FCPS School board mtg at 10:00 Thurs...live stream

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is about the school board meeting re: distance learning fail and Black Board.

Enough with the tampons! That has nothing to do with IT and distance learning!

Folks, please put a tamp on these out of control tampon postings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i think its a little creepy how some poster is obsessed with free tampons. Should we make kids bring their own toilet paper to school, too? Its the same thing.

What’s next - making teachers wipe kids butts if their parents didn’t teach them right?

That’s a crazy comparison. Tampons are free in the nurses office should a student need one. Having them in the bathroom just freaking saves time. Chill.

What a dumb observation. Having supplies available for request in rare circumstances is different than becoming the primary provider. But yours is the mindset that’s turned FCPS into an organization that worries about handing out free stuff in some areas when it needs to be focused on the academic needs of students across the entire county.

If things were different they’d have a Chief Academic Officer and an IT head that between them could have actually delivered the distance learning solutions needed right now.

How much time do you think higher ups in FCPS spend focusing on free feminine hygiene products? Once the decision is made that a school will provide them, it's not rocket science to have them available. If a school system in America can't figure out how to stock bathrooms with pads/tampons and teach at the same time, the issue is incompetence not feminine hygiene products. A part of the school system's job is to help control truancy. Throughout the world, including in America, there is a high truancy rate due to girls not having access to feminine hygiene products. Instead of focusing on the real reason all this is happening, you're attacking programs you dislike that have nothing to do with the current situation. EVERYONE knew about zoombombing with porn, the N word, etc. Articles all over explained that by using passwords and giving the moderator control over who entered would help to mitigate the issues. FCPS specifically said no zoom because of these issue, but then didn't take the time to ensure those issues didn't exist with blackboard. And you think the issues is what? That years ago some schools decided to supply feminine hygiene products and that scrambled the brain of the Superintendent and the IT people? I see the feminine hygiene issues raised on many threads, I hope it's just one poster because it would be sad if there were more than just one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:i think its a little creepy how some poster is obsessed with free tampons. Should we make kids bring their own toilet paper to school, too? Its the same thing.

What’s next - making teachers wipe kids butts if their parents didn’t teach them right?

That’s a crazy comparison. Tampons are free in the nurses office should a student need one. Having them in the bathroom just freaking saves time. Chill.

What a dumb observation. Having supplies available for request in rare circumstances is different than becoming the primary provider. But yours is the mindset that’s turned FCPS into an organization that worries about handing out free stuff in some areas when it needs to be focused on the academic needs of students across the entire county.

If things were different they’d have a Chief Academic Officer and an IT head that between them could have actually delivered the distance learning solutions needed right now.

How much time do you think higher ups in FCPS spend focusing on free feminine hygiene products? Once the decision is made that a school will provide them, it's not rocket science to have them available. If a school system in America can't figure out how to stock bathrooms with pads/tampons and teach at the same time, the issue is incompetence not feminine hygiene products. A part of the school system's job is to help control truancy. Throughout the world, including in America, there is a high truancy rate due to girls not having access to feminine hygiene products. Instead of focusing on the real reason all this is happening, you're attacking programs you dislike that have nothing to do with the current situation. EVERYONE knew about zoombombing with porn, the N word, etc. Articles all over explained that by using passwords and giving the moderator control over who entered would help to mitigate the issues. FCPS specifically said no zoom because of these issue, but then didn't take the time to ensure those issues didn't exist with blackboard. And you think the issues is what? That years ago some schools decided to supply feminine hygiene products and that scrambled the brain of the Superintendent and the IT people? I see the feminine hygiene issues raised on many threads, I hope it's just one poster because it would be sad if there were more than just one.

Stop ranting and maybe you’ll be able to absorb the point.

[Anonymous]

Stop ranting and maybe you’ll be able to absorb the point.

DP--the point is that the SB has been more concerned about social issues than education. Social issues deserve some attention, but it seems like that is where all the attention goes.

And, FWIW, young women have manage this issue for many, many years. Does anyone know how the program is working? Are supplies readily available?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Stop ranting and maybe you’ll be able to absorb the point.

DP--the point is that the SB has been more concerned about social issues than education. Social issues deserve some attention, but it seems like that is where all the attention goes.

And, FWIW, young women have manage this issue for many, many years. Does anyone know how the program is working? Are supplies readily available?

That is really what the tampon PP is arguing. Pointing to pads/tampons, however, is a red herring. Your point is that this whole debacle wouldn't have happened if the school board wasn't distracted by social justice and social equity issues. I disagree with your position. I think the blame lays with the FCPS IT dept, the Chief Operating Officer, and Blackboard.... people who weren't involved in the social issues you despise.

The school board wasn't really responsible for making the technical parts of distance learning work. So whatever the school board was doing, it was negligible in terms of the technical failure.

[Anonymous]

For those who are blaming the board or McElveen or tampons or even FCPS IT or Blackboard, I wonder if those posters have been following distance learning roll outs around the country. In some of the local school districts, it has gone more slowly and in others, less smoothly. In other very large school districts around the country, there have been major problems rolling out and implementing distance learning.

As someone posted upthread, this is the shakedown cruise. As we see how next week goes, we'll have a better understanding of how FCPS will do distance learning for the rest of the 4th quarter. And we'll all have a better idea of what to expect this fall, in a similar or modified form, if there are rolling or widespread school closures.

[Anonymous]

That is really what the tampon PP is arguing. Pointing to pads/tampons, however, is a red herring. Your point is that this whole debacle wouldn't have happened if the school board wasn't distracted by social justice and social equity issues. I disagree with your position. I think the blame lays with the FCPS IT dept, the Chief Operating Officer, and Blackboard.... people who weren't involved in the social issues you despise.

The school board wasn't really responsible for making the technical parts of distance learning work. So whatever the school board was doing, it was negligible in terms of the technical failure.

However, they are responsible for oversight. They have neglected it. I wonder how much they understand about the Blackboard contract? The contract for all the computers given to students? I'm betting, not much.

This is where our money goes. Far more money than is spent on tampons. It deserved far more attention. It may be complex, and difficult to understand the technology--but their job is to watch it. It's a lot easier to talk about tampons and appear altruistic than it is to get into the contract weeds. And, that is what they should be watching.

Just look at the funds we spend on IT. And, that affects the education of EVERY student in Fairfax--rich or poor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who are blaming the board or McElveen or tampons or even FCPS IT or Blackboard, I wonder if those posters have been following distance learning roll outs around the country. In some of the local school districts, it has gone more slowly and in others, less smoothly. In other very large school districts around the country, there have been major problems rolling out and implementing distance learning.

As someone posted upthread, this is the shakedown cruise. As we see how next week goes, we'll have a better understanding of how FCPS will do distance learning for the rest of the 4th quarter. And we'll all have a better idea of what to expect this fall, in a similar or modified form, if there are rolling or widespread school closures.

* - more smoothly

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

That is really what the tampon PP is arguing. Pointing to pads/tampons, however, is a red herring. Your point is that this whole debacle wouldn't have happened if the school board wasn't distracted by social justice and social equity issues. I disagree with your position. I think the blame lays with the FCPS IT dept, the Chief Operating Officer, and Blackboard.... people who weren't involved in the social issues you despise.

The school board wasn't really responsible for making the technical parts of distance learning work. So whatever the school board was doing, it was negligible in terms of the technical failure.

However, they are responsible for oversight. They have neglected it. I wonder how much they understand about the Blackboard contract? The contract for all the computers given to students? I'm betting, not much.

This is where our money goes. Far more money than is spent on tampons. It deserved far more attention. It may be complex, and difficult to understand the technology--but their job is to watch it. It's a lot easier to talk about tampons and appear altruistic than it is to get into the contract weeds. And, that is what they should be watching.

Just look at the funds we spend on IT. And, that affects the education of EVERY student in Fairfax--rich or poor.

The board isn't supposed to be IT experts! They are supposed to hire people who are experts to do the job or provide the product. The buck stops with the people who are supposed to be IT experts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is really what the tampon PP is arguing. Pointing to pads/tampons, however, is a red herring. Your point is that this whole debacle wouldn't have happened if the school board wasn't distracted by social justice and social equity issues. I disagree with your position. I think the blame lays with the FCPS IT dept, the Chief Operating Officer, and Blackboard.... people who weren't involved in the social issues you despise.

The school board wasn't really responsible for making the technical parts of distance learning work. So whatever the school board was doing, it was negligible in terms of the technical failure.

However, they are responsible for oversight. They have neglected it. I wonder how much they understand about the Blackboard contract? The contract for all the computers given to students? I'm betting, not much.

This is where our money goes. Far more money than is spent on tampons. It deserved far more attention. It may be complex, and difficult to understand the technology--but their job is to watch it. It's a lot easier to talk about tampons and appear altruistic than it is to get into the contract weeds. And, that is what they should be watching.

Just look at the funds we spend on IT. And, that affects the education of EVERY student in Fairfax--rich or poor.

The board isn't supposed to be IT experts! They are supposed to hire people who are experts to do the job or provide the product. The buck stops with the people who are supposed to be IT experts.

No, the buck stops with the Superintendent and the School Board, who are supposed to make sure the right people are in place.

The focus on school name changes, transgender bathrooms, menstrual equity, and county-wide busing in the name of “equity” came at the expense of paying attention to the basics. And now we are paying the price for having put the wrong people in positions of responsibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those who are blaming the board or McElveen or tampons or even FCPS IT or Blackboard, I wonder if those posters have been following distance learning roll outs around the country. In some of the local school districts, it has gone more slowly and in others, less smoothly. In other very large school districts around the country, there have been major problems rolling out and implementing distance learning.

As someone posted upthread, this is the shakedown cruise. As we see how next week goes, we'll have a better understanding of how FCPS will do distance learning for the rest of the 4th quarter. And we'll all have a better idea of what to expect this fall, in a similar or modified form, if there are rolling or widespread school closures.

Many of them started MUCH earlier so the issues are better understood and worked out. FCPS is too far behind for a supposedly top school system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Stop ranting and maybe you’ll be able to absorb the point.

DP--the point is that the SB has been more concerned about social issues than education. Social issues deserve some attention, but it seems like that is where all the attention goes.

And, FWIW, young women have manage this issue for many, many years. Does anyone know how the program is working? Are supplies readily available?

That is really what the tampon PP is arguing. Pointing to pads/tampons, however, is a red herring. Your point is that this whole debacle wouldn't have happened if the school board wasn't distracted by social justice and social equity issues. I disagree with your position. I think the blame lays with the FCPS IT dept, the Chief Operating Officer, and Blackboard.... people who weren't involved in the social issues you despise.

The school board wasn't really responsible for making the technical parts of distance learning work. So whatever the school board was doing, it was negligible in terms of the technical failure.

They are responsible for oversight, which they clearly don’t do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

That is really what the tampon PP is arguing. Pointing to pads/tampons, however, is a red herring. Your point is that this whole debacle wouldn't have happened if the school board wasn't distracted by social justice and social equity issues. I disagree with your position. I think the blame lays with the FCPS IT dept, the Chief Operating Officer, and Blackboard.... people who weren't involved in the social issues you despise.

The school board wasn't really responsible for making the technical parts of distance learning work. So whatever the school board was doing, it was negligible in terms of the technical failure.

However, they are responsible for oversight. They have neglected it. I wonder how much they understand about the Blackboard contract? The contract for all the computers given to students? I'm betting, not much.

This is where our money goes. Far more money than is spent on tampons. It deserved far more attention. It may be complex, and difficult to understand the technology--but their job is to watch it. It's a lot easier to talk about tampons and appear altruistic than it is to get into the contract weeds. And, that is what they should be watching.

Just look at the funds we spend on IT. And, that affects the education of EVERY student in Fairfax--rich or poor.

The board isn't supposed to be IT experts! They are supposed to hire people who are experts to do the job or provide the product. The buck stops with the people who are supposed to be IT experts.

It doesn’t require IT expertise to oversee a project. They clearly lack a QA or IG type function. This is basic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Stop ranting and maybe you’ll be able to absorb the point.

DP--the point is that the SB has been more concerned about social issues than education. Social issues deserve some attention, but it seems like that is where all the attention goes.

And, FWIW, young women have manage this issue for many, many years. Does anyone know how the program is working? Are supplies readily available?

That is really what the tampon PP is arguing. Pointing to pads/tampons, however, is a red herring. Your point is that this whole debacle wouldn't have happened if the school board wasn't distracted by social justice and social equity issues. I disagree with your position. I think the blame lays with the FCPS IT dept, the Chief Operating Officer, and Blackboard.... people who weren't involved in the social issues you despise.

The school board wasn't really responsible for making the technical parts of distance learning work. So whatever the school board was doing, it was negligible in terms of the technical failure.

Yes, it is a widespread problem with school boards paying less attention to education content and infrastructure, and more to issues that are within the scope of other government functions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Stop ranting and maybe you’ll be able to absorb the point.

DP--the point is that the SB has been more concerned about social issues than education. Social issues deserve some attention, but it seems like that is where all the attention goes.

And, FWIW, young women have manage this issue for many, many years. Does anyone know how the program is working? Are supplies readily available?

That is really what the tampon PP is arguing. Pointing to pads/tampons, however, is a red herring. Your point is that this whole debacle wouldn't have happened if the school board wasn't distracted by social justice and social equity issues. I disagree with your position. I think the blame lays with the FCPS IT dept, the Chief Operating Officer, and Blackboard.... people who weren't involved in the social issues you despise.

The school board wasn't really responsible for making the technical parts of distance learning work. So whatever the school board was doing, it was negligible in terms of the technical failure.

They are responsible for oversight, which they clearly don’t do.

PP is kind of dense. No one expects a School Board member to be an IT specialist. We do expect the School Board and the Superintendent to make sure the right people with the right skills are in place to handle key FCPS needs, such as technology, facilities, and curriculum.

FCPS has been failing miserably because those with the most authority have misguided priorities and don't pay attention to the basics.