Teacher exposes the craptastic decline iof MCPS in Reddit rant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are only 2-6 good high schools in MoCo and people pay a lot to live there.

The other people buy cheap houses zoned for bad schools

If you believe that the only good schools are ones in neighborhoods with over-priced real estate, what do you think we as a society owe to people who truly cannot afford to live in those neighborhoods?

Surely, you also believe that an adequate education is a human right and the key to breaking cycles of generational poverty. Are you okay with real estate prices being the tool that creates a permanent underclass?

The slide began with eliminating finals, but that policy was a symptom of decline, not the cause. What we are calling pandemic learning loss was like a heart attack after the patient had a Krispy Kreme donut following a decade of daily Big Macs.

It is time for a true overhaul. But one that must include parental accountability as well. And buying a $900k house zoned to a W feeder doesn’t discharge your responsibility. Affluent parents need to advocate for a grading policy that supports rather than diminishes students learning time management and accountability skills. Affluent parents need to have constructive conversations with their children about the feedback teachers provide and not just react to low grades with angry emails and vitriolic DCUM posts. Your child didn’t get an A on homework because they really understand the concept. They got an A because that category only allows 100%, 90% (if late), and 50% (if never submitted). The C they got on classwork shows their true achievement.

Wait, they don't take final exams in MCPS?

Absolutely pathetic. What are these kids going to do when they get to college? Fail so much our colleges will have to water down curricula?

This is insane. Where's the education in MCPS and why do they keep raising my taxes?

Finals, college, and success are aspects of whiteness. As an anti-racism school system, MCPS must eschew these things and work toward equity.

This right here. This is why I vote Republican whenever I can, even though it’s a wasted vote in MoCo. The liberals have gone off the deep end with this bs.

There it is folks; the MCPS forum is full with right-wingers crying the sky is falling.

It's really old and seriously detracts from this forums usefulness.

If by “usefulness” you mean “liberal echo chamber” then I agree.

Yes because all the MAGA misinformation is so helpful

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

50% is still failing. What bearing does that have on the rigor of a class or its assignments, or the supports in place to assist students. Those are the things that deal with academic excellence.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of it is true, but we have a few really good teacher this year who are holding the kids accountable and really tuff with grading but they are also teaching them the the skills that they didn't get in ES or MS. The teachers can do far more and some choose not to. The worst are the ones who will not read or return email when you try to work with them.

Parents don’t care. Period. I have 12 kids who had over 26 absences each in quarter 1. It’s time for a mirror.

This. Parents do not care. Parents use school to get the kids out of their hair for 7+ hours a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

We've talked this to death, but the 50% rule is only through the end of the quarter. If the child actually does nothing by the end of quarter, they take the 0. It's meant to give kids enough room to scramble back up if they try hard enough. We want that, considering we're talking about brains that are a decade from being fully developed.

That is what's supposed to happen in theory, but I promise you, in practice, it stays a 50% through to the final grade in all instances I've seen it with my kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

50% is still failing. What bearing does that have on the rigor of a class or its assignments, or the supports in place to assist students. Those are the things that deal with academic excellence.

You can't have a culture and standard of academic excellence if you've manipulated the bar to make it easy to get away with doing the bare minimum. I don't know why this is difficult for you to comprehend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

We've talked this to death, but the 50% rule is only through the end of the quarter. If the child actually does nothing by the end of quarter, they take the 0. It's meant to give kids enough room to scramble back up if they try hard enough. We want that, considering we're talking about brains that are a decade from being fully developed.

That is what's supposed to happen in theory, but I promise you, in practice, it stays a 50% through to the final grade in all instances I've seen it with my kids.

Kids that are getting 50% clearly don't care about school and there isn't a lot the county can do to change it. So this just doesn't seem like a pressing issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

50% is still failing. What bearing does that have on the rigor of a class or its assignments, or the supports in place to assist students. Those are the things that deal with academic excellence.

You can't have a culture and standard of academic excellence if you've manipulated the bar to make it easy to get away with doing the bare minimum. I don't know why this is difficult for you to comprehend.

They aren't. The bar is whatever they decide it is. Why are you so obsessed with this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

50% is still failing. What bearing does that have on the rigor of a class or its assignments, or the supports in place to assist students. Those are the things that deal with academic excellence.

You can't have a culture and standard of academic excellence if you've manipulated the bar to make it easy to get away with doing the bare minimum. I don't know why this is difficult for you to comprehend.

They aren't. The bar is whatever they decide it is. Why are you so obsessed with this?

Why are you so obsessed with convincing who don't think the 50% rule is ok that it is ok? You don't see an issue with it. Fine. Others do. Ok. Move on and agree to disagree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of it is true, but we have a few really good teacher this year who are holding the kids accountable and really tuff with grading but they are also teaching them the the skills that they didn't get in ES or MS. The teachers can do far more and some choose not to. The worst are the ones who will not read or return email when you try to work with them.

Parents don’t care. Period. I have 12 kids who had over 26 absences each in quarter 1. It’s time for a mirror.

This. Parents do not care. Parents use school to get the kids out of their hair for 7+ hours a day.

Some parents don't care, many do. What classes are you teaching? That makes a hug difference. And, maybe your teaching/teaching style or class format isn't working and YOU need to change up what you do to get those kids to come to class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of it is true, but we have a few really good teacher this year who are holding the kids accountable and really tuff with grading but they are also teaching them the the skills that they didn't get in ES or MS. The teachers can do far more and some choose not to. The worst are the ones who will not read or return email when you try to work with them.

Parents don’t care. Period. I have 12 kids who had over 26 absences each in quarter 1. It’s time for a mirror.

This. Parents do not care. Parents use school to get the kids out of their hair for 7+ hours a day.

Some parents don't care, many do. What classes are you teaching? That makes a hug difference. And, maybe your teaching/teaching style or class format isn't working and YOU need to change up what you do to get those kids to come to class.

Must be an admin. That is what they always tell teachers when students in their class misbehave. They blame the teacher because they need to make their class more entertaining. Lol. Meanwhile, most admins taught for a few years and got out. They tend not to be the best people to be telling teachers how to teach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are only 2-6 good high schools in MoCo and people pay a lot to live there.

The other people buy cheap houses zoned for bad schools

If you believe that the only good schools are ones in neighborhoods with over-priced real estate, what do you think we as a society owe to people who truly cannot afford to live in those neighborhoods?

Surely, you also believe that an adequate education is a human right and the key to breaking cycles of generational poverty. Are you okay with real estate prices being the tool that creates a permanent underclass?

The slide began with eliminating finals, but that policy was a symptom of decline, not the cause. What we are calling pandemic learning loss was like a heart attack after the patient had a Krispy Kreme donut following a decade of daily Big Macs.

It is time for a true overhaul. But one that must include parental accountability as well. And buying a $900k house zoned to a W feeder doesn’t discharge your responsibility. Affluent parents need to advocate for a grading policy that supports rather than diminishes students learning time management and accountability skills. Affluent parents need to have constructive conversations with their children about the feedback teachers provide and not just react to low grades with angry emails and vitriolic DCUM posts. Your child didn’t get an A on homework because they really understand the concept. They got an A because that category only allows 100%, 90% (if late), and 50% (if never submitted). The C they got on classwork shows their true achievement.

Wait, they don't take final exams in MCPS?

Absolutely pathetic. What are these kids going to do when they get to college? Fail so much our colleges will have to water down curricula?

This is insane. Where's the education in MCPS and why do they keep raising my taxes?

Finals, college, and success are aspects of whiteness. As an anti-racism school system, MCPS must eschew these things and work toward equity.

This right here. This is why I vote Republican whenever I can, even though it’s a wasted vote in MoCo. The liberals have gone off the deep end with this bs.

There it is folks; the MCPS forum is full with right-wingers crying the sky is falling.

It's really old and seriously detracts from this forums usefulness.

If by “usefulness” you mean “liberal echo chamber” then I agree.

Yes because all the MAGA misinformation is so helpful

Do you think the Reddit post is Maga misinformation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

50% is still failing. What bearing does that have on the rigor of a class or its assignments, or the supports in place to assist students. Those are the things that deal with academic excellence.

You can't have a culture and standard of academic excellence if you've manipulated the bar to make it easy to get away with doing the bare minimum. I don't know why this is difficult for you to comprehend.

They aren't. The bar is whatever they decide it is. Why are you so obsessed with this?

Why are you so obsessed with convincing who don't think the 50% rule is ok that it is ok? You don't see an issue with it. Fine. Others do. Ok. Move on and agree to disagree.

NP. I'm not going to dive into the weeds. But just wanted to note that people who are upset about the 50% rule usually care because it negatively affects their own kids. I have one kid who just wouldn't get with the program-- missed deadlines; turned in bad work. The 50% rule enabled the behavior because it wasn't enough of a penalty. (Don't get me started on the liberal makeup policy-- I get that it helps some kids, but it is a HUGE problem for my kid because I can't enforce deadlines effectively if mcps rules tell late work/bad work is no big deal.)

I'm probably not going to check this thread again, so bash me or don't bash, doesn't matter. But I feel like many posters say parents should stop complaining about these easy rules because they are meant for some other population-- they should focus on their own kids and let that other population take advantage of the lax rules. But when MCPS outlines very easy policies, all kids (including *MY* kids) get the impression they don't need to work hard, meet deadlines, turn in good work the first time. So it makes my parenting so much harder and less effective.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

50% is still failing. What bearing does that have on the rigor of a class or its assignments, or the supports in place to assist students. Those are the things that deal with academic excellence.

You can't have a culture and standard of academic excellence if you've manipulated the bar to make it easy to get away with doing the bare minimum. I don't know why this is difficult for you to comprehend.

They aren't. The bar is whatever they decide it is. Why are you so obsessed with this?

Why are you so obsessed with convincing who don't think the 50% rule is ok that it is ok? You don't see an issue with it. Fine. Others do. Ok. Move on and agree to disagree.

Similarly, why are you obsessed with convincing everyone that it's a problem when it really isn't?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are only 2-6 good high schools in MoCo and people pay a lot to live there.

The other people buy cheap houses zoned for bad schools

If you believe that the only good schools are ones in neighborhoods with over-priced real estate, what do you think we as a society owe to people who truly cannot afford to live in those neighborhoods?

Surely, you also believe that an adequate education is a human right and the key to breaking cycles of generational poverty. Are you okay with real estate prices being the tool that creates a permanent underclass?

The slide began with eliminating finals, but that policy was a symptom of decline, not the cause. What we are calling pandemic learning loss was like a heart attack after the patient had a Krispy Kreme donut following a decade of daily Big Macs.

It is time for a true overhaul. But one that must include parental accountability as well. And buying a $900k house zoned to a W feeder doesn’t discharge your responsibility. Affluent parents need to advocate for a grading policy that supports rather than diminishes students learning time management and accountability skills. Affluent parents need to have constructive conversations with their children about the feedback teachers provide and not just react to low grades with angry emails and vitriolic DCUM posts. Your child didn’t get an A on homework because they really understand the concept. They got an A because that category only allows 100%, 90% (if late), and 50% (if never submitted). The C they got on classwork shows their true achievement.

I think you're mixing things up in your last paragraph.....

1) $900k won't get you anything to brag about in many W feeder areas. You can buy and find many $900k homes in the DCC area. You can definitely get a LARGER sized home for that $900k in the DCC zones compared to the Ws, but expensive housing is expensive throughout MoCo, with those prices decreasing on the fringes of the county. To get "cheap" housing, you really have to move outside of MoCo these days, which is why Frederick is booming.

2) You're talking about a group of wealthy parents who henpeck and screech if their child gets a B on an assignment and demands that their child be given a reassessment or insists the teacher wasn't fair or uses some other excuse to push for their kid to either get a higher grade or have a chance to boost their. To be sure, those parents are ANNOYING. But the shift in the grading was NOT because of this group of parents.

3) There's ANOTHER group of parents who usually are on the lower income side, who feel that every failure of their child's is the fault of the school. They don't look at their own chaotic home environment, nor do they possess an ounce of discipline and organization themselves, but they insist their child is doing poorly because the school system is wrong. Either the teacher is racist and that's why their kid is skipping class, or the teacher went too fast and didn't explain enough for the kid or they believe it's the teacher's job at the high school level to constantly remind their child to turn in assignments. These parents usually either push back whenever the school calls to intervene and always defends their child no matter how wrong the behavior. "Oh, I don't know what the issue is. He's a GOOD boy at home here. It must something y'all doing."

These parents, whose children continuously fail classes and fail to graduate, are the ones for whom the 50% rule on missing assignments and the 90/10 split of all tasks and practice prep were implemented for. It was done to lower the bar to make it easier to graduate. Because these parents don't actually care if their kids do WELL in school or class. But they do care if they get told their child cannot graduate high school. So this appeases them and makes them happy, and also helps the system look more "successful" since graduation rates go up when you lower the bar.

I love how you believe group#2 has bad behavior but group #1 is merely annoying. Group#1 cares if they’re student graduates, but also think their kid can do no wrong and is entitled to A’s. Group #1 sues for anything and everything which is what causes unnecessary attention and then makes folks afraid to enforce anything. “Oh, I don't know what the issue is. He's a GOOD boy at home here. It must something y'all doing,” comes from Group 1 as folks in your perceived Group 2 don’t even answer the phone.

I get this from the wealthy parents as well: Unbeknownst to MCPS, school should not have been in session from 10/31 to 11/10. This was a time for families to take vacations before the holidays. As a teacher, I’m stupid already, but I was really an idiot to teach anything new the last two weeks since their child was on a cruise/visiting cousins/in the south of France. I just want to spoil their fun.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:These posters obsessed with the 50% rule are misguided. There are dozens of far greater issues facing our schools including a lack of emphasise on academics.

I think the people complaining about the 50% rule view that as interlinked with the lack of emphasis on academics......because how can you have a focus on academic excellence when a kid can get 50% for doing nothing? Those two things aren't compatible.

We've talked this to death, but the 50% rule is only through the end of the quarter. If the child actually does nothing by the end of quarter, they take the 0. It's meant to give kids enough room to scramble back up if they try hard enough. We want that, considering we're talking about brains that are a decade from being fully developed.

That is what's supposed to happen in theory, but I promise you, in practice, it stays a 50% through to the final grade in all instances I've seen it with my kids.

Kids that are getting 50% clearly don't care about school and there isn't a lot the county can do to change it. So this just doesn't seem like a pressing issue.

Or, maybe the do care and their teachers, schools, and parents failed to help them early on with the bad curriculum and now they struggle with basic things like reading, math and writing which makes it impossible to keep up in HS.