APS black student singled out to play cotton picking game

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a substitute and see an "alert" every time I logon to the vacancy system about the need to fill that long term sub position. No way in hell.

The same position - French teacher?

Why is there a need for a long-term sub in the first place? Would a long-term sub for a language class necessarily have to know the language and be able to teach it, or are they essentially babysitters and that's why the former sub had them playing stupid games instead of learning?

There’s a teacher shortage and world languages are hit particularly hard. Add in the fact that you may have to deal with this kind of BS and it’s even worse. I’d be really curious to see how vacancies at Gunston have changed since this incident. There’s no way I’d go there

+100 DH was laid off recently and briefly considered subbing but after all we hear about school behavior there's no way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a substitute and see an "alert" every time I logon to the vacancy system about the need to fill that long term sub position. No way in hell.

The same position - French teacher?

Why is there a need for a long-term sub in the first place? Would a long-term sub for a language class necessarily have to know the language and be able to teach it, or are they essentially babysitters and that's why the former sub had them playing stupid games instead of learning?

There’s a teacher shortage and world languages are hit particularly hard. Add in the fact that you may have to deal with this kind of BS and it’s even worse. I’d be really curious to see how vacancies at Gunston have changed since this incident. There’s no way I’d go there

+100 DH was laid off recently and briefly considered subbing but after all we hear about school behavior there's no way.

Are all the APS middle schools this bad or Gunston notoriously much worse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a substitute and see an "alert" every time I logon to the vacancy system about the need to fill that long term sub position. No way in hell.

The same position - French teacher?

Why is there a need for a long-term sub in the first place? Would a long-term sub for a language class necessarily have to know the language and be able to teach it, or are they essentially babysitters and that's why the former sub had them playing stupid games instead of learning?

There’s a teacher shortage and world languages are hit particularly hard. Add in the fact that you may have to deal with this kind of BS and it’s even worse. I’d be really curious to see how vacancies at Gunston have changed since this incident. There’s no way I’d go there

+100 DH was laid off recently and briefly considered subbing but after all we hear about school behavior there's no way.

Are all the APS middle schools this bad or Gunston notoriously much worse?

Middle schools are generally rough behaviorally. FWIW, I have heard stories of bad behavior from every middle school this year, but lawsuits are a whole other beast.

[Anonymous]

And part of the complaint is how he’s been treated after the fact — forced to learn French independently in the library.

I’m sure that’s not APS’ first choice of solution, but since they can’t find teachers or subs…

(The instructor “at fault” was a long-term sub to begin with. It’s not like they have a handful of extras to use in circumstances like this.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:And part of the complaint is how he’s been treated after the fact — forced to learn French independently in the library.

I’m sure that’s not APS’ first choice of solution, but since they can’t find teachers or subs…

(The instructor “at fault” was a long-term sub to begin with. It’s not like they have a handful of extras to use in circumstances like this.)

But what are all the other kids in that French class doing if they can't find a teacher?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And part of the complaint is how he’s been treated after the fact — forced to learn French independently in the library.

I’m sure that’s not APS’ first choice of solution, but since they can’t find teachers or subs…

(The instructor “at fault” was a long-term sub to begin with. It’s not like they have a handful of extras to use in circumstances like this.)

But what are all the other kids in that French class doing if they can't find a teacher?

There are different kind of substitutes within APS. You can substitute for a specific class for a day, few days, etc , or you can be a long-term sub, which is what this French teacher was, OR you can be a school based sub. A school based sub covers whatever is needed for that day. Could be any subject, any grade, etc. you don’t choose, you’re just always available. That is what they are doing at this point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a substitute and see an "alert" every time I logon to the vacancy system about the need to fill that long term sub position. No way in hell.

The same position - French teacher?

Why is there a need for a long-term sub in the first place? Would a long-term sub for a language class necessarily have to know the language and be able to teach it, or are they essentially babysitters and that's why the former sub had them playing stupid games instead of learning?

There’s a teacher shortage and world languages are hit particularly hard. Add in the fact that you may have to deal with this kind of BS and it’s even worse. I’d be really curious to see how vacancies at Gunston have changed since this incident. There’s no way I’d go there

+100 DH was laid off recently and briefly considered subbing but after all we hear about school behavior there's no way.

Are all the APS middle schools this bad or Gunston notoriously much worse?

Middle schools are generally rough behaviorally. FWIW, I have heard stories of bad behavior from every middle school this year, but lawsuits are a whole other beast.

Hamm and WMS were having normal adolescent issues but not the behavioral/fighting issues this year that we’re seeing at some of the other schools. This is not an absolute every year. I’m just talking about this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:And part of the complaint is how he’s been treated after the fact — forced to learn French independently in the library.

I’m sure that’s not APS’ first choice of solution, but since they can’t find teachers or subs…

(The instructor “at fault” was a long-term sub to begin with. It’s not like they have a handful of extras to use in circumstances like this.)

But what are all the other kids in that French class doing if they can't find a teacher?

There are different kind of substitutes within APS. You can substitute for a specific class for a day, few days, etc , or you can be a long-term sub, which is what this French teacher was, OR you can be a school based sub. A school based sub covers whatever is needed for that day. Could be any subject, any grade, etc. you don’t choose, you’re just always available. That is what they are doing at this point.

So... whoever that teacher is, are they teaching the rest of the class French? I am not understanding why they are still separating out that student to study alone in the library. If the "racist" (not saying this is a fact at all, I have no idea) teacher is gone, why can't he return to class?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

There's no point arguing with a person who thinks it is hurtful to black children to make "snowmen" by pasting cotton balls onto construction paper

DP. I went back and re-read the post. I think the no cotton balls at school/chalk snowman poster was being sarcastic (she used a facepalm emoji). But I’m sure there are people in that group who think cotton should be banned from schools.

I remember when I first joined I tried to engage in rationale conversation and quickly one of the totally out there posters basically implied I was racist and told me I needed to listen to a podcast. That’s when I realized the entire group is an echo chamber of a few crazies who get off on making crazy allegations against anyone who has even a moderate difference in opinion.

Yeah, no. She was serious. Look at her other posts and likes on the thread. The facepalm was to indicate her shock that people in this day and age would use cotton balls even in an art project. That poster openly solicits Simone's approval and goes overboard trying to show how progressive and anti-racist she is.

Lol yes. They were totally serious. They’re two of the main stars of the AEM circus.

Legit insanity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

There's no point arguing with a person who thinks it is hurtful to black children to make "snowmen" by pasting cotton balls onto construction paper

DP. I went back and re-read the post. I think the no cotton balls at school/chalk snowman poster was being sarcastic (she used a facepalm emoji). But I’m sure there are people in that group who think cotton should be banned from schools.

I remember when I first joined I tried to engage in rationale conversation and quickly one of the totally out there posters basically implied I was racist and told me I needed to listen to a podcast. That’s when I realized the entire group is an echo chamber of a few crazies who get off on making crazy allegations against anyone who has even a moderate difference in opinion.

Yeah, no. She was serious. Look at her other posts and likes on the thread. The facepalm was to indicate her shock that people in this day and age would use cotton balls even in an art project. That poster openly solicits Simone's approval and goes overboard trying to show how progressive and anti-racist she is.

Lol yes. They were totally serious. They’re two of the main stars of the AEM circus.

I’m sure they fancy themselves “change makers.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

There's no point arguing with a person who thinks it is hurtful to black children to make "snowmen" by pasting cotton balls onto construction paper

DP. I went back and re-read the post. I think the no cotton balls at school/chalk snowman poster was being sarcastic (she used a facepalm emoji). But I’m sure there are people in that group who think cotton should be banned from schools.

I remember when I first joined I tried to engage in rationale conversation and quickly one of the totally out there posters basically implied I was racist and told me I needed to listen to a podcast. That’s when I realized the entire group is an echo chamber of a few crazies who get off on making crazy allegations against anyone who has even a moderate difference in opinion.

Yeah, no. She was serious. Look at her other posts and likes on the thread. The facepalm was to indicate her shock that people in this day and age would use cotton balls even in an art project. That poster openly solicits Simone's approval and goes overboard trying to show how progressive and anti-racist she is.

+1000

She wasn't kidding about not using the cotton balls.

I don't agree with a ban on cotton balls but I can certainly see why a teacher would not want to go there.

Really? cotton bolls, maybe, but cotton balls wouldn't even cross my mind, and I have done plenty of anti-racist training and thinking.

I also think its ridiculous because there are plenty of kids at Gunston that have been through real trauma and are likely (inadvertently) exposed to triggers at school that would never occur to anyone to be sensitive about. There are kids who were smuggled into the US or came here on foot from El Salvador to escape drug gangs, there are kids who are refugees from civil wars in Sudan and Syria, there are kids in the foster system... They are certainly not thinking about complaining or suing the school because they played "capture the flag" or "dodge ball" in gym.

So much anti-racist training and still insensitive to the anti-Black racism systematically experienced by the descendants of black slaves in this country. SMH.
Typical white supremacist I guess.

We all get it that African Americans were unfathomably and inhumanely treated and used, etc etc etc. And we get that effects of slavery have endured. However, if an AA person today who is now generations removed from actual enslavement is truly "traumatized" by cotton balls, that person has other issues they need to address with a mental health professional. Resent history - and those to blame - all you want, rightfully so. But don't expect everyone to placate you with any and every possible six-degrees-of-separation you want to make with real trauma that never actually happened to you or your parents or likely your grandparents at this point. Stop diminishing the meaning of "trauma" and brutalizations and horrific situations that others are actually directly experiencing today. Am I to believe this kid would experience PTSD-like reactions at the sound of a horse whip? Something he's probably never once heard in his life?

Black kids know the history of what happened to their ancestors and yes the are still being traumatized through the current systemic racism and and white supremacy.
Admit it many white supremacist enjoy seeing Blacks victimized.

"Victimized" perhaps, but "being traumatized through system racism" they are not. They're only being traumatized by the adults who tell them they are/should be traumatized by things like stupid team-building games that happen to involve cotton balls. As in this case, the student himself indicated he was bothered in retrospect after thinking about it (ie, after telling his mother who was outraged and being told how insensitive and reprehensible the situation was). If he was actually traumatized by his experience, he would have immediately experienced the severe distress and suffered the traumatic reminder of the horrific experience of slavery done to his people and all the racism he has encountered in his life.

Well I happen to disagree. The boy will remember this for the rest of his life. He may be too young to have understood what was happening while it happens now. But he knows now. I don’t know about $10 million, but the school system needs to pay.

Yeah because his mom filed a super embarrassing lawsuit and is now being discussed in a public forum re: residency fraud because she called attention to herself. Pretty sure I wouldn’t forget that either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I'm sorry, but as a foreigner, I have no idea why this game was understood by the family to be the same as considering this student to be a slave picking cotton under inhumane conditions in the fields of the south.

And I am sure this teacher was entirely unaware of the non-existent association!

The first link given in this thread does not describe what the "retaliation" was the day after, but given the first part of the story, I would want to know exactly what that was before jumping all over the teacher for the supposed retaliation.

The teacher is also a foreigner/immigrant, and a person of color, and likely African. Not aware which country, but many have French as a major language. The “retaliation” was an incredulous “You think *I* am racist!?” from this teacher to the student, and the student getting subsequently separated from this class and teacher by the school’s administration (all black as well), and having “independent study” in the library during the time this class takes place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids go to Gunston and on all the half day Wednesdays they play these kinds of games instead of teaching the kids anything academic. I wish the NAACP would get upset about that. A lot of these kids are way behind due to a variety of factors including COVID. I realize the half days are tough but there has to be something more constructive the school could be doing.

The stupidity of having to put vaseline on your face to pick them up bothers me. Forcing them to do that is gross and I know a lot of kids would not want to participate. They should never force something like that on a kid. I have a kid with sensory issues who would have been upset by this. It is one of the most stupid activities I have ever heard of.

Agree, what a weird awful activity. Really gross when you think about kids putting their noses into the same bed of cotton balls. Let's all share our germs! And what about the kids who are immune compromised and need to wear a mask? What are they supposed to do? Just an awful activity for a lot of reasons.

Yes, I do agree with the previous PP and this PP. Embarrassing activity. I understand the kid was upset, but the reason was not because it was a tuft of “cotton”. It could have been play dough that you were supposed to push with your nose and him (and all kids) would have embarrassed just the same. This escalation is completely BS and reflects very poorly on the mom, the NAACP, and everyone who jumped in on it purely to profit. The residency fraud is the tip of the iceberg.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The stupidity of having to play any of these "team building" games either in school or at work, bothers me. This game sounds idiotic.

They were there to learn french, not to "team build."

I hope the parents win.

Do you want your taxes to go toward this frivolous lawsuit for a family that doesn’t even reside in Arlington!? This world has gone bananas.

The poster you’re responding to is not paying Arlington taxes either.
And I agree with you, it’s crazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:May God give me (or better yet someone else) the strength to call out the BS on AEM right now.

There's no point arguing with a person who thinks it is hurtful to black children to make "snowmen" by pasting cotton balls onto construction paper

DP. I went back and re-read the post. I think the no cotton balls at school/chalk snowman poster was being sarcastic (she used a facepalm emoji). But I’m sure there are people in that group who think cotton should be banned from schools.

I remember when I first joined I tried to engage in rationale conversation and quickly one of the totally out there posters basically implied I was racist and told me I needed to listen to a podcast. That’s when I realized the entire group is an echo chamber of a few crazies who get off on making crazy allegations against anyone who has even a moderate difference in opinion.

Yeah, no. She was serious. Look at her other posts and likes on the thread. The facepalm was to indicate her shock that people in this day and age would use cotton balls even in an art project. That poster openly solicits Simone's approval and goes overboard trying to show how progressive and anti-racist she is.

Lol yes. They were totally serious. They’re two of the main stars of the AEM circus.

Legit insanity.

I wonder what it’s like to think you know everything, as they appear to.