There Needs to Be Enforced Equity Among PTA's

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS giving teachers money is completely separate from the PTA issue. MCPS should give teachers money, and do give a small amount in ordering, but more would be nice.

However, some of it is the PTA. Our PTA president the past few years did very little nor would let anyone else do anything but a few of her friends. There was a reason why things weren't getting done.

But, the teachers getting gift cards probably didn't get from the PTA but parents. If you have 30 kids giving $20 each, that adds up.

The point is MCPS should prohibit PTA from giving funds to any teachers. If all teachers dont have this access, none should. It's really not difficult to understand that classrooms in Bethesda don't look like classrooms in Gaithersburg. Parents in Bethesda supply teachers with more than they could ever dream of while other schools don't even have basic supplies. Again, MCPS is about equity. We aren't ALLOWED to ask parents to bring supplies, meanwhile, it is encouraged at other schools.

Why don't you figure out a system where everyone gets funds instead of stomping on the teachers that do?

Who is stomping on anyone? I'm more than happy for them. It isn't fair for the rest of the county which is the entire point of this post. No where in these posts did I degrade the teachers who are receiving things. It'd be nice if DCUM people could...read...with comprehension.

You said: The point is MCPS should prohibit PTA from giving funds to any teachers. If all teachers dont have this access, none should
That sure seems like stomping on the teachers that do receive funds.
-np

Pretty sure you lack critical thinking skills.

You keep saying that with nothing to back it up but jabs. I’m happy to rethink if you can provide a thoughtful response beyond “you lack critical thinking skills”. Please enlighten me, because so far your posts don’t make sense and I’m not the only one telling you that.

+1

The new way of debating just seems to be throwing out canned phrases and degrading insults with no facts or arguments to back them up.

Maybe if they valued rigor in education they would be more skilled at building logical persuasive arguments.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With regards to teacher gifts, I give to the teachers who are really great and the amount I give reflects my experience with that teacher. I don’t think it needs to be equitable. I’m sure you see some teachers are far more talented and work far harder than other teachers.
Equity is going to ruin this school system.

+1000.

OP, may I suggest you focus on being a good teacher instead allowing yourself to distracted with endless jealousies. Good performers are always rewarded.

[Anonymous]

After school tutoring should be outlawed

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I reject your premise that everything should be fair. It never has been and never will.

I agree. There are always schools in wealthier areas that are better resourced. There are always families who have more resources at home. This has been true in public education since the beginning in this country and it is true in almost every part of life. The goal should not be to police what wealthy people spend on their children (a fool’s errand), but rather on finding ways to get more resources to places that are in need of help.

[Anonymous]

Before you complain about PTAs look into schools with private foundations. ..created to get around the PTA restrictions. Whitmanfoundation.org for example

[Anonymous]

MCCPTA will help ANY school find a sister school to help with funding.

There is a FB page right now devoted to MCPS teachers asking for what they need for their classrooms (with Amazon links) and parents across the county are buying items for schools across the county.

Boosters at HSs (we are not at Whitman but have a booster) support the kids activities. So the soccer team asks for new goals, the theatre program new lights, etc. Yes, funded by parents. These kids probably also play club soccer and take classes at Imagination Stage, or Adventure Theatre. Should they not do that since not everyone can afford those activities either?

Life isn't fair, I drive a 14 year old car and would prefer not to, but it is what it is. There are lots of ways for schools and individual teachers to get help and assistance, they just have to ask

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCCPTA will help ANY school find a sister school to help with funding.

There is a FB page right now devoted to MCPS teachers asking for what they need for their classrooms (with Amazon links) and parents across the county are buying items for schools across the county.

Boosters at HSs (we are not at Whitman but have a booster) support the kids activities. So the soccer team asks for new goals, the theatre program new lights, etc. Yes, funded by parents. These kids probably also play club soccer and take classes at Imagination Stage, or Adventure Theatre. Should they not do that since not everyone can afford those activities either?

Life isn't fair, I drive a 14 year old car and would prefer not to, but it is what it is. There are lots of ways for schools and individual teachers to get help and assistance, they just have to ask

NP. So a GoFundMe for teaching supplies, in one of the richest counties in the country.

Instead, why not reroute a percentage of PTA donations to a common pool that's then divided across all county schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our local ES PTA has a sister school that they fundraise for/provides funds to. Instead of trying to discourage parent giving PTA’s that can afford it should work with a sister school.

So does the teachers at the sister school also get $250? Or just like old books and handed down clothes ?

Do we have a system where all wealthy otas have adopted a title 1 or focus school or is it haphazardly dive?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With regards to teacher gifts, I give to the teachers who are really great and the amount I give reflects my experience with that teacher. I don’t think it needs to be equitable. I’m sure you see some teachers are far more talented and work far harder than other teachers.
Equity is going to ruin this school system.

+1000.

OP, may I suggest you focus on being a good teacher instead allowing yourself to distracted with endless jealousies. Good performers are always rewarded.

Not OP, but you have never been a teacher if you believe this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If only we could find a way to keep wealthier families from supplementing their children’s education at home and over the summer, that would do wonders for promoting equity, too.

Truly wealthy people don’t do this. It’s for anxious strivers. I’m one, too, so I say it with affection. However, rich people have their kids relax their minds and exercise their bodies all summer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS giving teachers money is completely separate from the PTA issue. MCPS should give teachers money, and do give a small amount in ordering, but more would be nice.

However, some of it is the PTA. Our PTA president the past few years did very little nor would let anyone else do anything but a few of her friends. There was a reason why things weren't getting done.

But, the teachers getting gift cards probably didn't get from the PTA but parents. If you have 30 kids giving $20 each, that adds up.

The point is MCPS should prohibit PTA from giving funds to any teachers. If all teachers dont have this access, none should. It's really not difficult to understand that classrooms in Bethesda don't look like classrooms in Gaithersburg. Parents in Bethesda supply teachers with more than they could ever dream of while other schools don't even have basic supplies. Again, MCPS is about equity. We aren't ALLOWED to ask parents to bring supplies, meanwhile, it is encouraged at other schools.

Why don't you figure out a system where everyone gets funds instead of stomping on the teachers that do?

Who is stomping on anyone? I'm more than happy for them. It isn't fair for the rest of the county which is the entire point of this post. No where in these posts did I degrade the teachers who are receiving things. It'd be nice if DCUM people could...read...with comprehension.

You said: The point is MCPS should prohibit PTA from giving funds to any teachers. If all teachers dont have this access, none should
That sure seems like stomping on the teachers that do receive funds.
-np

Pretty sure you lack critical thinking skills.

You keep saying that with nothing to back it up but jabs. I’m happy to rethink if you can provide a thoughtful response beyond “you lack critical thinking skills”. Please enlighten me, because so far your posts don’t make sense and I’m not the only one telling you that.

+1

The new way of debating just seems to be throwing out canned phrases and degrading insults with no facts or arguments to back them up.

+2. It’s pretty clear the OP is the one lacking critical thinking skills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:With regards to teacher gifts, I give to the teachers who are really great and the amount I give reflects my experience with that teacher. I don’t think it needs to be equitable. I’m sure you see some teachers are far more talented and work far harder than other teachers.
Equity is going to ruin this school system.

+1000.

OP, may I suggest you focus on being a good teacher instead allowing yourself to distracted with endless jealousies. Good performers are always rewarded.

Not OP, but you have never been a teacher if you believe this.

Fair enough, but the other point stands. OP is trying to tear down another school just because of jealousy. Soon we’ll live in Soviet Russia for the sake of making exactly equally miserable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If only we could find a way to keep wealthier families from supplementing their children’s education at home and over the summer, that would do wonders for promoting equity, too.

Truly wealthy people don’t do this. It’s for anxious strivers. I’m one, too, so I say it with affection. However, rich people have their kids relax their minds and exercise their bodies all summer.

They don’t need to. They have the resources to buy their child’s way into a college. The rest of our kids need to be really high performers to have a shot.

OP, ask your PTA to adopt a lower SES school. We are in APS and I clicked on this thread accidentally but it’s an issue everywhere. Our CCPTA helps redistribute resources that PTAs contribute. My kids’ elementary would donate supplies, and do things like a winter coat drive for a sister school.

You will never truly close the gap no matter how much focus there is on equity, so find ways to help but be realistic.

[Anonymous]

This thread is stupid. Sorry OP, but you're a joke.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm sorry..I just came from a school where the PTA gives teachers $250 at the beginning of the year for supplies...to a school where teachers are given nothing. For a school system that is all about "equity" this is not fair. There also needs to be enforced limits on Christmas gifts, etc. I know there is a cap per parent but there are parents who just throw as much as they can into the "class" gift. I was talking to new colleagues about this- they get nothing on Christmas, and I had former teammates who received over 1k in Amazon Gift Cards for Christmas. MCPS should just give teachers $200 across the board for the beginning of the year and not allow PTA to intervene. Not all PTAs are created equal. This is absolutely not fair.

There are limits on gifts.