My gut feeling on 3/26 BOE vote

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Without question, it will all pass and all the BOE members will vote for it.

It will pass, but you might get a few BOE members who are nominated to perform and cast a no vote to make the public believe their petitions and protests made a difference.

If they cast unanimous votes it’ll validate the rubber stamping criticism they insist is not reality.

You seem to think there is a wide-ranging conspiracy that involves the superintendent and the entire BOE to do...what exactly? What is their motivation to conspire together and make this choice if it is not the one they think is best for the whole county?

It’s not a conspiracy theory if it turns out to be true. Then again, MCPS will say “oh well, too late now.”

The chronology of events and other evidence appear to show that the decision was made before community engagement.

You are convinced they’re right, so you have a clear bias. I guess the ends justify the means in your mind - laws and regulations don’t matter, and apparently the views of those most affected don’t either.

Sounds rather authoritarian.

None of this tracks, or answers the question.

Why would all of these people collude to do something “wrong.” What is the motivation?

MCPS had a $300M+ parcel with a 20-year deadline and no comparable land available—but not the data to justify a new high school. Now, instead of rethinking that decision, they’re proposing to close a 55-year-old school to make Crown work. That’s not planning—that’s backfilling a decision that was already made.

PP here. So they are trying to make the best decision today, given poor decisions in the past?

I'm OK with that. That is not a conspiracy or wrongdoing.

I'm not making the argument that H is the objectively best option (though I do think it likely is). I'm trying to get at the view that there is conspiracy/collusion, rather than a difference of opinion...

So you’re okay with what MCPS did in the past, and you’re okay with all of MCPS’ failures in pushing Option H.

I guess you’re okay with what the guy in the White House is doing - he thinks it’s the right thing to do as well.

Fortunately, courts don’t look at things that way.

You aren't making sense.

I don't need to be OK with past decisions to be OK with current decisions that are influenced by prior decisions.

And since you want to make this somehow about the White House- when the Biden administration took actions that were needed to clean up from the prior administration's actions, does that mean Biden was "OK with" those actions?

But you are okay with those past decisions, otherwise you would be calling for many MCPS people to be fired for mismanagement, and not allowing them to make any more decisions. Instead you are supporting the new decisions made by the same people who made those poor decisions.

As for current decisions, you’re okay with those too, even if MCPS has to allegedly break the law to push them through.

Finally, as for the guy in the White House, you missed the point. If the guy in charge thinks it’s the right decision, your position is that he is automatically 100% correct and must not be questioned (or sued).

Talk about living 1984 - “The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."

OK, so this is the definition of moving the goal posts.

1. You agree that people can and do often have to make current day decisions that are influenced by prior bad decisions, right? OK.

2. I don't have to call for people to be fired to think a bad decision was made. Bad decisions get made all the time. Have you publicly called for firing of people every time you disagree with a decision in your professional and personal life? I doubt it.

3. I never said anything at all like what you are saying about the WH. I never said people should not be questions. There is a difference between agreeing with somebody and saying that nobody should ever question them. You know this.

4. And I can be against baseless lawsuits in general. That has nothing to do with claiming anybody is immune from lawsuit. In fact, I oppose many lawsuits filed by the guy in the WH himself on the grounds that they are baseless.

You have no logic here. You are just attacking people who disagree with you.

My logic is sound. Let the courts sort this out.

And for the record, I have fired people for making bad decisions based on flawed data or a failure to get accurate data. I most certainly do not give them another chance to screw up.

I'll take this as a concession since you don't dispute anything I wrote.

Not that you are conceding Option H is the best choice, but conceding that reasonable minds may differ without those on the other side being either apologists for prior decisions or authoritarian-sympathizing peons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS really needs to focus on those walk zones. Why cause hardship to move students so far away from their homes?

Who has to go "so far away from their homes"?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They need to pause the vote on Woodward now that Wheaton Woods released a statement that they were unaware they would be moved to a high school that is 30 minute drive away for them. Early options did not include that and there was no meaningful outreach to them (in Spanish etc).

Those who live there are too terrified to even come out publically due to things like ICE. The BOE absolutely needs to pause.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS really needs to focus on those walk zones. Why cause hardship to move students so far away from their homes?

Who has to go "so far away from their homes"?

Wheaton Woods and some Viers Mills are within the walk zone to Wheaton. And especially Wheaton Woods are a long ways from Woodward. But there is a big push to decrease enrollment at Wheaton.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to pause the vote on Woodward now that Wheaton Woods released a statement that they were unaware they would be moved to a high school that is 30 minute drive away for them. Early options did not include that and there was no meaningful outreach to them (in Spanish etc).

Those who live there are too terrified to even come out publically due to things like ICE. The BOE absolutely needs to pause.

Yes, it’s just not right.

[Anonymous]

I really don’t want to hear any more board members complain about the number of meetings they have to attend while all of this is considered. So entitled. They are talking about the lives of hundreds, maybe thousands of students and their families.

[Anonymous]

Split articulation is bad, but being bused away when you live in the walk zone is probably worse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They need to pause the vote on Woodward now that Wheaton Woods released a statement that they were unaware they would be moved to a high school that is 30 minute drive away for them. Early options did not include that and there was no meaningful outreach to them (in Spanish etc).

Those who live there are too terrified to even come out publically due to things like ICE. The BOE absolutely needs to pause.

Yes, it’s just not right.

Folks there are so scared they won’t even have their names anywhere… this isn’t right.

[Anonymous]

Most of the MCPS staff members who made early decisions about Woodward and Crown and the boundary studies are gone.

Enrollment numbers were on a completely different trajectory pre-COVID and MCPS reasonably thought the Covid dip was a blip and would recover. They didn’t plan on Trump II illegally decimating federal employment in our county, and I don’t blame them for not anticipating that.

So now a new Superintendent and new MCPS employees are living with construction approved 6+ years ago and enrollment projections that have changed substantially since the original boundary study plans and scope were approved. They are also dealing with a previous Superintendent’s decision not to include ES boundaries in the current scope.

There is no conspiracy. There are less than ideal conditions and a lack of continuity in decision making as well as questionable data practices. But there’s no conspiracy and anyone who could be said to be responsible has already left. They knew this was going to be a shit-show and they got out before this stage for a reason.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most of the MCPS staff members who made early decisions about Woodward and Crown and the boundary studies are gone.

Enrollment numbers were on a completely different trajectory pre-COVID and MCPS reasonably thought the Covid dip was a blip and would recover. They didn’t plan on Trump II illegally decimating federal employment in our county, and I don’t blame them for not anticipating that.

So now a new Superintendent and new MCPS employees are living with construction approved 6+ years ago and enrollment projections that have changed substantially since the original boundary study plans and scope were approved. They are also dealing with a previous Superintendent’s decision not to include ES boundaries in the current scope.

There is no conspiracy. There are less than ideal conditions and a lack of continuity in decision making as well as questionable data practices. But there’s no conspiracy and anyone who could be said to be responsible has already left. They knew this was going to be a shit-show and they got out before this stage for a reason.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the MCPS staff members who made early decisions about Woodward and Crown and the boundary studies are gone.

Enrollment numbers were on a completely different trajectory pre-COVID and MCPS reasonably thought the Covid dip was a blip and would recover. They didn’t plan on Trump II illegally decimating federal employment in our county, and I don’t blame them for not anticipating that.

So now a new Superintendent and new MCPS employees are living with construction approved 6+ years ago and enrollment projections that have changed substantially since the original boundary study plans and scope were approved. They are also dealing with a previous Superintendent’s decision not to include ES boundaries in the current scope.

There is no conspiracy. There are less than ideal conditions and a lack of continuity in decision making as well as questionable data practices. But there’s no conspiracy and anyone who could be said to be responsible has already left. They knew this was going to be a shit-show and they got out before this stage for a reason.

+1

I get they are in a rock and hard place, but why make it worse? Why not delay and take the time to speak w Wheaton Woods?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the MCPS staff members who made early decisions about Woodward and Crown and the boundary studies are gone.

Enrollment numbers were on a completely different trajectory pre-COVID and MCPS reasonably thought the Covid dip was a blip and would recover. They didn’t plan on Trump II illegally decimating federal employment in our county, and I don’t blame them for not anticipating that.

So now a new Superintendent and new MCPS employees are living with construction approved 6+ years ago and enrollment projections that have changed substantially since the original boundary study plans and scope were approved. They are also dealing with a previous Superintendent’s decision not to include ES boundaries in the current scope.

There is no conspiracy. There are less than ideal conditions and a lack of continuity in decision making as well as questionable data practices. But there’s no conspiracy and anyone who could be said to be responsible has already left. They knew this was going to be a shit-show and they got out before this stage for a reason.

+1

I get they are in a rock and hard place, but why make it worse? Why not delay and take the time to speak w Wheaton Woods?

They knew in July 2024 that Crown wasn’t needed. As such, they didn’t have to break ground and could have released the land back to Gaithersburg or sought an extension. They suggested moving an existing school (Wootton) into Crown in November 2024 after construction was underway - so that it was too late to stop it. To do that, they had to commission a boundary study that would justify moving the Wootton boundary to encompass Crown.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most of the MCPS staff members who made early decisions about Woodward and Crown and the boundary studies are gone.

Enrollment numbers were on a completely different trajectory pre-COVID and MCPS reasonably thought the Covid dip was a blip and would recover. They didn’t plan on Trump II illegally decimating federal employment in our county, and I don’t blame them for not anticipating that.

So now a new Superintendent and new MCPS employees are living with construction approved 6+ years ago and enrollment projections that have changed substantially since the original boundary study plans and scope were approved. They are also dealing with a previous Superintendent’s decision not to include ES boundaries in the current scope.

There is no conspiracy. There are less than ideal conditions and a lack of continuity in decision making as well as questionable data practices. But there’s no conspiracy and anyone who could be said to be responsible has already left. They knew this was going to be a shit-show and they got out before this stage for a reason.

+1

I get they are in a rock and hard place, but why make it worse? Why not delay and take the time to speak w Wheaton Woods?

They knew in July 2024 that Crown wasn’t needed. As such, they didn’t have to break ground and could have released the land back to Gaithersburg or sought an extension. They suggested moving an existing school (Wootton) into Crown in November 2024 after construction was underway - so that it was too late to stop it. To do that, they had to commission a boundary study that would justify moving the Wootton boundary to encompass Crown.

The facts are that there is a nearly finished school that should be used. Conceded that how we got to this point is all messed up. But we ARE at this point, and the BOW should make the best decision possible given those facts.

[Anonymous]

Not including elementary school rezoning in the boundary study really was the worst mistake of all here. It makes the high school rezoning harder plus now we need another costly and contentious redistricting process for the elementary school study, which will also probably be harder since they'll try to maintain the high school assignments from this study, which were maybe not the most logical choices because they were required to maintain the current elementary school assignments.

[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:Without question, it will all pass and all the BOE members will vote for it.

It will pass, but you might get a few BOE members who are nominated to perform and cast a no vote to make the public believe their petitions and protests made a difference.

If they cast unanimous votes it’ll validate the rubber stamping criticism they insist is not reality.

You seem to think there is a wide-ranging conspiracy that involves the superintendent and the entire BOE to do...what exactly? What is their motivation to conspire together and make this choice if it is not the one they think is best for the whole county?

It’s not a conspiracy theory if it turns out to be true. Then again, MCPS will say “oh well, too late now.”

The chronology of events and other evidence appear to show that the decision was made before community engagement.

You are convinced they’re right, so you have a clear bias. I guess the ends justify the means in your mind - laws and regulations don’t matter, and apparently the views of those most affected don’t either.

Sounds rather authoritarian.

None of this tracks, or answers the question.

Why would all of these people collude to do something “wrong.” What is the motivation?

MCPS had a $300M+ parcel with a 20-year deadline and no comparable land available—but not the data to justify a new high school. Now, instead of rethinking that decision, they’re proposing to close a 55-year-old school to make Crown work. That’s not planning—that’s backfilling a decision that was already made.

PP here. So they are trying to make the best decision today, given poor decisions in the past?

I'm OK with that. That is not a conspiracy or wrongdoing.

I'm not making the argument that H is the objectively best option (though I do think it likely is). I'm trying to get at the view that there is conspiracy/collusion, rather than a difference of opinion...

So you’re okay with what MCPS did in the past, and you’re okay with all of MCPS’ failures in pushing Option H.

I guess you’re okay with what the guy in the White House is doing - he thinks it’s the right thing to do as well.

Fortunately, courts don’t look at things that way.

You aren't making sense.

I don't need to be OK with past decisions to be OK with current decisions that are influenced by prior decisions.

And since you want to make this somehow about the White House- when the Biden administration took actions that were needed to clean up from the prior administration's actions, does that mean Biden was "OK with" those actions?

But you are okay with those past decisions, otherwise you would be calling for many MCPS people to be fired for mismanagement, and not allowing them to make any more decisions. Instead you are supporting the new decisions made by the same people who made those poor decisions.

As for current decisions, you’re okay with those too, even if MCPS has to allegedly break the law to push them through.

Finally, as for the guy in the White House, you missed the point. If the guy in charge thinks it’s the right decision, your position is that he is automatically 100% correct and must not be questioned (or sued).

Talk about living 1984 - “The party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command."

OK, so this is the definition of moving the goal posts.

1. You agree that people can and do often have to make current day decisions that are influenced by prior bad decisions, right? OK.

2. I don't have to call for people to be fired to think a bad decision was made. Bad decisions get made all the time. Have you publicly called for firing of people every time you disagree with a decision in your professional and personal life? I doubt it.

3. I never said anything at all like what you are saying about the WH. I never said people should not be questions. There is a difference between agreeing with somebody and saying that nobody should ever question them. You know this.

4. And I can be against baseless lawsuits in general. That has nothing to do with claiming anybody is immune from lawsuit. In fact, I oppose many lawsuits filed by the guy in the WH himself on the grounds that they are baseless.

You have no logic here. You are just attacking people who disagree with you.

My logic is sound. Let the courts sort this out.

And for the record, I have fired people for making bad decisions based on flawed data or a failure to get accurate data. I most certainly do not give them another chance to screw up.

I'll take this as a concession since you don't dispute anything I wrote.

Not that you are conceding Option H is the best choice, but conceding that reasonable minds may differ without those on the other side being either apologists for prior decisions or authoritarian-sympathizing peons.

Take things however you want. My logic is sound and I do dispute what you wrote. Under your view, everything MCPS does must be assumed correct- even though they created the very mess they’re allegedly trying to solve (by making it worse, but covering their tails).