BOE - who are people voting for?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the debate. Based on it, I am going to vote for Montoya, Zimmerman, and Stewart. I don't particularly like Stewart, but she is better than Evans. The other two I feel better about.

Stewart is horrible. She treats people badly, she lies and is [b[part of all the mismanagement.[/b]

She's not on the board. Maybe you are thinking about Evans, the incumbent she's up against?

That's why I'm voting straight Apple ballot. It has NO INCUMBENTS!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I watched the debate. Based on it, I am going to vote for Montoya, Zimmerman, and Stewart. I don't particularly like Stewart, but she is better than Evans. The other two I feel better about.

Stewart is horrible. She treats people badly, she lies and is [b[part of all the mismanagement.[/b]

She's not on the board. Maybe you are thinking about Evans, the incumbent she's up against?

Yes, sorry thanks for fixing that.

It’s hard to believe that the Apple Ballot endorsed Evans when she first ran. I wonder how it got it so wrong about a candidate. I always thought the Apple Ballot endorsed the best of the best.

Apple ballot does not endorse the best candidates.
-MCEA member.

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't. Decide on a case-by-case basis.

Montoya is the weak link on the Apple Ballot.

[Anonymous]

The latest BOE forum is happening tonight at 7:00 pm so that folks can actually hear from the candidates themselves.

https://facebook.com/events/s/voter-education-forum-on-2024-/1596644000924705/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The latest BOE forum is happening tonight at 7:00 pm so that folks can actually hear from the candidates themselves.

https://facebook.com/events/s/voter-education-forum-on-2024-/1596644000924705/

You realize they've had dozens of forums. How many more do we need for them to say the same thing over and over again.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe Diaz made it through in the primary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The latest BOE forum is happening tonight at 7:00 pm so that folks can actually hear from the candidates themselves.

https://facebook.com/events/s/voter-education-forum-on-2024-/1596644000924705/

You realize they've had dozens of forums. How many more do we need for them to say the same thing over and over again.

Yeah. Unfortunately, at this point no one is saying anything compelling or that we haven't heard before. Kind of a limp race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe Diaz made it through in the primary.

She made it because she latched on to kernels of truth about what's wrong with the system. The scary thing is how she'll flip and reveal her true agenda if she wins the seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe Diaz made it through in the primary.

She made it because she latched on to kernels of truth about what's wrong with the system. The scary thing is how she'll flip and reveal her true agenda if she wins the seat.

I'm not sure if she'll flip but I cannot imagine she can handle the job given her employment track record. She'll just make a lot of statements on what should happen, blame others for why its not happening and move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe Diaz made it through in the primary.

She made it because she latched on to kernels of truth about what's wrong with the system. The scary thing is how she'll flip and reveal her true agenda if she wins the seat.

I'm not sure if she'll flip but I cannot imagine she can handle the job given her employment track record. She'll just make a lot of statements on what should happen, blame others for why its not happening and move on.

Which would make a great fit for the BOE. That's what most of the current crop of members do now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't believe Diaz made it through in the primary.

She made it because she latched on to kernels of truth about what's wrong with the system. The scary thing is how she'll flip and reveal her true agenda if she wins the seat.

She also was helped by Smondrowski not campaigning much at the time.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Let's get started on next election already. How do we get better candidates and how do you increase number of more qualified candidates? What should those quals be?

You increase the number of qualified candidates by paying the board members a reasonable salary for a difficult full-time job.

More pay will not help. Most of the boe members work full time jobs and are double dipping.

That's exactly why more pay will help. You want qualified people who see board membership as their full-time job, and who don't need to work another job at the same time.

Of course they will continue their employment in less you make it a full time job and that’s not how boards work. Then it would be an mcps management team. Mcps has central office who is incompetent.

That’s precisely what we want to be: management and oversight of MCPS. The BOE needs to be full-time. Part-time status with no independent staff from management is not working.

The point of the board is to be independent, not salary employees of MCPS. They really are unnecessary as they are not providing any oversight and have no idea what they are doing and making so many mistakes and allowing so many bad things to go on. They wouldn't be missed at all if we didn't have one. That would be a huge cost savings.

So your solution to the BOE’s oversight failings is to get rid of it completely? How does that make any sense?

It would save a lot of money. There is little point to the BOE given how they have run things over the last 10-15 years.

This is a pointless line of argument. The board is going to continue to exist whether you like it or not.

What is the point of the board? We spend a fortune on staff, office space and so much more for the board and they have done a terrible job. Why are we wasting money on these people who have done a terrible job and mismanaged funds.

The amount spent on central office staff and office space is far greater. If you want to save money, start there.

We should do both. Central office can work at home or out of MCPS owned buildings. They spend what $50K a month on the BOE space? They can hold their meetings in a school auditorium for free.

You have it all worked out in your brain, don't you? You have no idea what it is like to lead a large organization such as MCPS.

I know I could probably do better and make sure all kids have what they need with the amount of money they have. I'd come in and gut it all and put more spending to educational needs, staff, student support and get the buildings repaired. And, bring in more specialized programs, more special ed programs, bring back an even better virtual program and so much more and still have money to spare.

Easy to say harder to do. What exactly are you changing in order to spend more differently? Where are the more specialized programs going and who is going to staff/run them?

I’d go line by line and see where the waste is. Start with the non profits and unnecessary extras. Fix the bus contract situation. Get rid of central office staff and overhead. You need to hire better staff.

Which non-profits? You know non-profits and state agencies provide critical services to the district. Which central office staff you getting rid of? You do know that reports to the county, state and federal government have to come from somewhere. Somewhere has to monitor the district as a whole. Someone has to be responsible for Finance, HR, Operations, Procurement, and implementation of new things like Maryland Blueprint. Guess where all the folks who do the above work...Central office.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get started on next election already. How do we get better candidates and how do you increase number of more qualified candidates? What should those quals be?

You increase the number of qualified candidates by paying the board members a reasonable salary for a difficult full-time job.

More pay will not help. Most of the boe members work full time jobs and are double dipping.

That's exactly why more pay will help. You want qualified people who see board membership as their full-time job, and who don't need to work another job at the same time.

Of course they will continue their employment in less you make it a full time job and that’s not how boards work. Then it would be an mcps management team. Mcps has central office who is incompetent.

That’s precisely what we want to be: management and oversight of MCPS. The BOE needs to be full-time. Part-time status with no independent staff from management is not working.

The point of the board is to be independent, not salary employees of MCPS. They really are unnecessary as they are not providing any oversight and have no idea what they are doing and making so many mistakes and allowing so many bad things to go on. They wouldn't be missed at all if we didn't have one. That would be a huge cost savings.

So your solution to the BOE’s oversight failings is to get rid of it completely? How does that make any sense?

It would save a lot of money. There is little point to the BOE given how they have run things over the last 10-15 years.

This is a pointless line of argument. The board is going to continue to exist whether you like it or not.

What is the point of the board? We spend a fortune on staff, office space and so much more for the board and they have done a terrible job. Why are we wasting money on these people who have done a terrible job and mismanaged funds.

The amount spent on central office staff and office space is far greater. If you want to save money, start there.

We should do both. Central office can work at home or out of MCPS owned buildings. They spend what $50K a month on the BOE space? They can hold their meetings in a school auditorium for free.

You have it all worked out in your brain, don't you? You have no idea what it is like to lead a large organization such as MCPS.

I know I could probably do better and make sure all kids have what they need with the amount of money they have. I'd come in and gut it all and put more spending to educational needs, staff, student support and get the buildings repaired. And, bring in more specialized programs, more special ed programs, bring back an even better virtual program and so much more and still have money to spare.

Easy to say harder to do. What exactly are you changing in order to spend more differently? Where are the more specialized programs going and who is going to staff/run them?

I’d go line by line and see where the waste is. Start with the non profits and unnecessary extras. Fix the bus contract situation. Get rid of central office staff and overhead. You need to hire better staff.

Which non-profits? You know non-profits and state agencies provide critical services to the district. Which central office staff you getting rid of? You do know that reports to the county, state and federal government have to come from somewhere. Somewhere has to monitor the district as a whole. Someone has to be responsible for Finance, HR, Operations, Procurement, and implementation of new things like Maryland Blueprint. Guess where all the folks who do the above work...Central office.

There is zero need to outsource and pay these non-profits high amounts. We could cut central office staff in half and no one would miss them. Be real. Defending your job?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get started on next election already. How do we get better candidates and how do you increase number of more qualified candidates? What should those quals be?

You increase the number of qualified candidates by paying the board members a reasonable salary for a difficult full-time job.

More pay will not help. Most of the boe members work full time jobs and are double dipping.

That's exactly why more pay will help. You want qualified people who see board membership as their full-time job, and who don't need to work another job at the same time.

Of course they will continue their employment in less you make it a full time job and that’s not how boards work. Then it would be an mcps management team. Mcps has central office who is incompetent.

That’s precisely what we want to be: management and oversight of MCPS. The BOE needs to be full-time. Part-time status with no independent staff from management is not working.

The point of the board is to be independent, not salary employees of MCPS. They really are unnecessary as they are not providing any oversight and have no idea what they are doing and making so many mistakes and allowing so many bad things to go on. They wouldn't be missed at all if we didn't have one. That would be a huge cost savings.

So your solution to the BOE’s oversight failings is to get rid of it completely? How does that make any sense?

It would save a lot of money. There is little point to the BOE given how they have run things over the last 10-15 years.

This is a pointless line of argument. The board is going to continue to exist whether you like it or not.

What is the point of the board? We spend a fortune on staff, office space and so much more for the board and they have done a terrible job. Why are we wasting money on these people who have done a terrible job and mismanaged funds.

The amount spent on central office staff and office space is far greater. If you want to save money, start there.

We should do both. Central office can work at home or out of MCPS owned buildings. They spend what $50K a month on the BOE space? They can hold their meetings in a school auditorium for free.

You have it all worked out in your brain, don't you? You have no idea what it is like to lead a large organization such as MCPS.

I know I could probably do better and make sure all kids have what they need with the amount of money they have. I'd come in and gut it all and put more spending to educational needs, staff, student support and get the buildings repaired. And, bring in more specialized programs, more special ed programs, bring back an even better virtual program and so much more and still have money to spare.

Easy to say harder to do. What exactly are you changing in order to spend more differently? Where are the more specialized programs going and who is going to staff/run them?

I’d go line by line and see where the waste is. Start with the non profits and unnecessary extras. Fix the bus contract situation. Get rid of central office staff and overhead. You need to hire better staff.

Which non-profits? You know non-profits and state agencies provide critical services to the district. Which central office staff you getting rid of? You do know that reports to the county, state and federal government have to come from somewhere. Somewhere has to monitor the district as a whole. Someone has to be responsible for Finance, HR, Operations, Procurement, and implementation of new things like Maryland Blueprint. Guess where all the folks who do the above work...Central office.

There is zero need to outsource and pay these non-profits high amounts. We could cut central office staff in half and no one would miss them. Be real. Defending your job?

DP and not an MCPS employee at all -- just a parent. Whether the PP is a CO employee or not, they're right, and we definitely would miss CO staff if cut in half. That's not to say that there is no bloat at all -- that's a common ailment in large enterprises.

Whether those staff are managed well, generally, whether MCPS policies guiding their actions are well conceived and whether those higher up in CO management might be directing their efforts to meet those policies that are well conceived in an appropriate manner -- these are more likely the main culprits than any CO bloat.

[Anonymous]

Diaz is moms4liberty candidate keep that off the BOE

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Let's get started on next election already. How do we get better candidates and how do you increase number of more qualified candidates? What should those quals be?

You increase the number of qualified candidates by paying the board members a reasonable salary for a difficult full-time job.

More pay will not help. Most of the boe members work full time jobs and are double dipping.

That's exactly why more pay will help. You want qualified people who see board membership as their full-time job, and who don't need to work another job at the same time.

Of course they will continue their employment in less you make it a full time job and that’s not how boards work. Then it would be an mcps management team. Mcps has central office who is incompetent.

That’s precisely what we want to be: management and oversight of MCPS. The BOE needs to be full-time. Part-time status with no independent staff from management is not working.

The point of the board is to be independent, not salary employees of MCPS. They really are unnecessary as they are not providing any oversight and have no idea what they are doing and making so many mistakes and allowing so many bad things to go on. They wouldn't be missed at all if we didn't have one. That would be a huge cost savings.

So your solution to the BOE’s oversight failings is to get rid of it completely? How does that make any sense?

It would save a lot of money. There is little point to the BOE given how they have run things over the last 10-15 years.

This is a pointless line of argument. The board is going to continue to exist whether you like it or not.

What is the point of the board? We spend a fortune on staff, office space and so much more for the board and they have done a terrible job. Why are we wasting money on these people who have done a terrible job and mismanaged funds.

The amount spent on central office staff and office space is far greater. If you want to save money, start there.

We should do both. Central office can work at home or out of MCPS owned buildings. They spend what $50K a month on the BOE space? They can hold their meetings in a school auditorium for free.

You have it all worked out in your brain, don't you? You have no idea what it is like to lead a large organization such as MCPS.

I know I could probably do better and make sure all kids have what they need with the amount of money they have. I'd come in and gut it all and put more spending to educational needs, staff, student support and get the buildings repaired. And, bring in more specialized programs, more special ed programs, bring back an even better virtual program and so much more and still have money to spare.

Easy to say harder to do. What exactly are you changing in order to spend more differently? Where are the more specialized programs going and who is going to staff/run them?

I’d go line by line and see where the waste is. Start with the non profits and unnecessary extras. Fix the bus contract situation. Get rid of central office staff and overhead. You need to hire better staff.

Which non-profits? You know non-profits and state agencies provide critical services to the district. Which central office staff you getting rid of? You do know that reports to the county, state and federal government have to come from somewhere. Somewhere has to monitor the district as a whole. Someone has to be responsible for Finance, HR, Operations, Procurement, and implementation of new things like Maryland Blueprint. Guess where all the folks who do the above work...Central office.

There is zero need to outsource and pay these non-profits high amounts. We could cut central office staff in half and no one would miss them. Be real. Defending your job?

What nonprofits, specifically, are you referring to?

I'm not an MCPS staff member of any sort, and I do think there has been a culture of impunity in the Central Office that must be torn out by the roots, but the concept of a Central Office is not the problem. The problem is the fratty culture that was allowed to build up under the past two superintendents.