APS teachers - be careful about what you send to parents

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I just found and read the thread, and I think you are mischaracterizing the comments.

Isn’t there a moderator? Be careful who you mix in with. Some of them are awful. I wouldn’t be a part of that group.

What a strange response.

Not strange at all. Some of them are f— ing crazy.

Some people here are f— big crazy, but you still come here. Some people on ARM are f— internet crazy, but I don’t see you trying to intimidate people into avoiding that group. Same with Smart Restart.

Totally fair! I’m not in Smart Restart for the same reason.

Attacking teachers is an APE thing. Have never seen SR do that. Never.

Yup. They are disgusting.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

Like OP I am an APS teacher who largely supports APEs mission (I have blocked a few people there so I don’t see their toxic comments)
The person who wrote this letter has poor judgment IMO. I don’t like how he often presents as the face of all APS staff, especially considering the low membership in AEA. He riles up the relatively small number of COVID hysterics in our educators group. I think the response in APE was about half supportive, half taking him to task and both sides had a point.

There are fine people on both sides, huh?

What part of his message did you disagree with?

He knows how inflammatory the "no new content" debate can be. He didn't need to include the part about slowing down or stopping new content. It's winter break, how about we go back and see how things are going? If after a couple days there are disruptions requiring adaptations to the curriculum send another email.

I think he is being realistic and setting expectations. Because it is very clear that some parents have very unreasonable expectations of teachers.

Teacher martyrs like him are a huge part of the problem. Why is he sending this out over break? Then, he'll be responding over break. Other parents will wonder "why doesn't my teacher send weekly emails over break and start putting pressure on their teachers (he acknowledges this a bit with "sorry, not sorry" in the post.) I'm willing to bet he'll come back and complain about how break wasn't restful, there's too much work... I've worked with lots of teachers like this. The email could have waited until Sunday at least, there was no new information in it. I still think saying that content may be slowed or stopped jumped the gun.

[Anonymous]

But wouldn’t no new content for a month actually cause more difficulties for teachers who I have heard often remark that they have to get through a certain amount of curriculum by certain milestone dates? It doesn’t seem like a very good goal or idea when many teachers are actually struggling with students are pretty behind this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

Like OP I am an APS teacher who largely supports APEs mission (I have blocked a few people there so I don’t see their toxic comments)
The person who wrote this letter has poor judgment IMO. I don’t like how he often presents as the face of all APS staff, especially considering the low membership in AEA. He riles up the relatively small number of COVID hysterics in our educators group. I think the response in APE was about half supportive, half taking him to task and both sides had a point.

NP. Also a teacher. Found the thread. That's the correct assessment. It went both ways. I wouldn't have sent that email. If I did, however, I wouldn't want it posted for general commentary on FB just because someone didn't like it. Geez. I expect the parents wouldn't like someone taking their posts on FB and copying them over to DCUM.

He sent that in his professional capacity, not his personal capacity. There is no expectation of privacy for a mass email sent out in that context.

LOL, really? Glad that APE is cool that stuff posted to their 1000 member group can be re-posted here. Can't be any expectation of privacy there, either. Good to know. This will be fun.

People have posted their newsletters here repeatedly. Things that individual people post in their personal capacity in a closed Facebook group is different.

APE is a corporation. It's got board members who post there. APE's purpose is to advocate and to influence elections. It's existence is to promote a former/future SB candidate. That's not closed. It's the public square. More so than a message to parents about about their children, which apparently NY Times material as far as your concerned. Let it rip, as APE members like to say.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

Like OP I am an APS teacher who largely supports APEs mission (I have blocked a few people there so I don’t see their toxic comments)
The person who wrote this letter has poor judgment IMO. I don’t like how he often presents as the face of all APS staff, especially considering the low membership in AEA. He riles up the relatively small number of COVID hysterics in our educators group. I think the response in APE was about half supportive, half taking him to task and both sides had a point.

NP. Also a teacher. Found the thread. That's the correct assessment. It went both ways. I wouldn't have sent that email. If I did, however, I wouldn't want it posted for general commentary on FB just because someone didn't like it. Geez. I expect the parents wouldn't like someone taking their posts on FB and copying them over to DCUM.

He sent that in his professional capacity, not his personal capacity. There is no expectation of privacy for a mass email sent out in that context.

LOL, really? Glad that APE is cool that stuff posted to their 1000 member group can be re-posted here. Can't be any expectation of privacy there, either. Good to know. This will be fun.

People have posted their newsletters here repeatedly. Things that individual people post in their personal capacity in a closed Facebook group is different.

APE is a corporation. It's got board members who post there. APE's purpose is to advocate and to influence elections. It's existence is to promote a former/future SB candidate. That's not closed. It's the public square. More so than a message to parents about about their children, which apparently NY Times material as far as your concerned. Let it rip, as APE members like to say.

Hey Clarence Darrow, it doesn't work that way. Besides, the name was redacted, so there was no real disclosure. No one on APE actually knows who sent the email out. It's just totally fair criticism of a totally out of line teacher telling people to wear masks and get vaxed. His job is to teach not promote public health. I expect emails about homework and tests, not telling me about masks. I decide whether my kid needs to wear a mask and get vaxed. As along as masks are required, we'll comply but not a second longer than we have to. Thank God vaxes aren't required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

People in Arlington tend to be more highly educated than rednecks in the rest of the country.

Yeah but those red neck kids are on a path to outsmart your arlington kids based on time spent on in person learning at this rate.

[Anonymous]

the person who posted it said it came from a teacher friend - I think they are sick of this guy too. the most off putting comment was that he was going to teach math more slowly, IF AT ALL given the new variant. as a secondary math teacher, that is not his call to make and I think that is what the OP was pointing at

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is a sixth year teacher, so fairly experienced. I was a teacher as well. I truly do not know how teachers are staying sane. I’ve never seen more whiny, entitled, caustic parents in my life. I would probably have quit. I’m so impressed by the teachers who are staying. It has to be just awful.

Yes. It is across the entire nation. But then look at what people are doing to healthcare workers. Putting all their lives on the line with their appalling behavior.

I'm a research biologist, and I've come to the conclusion that Homo Sapiens isn't evolved enough to deal competently with long-range risk strategy and communal delayed gratification. It's disappointing, and doesn't bode well for the next pandemic, or even longer-range, fluid threats like global warming. Some members of the species are competent, but they get drowned out by the impulsive masses who refuse to think critically. One reproduces more than the other, so the problem is not going away any time soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My daughter is a sixth year teacher, so fairly experienced. I was a teacher as well. I truly do not know how teachers are staying sane. I’ve never seen more whiny, entitled, caustic parents in my life. I would probably have quit. I’m so impressed by the teachers who are staying. It has to be just awful.

Yes. It is across the entire nation. But then look at what people are doing to healthcare workers. Putting all their lives on the line with their appalling behavior.

I'm a research biologist, and I've come to the conclusion that Homo Sapiens isn't evolved enough to deal competently with long-range risk strategy and communal delayed gratification. It's disappointing, and doesn't bode well for the next pandemic, or even longer-range, fluid threats like global warming. Some members of the species are competent, but they get drowned out by the impulsive masses who refuse to think critically. One reproduces more than the other, so the problem is not going away any time soon.

Yup. The idiots are breeders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:the person who posted it said it came from a teacher friend - I think they are sick of this guy too. the most off putting comment was that he was going to teach math more slowly, IF AT ALL given the new variant. as a secondary math teacher, that is not his call to make and I think that is what the OP was pointing at

I’m wondering if I can guess who this teacher is. Does he also post on AEM a lot? If so, his posts are annoying because he’s so bossy and he often acts like other teachers are clueless and he needs to help us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the person who posted it said it came from a teacher friend - I think they are sick of this guy too. the most off putting comment was that he was going to teach math more slowly, IF AT ALL given the new variant. as a secondary math teacher, that is not his call to make and I think that is what the OP was pointing at

I’m wondering if I can guess who this teacher is. Does he also post on AEM a lot? If so, his posts are annoying because he’s so bossy and he often acts like other teachers are clueless and he needs to help us.

It’s exactly who you think it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

People in Arlington tend to be more highly educated than rednecks in the rest of the country.

Yeah but those red neck kids are on a path to outsmart your arlington kids based on time spent on in person learning at this rate.

I honestly worry about this. What’s the point of paying $$$$ to live in Arlington when your kids could probably get an equivalent education (with actual differentiation) in Kentucky?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

People in Arlington tend to be more highly educated than rednecks in the rest of the country.

Yeah but those red neck kids are on a path to outsmart your arlington kids based on time spent on in person learning at this rate.

I honestly worry about this. What’s the point of paying $$$$ to live in Arlington when your kids could probably get an equivalent education (with actual differentiation) in Kentucky?

In Arlington you pay for your peers. Even the most rabid APE parents who demand maskless school would balk at having their neighbors grow up around people with less education and status.

[Anonymous]

Groups like APE are a cancer on our community.

[Anonymous]

Why would a teacher support a group like this? I cannot understand what OP finds solid in this organization. Ugh.