Emails reveal contempt by MoCo health dept for nonpublic schools

[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.”

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.

Travis went to Duke undergrad and got a PhD from University of Illinois, Urbana-Champlain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

BINGO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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?

Pretty sure that is likely the whole thread...or whatever is relevant.

The MPIA consists of thousands of emails. Those are not availably publicly.

[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.

Apparently the public schools can pay babysitters to monitor kids in classrooms while also paying teachers to stay home -- why not a few tents? Alternate weeks? Other public schools around the country managed to provide an in-person experience. MCPS did a complete disservice to the children in this county.

[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.

No truer words have been said. He is a mockery of a public servant.

[Anonymous]

Just wanted all the haters to know that the American Medical Association presented Gayles with the AMA Award for Outstanding Government Service for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-presents-award-former-maryland-public-health-official

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ah, yes, the Washington Examiner, always a citadel of unbiased good faith.

Why don’t you read the excerpts from the emails, which are quoted in the article?

Because context tends to change the meaning of excerpts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just wanted all the haters to know that the American Medical Association presented Gayles with the AMA Award for Outstanding Government Service for his leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.

https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-presents-award-former-maryland-public-health-official

The AMA? Where does that fall in the public trust spectrum? One step below Congressmen, and one step above used car salesmen?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ah, yes, the Washington Examiner, always a citadel of unbiased good faith.

Why don’t you read the excerpts from the emails, which are quoted in the article?

Because context tends to change the meaning of excerpts.

Read the emails then. It’s quite clear his actions weren’t motivated by public health, but equity. You can’t let the rich kids go to class if you’re closing the schools of the poor kids.