3/26 Board of Ed meeting live thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least they put “school consolidation “ in the name for the elementary boundary study. So no one can say they were surprised when it happens this time.

There are specific requirements in the state laws and regulations governing what's required when closing a school.

So, they need to check all those boxes in this next round of boundary studies, since they'll be actually closing schools.

They did AND they are not closing a school. They are relocating a school to brand new building.

But they had to move the boundary to relocate it. So that makes it a closure.

Nope. Read the state laws and then try again

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, which BOE member mentioned racism with a chuckle after Yang’s vote against was applauded. That’s rich after the nonstop tone policing earlier in the meeting.

It was Montoya.

Her claims of racism are rich since she was the loudest voice in favor of closing the only Black-run charter in MCPS: MBLI.

She’s a fraud and a hypocrite. She doesn’t care about Black people. She’s just using them as a talking point to stick it to the people who are against the superintendent’s recommendation.

Stop using the word rich like that! Montoya and Wolff’s comments were totally accurate. There is a reason the current programs are overwhelmingly white and Asian students. The actual RICH parents whining about FARMS rates, building utilization, and how heartbroken they are that they bought a home walking distance from a supposed quality schooo need to STFU. As Wolff said, this dont about YOU. It’s about what’s good for ALL students. And if you keep putting down and leaving out the black and brown kids, we will call you out on it!

I didn’t hear anything about how MCPS is changing its admissions process to ensure more Black and Hispanic kids to the new regional programs. So how is the new model going to ensure more Black and Brown kids get admitted and enrolled?

It’s divided into 6 versions of each program. And most of the 6 regions were sliced in a way that the Asian families can’t dominate

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanking people for their engagement and you are making a decision you know they disagree with is such a dumb move.

Karla is speaking now. Looks like all of them decided to write (or have ChatGPT write) speeches. Not sure that was the best move.

I'm a no on Silvestre for county council.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did they pass Woodward yet?

It was all passed.

Huge win for WJ.

Honestly, this is true

And Quince Orchard. I know the Wootton parents are worried about MCPS decimating a "high-performing school" but this shift now leaves WJ and QO with likely huge improvements to come in rankings and Wootton with a minimal slide back.

Reduced enrollment equals less teachers. Less teachers equals less course options. Less course options equal lower levels not higher

This will be an issue at many schools.

Worse at WJ than others in that region. Going from over 100% capacity to 70something is a big change. They are already losing several teachers now due to the declining enrollment from the outmigration of the county. I know if at least 1 math teacher and 1 computer science teacher getting cut

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brenda is mad that people call MCPS and the board I complement and fraudulent. How laughable.

Also, she doubles down on the fact that she is not afraid to vote her conscience. Given that she’s not running for reelection, that’s a rich claim to make since she has nothing to lose now.

And she went on and on and on...somebody in the back of the room finally told her to shut-up. Not very polite, but I am guessing that everyone in the room was hoping she would stop talking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, which BOE member mentioned racism with a chuckle after Yang’s vote against was applauded. That’s rich after the nonstop tone policing earlier in the meeting.

It was Montoya.

Her claims of racism are rich since she was the loudest voice in favor of closing the only Black-run charter in MCPS: MBLI.

She’s a fraud and a hypocrite. She doesn’t care about Black people. She’s just using them as a talking point to stick it to the people who are against the superintendent’s recommendation.

Stop using the word rich like that! Montoya and Wolff’s comments were totally accurate. There is a reason the current programs are overwhelmingly white and Asian students. The actual RICH parents whining about FARMS rates, building utilization, and how heartbroken they are that they bought a home walking distance from a supposed quality schooo need to STFU. As Wolff said, this dont about YOU. It’s about what’s good for ALL students. And if you keep putting down and leaving out the black and brown kids, we will call you out on it!

I didn’t hear anything about how MCPS is changing its admissions process to ensure more Black and Hispanic kids to the new regional programs. So how is the new model going to ensure more Black and Brown kids get admitted and enrolled?

It’s divided into 6 versions of each program. And most of the 6 regions were sliced in a way that the Asian families can’t dominate

So no structural changes to the admissions process. As I thought.

So we could very well continue having programs where Asian and white kids are the majority.

The optimistic take is maybe that the disparities won’t be as wide, but there is still nothing preventing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, which BOE member mentioned racism with a chuckle after Yang’s vote against was applauded. That’s rich after the nonstop tone policing earlier in the meeting.

It was Montoya.

Her claims of racism are rich since she was the loudest voice in favor of closing the only Black-run charter in MCPS: MBLI.

She’s a fraud and a hypocrite. She doesn’t care about Black people. She’s just using them as a talking point to stick it to the people who are against the superintendent’s recommendation.

Stop using the word rich like that! Montoya and Wolff’s comments were totally accurate. There is a reason the current programs are overwhelmingly white and Asian students. The actual RICH parents whining about FARMS rates, building utilization, and how heartbroken they are that they bought a home walking distance from a supposed quality school need to STFU. As Wolff said, this dont about YOU. It’s about what’s good for ALL students. And if you keep putting down and leaving out the black and brown kids, we will call you out on it!

I didn’t hear anything about how MCPS is changing its admissions process to ensure more Black and Hispanic kids to the new regional programs. So how is the new model going to ensure more Black and Brown kids get admitted and enrolled?

It’s divided into 6 versions of each program. And most of the 6 regions were sliced in a way that the Asian families can’t dominate

Do we know that it will be six regions? The board resolution just voted in a "regional" system - it didn't specify how many regions that would be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder, does Wolff really not know how bad the regional program model is for equity? Or does she know and she's just BSing?

It’s better than what her district currently has. She said this ij her comments.

Not much will change for high poverty schools with regional programming. Parents having the ability to lift there students to attend criteria-based programs in better performing schools in the region will end up having their students enrolled in the best available programs. The Watkins Mills and the Kennedys of MCPS will continue to struggle because parents will continue to bypass them given other choices and opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Brenda is just lecturing all the engaged parents who pushed back against this process. It’s a good thing she’s not running for reelection. This is not a way to win over voters.

Brenda isn't much of a board member, so glad to say goodbye to her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder, does Wolff really not know how bad the regional program model is for equity? Or does she know and she's just BSing?

It’s better than what her district currently has. She said this ij her comments.

Not much will change for high poverty schools with regional programming. Parents having the ability to lift there students to attend criteria-based programs in better performing schools in the region will end up having their students enrolled in the best available programs. The Watkins Mills and the Kennedys of MCPS will continue to struggle because parents will continue to bypass them given other choices and opportunities.

+1 - unless the more desirable programs are in the lower performing schools, it won’t work…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow, which BOE member mentioned racism with a chuckle after Yang’s vote against was applauded. That’s rich after the nonstop tone policing earlier in the meeting.

It was Montoya.

Her claims of racism are rich since she was the loudest voice in favor of closing the only Black-run charter in MCPS: MBLI.

She’s a fraud and a hypocrite. She doesn’t care about Black people. She’s just using them as a talking point to stick it to the people who are against the superintendent’s recommendation.

Stop using the word rich like that! Montoya and Wolff’s comments were totally accurate. There is a reason the current programs are overwhelmingly white and Asian students. The actual RICH parents whining about FARMS rates, building utilization, and how heartbroken they are that they bought a home walking distance from a supposed quality schooo need to STFU. As Wolff said, this dont about YOU. It’s about what’s good for ALL students. And if you keep putting down and leaving out the black and brown kids, we will call you out on it!

I didn’t hear anything about how MCPS is changing its admissions process to ensure more Black and Hispanic kids to the new regional programs. So how is the new model going to ensure more Black and Brown kids get admitted and enrolled?

More will probably be admitted, because they're assuming like 5000 kids per grade (i.e. almost half) will participate in regional programs.

However most of them won't be able to go unless it's at their home school or they happen to live right near their home school, since otherwise they'll likely need to be driven to their home school to catch the bus to the regional programs. The mix of kids who have families to drive them is likely going to skew everything back towards being richer and less diverse, and the programs will end up under-enrolled and struggle to operate properly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Natalie Zimmerman is still unserious even at a very serious moment.

Light weight.

[Anonymous]

No discussion at all about what option H did to Brown Station ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Natalie wasted people’s time. Didn’t indicate which way she would vote.

SMOB is supporting Taylor’s recommendation.

SMOB attended Briggs Chaney MS, in the NEC. She attends the Blair Magnet. With her vote, SMOB effectively shut the door behind herself for any other student in the NEC that wants to attend Blair's magnet. Those potentially future students will not be in the same region.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Now Rita is lecturing people and claims anyone who votes against the regional program model is racist.

The magnets were overwhelmingly white and Asian. That’s true. But there is no indication the regional program model will increase Black and Brown enrollment in those programs.

Disagree. I didn't think I liked Montoya, but her remarks won me over.

Well sure, if you like Montoya's angry-parent self righteousness speechifying.