Emails reveal contempt by MoCo health dept for nonpublic schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are the parts of the article that quote emails:


“The privileged class of the county is showing their behinds,” health officer Travis Gayles of Montgomery County, Maryland, wrote on Aug. 1, dismissing objections from parents, teachers, and principals upset at his blanket closure of all nonpublic schools. ...

A local orthodontist married to a public school teacher emailed Gayles Saturday afternoon, Aug. 1, with a request.

“I ask that your department of health visit Bullis," a private school in the county seeking to reopen. "Bullis has exceeded my expectations for the safety of my precious youngest child. ... At the very least could you please provide the specific criteria which you would need to see achieved in MoCo and the necessary protocols in the schools in order to provide the critical and essential in person learning.” Gayles forwarded the message to colleagues, commenting only, “The arrogance…”

Tiffany Ward, the Chief Equity Officer of the county, replied, “SMDH, totally unsurprised by this." Ward then invoked the local private school Holton Arms. "Want to let you know that Holton alums who are in the medical field are singing your praises and saying you made the right decision. Not sure what current parents are saying. But folks need to know they can’t buy their way out of the needed pandemic precautions!”

“Absolute arrogance and privilege,” added Deputy Health Officer James Bridgers to the email chain. “Imagine what you would do if your child was exposed? You mitigate risks by being overly cautious.” ...

On Saturday night, Aug. 1, Shantee Jackson, a specialist at the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, emailed colleagues a story from CNN about Gayles’s order.

“Thanks…but why are on e-mail on a Saturday night lol,” Gayles replied a minute later.

“It has been a long day and the privileged class of the county is showing their behinds as my grandmother would say," Gayles wrote. "We will continue to press ahead and do the work to keep our folks safe.”

I think that the cautious approach may have been the correct approach at the time, considering that cases were rising in August. However, the emails reveal a deeply troubling attitude towards county residents that cannot be tolerated for someone in a position of public trust. If he was a Fed, he would not be a in a job. We should expect at least to have the same standards for county employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Gayles’ view was that if public schools could not open, private schools should not be allowed either, on equity grounds. There was never any scientific justification for it, and months of experience now show the private schools were entirely correct in believing they could reopen safely.

He was, however, very successful in delaying and making it hard for private schools to reopen. He will pay no political price because there is a critical mass of people in the county who agree with that decision — if they can’t have it, nobody should have it.

I too have noticed this trend, and it is not just about this one issue. It seems to be about everything. It is really disturbing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Dr. Gayles’ view was that if public schools could not open, private schools should not be allowed either, on equity grounds. There was never any scientific justification for it, and months of experience now show the private schools were entirely correct in believing they could reopen safely.

He was, however, very successful in delaying and making it hard for private schools to reopen. He will pay no political price because there is a critical mass of people in the county who agree with that decision — if they can’t have it, nobody should have it.

I too have noticed this trend, and it is not just about this one issue. It seems to be about everything. It is really disturbing.

This is “equity”. Improving one’s own position is too hard - so let’s divert attention from failure and blame and pull down everyone else. Gayles - in addition to not being intelligent - proves exactly what we all thought - this was political.

[Anonymous]

Gayles...a pitiful servant. A failure in every sense. Letting politics and bigotry lead his decision making. Laughable intellect and ability to problem solve. Welcome to government.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was political. That was when Trump was saying he wanted schools to open, and the Democrats stomped their feet and insisted they couldn’t. I’m a lifelong Democrat, but many went around the bend on this one. My kids go to a catholic school that’s been open all year, with not one case of in-school transmission. Gayles’ stand was about politics, that’s it.

Scientists.

Um, no. The scientists provided a list of mitigation measures. Schools that could follow the measures and were allowed to open did so with success. See all the parochial schools in the DMV.

Sorry, pp, but you have this wrong. Volunteers from our private school - parents who are doctors, nurses, work in public health and the federal government - dedicated much of their summer to working on these plans. The school made significant capital investments in ventilation, water stations, and other areas, hired a private testing company to test weekly...It was a HUGE effort. And then Gayle’s just said No, and I won’t read the plans? It was maddening. What’s else is MCPS just sat on their hands for months before dumping the job of preparing for distance learning on the school principals. If Gayle’s had deigned to read the plans, he may have been able to do some knowledge transfer to MCPS. Totally disgusted by the way MoCo handled the schools.

They cannot just transfer the knowledge as the schools are set up very differently. And, there isn't enough money. Our public cannot afford things like tents for outdoor school and we are a low income school and the pta really struggles for any funding let alone to fundraise for a few dozen $4-6K tents. Many of the buildings don't have an HVAC system so we just got air purifiers. We don't have windows open. In our public they have a maybe 40 kids in one space looking at the pictures. That is a huge safety issue. We are in a pandemic. It amazes me how inflexible people are. Our school has handled DL well.

Unfortunately T was still in office in summer so there were no federal funds available for schools to retrofit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are the parts of the article that quote emails:


“The privileged class of the county is showing their behinds,” health officer Travis Gayles of Montgomery County, Maryland, wrote on Aug. 1, dismissing objections from parents, teachers, and principals upset at his blanket closure of all nonpublic schools. ...

A local orthodontist married to a public school teacher emailed Gayles Saturday afternoon, Aug. 1, with a request.

“I ask that your department of health visit Bullis," a private school in the county seeking to reopen. "Bullis has exceeded my expectations for the safety of my precious youngest child. ... At the very least could you please provide the specific criteria which you would need to see achieved in MoCo and the necessary protocols in the schools in order to provide the critical and essential in person learning.” Gayles forwarded the message to colleagues, commenting only, “The arrogance…”

Tiffany Ward, the Chief Equity Officer of the county, replied, “SMDH, totally unsurprised by this." Ward then invoked the local private school Holton Arms. "Want to let you know that Holton alums who are in the medical field are singing your praises and saying you made the right decision. Not sure what current parents are saying. But folks need to know they can’t buy their way out of the needed pandemic precautions!”

“Absolute arrogance and privilege,” added Deputy Health Officer James Bridgers to the email chain. “Imagine what you would do if your child was exposed? You mitigate risks by being overly cautious.” ...

On Saturday night, Aug. 1, Shantee Jackson, a specialist at the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, emailed colleagues a story from CNN about Gayles’s order.

“Thanks…but why are on e-mail on a Saturday night lol,” Gayles replied a minute later.

“It has been a long day and the privileged class of the county is showing their behinds as my grandmother would say," Gayles wrote. "We will continue to press ahead and do the work to keep our folks safe.”

I don't see anything wrong and untruthful from the emails. The privileged class was truly showing their behinds.

The bolded reflects a racist mindset and a formative years set in hostility in my opinion

The orthodontist asked what the criteria were for reopening. He asked for facts. My, how they got skewed by Gayle’s!

[Anonymous]

Ready for more? This one hasn't gotten any press yet, which is surprising. From the same MPIA request...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here are the parts of the article that quote emails:


“The privileged class of the county is showing their behinds,” health officer Travis Gayles of Montgomery County, Maryland, wrote on Aug. 1, dismissing objections from parents, teachers, and principals upset at his blanket closure of all nonpublic schools. ...

A local orthodontist married to a public school teacher emailed Gayles Saturday afternoon, Aug. 1, with a request.

“I ask that your department of health visit Bullis," a private school in the county seeking to reopen. "Bullis has exceeded my expectations for the safety of my precious youngest child. ... At the very least could you please provide the specific criteria which you would need to see achieved in MoCo and the necessary protocols in the schools in order to provide the critical and essential in person learning.” Gayles forwarded the message to colleagues, commenting only, “The arrogance…”

Tiffany Ward, the Chief Equity Officer of the county, replied, “SMDH, totally unsurprised by this." Ward then invoked the local private school Holton Arms. "Want to let you know that Holton alums who are in the medical field are singing your praises and saying you made the right decision. Not sure what current parents are saying. But folks need to know they can’t buy their way out of the needed pandemic precautions!”

“Absolute arrogance and privilege,” added Deputy Health Officer James Bridgers to the email chain. “Imagine what you would do if your child was exposed? You mitigate risks by being overly cautious.” ...

On Saturday night, Aug. 1, Shantee Jackson, a specialist at the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, emailed colleagues a story from CNN about Gayles’s order.

“Thanks…but why are on e-mail on a Saturday night lol,” Gayles replied a minute later.

“It has been a long day and the privileged class of the county is showing their behinds as my grandmother would say," Gayles wrote. "We will continue to press ahead and do the work to keep our folks safe.”

What are the academic credentials of: Travis Gayles, Shantee Jackson, Tiffany Ward, James Bridgers?

Lots of state school diploma mill dips*** energy in these exchanges.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Gayles...a pitiful servant. A failure in every sense. Letting politics and bigotry lead his decision making. Laughable intellect and ability to problem solve. Welcome to government.

+1. Gayles: "no child gets ahead."

[Anonymous]

Why does this low IQ clown Gayles still have a job? What a waste of taxpayer money - just send him some cash and let someone competent fill his position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are the parts of the article that quote emails:


“The privileged class of the county is showing their behinds,” health officer Travis Gayles of Montgomery County, Maryland, wrote on Aug. 1, dismissing objections from parents, teachers, and principals upset at his blanket closure of all nonpublic schools. ...

A local orthodontist married to a public school teacher emailed Gayles Saturday afternoon, Aug. 1, with a request.

“I ask that your department of health visit Bullis," a private school in the county seeking to reopen. "Bullis has exceeded my expectations for the safety of my precious youngest child. ... At the very least could you please provide the specific criteria which you would need to see achieved in MoCo and the necessary protocols in the schools in order to provide the critical and essential in person learning.” Gayles forwarded the message to colleagues, commenting only, “The arrogance…”

Tiffany Ward, the Chief Equity Officer of the county, replied, “SMDH, totally unsurprised by this." Ward then invoked the local private school Holton Arms. "Want to let you know that Holton alums who are in the medical field are singing your praises and saying you made the right decision. Not sure what current parents are saying. But folks need to know they can’t buy their way out of the needed pandemic precautions!”

“Absolute arrogance and privilege,” added Deputy Health Officer James Bridgers to the email chain. “Imagine what you would do if your child was exposed? You mitigate risks by being overly cautious.” ...

On Saturday night, Aug. 1, Shantee Jackson, a specialist at the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, emailed colleagues a story from CNN about Gayles’s order.

“Thanks…but why are on e-mail on a Saturday night lol,” Gayles replied a minute later.

“It has been a long day and the privileged class of the county is showing their behinds as my grandmother would say," Gayles wrote. "We will continue to press ahead and do the work to keep our folks safe.”

What are the academic credentials of: Travis Gayles, Shantee Jackson, Tiffany Ward, James Bridgers?

Lots of state school diploma mill dips*** energy in these exchanges.

The irony of the exchange is that Tiffany Ward went to the Holton Arms School (and Tufts for college). They are all educated. That is not the issue. This was a political decision and one based upon their beliefs surrounding equity and privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ready for more? This one hasn't gotten any press yet, which is surprising. From the same MPIA request...

Is there a place all the emails are viewable under this MPIA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here are the parts of the article that quote emails:


“The privileged class of the county is showing their behinds,” health officer Travis Gayles of Montgomery County, Maryland, wrote on Aug. 1, dismissing objections from parents, teachers, and principals upset at his blanket closure of all nonpublic schools. ...

A local orthodontist married to a public school teacher emailed Gayles Saturday afternoon, Aug. 1, with a request.

“I ask that your department of health visit Bullis," a private school in the county seeking to reopen. "Bullis has exceeded my expectations for the safety of my precious youngest child. ... At the very least could you please provide the specific criteria which you would need to see achieved in MoCo and the necessary protocols in the schools in order to provide the critical and essential in person learning.” Gayles forwarded the message to colleagues, commenting only, “The arrogance…”

Tiffany Ward, the Chief Equity Officer of the county, replied, “SMDH, totally unsurprised by this." Ward then invoked the local private school Holton Arms. "Want to let you know that Holton alums who are in the medical field are singing your praises and saying you made the right decision. Not sure what current parents are saying. But folks need to know they can’t buy their way out of the needed pandemic precautions!”

“Absolute arrogance and privilege,” added Deputy Health Officer James Bridgers to the email chain. “Imagine what you would do if your child was exposed? You mitigate risks by being overly cautious.” ...

On Saturday night, Aug. 1, Shantee Jackson, a specialist at the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, emailed colleagues a story from CNN about Gayles’s order.

“Thanks…but why are on e-mail on a Saturday night lol,” Gayles replied a minute later.

“It has been a long day and the privileged class of the county is showing their behinds as my grandmother would say," Gayles wrote. "We will continue to press ahead and do the work to keep our folks safe.”

What are the academic credentials of: Travis Gayles, Shantee Jackson, Tiffany Ward, James Bridgers?

Lots of state school diploma mill dips*** energy in these exchanges.

Tiffany went to Tufts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ready for more? This one hasn't gotten any press yet, which is surprising. From the same MPIA request...

Now I’m curious. The MPIA part is blank. Was there more to be read?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does this low IQ clown Gayles still have a job? What a waste of taxpayer money - just send him some cash and let someone competent fill his position.

he's black.

Do you really think anyone could fire him?