What happened at Kennedy today?

[Anonymous]

It’s not the pandemic that changed kids. Students are focused on phones so much now that real life contact is often less significant than 24 hr online access. Parenting has also changed to be less authoritarian and more based on guidance and self regulation. Many families are not equipped to handle this well particularly in latch-key situations. Most teachers have relied on assignments on MYMCPS to help get kids caught up when they are absent, but that also makes it easier for students to not show up at all and still pass a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
"Ohh but we desperately need in person schooling."

We don't. The pandemic changed kids. They do NOT want to be at school. They will do anything to get out of it. We need to fix education and how we deliver it. It's 2024-what worked in the 1900s isn't working now. Clearly.

I think this should have been preceded by an "Off Topic" notice. This point may be true, but it's not directly related to the security incident at Kennedy or the leadership team's handling of communications.

NP. It is related. The "education" part can be accomplished without in-person schooling and incidents such as at Kennedy would not happen.

As a high school teacher who taught on Zoom during COVID, I can tell you that in-person schooling is far superior. We need to provide alternatives for those who are not committed to academics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not the pandemic that changed kids. Students are focused on phones so much now that real life contact is often less significant than 24 hr online access. Parenting has also changed to be less authoritarian and more based on guidance and self regulation. Many families are not equipped to handle this well particularly in latch-key situations. Most teachers have relied on assignments on MYMCPS to help get kids caught up when they are absent, but that also makes it easier for students to not show up at all and still pass a class.

So:
- stop reliance on screens for instruction
- ban phones in schools
- kids that don't attend don't pass
- stop blaming parenting for the consequences of not doing the above

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not the pandemic that changed kids. Students are focused on phones so much now that real life contact is often less significant than 24 hr online access. Parenting has also changed to be less authoritarian and more based on guidance and self regulation. Many families are not equipped to handle this well particularly in latch-key situations. Most teachers have relied on assignments on MYMCPS to help get kids caught up when they are absent, but that also makes it easier for students to not show up at all and still pass a class.

Technology is the devils work! Them phones are EVIL!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not the pandemic that changed kids. Students are focused on phones so much now that real life contact is often less significant than 24 hr online access. Parenting has also changed to be less authoritarian and more based on guidance and self regulation. Many families are not equipped to handle this well particularly in latch-key situations. Most teachers have relied on assignments on MYMCPS to help get kids caught up when they are absent, but that also makes it easier for students to not show up at all and still pass a class.

So:
- stop reliance on screens for instruction
- ban phones in schools
- kids that don't attend don't pass
- stop blaming parenting for the consequences of not doing the above

So defensive. Sounds like you know your parenting is a huge part of the problem and you don’t want to accept accountability for that. Don’t give your kid a phone or electronics then. Nip the problem at home. Ensure your kid goes to school. All things you could be doing from home but nah, you’d rather blame everyone else and have other people do the heavy lifting for you.

[Anonymous]

I understand that parents want their child to have a way to contact them in case of emergency etc. However, allowing these kids to carry around phones hurts more than helps. If you are that concerned about reaching them, buy them a flip phone, not a smart phone.

Kids use their phones to meet up in the bathrooms to vape, to communicate with kids outside of the building and sneak them in, and to orchestrate and record fights.

Does your child have anxiety about using the restroom? Do they hate eating in the cafeteria? They’ve probably seen students take pictures of their classmates while eating lunch or using the toilet. Pictures like this are frequently posted in group chats, airdropped during the school day, or posted on social media. Please look up your child’s middle or high school on Instagram. You will see dozens of anonymous accounts filled with pictures of students taken without their consent. The accounts and the captions are overwhelmingly nasty and hurtful.

Does your child have Snapchat? If so, they’re most likely utilizing its AI feature to cheat on assignments. AI use is getting out of control, I learned this week that many middle schoolers are using an app called character AI to create chatbot boyfriends/girlfriends.

Smart phones have no place in school or in the lives of preteens/young teens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand that parents want their child to have a way to contact them in case of emergency etc. However, allowing these kids to carry around phones hurts more than helps. If you are that concerned about reaching them, buy them a flip phone, not a smart phone.

Kids use their phones to meet up in the bathrooms to vape, to communicate with kids outside of the building and sneak them in, and to orchestrate and record fights.

Does your child have anxiety about using the restroom? Do they hate eating in the cafeteria? They’ve probably seen students take pictures of their classmates while eating lunch or using the toilet. Pictures like this are frequently posted in group chats, airdropped during the school day, or posted on social media. Please look up your child’s middle or high school on Instagram. You will see dozens of anonymous accounts filled with pictures of students taken without their consent. The accounts and the captions are overwhelmingly nasty and hurtful.

Does your child have Snapchat? If so, they’re most likely utilizing its AI feature to cheat on assignments. AI use is getting out of control, I learned this week that many middle schoolers are using an app called character AI to create chatbot boyfriends/girlfriends.

Smart phones have no place in school or in the lives of preteens/young teens.

Photoshopping pictures is also a big problem. As well as passing around photoshopped pictures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand that parents want their child to have a way to contact them in case of emergency etc. However, allowing these kids to carry around phones hurts more than helps. If you are that concerned about reaching them, buy them a flip phone, not a smart phone.

Kids use their phones to meet up in the bathrooms to vape, to communicate with kids outside of the building and sneak them in, and to orchestrate and record fights.

Does your child have anxiety about using the restroom? Do they hate eating in the cafeteria? They’ve probably seen students take pictures of their classmates while eating lunch or using the toilet. Pictures like this are frequently posted in group chats, airdropped during the school day, or posted on social media. Please look up your child’s middle or high school on Instagram. You will see dozens of anonymous accounts filled with pictures of students taken without their consent. The accounts and the captions are overwhelmingly nasty and hurtful.

Does your child have Snapchat? If so, they’re most likely utilizing its AI feature to cheat on assignments. AI use is getting out of control, I learned this week that many middle schoolers are using an app called character AI to create chatbot boyfriends/girlfriends.

Smart phones have no place in school or in the lives of preteens/young teens.

If you don't like phones, then don't give one to your kid. Problem solved. However, it's not your place to make these choices for me or my children.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I understand that parents want their child to have a way to contact them in case of emergency etc. However, allowing these kids to carry around phones hurts more than helps. If you are that concerned about reaching them, buy them a flip phone, not a smart phone.

Kids use their phones to meet up in the bathrooms to vape, to communicate with kids outside of the building and sneak them in, and to orchestrate and record fights.

Does your child have anxiety about using the restroom? Do they hate eating in the cafeteria? They’ve probably seen students take pictures of their classmates while eating lunch or using the toilet. Pictures like this are frequently posted in group chats, airdropped during the school day, or posted on social media. Please look up your child’s middle or high school on Instagram. You will see dozens of anonymous accounts filled with pictures of students taken without their consent. The accounts and the captions are overwhelmingly nasty and hurtful.

Does your child have Snapchat? If so, they’re most likely utilizing its AI feature to cheat on assignments. AI use is getting out of control, I learned this week that many middle schoolers are using an app called character AI to create chatbot boyfriends/girlfriends.

Smart phones have no place in school or in the lives of preteens/young teens.

Oh I know! AI is out of control! My kids use SkyNet to get the test answers. It's so evil!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A teenage trespasser gained access to the school building to fight a Kennedy student. He had a knife and attempted to stab security. He was apprehended by the police. The community letter is on Twitter.

Glad we had an SRO to take care of it!

The terror that those kids have to endure having police in their school does not outweigh the lives saved.

Love,
Mink and Jawando.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand that parents want their child to have a way to contact them in case of emergency etc. However, allowing these kids to carry around phones hurts more than helps. If you are that concerned about reaching them, buy them a flip phone, not a smart phone.

Kids use their phones to meet up in the bathrooms to vape, to communicate with kids outside of the building and sneak them in, and to orchestrate and record fights.

Does your child have anxiety about using the restroom? Do they hate eating in the cafeteria? They’ve probably seen students take pictures of their classmates while eating lunch or using the toilet. Pictures like this are frequently posted in group chats, airdropped during the school day, or posted on social media. Please look up your child’s middle or high school on Instagram. You will see dozens of anonymous accounts filled with pictures of students taken without their consent. The accounts and the captions are overwhelmingly nasty and hurtful.

Does your child have Snapchat? If so, they’re most likely utilizing its AI feature to cheat on assignments. AI use is getting out of control, I learned this week that many middle schoolers are using an app called character AI to create chatbot boyfriends/girlfriends.

Smart phones have no place in school or in the lives of preteens/young teens.

If you don't like phones, then don't give one to your kid. Problem solved. However, it's not your place to make these choices for me or my children.

What you do in your home is your choice. Unfortunately, it is not your place to tell schools what is or isn’t allowed. What if a classmate takes a picture of your child without their consent? And posts that picture of them on Instagram? And a bunch of other kids respond with nasty comments about your child. Did you and your child get a choice? How are you going to react when the school says there’s nothing they can do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A teenage trespasser gained access to the school building to fight a Kennedy student. He had a knife and attempted to stab security. He was apprehended by the police. The community letter is on Twitter.

Glad we had an SRO to take care of it!

The terror that those kids have to endure having police in their school does not outweigh the lives saved.

Love,
Mink and Jawando.

So glad this latest incident at Wootton again shows conclusively that SROs aren't needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand that parents want their child to have a way to contact them in case of emergency etc. However, allowing these kids to carry around phones hurts more than helps. If you are that concerned about reaching them, buy them a flip phone, not a smart phone.

Kids use their phones to meet up in the bathrooms to vape, to communicate with kids outside of the building and sneak them in, and to orchestrate and record fights.

Does your child have anxiety about using the restroom? Do they hate eating in the cafeteria? They’ve probably seen students take pictures of their classmates while eating lunch or using the toilet. Pictures like this are frequently posted in group chats, airdropped during the school day, or posted on social media. Please look up your child’s middle or high school on Instagram. You will see dozens of anonymous accounts filled with pictures of students taken without their consent. The accounts and the captions are overwhelmingly nasty and hurtful.

Does your child have Snapchat? If so, they’re most likely utilizing its AI feature to cheat on assignments. AI use is getting out of control, I learned this week that many middle schoolers are using an app called character AI to create chatbot boyfriends/girlfriends.

Smart phones have no place in school or in the lives of preteens/young teens.

If you don't like phones, then don't give one to your kid. Problem solved. However, it's not your place to make these choices for me or my children.

What you do in your home is your choice. Unfortunately, it is not your place to tell schools what is or isn’t allowed. What if a classmate takes a picture of your child without their consent? And posts that picture of them on Instagram? And a bunch of other kids respond with nasty comments about your child. Did you and your child get a choice? How are you going to react when the school says there’s nothing they can do?

It kind of is since this is America and I pay taxes.

[Anonymous]

It is sad going on a field trip and seeing almost every MCPS kid glued to a phone in a museum.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I understand that parents want their child to have a way to contact them in case of emergency etc. However, allowing these kids to carry around phones hurts more than helps. If you are that concerned about reaching them, buy them a flip phone, not a smart phone.

Kids use their phones to meet up in the bathrooms to vape, to communicate with kids outside of the building and sneak them in, and to orchestrate and record fights.

Does your child have anxiety about using the restroom? Do they hate eating in the cafeteria? They’ve probably seen students take pictures of their classmates while eating lunch or using the toilet. Pictures like this are frequently posted in group chats, airdropped during the school day, or posted on social media. Please look up your child’s middle or high school on Instagram. You will see dozens of anonymous accounts filled with pictures of students taken without their consent. The accounts and the captions are overwhelmingly nasty and hurtful.

Does your child have Snapchat? If so, they’re most likely utilizing its AI feature to cheat on assignments. AI use is getting out of control, I learned this week that many middle schoolers are using an app called character AI to create chatbot boyfriends/girlfriends.

Smart phones have no place in school or in the lives of preteens/young teens.

If you don't like phones, then don't give one to your kid. Problem solved. However, it's not your place to make these choices for me or my children.

True, just because they have Ludite sensibilities doesn't mean they can force them on everyone else.