APS School Board candidates?

[ChenLing]

Anonymous wrote:CL, if you're still on here, what does this mean? "Reaffirm high expectations for academic performance and behavior across all cross sections of the student body and put the supports in place for students to live up to those high expectations."

To address learning loss, APS has put in some policies that I think are misguided.
1. Students in HS can retake exams. I'm glad they've updated it so that only those that scored poorly can retake it and can only get a max of 80%.
2. Students in HS can turn in assignments at any time by the end of the quarter.

The tools they've added (some are better than others) like Paper virtual tutoring are only really helpful for those who already know how to navigate the system -- i.e., the students who are already doing well. There are many kids who are falling behind, and I feel like we are not putting in place tools like intensive 1:1 tutoring that will actually help. I'd really like to use all of those 1/2 days we have in the calendar to really focus on the kids that are falling behind the most.

I'm currently tutoring a student who is a HS freshman (and also Latino). It's taken a lot of 1:1 attention to not only figure out where his personal roadblocks were, but also to get him to internalize that he is able to affect his academic performance. I know that's a weird statement, but prior to that he has internalized that he's "just not a bright kid" so if he got C-level grades it was just what's expected of him. I've encouraged him to take some advanced classes at HS, and he's noticed how differently the teachers treat the students. The teachers in the advanced classes really expect a lot from the kids, while some (not all!) teachers in the general classes are very much on the "good job for turning in your assignment". I believe that his difference makes a huge difference on how hard the students try and how well they end up achieving. However, you can't just have high expectations without providing enough support. You really have to have 1:1 tutoring until the students have internalized that they can be successful.

[ChenLing]

Anonymous wrote:He just needs to edit his statement. If you don’t mean that diversity causes bullying, then say what you want to say in a different way.

Thanks all for bringing my poor wording to my attention. I was trying to merge two things -- academic expectations and the current lack of accountability for bullying behavior. I'll try to fix it soon. My bullet points are better.

Also, after begging AEM to speak at the 2 county board hearings this week, why was he not there?

1. I was out of town helping my parents.
2. I was encouraged, since I'm a school board candidate, to speak to the county board members directly, which I have been/will be doing.

[ChenLing]

Anonymous wrote:I'm just going to gloss over the discussion of Chen's supposed racist comments and just say I'm not voting for the guy. He has no experience. He didn't even live in Arlington until a few years ago.

Zuraya is a smooth talker; who knows how long she'll care about the School Board office.

Kathleen is nice, she has my vote.

Larry is old but he's been a teacher, he can have my second vote.

I've lived in Arlington for 11 years and counting now. Kathleen is honestly great -- recently after a school board meeting she invited me to join a SEPTA meeting, where everyone was wonderfully welcoming. I know I have a lot to learn, and I am going to continue being engaged. I'm not only going to listen, but also reach out to different communities -- especially ones that tend not to be as vocal. Public schools are such an important institution -- it has the ability to lift so many, as it has for me.

Here is my 3rd person bio:

Chen is the proud father of an APS third grader and rising kindergartener. Chen’s running for School Board to improve outcomes for students and teachers, reaffirm a culture of excellence for every child, and take actionable steps to solve challenges currently facing the school system. He views public education as the cornerstone of the community and seeks to position APS to expand upon its reputation as a premier school system that values students, teachers, and parents.

As an immigrant who learned English in public schools, he knows the amazing futures that a good public education offers. Chen's career focuses on using technology to assess complex problems, compare solutions, and measure quantifiable outcomes. Adding this expertise to the School Board will enable the Board to proactively address community input and forge lasting solutions to the important issues of our day: learning loss still lingering from the pandemic, teacher burnout, and preparing our children for 21st century careers.

Chen and his wife Jennifer have lived in Arlington for over a decade. In his spare time, Chen volunteers his time to help neighbors and students, teaches ballroom dancing at UMD, tutors undergraduates in computer science, and coaches soccer.

[Anonymous]

ChenLing wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chen Ling is commenting on Facebook now. His comments are very naive.

Commenting where? Please give an example of how he's naive.

Although his kids appear to be preschool/early elementary, he said, on a thread about cell phones, that when his kids are teenagers they won't be addicted to screens because he will make sure they only have flip phones

A parent of young kids telling parents of teenagers how to parent teenagers is second only to non-parents telling parents how to parent in terms of naivete--or maybe its worse, because if you are a parent, you should know what you don't know

Only naivete there, if he's a strong parent who actually adheres to his values and rules instead of caving like most, is assuming flip phones will still be available when his kids are teens. One can only hope that limited-capability phones do indeed become more popular over the next several years !

OK--I still think its a red flag. As a parent of boys, I would never give a girl mom advice on raising girls based on what I think I would do. I know how far I can apply my own experience and when I should listen to others. And since we're talking about someone who wants to be a politician, it matters that he's weighing in on things he hasn't experienced and doesn't have the awareness to recognize that he's not going to be able to dictate what his own kids do, let alone the actions of an entire school system.

My comments were based on the following:
1. Phones in schools have been causing problems.
2. This includes interruptions based on the high number of notifications: https://www.edweek.org/technology/students-get-hundreds-of-notifications-on-their-phones-every-day-even-at-school/2023/09)
3. Research is showing more and more that social media use seems to be harmful to early teens: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/
4. Some kids need to be able to contact their parent or caregiver

#1-3 has generated a lot of no-phone-whatsoever-in-schools.
I was trying to recommend a compromise (flip phones or the Light Phone) that can accommodate #4.
There are some inexpensive phones and plans for non-smartphones. The kids can use whatever outside of school, subject to what their parents want.

Chen is just digging in. This makes me like him even less. He doesn't get it at all. Who does he think he is to make a recommendation when he has not even gone through this himself with his own kids? Chen, get back to us when you have some lived experience when your own children actually get to this age.

[Anonymous]

ChenLing wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is direct from Chen Ling's website:"The diversity of backgrounds has the potential to enrich the experience for all children. It also creates risks that children will fall behind or face safety risks due to bullying or juvenile behavior."

Is he really saying what I think he's saying? Diversity of backgrounds creates safety risks in his world!

As an Asian, there is a lot of antiblackness in our community. Not surprised that Chen says it out loud.

He may be the candidate for the small vocal AEM crowd, but going to his website is eye opening, so thanks for the prodding. I can’t vote for him.

I'm trying to say exactly the opposite of what you're implying. What I'm trying to say (apparently unsuccessfully, and it is clumsily worded), is that right now APS is failing minority students. We need to not only have high expectations for all students, but provide the right support so that all students can be successful. For example, right now APS allows you to retake exams or turn in assignments at the end of the quarter. This benefits students who either already know how to take advantage of these to inflate their grades. Same for the Paper virtual tutoring -- it tends to benefit the already who are already privileged, and fails those students who are actually struggling.

No one is inflating their grades from the new retake policy, they fixed that.

[Anonymous]

ChenLing wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CL, if you're still on here, what does this mean? "Reaffirm high expectations for academic performance and behavior across all cross sections of the student body and put the supports in place for students to live up to those high expectations."

To address learning loss, APS has put in some policies that I think are misguided.
1. Students in HS can retake exams. I'm glad they've updated it so that only those that scored poorly can retake it and can only get a max of 80%.
2. Students in HS can turn in assignments at any time by the end of the quarter.

The tools they've added (some are better than others) like Paper virtual tutoring are only really helpful for those who already know how to navigate the system -- i.e., the students who are already doing well. There are many kids who are falling behind, and I feel like we are not putting in place tools like intensive 1:1 tutoring that will actually help. I'd really like to use all of those 1/2 days we have in the calendar to really focus on the kids that are falling behind the most.

I'm currently tutoring a student who is a HS freshman (and also Latino). It's taken a lot of 1:1 attention to not only figure out where his personal roadblocks were, but also to get him to internalize that he is able to affect his academic performance. I know that's a weird statement, but prior to that he has internalized that he's "just not a bright kid" so if he got C-level grades it was just what's expected of him. I've encouraged him to take some advanced classes at HS, and he's noticed how differently the teachers treat the students. The teachers in the advanced classes really expect a lot from the kids, while some (not all!) teachers in the general classes are very much on the "good job for turning in your assignment". I believe that his difference makes a huge difference on how hard the students try and how well they end up achieving. However, you can't just have high expectations without providing enough support. You really have to have 1:1 tutoring until the students have internalized that they can be successful.

Chen, Please explain where you are going to find the money for intensive 1:1 tutoring. What will you cut to do this? Who will provide the tutoring on those half days? Do you realize that teachers are already occupied on those days?

[Anonymous]

ChenLing wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm just going to gloss over the discussion of Chen's supposed racist comments and just say I'm not voting for the guy. He has no experience. He didn't even live in Arlington until a few years ago.

Zuraya is a smooth talker; who knows how long she'll care about the School Board office.

Kathleen is nice, she has my vote.

Larry is old but he's been a teacher, he can have my second vote.

I've lived in Arlington for 11 years and counting now. Kathleen is honestly great -- recently after a school board meeting she invited me to join a SEPTA meeting, where everyone was wonderfully welcoming. I know I have a lot to learn, and I am going to continue being engaged. I'm not only going to listen, but also reach out to different communities -- especially ones that tend not to be as vocal. Public schools are such an important institution -- it has the ability to lift so many, as it has for me.

Here is my 3rd person bio:

Chen is the proud father of an APS third grader and rising kindergartener. Chen’s running for School Board to improve outcomes for students and teachers, reaffirm a culture of excellence for every child, and take actionable steps to solve challenges currently facing the school system. He views public education as the cornerstone of the community and seeks to position APS to expand upon its reputation as a premier school system that values students, teachers, and parents.

As an immigrant who learned English in public schools, he knows the amazing futures that a good public education offers. Chen's career focuses on using technology to assess complex problems, compare solutions, and measure quantifiable outcomes. Adding this expertise to the School Board will enable the Board to proactively address community input and forge lasting solutions to the important issues of our day: learning loss still lingering from the pandemic, teacher burnout, and preparing our children for 21st century careers.

Chen and his wife Jennifer have lived in Arlington for over a decade. In his spare time, Chen volunteers his time to help neighbors and students, teaches ballroom dancing at UMD, tutors undergraduates in computer science, and coaches soccer.

He has a third graders and a preK but he thinks he's some sort of expert on middle school kids with phones!!! hahahahahah

[Anonymous]

Chen is right on phones and has a reasonable position. Teachers want them out of classrooms. Fairfax has a policy about it now. Most major media outlets talking about it now too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He has a third graders and a preK but he thinks he's some sort of expert on middle school kids with phones!!! hahahahahah

Why are you just tearing people down? Chen's at least making constructive suggestions, especially on this topic where everyone is either on the ban all phones side or the allow all phones anytime side.
If you're so much of an expert, what is your suggestion?

I didn't even hear about this election, but now I'm going to vote for Chen. He's at least willing to put his real name here, provide new ideas, and calmly respond to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Chen is right on phones and has a reasonable position. Teachers want them out of classrooms. Fairfax has a policy about it now. Most major media outlets talking about it now too.

I don't see anything on his website about that. Just saw his post on AEM telling parents of older students to get flip phones.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:He has a third graders and a preK but he thinks he's some sort of expert on middle school kids with phones!!! hahahahahah

Why are you just tearing people down? Chen's at least making constructive suggestions, especially on this topic where everyone is either on the ban all phones side or the allow all phones anytime side.
If you're so much of an expert, what is your suggestion?

I didn't even hear about this election, but now I'm going to vote for Chen. He's at least willing to put his real name here, provide new ideas, and calmly respond to everyone.

Uh no. How old are your kids? Are they even in school yet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

ChenLing wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chen Ling is commenting on Facebook now. His comments are very naive.

Commenting where? Please give an example of how he's naive.

Although his kids appear to be preschool/early elementary, he said, on a thread about cell phones, that when his kids are teenagers they won't be addicted to screens because he will make sure they only have flip phones

A parent of young kids telling parents of teenagers how to parent teenagers is second only to non-parents telling parents how to parent in terms of naivete--or maybe its worse, because if you are a parent, you should know what you don't know

Only naivete there, if he's a strong parent who actually adheres to his values and rules instead of caving like most, is assuming flip phones will still be available when his kids are teens. One can only hope that limited-capability phones do indeed become more popular over the next several years !

OK--I still think its a red flag. As a parent of boys, I would never give a girl mom advice on raising girls based on what I think I would do. I know how far I can apply my own experience and when I should listen to others. And since we're talking about someone who wants to be a politician, it matters that he's weighing in on things he hasn't experienced and doesn't have the awareness to recognize that he's not going to be able to dictate what his own kids do, let alone the actions of an entire school system.

My comments were based on the following:
1. Phones in schools have been causing problems.
2. This includes interruptions based on the high number of notifications: https://www.edweek.org/technology/students-get-hundreds-of-notifications-on-their-phones-every-day-even-at-school/2023/09)
3. Research is showing more and more that social media use seems to be harmful to early teens: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/
4. Some kids need to be able to contact their parent or caregiver

#1-3 has generated a lot of no-phone-whatsoever-in-schools.
I was trying to recommend a compromise (flip phones or the Light Phone) that can accommodate #4.
There are some inexpensive phones and plans for non-smartphones. The kids can use whatever outside of school, subject to what their parents want.

Chen is just digging in. This makes me like him even less. He doesn't get it at all. Who does he think he is to make a recommendation when he has not even gone through this himself with his own kids? Chen, get back to us when you have some lived experience when your own children actually get to this age.

+1

Or at least have some humility to admit you don’t really know.

[Anonymous]

ChenLing wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chen Ling is commenting on Facebook now. His comments are very naive.

Commenting where? Please give an example of how he's naive.

Although his kids appear to be preschool/early elementary, he said, on a thread about cell phones, that when his kids are teenagers they won't be addicted to screens because he will make sure they only have flip phones

A parent of young kids telling parents of teenagers how to parent teenagers is second only to non-parents telling parents how to parent in terms of naivete--or maybe its worse, because if you are a parent, you should know what you don't know

Only naivete there, if he's a strong parent who actually adheres to his values and rules instead of caving like most, is assuming flip phones will still be available when his kids are teens. One can only hope that limited-capability phones do indeed become more popular over the next several years !

OK--I still think its a red flag. As a parent of boys, I would never give a girl mom advice on raising girls based on what I think I would do. I know how far I can apply my own experience and when I should listen to others. And since we're talking about someone who wants to be a politician, it matters that he's weighing in on things he hasn't experienced and doesn't have the awareness to recognize that he's not going to be able to dictate what his own kids do, let alone the actions of an entire school system.

My comments were based on the following:
1. Phones in schools have been causing problems.
2. This includes interruptions based on the high number of notifications: https://www.edweek.org/technology/students-get-hundreds-of-notifications-on-their-phones-every-day-even-at-school/2023/09)
3. Research is showing more and more that social media use seems to be harmful to early teens: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/
4. Some kids need to be able to contact their parent or caregiver

#1-3 has generated a lot of no-phone-whatsoever-in-schools.
I was trying to recommend a compromise (flip phones or the Light Phone) that can accommodate #4.
There are some inexpensive phones and plans for non-smartphones. The kids can use whatever outside of school, subject to what their parents want.

Students can contact their caregiver from the main office during the school day. And caregivers can contact their students the same way. That's the way it was always done prior to students having individual cell phones and even though it's tedious and not as fast, it still works. Students can use their own phones before and after school hours, before and after school-group/sports practices and meetings. They can also check their phones during those times for messages from their caregivers. Still no need for cell phones to be out and on during the school day.

[Anonymous]

ChenLing wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is direct from Chen Ling's website:"The diversity of backgrounds has the potential to enrich the experience for all children. It also creates risks that children will fall behind or face safety risks due to bullying or juvenile behavior."

Is he really saying what I think he's saying? Diversity of backgrounds creates safety risks in his world!

I'm trying to say exactly the opposite of what you're implying. What I'm trying to say (apparently unsuccessfully, and it is clumsily worded), is that right now APS is failing minority students. We need to not only have high expectations for all students, but provide the right support so that all students can be successful. For example, right now APS allows you to retake exams or turn in assignments at the end of the quarter. This benefits students who either already know how to take advantage of these to inflate their grades. Same for the Paper virtual tutoring -- it tends to benefit the already who are already privileged, and fails those students who are actually struggling.

Yes. You clearly need help with your messaging on this point. I would suggest you and your team, perhaps some others who have fought on this point ("equity is not equality") re-visit and work on that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

ChenLing wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Chen Ling is commenting on Facebook now. His comments are very naive.

Commenting where? Please give an example of how he's naive.

Although his kids appear to be preschool/early elementary, he said, on a thread about cell phones, that when his kids are teenagers they won't be addicted to screens because he will make sure they only have flip phones

A parent of young kids telling parents of teenagers how to parent teenagers is second only to non-parents telling parents how to parent in terms of naivete--or maybe its worse, because if you are a parent, you should know what you don't know

Only naivete there, if he's a strong parent who actually adheres to his values and rules instead of caving like most, is assuming flip phones will still be available when his kids are teens. One can only hope that limited-capability phones do indeed become more popular over the next several years !

OK--I still think its a red flag. As a parent of boys, I would never give a girl mom advice on raising girls based on what I think I would do. I know how far I can apply my own experience and when I should listen to others. And since we're talking about someone who wants to be a politician, it matters that he's weighing in on things he hasn't experienced and doesn't have the awareness to recognize that he's not going to be able to dictate what his own kids do, let alone the actions of an entire school system.

My comments were based on the following:
1. Phones in schools have been causing problems.
2. This includes interruptions based on the high number of notifications: https://www.edweek.org/technology/students-get-hundreds-of-notifications-on-their-phones-every-day-even-at-school/2023/09)
3. Research is showing more and more that social media use seems to be harmful to early teens: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/
4. Some kids need to be able to contact their parent or caregiver

#1-3 has generated a lot of no-phone-whatsoever-in-schools.
I was trying to recommend a compromise (flip phones or the Light Phone) that can accommodate #4.
There are some inexpensive phones and plans for non-smartphones. The kids can use whatever outside of school, subject to what their parents want.

Chen is just digging in. This makes me like him even less. He doesn't get it at all. Who does he think he is to make a recommendation when he has not even gone through this himself with his own kids? Chen, get back to us when you have some lived experience when your own children actually get to this age.

What''s most convenient or easier for parents is not necessarily the best, or right, thing for school rules and policies. Just because you "need" your kid to have a phone out and using it during class does not mean it is good educational policy or good for the class. There's nothing wrong with a candidate suggesting something they believe, based on research, would help improve instruction and learning.