The state of MCPS is atrocious

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is a shell of its past. First no SRO's, now more protection for the principals? WTF

I find it interesting that MCPS is getting the blame here not the quoted problem:

And that aggressive behavior isn’t from students — it’s “parents and community members.

+1. The thread should be "The state of MCPS parents is atrocious"

+1. Schools are microcosm of society. So until we begin to fix those problems in earnest schools will continue to deteriorate. The funny thing is that studying other education systems in the world pointed to the fact that the problem that exist in the US education system actual are cultural in nature and larger than one school district.

Don’t believe this, let’s look at Finland

Sure. Let’s look at the demographics of Finland. Are you prepared to fight for similar demographics here in Montgomery County?

Interestingly enough when you compare the 2018 PISA scores across countries and break down US scores across racial lines, education in the US looks pretty good. US Asians outscore every Asian country except Singapore. US Whites outscore every European country except Estonia. They outscore Japan and Korea. US Hispanics outscore every Latin-American country out there. They just slightly worse than countries like Italy and are significantly better than Greece. There aren’t a lot of African countries that collect PISA data but I would assume that US Blacks would compare favorably as well. They outperform places like Mexico, Romania and Thailand.

But Asian Americans are Americans, as are African Americans, and Hispanic Americans, and even white Americans. Why are you comparing them by race? What are you trying to say here?

I don't doubt that the difference in test scores is largely down to SES and English language learners. Most countries don't have a large population of non native speakers like the US has.

But I don't think comparing by race or ethnicity is accurate. It's not about race. It's about the culture and how society perceives and treats education. The US, for all its richness, does not support K-12 education as much as other countries. However, one's future in the US also does not hinge on one exam score or a path set by the education system at the age of 14 or 16, unlike many other countries. College admissions in a lot of countries is purely based on test scores and marks, so students in K-12 will put a lot more effort into academics because they live and die by those marks.

Having stated that, I do agree that the education system in this entire country, not just MCPS, is atrocious. We are dumbing down everything in the name of equity. It's awful. We have 3 more years in MCPS. I can't wait till we are done.

Be careful about 2018 PISA. The only state to release results was Massachusetts and they are a major outlier to the upside. Ever since they did their 1993 reforms they were near top internationally- but even they did not escape the ‘no child’ so called reforms. They have not repeated their 2018 success. Interestingly if I’m not mistaken some Maryland students - likely MCPS high schoolers - sat that very exam but Starr or Smith took one look at the results and sealed them. Lo and behold we have our own attempt at Mass reform - the Blueprint for MD. But it will be 10 billion more down the drain.

So frustrating. The amount of money wasted.

We need smaller class sizes, better enforcement of discipline and a solid curriculum. The rest is nonsense.

Before you call it money wasted you should realize that a portion of that goes to raise teacher entry level salaries to 60k. And even with that counties have to assume responsibility for the level of funding over time. It also funds more CTE. There are rural counties in Maryland trying to figure out how they are going to pay for/handle it.

It is money wasted. What we need is school choice.

Agreed. Parents in Montgomery County are stuck with a dysfunctional, poorly run school system that we pay an enormous amount of money to support.

Let parents have school choice.

[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:MCPS is a shell of its past. First no SRO's, now more protection for the principals? WTF

I find it interesting that MCPS is getting the blame here not the quoted problem:

And that aggressive behavior isn’t from students — it’s “parents and community members.

+1. The thread should be "The state of MCPS parents is atrocious"

+1. Schools are microcosm of society. So until we begin to fix those problems in earnest schools will continue to deteriorate. The funny thing is that studying other education systems in the world pointed to the fact that the problem that exist in the US education system actual are cultural in nature and larger than one school district.

Don’t believe this, let’s look at Finland

Sure. Let’s look at the demographics of Finland. Are you prepared to fight for similar demographics here in Montgomery County?

Interestingly enough when you compare the 2018 PISA scores across countries and break down US scores across racial lines, education in the US looks pretty good. US Asians outscore every Asian country except Singapore. US Whites outscore every European country except Estonia. They outscore Japan and Korea. US Hispanics outscore every Latin-American country out there. They just slightly worse than countries like Italy and are significantly better than Greece. There aren’t a lot of African countries that collect PISA data but I would assume that US Blacks would compare favorably as well. They outperform places like Mexico, Romania and Thailand.

But Asian Americans are Americans, as are African Americans, and Hispanic Americans, and even white Americans. Why are you comparing them by race? What are you trying to say here?

I don't doubt that the difference in test scores is largely down to SES and English language learners. Most countries don't have a large population of non native speakers like the US has.

But I don't think comparing by race or ethnicity is accurate. It's not about race. It's about the culture and how society perceives and treats education. The US, for all its richness, does not support K-12 education as much as other countries. However, one's future in the US also does not hinge on one exam score or a path set by the education system at the age of 14 or 16, unlike many other countries. College admissions in a lot of countries is purely based on test scores and marks, so students in K-12 will put a lot more effort into academics because they live and die by those marks.

Having stated that, I do agree that the education system in this entire country, not just MCPS, is atrocious. We are dumbing down everything in the name of equity. It's awful. We have 3 more years in MCPS. I can't wait till we are done.

Be careful about 2018 PISA. The only state to release results was Massachusetts and they are a major outlier to the upside. Ever since they did their 1993 reforms they were near top internationally- but even they did not escape the ‘no child’ so called reforms. They have not repeated their 2018 success. Interestingly if I’m not mistaken some Maryland students - likely MCPS high schoolers - sat that very exam but Starr or Smith took one look at the results and sealed them. Lo and behold we have our own attempt at Mass reform - the Blueprint for MD. But it will be 10 billion more down the drain.

So frustrating. The amount of money wasted.

We need smaller class sizes, better enforcement of discipline and a solid curriculum. The rest is nonsense.

Before you call it money wasted you should realize that a portion of that goes to raise teacher entry level salaries to 60k. And even with that counties have to assume responsibility for the level of funding over time. It also funds more CTE. There are rural counties in Maryland trying to figure out how they are going to pay for/handle it.

It is money wasted. What we need is school choice.

That already exist. Public, private, virtual academy public, homeschool, move to another location. Lots of choices.

Nope. That is school choice for the wealthy. When you have unlimited funds, it is much easier to send your kid to private or ‘move to another location’ (what?? Who suggests that as a solution to working class parents?? You are so out of touch with reality.)

[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:MCPS is a shell of its past. First no SRO's, now more protection for the principals? WTF

I find it interesting that MCPS is getting the blame here not the quoted problem:

And that aggressive behavior isn’t from students — it’s “parents and community members.

+1. The thread should be "The state of MCPS parents is atrocious"

+1. Schools are microcosm of society. So until we begin to fix those problems in earnest schools will continue to deteriorate. The funny thing is that studying other education systems in the world pointed to the fact that the problem that exist in the US education system actual are cultural in nature and larger than one school district.

Don’t believe this, let’s look at Finland

Sure. Let’s look at the demographics of Finland. Are you prepared to fight for similar demographics here in Montgomery County?

Interestingly enough when you compare the 2018 PISA scores across countries and break down US scores across racial lines, education in the US looks pretty good. US Asians outscore every Asian country except Singapore. US Whites outscore every European country except Estonia. They outscore Japan and Korea. US Hispanics outscore every Latin-American country out there. They just slightly worse than countries like Italy and are significantly better than Greece. There aren’t a lot of African countries that collect PISA data but I would assume that US Blacks would compare favorably as well. They outperform places like Mexico, Romania and Thailand.

But Asian Americans are Americans, as are African Americans, and Hispanic Americans, and even white Americans. Why are you comparing them by race? What are you trying to say here?

I don't doubt that the difference in test scores is largely down to SES and English language learners. Most countries don't have a large population of non native speakers like the US has.

But I don't think comparing by race or ethnicity is accurate. It's not about race. It's about the culture and how society perceives and treats education. The US, for all its richness, does not support K-12 education as much as other countries. However, one's future in the US also does not hinge on one exam score or a path set by the education system at the age of 14 or 16, unlike many other countries. College admissions in a lot of countries is purely based on test scores and marks, so students in K-12 will put a lot more effort into academics because they live and die by those marks.

Having stated that, I do agree that the education system in this entire country, not just MCPS, is atrocious. We are dumbing down everything in the name of equity. It's awful. We have 3 more years in MCPS. I can't wait till we are done.

Be careful about 2018 PISA. The only state to release results was Massachusetts and they are a major outlier to the upside. Ever since they did their 1993 reforms they were near top internationally- but even they did not escape the ‘no child’ so called reforms. They have not repeated their 2018 success. Interestingly if I’m not mistaken some Maryland students - likely MCPS high schoolers - sat that very exam but Starr or Smith took one look at the results and sealed them. Lo and behold we have our own attempt at Mass reform - the Blueprint for MD. But it will be 10 billion more down the drain.

So frustrating. The amount of money wasted.

We need smaller class sizes, better enforcement of discipline and a solid curriculum. The rest is nonsense.

Before you call it money wasted you should realize that a portion of that goes to raise teacher entry level salaries to 60k. And even with that counties have to assume responsibility for the level of funding over time. It also funds more CTE. There are rural counties in Maryland trying to figure out how they are going to pay for/handle it.

It is money wasted. What we need is school choice.

Agreed. Parents in Montgomery County are stuck with a dysfunctional, poorly run school system that we pay an enormous amount of money to support.

Let parents have school choice.

Sounds like you would choose to send your kids to schools outside of Montgomery County. Perhaps you'd be happier somewhere else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

I have a PhD in physics, but thanks for playing? You're so angry lol.... sorry you are stuck in the past. Time to get with the times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

I have a PhD in physics, but thanks for playing? You're so angry lol.... sorry you are stuck in the past. Time to get with the times.

Uh huh. Sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

I have a PhD in physics, but thanks for playing? You're so angry lol.... sorry you are stuck in the past. Time to get with the times.

Uh huh. Sure.

DP, but wow...you really got 'em! /s

You sound like a real idiot. I hope you actually find an education soon. (Hint: it won't come from a textbook)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

I have a PhD in physics, but thanks for playing? You're so angry lol.... sorry you are stuck in the past. Time to get with the times.

Uh huh. Sure.

DP, but wow...you really got 'em! /s

You sound like a real idiot. I hope you actually find an education soon. (Hint: it won't come from a textbook)

And where will it come from? You still haven’t told us about these superior teaching materials.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

I have a PhD in physics, but thanks for playing? You're so angry lol.... sorry you are stuck in the past. Time to get with the times.

Uh huh. Sure.

DP, but wow...you really got 'em! /s

You sound like a real idiot. I hope you actually find an education soon. (Hint: it won't come from a textbook)

And where will it come from? You still haven’t told us about these superior teaching materials.

Sigh..yet another poster....really? its 2023 and you are begging for textbooks and then asking why they dont exist? Very embarrassed for you. Google it. I'm sure you're capable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

I have a PhD in physics, but thanks for playing? You're so angry lol.... sorry you are stuck in the past. Time to get with the times.

Uh huh. Sure.

DP, but wow...you really got 'em! /s

You sound like a real idiot. I hope you actually find an education soon. (Hint: it won't come from a textbook)

And where will it come from? You still haven’t told us about these superior teaching materials.

Sigh..yet another poster....really? its 2023 and you are begging for textbooks and then asking why they dont exist? Very embarrassed for you. Google it. I'm sure you're capable.

Huh? You’re barely coherent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

I have a PhD in physics, but thanks for playing? You're so angry lol.... sorry you are stuck in the past. Time to get with the times.

Uh huh. Sure.

DP, but wow...you really got 'em! /s

You sound like a real idiot. I hope you actually find an education soon. (Hint: it won't come from a textbook)

And where will it come from? You still haven’t told us about these superior teaching materials.

Sigh..yet another poster....really? its 2023 and you are begging for textbooks and then asking why they dont exist? Very embarrassed for you. Google it. I'm sure you're capable.

Huh? You’re barely coherent.

DP-it's quite clear. I mean, apparently you can't even read so not sure why you're yelling for textbooks. They clearly didn't work for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This poster is 100 percent on-target. I'm the mcps educator who is supplementing with my daughter an hour a day this summer. I have supplemented with her since kindergarten. My difficulties are compounded because my daughter has some attention and mild learning differences in addition to the substandard education she is receiving. She is too high functioning to receive services (not that they would be good or sufficient). I can't even imagine how deficient her skills would be without my constant intervention.


quote=Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The problem is the parents in this county. That’s it. If you’re offended by this, you’re probably part of the problem.

Well, some of the parents may not prioritize education and/or enforce behavior standards. That’s definitely A problem, and probably the one you had in mind.

But there’s another problem where well-educated parents see gaps in their children’s education and make up the shortfall by hiring a private tutor/tutoring center, or “afterschooling”. This means that while the education provided in the schools tends to be awful, they are still able to boast about having “one of the best school systems in the country”. I grew up in school systems that made no such claims. They may not have had as many special programs, but the basic curriculum was stronger, and a booming tutoring industry wasn’t required to get an education. So to the extent that parents are able to identify and fulfill the need of educating their kids outside of school, it masks the lack of education in our public education. Ultimately this may be the bigger problem, because as long as the problem remains hidden, it’s unlikely to be addressed.

I guess I’m part of the problem because I taught my kids how to read, that they didn’t need a calculator in elementary, how to hold their pencil, form print letters, write in cursive, use a dictionary, understand negative numbers, understand long division, understand that a sentence needs both a subject and a verb, understand when they FINALLY got a textbook that it actually had explanations and other useful features, etc. However, I also joined a curriculum committee, attended PTA meetings, attended school board candidate forums (where I had to ask the individual candidates about curriculum because the moderators never asked the questions I duly submitted on index cards), attended MCPS community forums (which were specifically designed to discourage actual discussion), not to mention posting on DCUM. The concerns I raise are usually dismissed by yet another claim that “Montgomery County has one of the best school systems in the nation” citing as evidence the achievements of my kids and their friends.

“Finally got a textbook” showing that you’re super out of touch. Textbooks are a relic of the past and they aren’t coming back. Might want to brush up on evolution.

Tell us you don't have a kid in college without telling us you don't have a kid in college.
Or ever attended college.
Or are even educated. Getting rid of text books was being penny wise and pound foolish and one of many reasons why MCPS has gone down the crapper.

The people on here who brag about using internet resources to teach their kids foundational skills are clearly not well educated. So it’s not surprising they would see no value in a textbook.

I have a PhD in physics, but thanks for playing? You're so angry lol.... sorry you are stuck in the past. Time to get with the times.

Uh huh. Sure.

DP, but wow...you really got 'em! /s

You sound like a real idiot. I hope you actually find an education soon. (Hint: it won't come from a textbook)

And where will it come from? You still haven’t told us about these superior teaching materials.

Sigh..yet another poster....really? its 2023 and you are begging for textbooks and then asking why they dont exist? Very embarrassed for you. Google it. I'm sure you're capable.

Huh? You’re barely coherent.

DP-it's quite clear. I mean, apparently you can't even read so not sure why you're yelling for textbooks. They clearly didn't work for you.

How did you manage a PhD (supposedly) if you can’t even back your arguments up with evidence?

And don’t just slap “DP” on a post and expect me to believe you’re not Physics PhD guy.

[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:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is a shell of its past. First no SRO's, now more protection for the principals? WTF

I find it interesting that MCPS is getting the blame here not the quoted problem:

And that aggressive behavior isn’t from students — it’s “parents and community members.

+1. The thread should be "The state of MCPS parents is atrocious"

+1. Schools are microcosm of society. So until we begin to fix those problems in earnest schools will continue to deteriorate. The funny thing is that studying other education systems in the world pointed to the fact that the problem that exist in the US education system actual are cultural in nature and larger than one school district.

Don’t believe this, let’s look at Finland

Sure. Let’s look at the demographics of Finland. Are you prepared to fight for similar demographics here in Montgomery County?

Interestingly enough when you compare the 2018 PISA scores across countries and break down US scores across racial lines, education in the US looks pretty good. US Asians outscore every Asian country except Singapore. US Whites outscore every European country except Estonia. They outscore Japan and Korea. US Hispanics outscore every Latin-American country out there. They just slightly worse than countries like Italy and are significantly better than Greece. There aren’t a lot of African countries that collect PISA data but I would assume that US Blacks would compare favorably as well. They outperform places like Mexico, Romania and Thailand.

But Asian Americans are Americans, as are African Americans, and Hispanic Americans, and even white Americans. Why are you comparing them by race? What are you trying to say here?

I don't doubt that the difference in test scores is largely down to SES and English language learners. Most countries don't have a large population of non native speakers like the US has.

But I don't think comparing by race or ethnicity is accurate. It's not about race. It's about the culture and how society perceives and treats education. The US, for all its richness, does not support K-12 education as much as other countries. However, one's future in the US also does not hinge on one exam score or a path set by the education system at the age of 14 or 16, unlike many other countries. College admissions in a lot of countries is purely based on test scores and marks, so students in K-12 will put a lot more effort into academics because they live and die by those marks.

Having stated that, I do agree that the education system in this entire country, not just MCPS, is atrocious. We are dumbing down everything in the name of equity. It's awful. We have 3 more years in MCPS. I can't wait till we are done.

Be careful about 2018 PISA. The only state to release results was Massachusetts and they are a major outlier to the upside. Ever since they did their 1993 reforms they were near top internationally- but even they did not escape the ‘no child’ so called reforms. They have not repeated their 2018 success. Interestingly if I’m not mistaken some Maryland students - likely MCPS high schoolers - sat that very exam but Starr or Smith took one look at the results and sealed them. Lo and behold we have our own attempt at Mass reform - the Blueprint for MD. But it will be 10 billion more down the drain.

So frustrating. The amount of money wasted.

We need smaller class sizes, better enforcement of discipline and a solid curriculum. The rest is nonsense.

Before you call it money wasted you should realize that a portion of that goes to raise teacher entry level salaries to 60k. And even with that counties have to assume responsibility for the level of funding over time. It also funds more CTE. There are rural counties in Maryland trying to figure out how they are going to pay for/handle it.

It is money wasted. What we need is school choice.

That already exist. Public, private, virtual academy public, homeschool, move to another location. Lots of choices.

Nope. That is school choice for the wealthy. When you have unlimited funds, it is much easier to send your kid to private or ‘move to another location’ (what?? Who suggests that as a solution to working class parents?? You are so out of touch with reality.)

We have svhool choice. You choose where you live.

[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:MCPS is a shell of its past. First no SRO's, now more protection for the principals? WTF

I find it interesting that MCPS is getting the blame here not the quoted problem:

And that aggressive behavior isn’t from students — it’s “parents and community members.

+1. The thread should be "The state of MCPS parents is atrocious"

+1. Schools are microcosm of society. So until we begin to fix those problems in earnest schools will continue to deteriorate. The funny thing is that studying other education systems in the world pointed to the fact that the problem that exist in the US education system actual are cultural in nature and larger than one school district.

Don’t believe this, let’s look at Finland

Sure. Let’s look at the demographics of Finland. Are you prepared to fight for similar demographics here in Montgomery County?

Interestingly enough when you compare the 2018 PISA scores across countries and break down US scores across racial lines, education in the US looks pretty good. US Asians outscore every Asian country except Singapore. US Whites outscore every European country except Estonia. They outscore Japan and Korea. US Hispanics outscore every Latin-American country out there. They just slightly worse than countries like Italy and are significantly better than Greece. There aren’t a lot of African countries that collect PISA data but I would assume that US Blacks would compare favorably as well. They outperform places like Mexico, Romania and Thailand.

But Asian Americans are Americans, as are African Americans, and Hispanic Americans, and even white Americans. Why are you comparing them by race? What are you trying to say here?

I don't doubt that the difference in test scores is largely down to SES and English language learners. Most countries don't have a large population of non native speakers like the US has.

But I don't think comparing by race or ethnicity is accurate. It's not about race. It's about the culture and how society perceives and treats education. The US, for all its richness, does not support K-12 education as much as other countries. However, one's future in the US also does not hinge on one exam score or a path set by the education system at the age of 14 or 16, unlike many other countries. College admissions in a lot of countries is purely based on test scores and marks, so students in K-12 will put a lot more effort into academics because they live and die by those marks.

Having stated that, I do agree that the education system in this entire country, not just MCPS, is atrocious. We are dumbing down everything in the name of equity. It's awful. We have 3 more years in MCPS. I can't wait till we are done.

Be careful about 2018 PISA. The only state to release results was Massachusetts and they are a major outlier to the upside. Ever since they did their 1993 reforms they were near top internationally- but even they did not escape the ‘no child’ so called reforms. They have not repeated their 2018 success. Interestingly if I’m not mistaken some Maryland students - likely MCPS high schoolers - sat that very exam but Starr or Smith took one look at the results and sealed them. Lo and behold we have our own attempt at Mass reform - the Blueprint for MD. But it will be 10 billion more down the drain.

So frustrating. The amount of money wasted.

We need smaller class sizes, better enforcement of discipline and a solid curriculum. The rest is nonsense.

Before you call it money wasted you should realize that a portion of that goes to raise teacher entry level salaries to 60k. And even with that counties have to assume responsibility for the level of funding over time. It also funds more CTE. There are rural counties in Maryland trying to figure out how they are going to pay for/handle it.

It is money wasted. What we need is school choice.

Agreed. Parents in Montgomery County are stuck with a dysfunctional, poorly run school system that we pay an enormous amount of money to support.

Let parents have school choice.

The private school forum is looking for you

[Anonymous]

I would think for someone with a PhD in Physics would understand the value of step by step instructions when teaching math and science. If a child is missing the steps or a previous foundational skill, they are stuck with struggling on homework and have gaps when taking quizzes and tests.

An online textbook is as helpful as a hard copy textbook. The school system just needs to purchase them which means buying a university designed and tested curriculum. The whole notion that MCPS could effectively write their own curriculum and resources was a disaster under Curriculum 2.0 that MCPS has yet to fix.

BTW - colleges still use textbooks. Students use textbooks to review information and be prepared for class discussions.