Please reassure me that MCPS teachers aren't this radicalized

[Anonymous]

Hogan laughed at MoCo over the opposition to the Ocean City school calendar policy. He hates MoCo and does not respect the school’s here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are transplants coming from Midwest. Mostly apolitical middle 'flyover' America (but a bluish leaning state)...

School systems were much smaller but fairly good. Nowhere near the resources of MCPS but smaller so not necessarily needing such resources. Overall MCPS schools seem pretty good but we've noticed a Democrat leaning favoritism in the schools we've been (IE going to the Library and seeing President Books displayed... all Dems with the lone Republican being Teddy Roosevelt). No real biggie as most schools tend towards the Left side of the political spectrum. Kind of a given.

Maryland is a bit of a conundrum for us, MoCo seems very Liberal (Baltimore too) I.E. neighbors have 'hate has no home here' signs, impeach trump placards, the many language welcome sign, yet the state elected a Republican Governor. Except for a few days before elections, back home you would never see lawn placards.

Anyway the point of all this is... there is definitely a partisan vibe here even though it seems a blue state open minded enough to elect a 'red' governor. Then I read this:

http://www.startribune.com/rosemount-educator-on-leave-after-tweeting-kill-kavanaugh/495903561/

(essentially a School teacher from mild mannered Minnesota tweeting assassination recommendations. A school teacher!.)

My impression of MCPS is despite its bias towards the Dems, everyone seems pretty amiable and reasonable.

Please reassure me we don't have teachers like this here... because if this can happen in Minnesota... (close to my home and we don't see any of the partisanship displayed on the streets as we see here) could such be here within MCPS? We want my children to be exposed to all kinds of peoples, beliefs, and political view points... but not radical view points... so whats your feelings regarding MCPS? Does everyone get a fair shake or are the children taught to hate (right or left)?

OP, the fact that you think that the bolded beliefs and slogans are liberal values, and therefore antithetical to conservative values, is pretty troubling. Yet not at all surprising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When my son was in first grade, his MOCO teacher wore an Obama shirt with his picture and a raised fist to school. I had a conference with her that afternoon and she spent 20 minutes talking about Obama. She was also a horrible teacher. Zero classroom control. Inappropriate language in the classroom. She threatened to smack a child. I was there and heard it. I complained to the principal. He told he he had expressed his concerns about her to his leadership and was told that she was "untouchable".

I am a liberal Dem. Needless to say, we moved to Fairfax.

Why is it 'needless to say'? Are you saying Fairfax doesn't have horrible teachers? At all?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hogan laughed at MoCo over the opposition to the Ocean City school calendar policy. He hates MoCo and does not respect the school’s here.

Probably because graduates don't know how to use an apostrophe.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our principal holds a get together in the spring for incoming parents of K students. At this event, in response to an at best tangentially related question, she stated that she would never go to an MD beach to spite the current R governor. (The governor mandated that schools start after Labor Day in large part to help businesses at the MD beaches.)

Regardless of what you think of starting school later, or the governor more broadly, it is crazy that she would make such a sharp political jab at a welcoming event. Either she didn't care, or she just assumed every would agree with her, neither of which is really ok.

She's probably angry because the Gov put beach business over student welfare. This condensed calendar is not in the best academic interest of students. Maybe the way it came out wasn't the most appropriate, but I don't know that I'd call that political. Her ability to help students learn and retain info is directly affected by Hogan's (& Franchot's -- a Dem) policy.

I may not have described it in the best way. It was very clearly and unambiguously a political statement and stated a dislike for the governor beyond simply this policy point, although that was the focus.

It is not as clear cut as you present it that the slight delay to the start of school has any impact on students or their education. But let's say it were. I still do not think it is is appropriate for a principal at a welcoming event to make pointedly political remarks.

The idea of a welcoming event is to make the incoming parents feel welcome. For all she knows, someone who works with the governor could be a parent. She certainly should assume that, even in this area, there would be a few Republicans. There are almost certainly people who like the policy, or don't view it as a big deal, in the crowd.

Think what would (and should) occur if almost any other group or view point had been criticized at "welcome" event.

Yes, it is pretty clear cut. Studies show that learning is better retained without huge gaps. MCPS want to start earlier in Aug, now they are starting in Sep. It's a difference of at least 2 weeks. It also takes away days off during the school year needed my teachers and students to catch a breath and plan ahead. It's very clear cut that a large break is not going to be useful for retention. So whatever other political beefs your principal may have, that could be legit. But, this is about education, Hogan is the one playing politics by prioritizing beach business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our principal holds a get together in the spring for incoming parents of K students. At this event, in response to an at best tangentially related question, she stated that she would never go to an MD beach to spite the current R governor. (The governor mandated that schools start after Labor Day in large part to help businesses at the MD beaches.)

Regardless of what you think of starting school later, or the governor more broadly, it is crazy that she would make such a sharp political jab at a welcoming event. Either she didn't care, or she just assumed every would agree with her, neither of which is really ok.

I will bet you dollars to donuts she didn't mention "Republican" - that she just said she would never go to the beaches to spite the Governor, or that she would never go to the beaches because of the Governor's EO. That's not partisan politics, that's disagreement with a policy that the governor implemented (that is contrary to all educational research, and makes life harder for innumerable people).

FWIW, I feel the same way as she does, and I'm voting for Hogan.

Yup. The "Keep summer summer" nonsense was started at the state level by Peter Franchot, who is a Democrat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm from the Midwest, and I think your first mistake is to assume that the leanings in Montgomery County are "political" in nature. In case it really hasn't sunk in yet, this area is one of the most diverse in the country - in every dimension (race, religion, SES, etc.) You really have a hard time living around here if you somehow believe certain people are "less than" other people. If you think immigrants should go back to where they came from, this is not the county for you. Teachers in the school system especially have to value each and every student for who they are. If that is not a core value, you can't be a good teacher here. So yes, most teachers in this county will be able to say "black lives matter" because they understand the historical and current systemic oppression happening to people of color. That doesn't make them radicalized, nor does it make them Democrats. It makes them empathetic and caring about the needs of others (typically a core value of teachers.)

You also have to consider that there are two traditional axes on the political spectrum - socially liberal or conservative, and fiscally liberal or conservative. I would say there is a definite socially liberal slant in the county (diversity again) but a slight lean towards fiscally conservative (depends on the year and the issues.) As to why we have Hogan - Democrats didn't vote that year because they weren't very inspired by their nominee for governor, and assumed everyone else would vote. There were a lot of surprised (and pissed) people when they woke up with a Republican governor. It hasn't had a huge effect because there is a democratic super-majority in the Assembly, so Hogan can't veto a lot of legislation. But irritatingly, he takes credit for things he has opposed, and people who don't understand how the government works or follow the details think he is responsible. That's why he is still popular. MoCo broadly hates him, because Hogan has made no secret that he hates MoCo. He has withheld funding for school buildings that was approved by the general assembly, he has shifted transportation funds away from MoCo towards the Eastern Shore (real nice new 4 lane highway out there). He made a pretty close to unworkable mandate about school year start and end dates, and followed up with scathingly nasty letters to the BOE when they asked for clarifications or modifications. Hope that quick history gives you some sense of why we are where we are. For more, you can head to the Politics Forum, if you dare.

OP here. My first mistake? I didn't express political beliefs just my very general observation (yes perhaps stereotyped midwest vs east coast) of the local scene... but from a neutral perspective. Why are you projecting belief systems on me? Perhaps because the the article called out a teacher radicalized to the Left. it could have been an article about a rightwing radical but my guess is such a teacher would have been ID'd and rooted out sooner in this area.

Let me simplify this. In Midwest... people are less outwardly political yet in Minnesota this, perhaps disturbed, teacher thought such comments were perfectly OK
Maryland is more outward politically (yet I think a open minded state... thus the traditional blue state did elect a red governor) So the question is; is this an environment where there could be more teachers like the one in Minnesota, or less, or is it a non issue and that teacher is a one and done.

I guess the problem is your use of the word "radical." Being responding to vitriolic president by placing signs that say "hate has no home here" do not seem radical to me. Maybe you dug up an article about 1 wacky person, but why do you think expressing opposition to oppression is somehow "radicalization?"

[Anonymous]

OP, you sound nutty and illogical. What does one random person in Minnesota have to do with an entire county full of people across the country?

[Anonymous]

you are safe if you are democrat here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are transplants coming from Midwest. Mostly apolitical middle 'flyover' America (but a bluish leaning state)...

School systems were much smaller but fairly good. Nowhere near the resources of MCPS but smaller so not necessarily needing such resources. Overall MCPS schools seem pretty good but we've noticed a Democrat leaning favoritism in the schools we've been (IE going to the Library and seeing President Books displayed... all Dems with the lone Republican being Teddy Roosevelt). No real biggie as most schools tend towards the Left side of the political spectrum. Kind of a given.

Maryland is a bit of a conundrum for us, MoCo seems very Liberal (Baltimore too) I.E. neighbors have 'hate has no home here' signs, impeach trump placards, the many language welcome sign, yet the state elected a Republican Governor. Except for a few days before elections, back home you would never see lawn placards.

Anyway the point of all this is... there is definitely a partisan vibe here even though it seems a blue state open minded enough to elect a 'red' governor. Then I read this:

http://www.startribune.com/rosemount-educator-on-leave-after-tweeting-kill-kavanaugh/495903561/

(essentially a School teacher from mild mannered Minnesota tweeting assassination recommendations. A school teacher!.)

My impression of MCPS is despite its bias towards the Dems, everyone seems pretty amiable and reasonable.

Please reassure me we don't have teachers like this here... because if this can happen in Minnesota... (close to my home and we don't see any of the partisanship displayed on the streets as we see here) could such be here within MCPS? We want my children to be exposed to all kinds of peoples, beliefs, and political view points... but not radical view points... so whats your feelings regarding MCPS? Does everyone get a fair shake or are the children taught to hate (right or left)?

Based on your poor syntax, grammar, and punctuation, I would take your analysis of the relative strengths of different school systems with a grain of salt. Clearly your education was lacking.

[Anonymous]

If you get all your info from Fox propaganda news and conservative whackjob talk radio, you will probably struggle socially here. Try expanding your own perspective before you criticize yard signs and library book displays.

[Anonymous]

This is such a weird post.

"I'm from the Midwest, where people aren't political"

....

"I'm going to link this political story FROM THE MIDWEST as an example of what I fear is happening in the mid-Atlantic."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our principal holds a get together in the spring for incoming parents of K students. At this event, in response to an at best tangentially related question, she stated that she would never go to an MD beach to spite the current R governor. (The governor mandated that schools start after Labor Day in large part to help businesses at the MD beaches.)

Regardless of what you think of starting school later, or the governor more broadly, it is crazy that she would make such a sharp political jab at a welcoming event. Either she didn't care, or she just assumed every would agree with her, neither of which is really ok.

I will bet you dollars to donuts she didn't mention "Republican" - that she just said she would never go to the beaches to spite the Governor, or that she would never go to the beaches because of the Governor's EO. That's not partisan politics, that's disagreement with a policy that the governor implemented (that is contrary to all educational research, and makes life harder for innumerable people).

FWIW, I feel the same way as she does, and I'm voting for Hogan.

As I explained in a later post, it clearly was a partisan statement. Even if it weren't, I don't think a welcome event is the place to take a position on a policy debate, particularly when it was irrelevant to the question that precipitated it and the event more broadly.

[Anonymous]

I want to very strongly cosign the person upthread who noted that OP is confusing values for politics.

The placards and signs that you see on peoples' yards are not political. They are about the values that we embrace as a community. Yes, those values are sometimes reflected in the policies enacted by municipal and state governments, but they aren't really about policies. They are about standing with our neighbors, which include people of faith, LGBTI individuals, immigrants, those living in poverty, and others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is such a weird post.

"I'm from the Midwest, where people aren't political"

....

"I'm going to link this political story FROM THE MIDWEST as an example of what I fear is happening in the mid-Atlantic."

Guess OP's great midwestern education did not include logic. Sad.