WTU rallies for new contract

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or you can just move to MCPS if they do a better job with special needs.
Why are you making your kid suffer in DCPS?

Because no one should have to move for DCPS to do the right thing. They should be held accountable.

There have been several lawsuits against DCPS for not providing adequate special Ed. Services.
All it resulted in was DCPS hiring more lawyers. Don’t hold your breath.
And some of what you are asking for is unrealistic

I mean, what the people involved in the system are telling us is: “this is a failed system. Do not support it if you want the services that are guaranteed by federal law.”

I mean, as teachers we’ve been telling you this on this site since at least the start of the pandemic and all we get is school closures lazy selfish teachers blah blah blah. You all just voted to keep the system intact despite what we’ve been saying, so you can understand why we’re not necessarily sympathetic to your plights

Not ‘we’ you. As a sped teacher most of the parent’s plights are also my own. I agree most of these people likely voted for Bowser, therefore are choosing to keep the same system.

Oh, did Robert White have a proposal for improving SN services? What I recall is Mayor Bowser trying to get my kid back to school in Nov 2021 and WTU going on strike to block that.

Anyway, it’s a complete deflection to talk about the mayoral candidates. What we are talking about in this thread is WTU’s role and choices about how it will exert its power during contract negotiations. WTU could push for better SN system in a variety of ways … but will it?

Umm to the sped teacher, you realize we also teach the students with IEPs, and that we also want them to have the services they need. I’ve had to advise many parents to go after DCPS bc our sped teachers are constantly pulled for coverage and kids miss their ours. Students with IEPs are “our” students.

To the most recent PP: we have no idea what WTU and DCPS are negotiating re: SPED services but if you want the WTU to advocate for your causes, you should have been more vocal and engaged prior to this point in negotiations. I don’t think the WTU leadership has any clue what parents want them to do other than ceasing to exist.

And the majority aren’t very great at it, it is what it is. Honestly gen ed teachers should also be as skilled as some sped teachers (we aren’t all good) IMO. Not just take a few classes. I also didn’t mean they weren’t your students too, but go ahead.

Also disingenuous to say the WTU doesn’t know, just goes to show you don’t know too much about ‘our students,’ sped teachers have been advocating but of course the loudest voices are ward 7&8 general Ed teachers like they are the only ones with any meaningful issues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers-Why aren't you working with your leadership to get your grievances addressed? Complaining here will get nothing accomplished for you.

Because the majority of teachers in DC just enjoy complaining without action. It’s actually so maddening being in the Facebook group or going to meetings. Feels like being a hamster stuck in a wheel. But hey, maybe more of us will be energized enough to get our poor leadership who is paid a good 6 figures to do her job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or you can just move to MCPS if they do a better job with special needs.
Why are you making your kid suffer in DCPS?

Because no one should have to move for DCPS to do the right thing. They should be held accountable.

There have been several lawsuits against DCPS for not providing adequate special Ed. Services.
All it resulted in was DCPS hiring more lawyers. Don’t hold your breath.
And some of what you are asking for is unrealistic

I mean, what the people involved in the system are telling us is: “this is a failed system. Do not support it if you want the services that are guaranteed by federal law.”

I mean, as teachers we’ve been telling you this on this site since at least the start of the pandemic and all we get is school closures lazy selfish teachers blah blah blah. You all just voted to keep the system intact despite what we’ve been saying, so you can understand why we’re not necessarily sympathetic to your plights

Not ‘we’ you. As a sped teacher most of the parent’s plights are also my own. I agree most of these people likely voted for Bowser, therefore are choosing to keep the same system.

Oh, did Robert White have a proposal for improving SN services? What I recall is Mayor Bowser trying to get my kid back to school in Nov 2021 and WTU going on strike to block that.

Anyway, it’s a complete deflection to talk about the mayoral candidates. What we are talking about in this thread is WTU’s role and choices about how it will exert its power during contract negotiations. WTU could push for better SN system in a variety of ways … but will it?

Umm to the sped teacher, you realize we also teach the students with IEPs, and that we also want them to have the services they need. I’ve had to advise many parents to go after DCPS bc our sped teachers are constantly pulled for coverage and kids miss their ours. Students with IEPs are “our” students.

To the most recent PP: we have no idea what WTU and DCPS are negotiating re: SPED services but if you want the WTU to advocate for your causes, you should have been more vocal and engaged prior to this point in negotiations. I don’t think the WTU leadership has any clue what parents want them to do other than ceasing to exist.

And the majority aren’t very great at it, it is what it is. Honestly gen ed teachers should also be as skilled as some sped teachers (we aren’t all good) IMO. Not just take a few classes. I also didn’t mean they weren’t your students too, but go ahead.

Also disingenuous to say the WTU doesn’t know, just goes to show you don’t know too much about ‘our students,’ sped teachers have been advocating but of course the loudest voices are ward 7&8 general Ed teachers like they are the only ones with any meaningful issues.

For the record, I said the WTU didn’t know what parents what; nothing about what teachers are advocating for. I can read that you’re very passionate about this and I appreciate that, but this divisiveness isn’t helpful. I’m aligned with what you want

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers-Why aren't you working with your leadership to get your grievances addressed? Complaining here will get nothing accomplished for you.

Because the majority of teachers in DC just enjoy complaining without action. It’s actually so maddening being in the Facebook group or going to meetings. Feels like being a hamster stuck in a wheel. But hey, maybe more of us will be energized enough to get our poor leadership who is paid a good 6 figures to do her job.

Isn’t an anonymous forum the perfect place to complain?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Teachers-Why aren't you working with your leadership to get your grievances addressed? Complaining here will get nothing accomplished for you.

Because the majority of teachers in DC just enjoy complaining without action. It’s actually so maddening being in the Facebook group or going to meetings. Feels like being a hamster stuck in a wheel. But hey, maybe more of us will be energized enough to get our poor leadership who is paid a good 6 figures to do her job.

Isn’t an anonymous forum the perfect place to complain?

DP, but sounds like PP is talking about non-anonymous forums (FB groups and meetings).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teachers-Why aren't you working with your leadership to get your grievances addressed? Complaining here will get nothing accomplished for you.

Yes you are right - I was meaning to respond to this poster

[Anonymous]

I don’t know how to work with the union leadership! It’s a few grumpy voices who dominate everything and I don’t know how to cut through the bureaucracy to provide feedback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t know how to work with the union leadership! It’s a few grumpy voices who dominate everything and I don’t know how to cut through the bureaucracy to provide feedback.

+1

I couldn’t have written this better myself. Last year I tried to share my thoughts that school should reopen but those loud voices were claiming anyone who wasn’t for closures was trying to have people die from Covid. It was so over the top.