demoralized in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Same story, new year. Teachers at my school are walking around like it's already April. We're all exhausted already and we're 6 weeks into the school year. Many of our paras have already been pulled to be unofficial one on ones for students who frequently elope, and rooms have had to be cleared multiple times already. We've had a few teachers (one is pregnant) injured by students who have thrown things at them or scratched and bit them. This really may have to be my last year.

Did I write this? I had to check the date to be sure. Same story at my Baltimore City school.

[Anonymous]

The article published in Washington Post reported that parents of sped students in Fairfax are suing the school for not treating their child right. Another article on disproportional AA students are labeled as SPED.
What is the solution?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The article published in Washington Post reported that parents of sped students in Fairfax are suing the school for not treating their child right. Another article on disproportional AA students are labeled as SPED.
What is the solution?

What does this mean specifically?

[Anonymous]

I think this is the complaint they are referencing.

https://www.copaa.org/news/473153/Lawsuit-Alleges-Fairfax-County-VA-Unjustly-Discriminated-Against-Traumatized-and-Harmed-Students.htm?fbclid=IwAR0Z7sorSJ8rND6Qi5nMUBmBG2p8GRYJyJbpUCoW6K6Tofq1TkIoDleTBbQ

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is the complaint they are referencing.

https://www.copaa.org/news/473153/Lawsuit-Alleges-Fairfax-County-VA-Unjustly-Discriminated-Against-Traumatized-and-Harmed-Students.htm?fbclid=IwAR0Z7sorSJ8rND6Qi5nMUBmBG2p8GRYJyJbpUCoW6K6Tofq1TkIoDleTBbQ

This is not related to this thread.

[Anonymous]

Name the school if you really want something done.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Same story, new year. Teachers at my school are walking around like it's already April. We're all exhausted already and we're 6 weeks into the school year. Many of our paras have already been pulled to be unofficial one on ones for students who frequently elope, and rooms have had to be cleared multiple times already. We've had a few teachers (one is pregnant) injured by students who have thrown things at them or scratched and bit them. This really may have to be my last year.

Sorry OP. What is the FARM rate at your school?

New Poster here. This is the situation at my school too. We are FOCUS not FARMS with many COSA students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you know any teacher ask them how many have been bullied by admin or canned through retaliation. Then look at how many admin get promoted after doing a poor job that leads to rape, or drink and drive over and over again and blame authorities or play the race card, etc. Mcps is backward and I think you know exactly what I'm referring to. Don't play dumb.

Totally agree.
Another MCPS long time teacher

If you were fired, there were actionable things. Not just retaliation. What did you do (or not do) that was horrible enough that you got fired? Because you are trying to ride both sides of the hobby horse. You claim MCEA fights so bad teachers don’t get fired. And yet, you did something bad enough that MCEA thought it was not defensible so you were terminated. Unlike all of those “bad teachers”.

[Anonymous]

I'm already exhausted.

year 22 - will NOT make it to 25 . . .

I have classes of over 30 (secondary), and I cannot keep up with grading. We already had one teacher leave.

This job has gotten worse each year. so bad that I found myself a therapist who works with A LOT of teachers

[Anonymous]

My therapist said the same thing ---- she was treating several of my colleagues, even! I eventually found that out from them, not the therapist. I can only imagine what she must have been thinking.

[Anonymous]

For the posters who have been in the County for decades, what keeps you from retiring? Haven't you been there long enough to be keep your pensions? You can work in another county or maybe in a private school with less stress? Or perhaps in another field all together. Trying to understand what keeps you from leaving when you are so miserable.

[Anonymous]

Not speaking for everyone but leaving early could change the amount of the pension.

[Anonymous]

Couldn't keep the kids off their cell phones, no detention, daily fights, admin who wants to blame new teachers for the problems, some one whistle blew on the news so their was a witch hunt to fore people they could fire, admin constantly pressures for grade frauding and no write ups, etc etc etc these are problems that every teacher faces but only new teachers with no protection or support will be fired. Have a nice day.

[Anonymous]

Oh yeah they don't fire. They nonrenew and try to force and threaten teachers to resign so they can make you shoot yourself in the foot for unemployment benefits because teachers are so rich and powerful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My therapist said the same thing ---- she was treating several of my colleagues, even! I eventually found that out from them, not the therapist. I can only imagine what she must have been thinking.

I am 22 - the "decades" teacher.

My therapist thinks I should quit, especially if my husband supports me. I absolutely cannot keep up with the work, and when kids don't do their work - receiving failing grades as a result - it's the teacher's fault.

It's a rotten field. I helped a young friend transfer from another county into MCPS, and now I regret it. She's energetic, creative and caring. However, she recently texted me about a change in her schedule, as resources (paras) are being shuffled around to grades that are now using the new online curriculum. She has large classes with no help. unbelievable

A friend at a high-flying school said one of the new teachers (rising star who actually student taught at my former school) is thinking of quitting mid-year. She was FT before moving into a PT position. And now she wants to quit b/c she was offered a job with flexibility and better pay!

to the other PP - I can leave, but again, that affects retirement. I'll get something, but nothing close to what I'd get if I paid my dues. problem is - I've PAID my dues a hundred times over at some of the rougher schools.

I'm exhausted b/c the system takes advantage. Summers are NECESSARY for mental health. I can't reinforce that enough. I'm not sure I can make it through this year.