APS black student singled out to play cotton picking game

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do so many of you know this family, know they live in MD, and have not reported them? You only care about the fraud they are committing NOW even though you've known about it this whole time??

Yeah, I bet this woman lived in Arlington long before everyone of these posters who are claiming she isn’t a resident. The privilege is just disgusting.

She and her family work at a popular daycare in Clarendon. Many APS families go there. If you’ve been there anytime in the last 15 years, you know this family.

APS has had a policy allowing children of parents who work in Arlington to attend APS schools. I thought this was for employees of APS, though. Regardless, I believe this policy was recently discontinued; but those who are already in the system are grandfathered and will not be forced out. I do know for a fact, and so does APS, that there are non-residents attending our schools "illegally" so to speak. APS is trying to identify these students and get them out. Still, some non-residents may legitimately be permitted to attend.

It’s a private preschool, not APS.

I was just addressing people's perceptions that nobody living outside of Arlington or with Maryland plates could be legitimately sending their kids to APS schools. That's why I stated that I thought the policy was for APS employees only - to be sure of the actual parameters of the policy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kid is screwed for colleges. No admissions officer will touch him with a ten foot pole. What a bumbling idiot his mother is.

I disagree. I think him writing an essay about this whole thing will be his golden ticket.

[Anonymous]

Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

Yup. The only harm to the child was mild embarrassment in class until his mother decided to turn him into a token and a payday. She made it 1000x worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

I just read a response that cotton shouldn’t be allowed at all in class, even for crafts. Is this for real? I thought it was a joke at first, but I think that person is serious.

The game does seem dumb and APS should have a consistent stance as to whether Vaseline can be applied at school. There are issues to pick apart here, but this is not a “cotton picking” game. I thought the guy that pointed that out did so very diplomatically but still got accused of whitesplaining, so I don’t expect anyone reasonable to want to add to this discussion.

[Anonymous]

I'm still having a hard time with the "only black student in the class" part of the story. Gunston is 20 percent black--one out of five students there is black. The chance of a kid being the only black student in any class, even French, seems very weird. Plus the detail about all the kids "turning to look" at the "one black kid" when the teacher asked for a volunteer--because it involved cotton? As the parent of two teenagers, that sounds.....far-fetched. If the kids turned to look at him, it was probably because he scoffed or mocked the sub.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

If these people are committing residency fraud, all they should get is kicked out without a demand for accrued tuition payment. If they don't live in Arlington, they CHOSE this school system and can choose to leave if they find it unsatisfactory.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm still having a hard time with the "only black student in the class" part of the story. Gunston is 20 percent black--one out of five students there is black. The chance of a kid being the only black student in any class, even French, seems very weird. Plus the detail about all the kids "turning to look" at the "one black kid" when the teacher asked for a volunteer--because it involved cotton? As the parent of two teenagers, that sounds.....far-fetched. If the kids turned to look at him, it was probably because he scoffed or mocked the sub.

Kids will turn and look at whatever kid a teacher calls out by name and asks to do something no other student in the class wants to do. What that kid looks like has absolutely nothing to do with that.

He can very well be the only Black kid in class; but I'd bet a bunch of money he is far from the only non-white kid in it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

Amen. No white person is allowed to say anything. Period.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm still having a hard time with the "only black student in the class" part of the story. Gunston is 20 percent black--one out of five students there is black. The chance of a kid being the only black student in any class, even French, seems very weird. Plus the detail about all the kids "turning to look" at the "one black kid" when the teacher asked for a volunteer--because it involved cotton? As the parent of two teenagers, that sounds.....far-fetched. If the kids turned to look at him, it was probably because he scoffed or mocked the sub.

Kids will turn and look at whatever kid a teacher calls out by name and asks to do something no other student in the class wants to do. What that kid looks like has absolutely nothing to do with that.

He can very well be the only Black kid in class; but I'd bet a bunch of money he is far from the only non-white kid in it.

Its the other way around--my DS went to Gunston and was often the only white kid in class.

[Anonymous]

They were using cotton balls for a class-wide game much like cotton balls are used for arts and crafts projects. Nothing to do with “cotton-picking” to invoke themes of slavery.

Cannot believe how much the kid’s mother is twisting this thing! I care deeply about issues of racial justice but we need to bring back common sense.

[Anonymous]

I think sequencing of events matters here. I have a hard time believing other students called him a “cotton picker” when they played the game. It’s MUCH easier to believe that other students mocked him after the story came out, making fun of him for turning the game into something it wasn’t.

The people on AEM are ridiculous. “NEVER use cotton balls EVER. Make a snowman with CHALK!” Eye roll.

It sucks that he’s been isolated in the library to learn French, but maybe that’s because they can’t find teachers/subs? I’ve considered subbing in the past, but stories like this make me think NO WAY.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

This is precisely why so many of us who know what’s going on with this family, haven’t said anything. Day care families where she works, this kids teachers, etc all known for years the family lived in Maryland, but used an address of a family member in Arlington for residency purposes. (as previously mentioned even traffic citation show the mothers address in Maryland as of a few years ago). Why didn’t we report? It’s not lost on us the optics of mostly white families paying 5K a month in preschool reporting a family who just want something better for their child. I understand why they want to be in APS and yes 50, many of us joked about it, but did not care enough to turn them in. BUT now that she’s trying to sue the county that has been giving her free access to things for a years for millions, over an incident that had no intentional racial undertones and could’ve been handled differently… It’s infuriating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

This is precisely why so many of us who know what’s going on with this family, haven’t said anything. Day care families where she works, this kids teachers, etc all known for years the family lived in Maryland, but used an address of a family member in Arlington for residency purposes. (as previously mentioned even traffic citation show the mothers address in Maryland as of a few years ago). Why didn’t we report? It’s not lost on us the optics of mostly white families paying 5K a month in preschool reporting a family who just want something better for their child. I understand why they want to be in APS and yes 50, many of us joked about it, but did not care enough to turn them in. BUT now that she’s trying to sue the county that has been giving her free access to things for a years for millions, over an incident that had no intentional racial undertones and could’ve been handled differently… It’s infuriating.

I say, let them proceed with a lawsuit. APS can fight it, win, then countersue for legal fees and unpaid tuition/residency fraud.

Make an example of this woman so people think twice before making ridiculous claims.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ugh. Now on AEM you have a poster saying it’s not a cotton picking game, and a response using the hashtag whitesplaining. We can’t have a civilized conversation about this because to call it just a stupid game is being branded racist. I’m sure not going to voice my view over there. Can’t it be true that the game was racially insensitive and also be true that a demand letter for $10 million is offensive and completely disproportionate to whatever responsibility APS may have for how the child was left feeling? Asserting a claim for harm to the tune of $10 million removes any nuance from the dialogue. I was originally sympathetic to the child and was ready to hear how APS was prepared to do better going forward, but my sympathy is entirely with APS now that it’s become a blatant money grab. They don’t think they think they’re going to get this money - they’ve likely been advised to over-ask in order to extract a lucrative settlement to make the problem go away. Squeaky wheel gets the grease and all. Hopefully APS recognizes that this would open the door to other frivolous claims and will choose instead to invest in defending against this type of extortion.

Amen. No white person is allowed to say anything. Period.

Classic AEM