There Needs to Be Enforced Equity Among PTA's

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish there were educational equity. It's wrong that accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools, but equally advanced students at others often lack access to those same opportunities.

This has nothing to do with PTA's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there were educational equity. It's wrong that accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools, but equally advanced students at others often lack access to those same opportunities.

This has nothing to do with PTA's.

+ 1
It probably does not have anything to do with MCPS either and merely a figment of imagination of this person. Can the poster give examples of what accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools but not in poor schools? Especially, if the size of the student body is same and students are at the same level of academic achievement?

What no one is saying that when parents are priortizing education and making sure that their children are getting enrichment and acceleration outside of the school, their children do better.

Not all parents are rich who can outsource tutoring, enrichment camps, educational trips etc. Many are MC or LC parents who are educated themselves. And because they are willing to sacrifice their own time, energy, resources and money to provide these outside of the school day to their kids, there is no way that other kids can catch up to these high achieving kids in academics.

So when the parenting and family life is not equitable, what can be done?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there were educational equity. It's wrong that accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools, but equally advanced students at others often lack access to those same opportunities.

This has nothing to do with PTA's.

Agreed. I wish we had more differentiation. Kids should be able to be in whatever class they can test into and keep up. And it would change yearly.

But yeah. My title one school prioritizes attendance. Wealthy schools prioritize grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there were educational equity. It's wrong that accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools, but equally advanced students at others often lack access to those same opportunities.

This has nothing to do with PTA's.

+ 1
It probably does not have anything to do with MCPS either and merely a figment of imagination of this person. Can the poster give examples of what accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools but not in poor schools? Especially, if the size of the student body is same and students are at the same level of academic achievement?

What no one is saying that when parents are priortizing education and making sure that their children are getting enrichment and acceleration outside of the school, their children do better.

Not all parents are rich who can outsource tutoring, enrichment camps, educational trips etc. Many are MC or LC parents who are educated themselves. And because they are willing to sacrifice their own time, energy, resources and money to provide these outside of the school day to their kids, there is no way that other kids can catch up to these high achieving kids in academics.

So when the parenting and family life is not equitable, what can be done?

MCPS is offering free tutoring. They offered it last year and all summer. If you choose not to use it, its one you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The W schools are basically public funded private schools. It’s been that way for at least 20 years.

They must admit anyone who lives in-bounds, can't kick kids out, and have fed mandated special ed. But, yeah, otherwise, just like privates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there were educational equity. It's wrong that accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools, but equally advanced students at others often lack access to those same opportunities.

This has nothing to do with PTA's.

+ 1
It probably does not have anything to do with MCPS either and merely a figment of imagination of this person. Can the poster give examples of what accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools but not in poor schools? Especially, if the size of the student body is same and students are at the same level of academic achievement?

What no one is saying that when parents are prioritizing education and making sure that their children are getting enrichment and acceleration outside of the school, their children do better.

Not all parents are rich who can outsource tutoring, enrichment camps, educational trips etc. Many are MC or LC parents who are educated themselves. And because they are willing to sacrifice their own time, energy, resources and money to provide these outside of the school day to their kids, there is no way that other kids can catch up to these high achieving kids in academics.

So when the parenting and family life is not equitable, what can be done?

MCPS is offering free tutoring. They offered it last year and all summer. If you choose not to use it, its on you.

+ 1
In the end, it is the parents who instill their values - good, bad, indifferent - in their children. Children fail because their parents fail them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The W schools are basically public funded private schools. It’s been that way for at least 20 years.

I'm okay with that, I guess but what gets me is how their boundaries which haven't changed in 40+ years were gerrymandered to increase segregation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there were educational equity. It's wrong that accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools, but equally advanced students at others often lack access to those same opportunities.

This has nothing to do with PTA's.

+ 1
It probably does not have anything to do with MCPS either and merely a figment of imagination of this person. Can the poster give examples of what accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools but not in poor schools? Especially, if the size of the student body is same and students are at the same level of academic achievement?

What no one is saying that when parents are prioritizing education and making sure that their children are getting enrichment and acceleration outside of the school, their children do better.

Not all parents are rich who can outsource tutoring, enrichment camps, educational trips etc. Many are MC or LC parents who are educated themselves. And because they are willing to sacrifice their own time, energy, resources and money to provide these outside of the school day to their kids, there is no way that other kids can catch up to these high achieving kids in academics.

So when the parenting and family life is not equitable, what can be done?

MCPS is offering free tutoring. They offered it last year and all summer. If you choose not to use it, its on you.

+ 1
In the end, it is the parents who instill their values - good, bad, indifferent - in their children. Children fail because their parents fail them.

THIS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is really sad that some teachers have spend so much of their own money on the classrooms.

Well they shouldn't. MCPS reimburses them for all materials that support the curriculum.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

Give me an example of where an MCPS teacher wasn't provided by their school/MCPS the materials/supplies they need for the curriculum.

Just yesterday, I was in MS English where the class assignment called for using index cards. There were no index cards at school, so the teacher brought in a pack.

And the proper steps are for the teacher to complete the needed paperwork to submit to the principal/school admin to get reimbursed for those index cards.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Realistically, the fairest thing that has any chance of happening would be for MCCPTA (or some other central organization, I guess, if there's some problem with MCCPTA, although I don't understand what the problem is) to either increase its dues amount significantly (with an exemption for PTAs under a certain budget) and redistribute that to schools based on need, or for school PTAs to contribute some set percentage of their budget to a central pool that's redistributed based on need.

Honestly it really ought to be one central fund countywide, but most parents are too selfish to contribute to something like that and would scream bloody murder at the idea that they can't use their money to contribute to their kid's school to give them an extra leg up. So let them contribute to their own school knowing that, say, half of it will actually benefit the school, while at least having a *little* less of this ridiculous "the richer schools that need the least and are already the most desirable for teachers get lots of extra from their PTAs, and the poorer schools that need the most and are the least desirable for teachers get nothing from their PTAs" situation...

Question is what happens to all the money MCCPTA gets and why don't they use some of that money to help some of the schools.

Exactly. Honestly, when 50% of our membership dues go to MCCPTA, we don't even push memberships anymore. We'd rather get straight donations, and you don't have to be a PTA member to donate. So for those of you against PTAs, remember, you don't have to be a member. You can just donate to your school PTA, and at least you know your money is going directly back to the school, teachers, or students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish there were educational equity. It's wrong that accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools, but equally advanced students at others often lack access to those same opportunities.

I think this is the linchpin issue. If educational equity existed, PTA funding would follow and be more equitable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This thread is stupid. There will never be a "central pool" of PTA funds. Whomever is pushing this is most likely trying to figure out how to "get rich quick". Ignore them.

There shouldn't be pooled money but MCCPTA can do more to work with the lower income PTA's and help them financially as well.

Yeah, another dumb idea. If you think PTA contribution is low now, wait until you tell them their PTA donations are going into a centralized pool.

I'd stop contributing completely and start organizing private parent groups and encourage more non-PTA private foundations at that point.

Maybe that isn't such a bad thing? MCPS has a pretty good stronghold within several PTA's as it is. Privatizing outside the PTA may be a way to encourage more parent involvement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Realistically, the fairest thing that has any chance of happening would be for MCCPTA (or some other central organization, I guess, if there's some problem with MCCPTA, although I don't understand what the problem is) to either increase its dues amount significantly (with an exemption for PTAs under a certain budget) and redistribute that to schools based on need, or for school PTAs to contribute some set percentage of their budget to a central pool that's redistributed based on need.

Honestly it really ought to be one central fund countywide, but most parents are too selfish to contribute to something like that and would scream bloody murder at the idea that they can't use their money to contribute to their kid's school to give them an extra leg up. So let them contribute to their own school knowing that, say, half of it will actually benefit the school, while at least having a *little* less of this ridiculous "the richer schools that need the least and are already the most desirable for teachers get lots of extra from their PTAs, and the poorer schools that need the most and are the least desirable for teachers get nothing from their PTAs" situation...

Question is what happens to all the money MCCPTA gets and why don't they use some of that money to help some of the schools.

Exactly. Honestly, when 50% of our membership dues go to MCCPTA, we don't even push memberships anymore. We'd rather get straight donations, and you don't have to be a PTA member to donate. So for those of you against PTAs, remember, you don't have to be a member. You can just donate to your school PTA, and at least you know your money is going directly back to the school, teachers, or students.

Or, you can buy stuff directly for your child’s classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is really sad that some teachers have spend so much of their own money on the classrooms.

Well they shouldn't. MCPS reimburses them for all materials that support the curriculum.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

Give me an example of where an MCPS teacher wasn't provided by their school/MCPS the materials/supplies they need for the curriculum.

Just yesterday, I was in MS English where the class assignment called for using index cards. There were no index cards at school, so the teacher brought in a pack.

And the proper steps are for the teacher to complete the needed paperwork to submit to the principal/school admin to get reimbursed for those index cards.

Huh? This isn’t true. There is no money that you can request. You either purchase the materials with your own money or you do without. When I had my students start their math journals yesterday, I had them take from the supplies that their parents sent in or grab one from the pile of extras that I provide. Only 5 out of my 23 students brought a journal, the rest used the ones I purchased with my money. I got the cheap ones from Staples, but it was still my money. And I don’t have an option of getting reimbursed as my school does not have this discretionary fund you are speaking of, nor do we have a PTA. It is on me.

-MCPS teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wish there were educational equity. It's wrong that accelerated classes are offered at wealthy schools, but equally advanced students at others often lack access to those same opportunities.

I think this is the linchpin issue. If educational equity existed, PTA funding would follow and be more equitable.

I think you mean "equality" not "equity".

Is MCPS proposing taking away children from their parents and putting them into Greentree Group Home barracks? Because if the parents don't care about academics or if their home environment isn't suitable, there is no amount of "equity" that will help. In fact, MCPS will most likely disenfranchise the very students they're pretending to help.