curriculum opt-out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd like to opt my kid out of the HS English curriculum because it's terrible and in no way challenging.

Great, homeschool or assign extra work outside of school or go to any other school district or private school you can get into. Also join the committees that worn really diligently with MCPS and fight for change in the curriculum. See, options abound.

Nah, I think I'll opt out of the 2 choices that are below grade level in MP1 so they have to do the at-grade level book for English 9.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents still have to come in person to view curriculum materials. Which is very inconvenient for working parents.

MCPS has all the books listed. Parents interested in opting out aren’t going to actual read the books. They are just going to follow which zealot is the flavor of the day and opt out what they say is problematic for whatever reason.

None of our syllabus's have textbook or english book information. Its frusterating. I want to be able to buy them so my kids have copies vs. pdf or classroom copies.

Just ask the teacher. Why are you making this complicated. No one is expecting you to buy the curriculum book. This is about opting out. The books you could opt out of are listed. You can look them up and read them all yourself if you desire.

We can only look them up if we have a list of books. Yes, we asked the teacher and they said they will let the kids know when they decide. They don't preplan. You have to buy the book if you want your child to have a physical copy. Same with textboks. We were given photocopies in one class of a textbook and kids were told they had to keep it prestine for next year, so we bought it to save any drama.

The defined list of novels for English is on the sheet. If there are other ones being used they are going to be selected by the individual teacher, which means you will need to ask your teacher as they are starting new units.

My child has never been given photocopies of an entire textbook at once and told to keep it pristine for next year. You should talk to your teacher or school if that’s the case.

Just because it hasn't happened to your child, doesn't mean it doesn't happen at other schools. Talk to the teacher about what? If we want the textbooks or novels we buy them. I bought two textbooks so far this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents still have to come in person to view curriculum materials. Which is very inconvenient for working parents.

Not only do you want a custom-designed curriculum for your special snowflake, you want it spoonfed to you too? No way. MCPS should not be spending its limited resources doing your job for you-- that is unfair to the rest of us and our kids, and time/money that should be spent on other, more important things. If you're not willing to accept the curriculum and materials that everyone else does, then you need to be willing to put in the work of identifying what you object to.

Mcps has plenty of resources and a huge budget. They should just email to everyone. Why the secrets and lack of transparency.

You want MCPS to....violate copyright by photocopying and distributing to thousands of people full books? Get the book out of the library or take the time.

You opt out people really are entitled.

[Anonymous]

The CKLA units and stories seem fine to me.

Some of the approved supplemental books and readings really are not particularly well chosen. Others seem ok.

I am surprised by the number of subjects / units with no standard textbook. That seems like a recipe for a inconsistent instruction and an academic mess.

[Anonymous]

I cannot find any Shakespeare. Where is it and which books?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I cannot find any Shakespeare. Where is it and which books?

They often read Romeo & Juliet and Julius Caesar. Probably not during the first marking period, which is all they've posted so far.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one says you have to read or look at anything to opt your kid out of elements of the curriculum. Just sign the paperwork and get them out of the room if that's what you want. But then don't complain about whatever they get instead, because it's likely to be less developed than the curriculum that was actually deliberately chosen and planned. Trade-off.

100%. I don’t plan to put any time into creating alternative assignments. I’m sure AI can plan independent work to accompany some Kipling or Little House on the Prairie. I feel bad for the kids who are stuck with these parents, but I can only do so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one says you have to read or look at anything to opt your kid out of elements of the curriculum. Just sign the paperwork and get them out of the room if that's what you want. But then don't complain about whatever they get instead, because it's likely to be less developed than the curriculum that was actually deliberately chosen and planned. Trade-off.

100%. I don’t plan to put any time into creating alternative assignments. I’m sure AI can plan independent work to accompany some Kipling or Little House on the Prairie. I feel bad for the kids who are stuck with these parents, but I can only do so much.

I will bet this will be litigated as well and then MCPS will create a standard that the lessons for the alternative need to be as robust as those for the opted-out title. That will require central office to create a plan for multiple books or to just get rid of the controversial books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one says you have to read or look at anything to opt your kid out of elements of the curriculum. Just sign the paperwork and get them out of the room if that's what you want. But then don't complain about whatever they get instead, because it's likely to be less developed than the curriculum that was actually deliberately chosen and planned. Trade-off.

100%. I don’t plan to put any time into creating alternative assignments. I’m sure AI can plan independent work to accompany some Kipling or Little House on the Prairie. I feel bad for the kids who are stuck with these parents, but I can only do so much.

where do the kids go for their alternative work?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents still have to come in person to view curriculum materials. Which is very inconvenient for working parents.

Not only do you want a custom-designed curriculum for your special snowflake, you want it spoonfed to you too? No way. MCPS should not be spending its limited resources doing your job for you-- that is unfair to the rest of us and our kids, and time/money that should be spent on other, more important things. If you're not willing to accept the curriculum and materials that everyone else does, then you need to be willing to put in the work of identifying what you object to.

Mcps has plenty of resources and a huge budget. They should just email to everyone. Why the secrets and lack of transparency.

You want MCPS to....violate copyright by photocopying and distributing to thousands of people full books? Get the book out of the library or take the time.

You opt out people really are entitled.

Most libraries only have 1 copy, and 30-35 students in a classroom. No, I expect them to buy books for ever class for every child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I cannot find any Shakespeare. Where is it and which books?

They often read Romeo & Juliet and Julius Caesar. Probably not during the first marking period, which is all they've posted so far.

No, they don't read that, they get movies. Or, that's what happens at our school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one says you have to read or look at anything to opt your kid out of elements of the curriculum. Just sign the paperwork and get them out of the room if that's what you want. But then don't complain about whatever they get instead, because it's likely to be less developed than the curriculum that was actually deliberately chosen and planned. Trade-off.

100%. I don’t plan to put any time into creating alternative assignments. I’m sure AI can plan independent work to accompany some Kipling or Little House on the Prairie. I feel bad for the kids who are stuck with these parents, but I can only do so much.

I will bet this will be litigated as well and then MCPS will create a standard that the lessons for the alternative need to be as robust as those for the opted-out title. That will require central office to create a plan for multiple books or to just get rid of the controversial books.

The goal of the groups is for no one to read the controversial books.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one says you have to read or look at anything to opt your kid out of elements of the curriculum. Just sign the paperwork and get them out of the room if that's what you want. But then don't complain about whatever they get instead, because it's likely to be less developed than the curriculum that was actually deliberately chosen and planned. Trade-off.

100%. I don’t plan to put any time into creating alternative assignments. I’m sure AI can plan independent work to accompany some Kipling or Little House on the Prairie. I feel bad for the kids who are stuck with these parents, but I can only do so much.

I will bet this will be litigated as well and then MCPS will create a standard that the lessons for the alternative need to be as robust as those for the opted-out title. That will require central office to create a plan for multiple books or to just get rid of the controversial books.

The goal of the groups is for no one to read the controversial books.

+1 Also, they are defining "controversial" in the Trumpian sense, meaning absolutely no discussion of slavery, inequality/privilege of any kind, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, that otherwise paints US History as "racist, sexist, or otherwise discriminatory." All readings much be laudatory and "patriotic."

The problem is that no book is ever going to fit the bill. Grapes of Wrath involves systemic inequality (and has nudity and other verboten topics.). Catch-22 satirizes the US military. Huck Finn humanizes enslaved people and discusses systemic inequality.

The ultimate goal, I think, is not to read at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Parents still have to come in person to view curriculum materials. Which is very inconvenient for working parents.

Not only do you want a custom-designed curriculum for your special snowflake, you want it spoonfed to you too? No way. MCPS should not be spending its limited resources doing your job for you-- that is unfair to the rest of us and our kids, and time/money that should be spent on other, more important things. If you're not willing to accept the curriculum and materials that everyone else does, then you need to be willing to put in the work of identifying what you object to.

Mcps has plenty of resources and a huge budget. They should just email to everyone. Why the secrets and lack of transparency.

You want MCPS to....violate copyright by photocopying and distributing to thousands of people full books? Get the book out of the library or take the time.

You opt out people really are entitled.

Most libraries only have 1 copy, and 30-35 students in a classroom. No, I expect them to buy books for ever class for every child.

That’s a different thing than parents demanding to have the books “emailed” to them in advance of the material.

Put the work in and stop being so precious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one says you have to read or look at anything to opt your kid out of elements of the curriculum. Just sign the paperwork and get them out of the room if that's what you want. But then don't complain about whatever they get instead, because it's likely to be less developed than the curriculum that was actually deliberately chosen and planned. Trade-off.

100%. I don’t plan to put any time into creating alternative assignments. I’m sure AI can plan independent work to accompany some Kipling or Little House on the Prairie. I feel bad for the kids who are stuck with these parents, but I can only do so much.

I will bet this will be litigated as well and then MCPS will create a standard that the lessons for the alternative need to be as robust as those for the opted-out title. That will require central office to create a plan for multiple books or to just get rid of the controversial books.

The goal of the groups is for no one to read the controversial books.

+1 Also, they are defining "controversial" in the Trumpian sense, meaning absolutely no discussion of slavery, inequality/privilege of any kind, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, that otherwise paints US History as "racist, sexist, or otherwise discriminatory." All readings much be laudatory and "patriotic."

The problem is that no book is ever going to fit the bill. Grapes of Wrath involves systemic inequality (and has nudity and other verboten topics.). Catch-22 satirizes the US military. Huck Finn humanizes enslaved people and discusses systemic inequality.

The ultimate goal, I think, is not to read at all.

I’m amused by the thought of the opt out people having to read kids chapter books to know whether to get offended.