought why the numbers aren't higher? Could be because many people are still at home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plenty of blame to go around. I'm never voting for Bowser again, I can say that. I'm also angry with the union and can't believe how poorly they've handled this entire situation. But it's the unions job to advocate for teachers (I personally do not think they did a good job with it). It's the mayor's and chancellor's job to negotiate with the union, to communicate with parents, to build coalitions and to solve difficult logistical issues. That's the job. It pays pretty well and people beg to to get it. Sorry it's hard?

One thing the article points out is just how bad the city's messaging to parents was, how little outreach they did to build support for reopening. I attended some of the town halls they mention in the article and had the same takeaways as the parents they interviewed -- it was hard to ask questions, and when we did, we got unsatisfactory answers that only made me wary of reopening. And that's as a parent who really wanted schools to reopen and believes the science supports it! But I had real misgivings about DCPS's ability to do it in a way that not only protected teachers, but protected my kid and the rest of my family.

So I'm angry with the union, but I'm not going to pretend like teachers were the only ones who wanted some answers to basic questions about how this would work and was disturbed (though not surprised) by how few answers we were given. And the article also points out that once schools did not reopen in September, families scrambled to figure out other arrangements. Those arrangements were largely not great, but they were a known quantity. So when DCPS started talking about CARES classrooms and limited reopening, but had very few details or actionable plans in place, a lot of parents who do want schools open (me included) were not sure if it was worth the risk to cancel those plans and take a flyer on the district's half baked plan.

Anyway, it's a cluster that has me wondering if we can even stay in the district. We can't afford private and I don't think homeschool is a real option for us. Maybe we switch to a charter (I never thought I'd say that). Or maybe we just move. I've never loved DCPS but this experience has left me hating it, and I don't know if I can spend the next decade plus hating the school district we are part of.

Agree with a not of what you said, but my kid’s DC charter school is still closed, too. They won’t do shit until DCPS reopens. And unless you leave the area altogether, there’s nowhere to go. MCPS, FCPS, APS—all closed too. I feel hopeless. There’s nowhere to go.

For someone who hates DCPS, you should did back up all the reasons why they are still closed. ALL the school districts in the area are closed. This isn't all due to the WTU, or do you really think the WTU is that powerful that it holds sway over every single district? Nice compliment either way. Sit back and relax. Enjoy the DL. And some time in the future be thankful your child or you never got covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting. Disgusted with the teachers. No civic duty.

"Civic duty." LOL. Teachers are not your babysitters in a pandemic. They provide education via DL. If you need childcare, hire it.

No moron, the funds allocated to spending per pupil include childcare. Therefore the school should credit parents so they can spend it if the school are not able to provide it.

What have you been smoking? Your entitlement stinks more than a baby's diaper.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting. Disgusted with the teachers. No civic duty.

"Civic duty." LOL. Teachers are not your babysitters in a pandemic. They provide education via DL. If you need childcare, hire it.

+1000000

Teachers are not babysitters dude.

NP. Why would you assume "civic duty" refers to babysitting? Teachers' civic duty lies in providing *effective* education and help facilitate social growth for kids in a school environment. Virtual teaching is not effective for most kids, and deprives them of the social learning integral to the school experience.

Not effective? How do you measure that? As a teacher I can tell you I have more than 75% of the kids at or above grade level. I'm starting to think that DL is OK for most kids no matter how many times an angry parent writes how DL is not working for their 6yo. Yes, it would be better if we were in person, but last time I looked out the window, I saw nobody because we're living in a pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:WTU may have won the battle to close schools for a year or so, but I wonder if they’ve lost the war to fund public schools in the future. Surely the union’s behavior over the past few months has lost the hearts and minds of many voters. I know I’ll think twice before voting for any candidates who touts their WTU endorsement.

+1

I am a DCPS teacher and worry that any support we had from parents or any goodwill is squandered by the union. I wonder if budgets will be cut and Bowser won’t negotiate to increase them.

I am a DCPS parent. Don’t worry. We know the mayor and chancellor have cut parents and teachers out of this process
And we back the union.

I am a DCPS parent and you should worry. The sick out was the final straw - I will never be able to look at DCPS teachers without some level of disdain again.

Why is there so much vitriol towards DCPS and WTU. My charter is closed too. The teachers there are non-union and still say they do not feel safe returning. If WTU was solely to blame, charters would be open across the city.

Thank you. Especially as 61% of the wtu DIDN’T participate in the sick out.

Where are you getting this crazy number? At my kid's school it was like 75% or higher participation because that's what the teacher told us.