Got the MD Board of Education absentee ballot today. Who will be least likely to raise taxes?
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Anonymous
The fact that his race matters to you motivates me more to vote for Austin. You couldn't have just said a man who lives in Bethesda who works in finance...yadda yadda. Like his race is somehow pertinent? |
Anonymous
? how does ^^PP's opinion on race motivate you to vote for Austin? You are motivated to vote for a white male because someone said race of the candidate matters? Is this like "owning the libs"? |
Anonymous
A large part of the dispute about the boundary analysis is the question: how should the demographics of the student body affect school boundaries and school boundary change decisions? Race is baked into this part of the dispute. And Steve Austin got involved in the dispute about the boundary analysis specifically because he thought that the demographics of the student body should NOT affect school boundaries or school boundary change decisions. So yeah, his race is pertinent. |
Anonymous
+1, growing up Germantown and beyond were all farm land. Even parts of upper Rockville and Gaithersburg were farm land. Sometime has to give when you change those farms and open land into housing and later high density housing. They are building so many apartment and condos that the schools and roads cannot keep up. No one thought this through and Austin is only in it for himself. We need to rework all the boundaries to make the existing schools work and focus on rebuilding and repairing those that need it. If you can afford to live in a million dollar house and you don't like it, pay for private. |
Anonymous
+1. And he's selectively picking parts of the report which are most aligned to his position. His tweet is based on one chart about the single-nearest school to each school, which is a much narrower scope than looking at several adjacent/nearby schools, which the report also does. If he had read a few pages further, he would see that it says "Comparing the difference of only two schools may give us an incomplete picture of the utilization conditions around a school. It is informative to look at disparities among groups of closest schools." And "It is important to consider a wider number of schools than just the nearest school for several reasons, including factors such as island assignments that complicate the idea of the “nearest” school." I encourage everyone interested in this topic to read the report for themselves. Page 123 is the beginning of the relevant section: https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/publicinfo/Boundary_Analysis/interim-report/MCPS_InterimReport_Full.pdf |
Anonymous
Really? Where's all the discussion about Ahadpour? Or Chaudry? Or Geller? Odongo? Osorio? |
Anonymous
That's it? Is there some weirdo national security reason we couldn't be told this awhile ago? |
Anonymous
Clearly, Austin is a polarizing candidate, and that is why there is so much discussion around him. Maybe the others aren't so polarizing. |
Anonymous
I am waiting to hear your opinions about those candidates. |
Anonymous
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Mr. Austin wants community voices to be heard when decisions are made. The community (parent, student, and teacher voices) should be part of the decision. The conclusion should reflect these decisions and public comment should have a meaningful impact on the results.
in Austin's analysis of WXY data he looks at adjacent clusters. The most he sees that can move from adjacent clusters, which the Board said they would prioritize, is 3400 students. This includes more than the nearest elementary, middle, or high school. Opportunities to reduce overcrowding include choice programs, reopening closed MCPS facilities, the builder's putting in money toward school construction, putting on additions rather than totally new schools, and distance learning for example. The Board has eight members with many years combined of PTA and teaching experience. Mr. Austin's dedication and skills in analyzing data, doing research, and making sure that individual parents and teachers and students are heard would be an excellent complement to the skills of the others on the Board. |
Anonymous
The Board has 7 adult members and 1 student member. Here are the 7 adult members: 1. a financial analyst (Shebra Evans) 2. a lawyer (Brenda Wolff) 3. a retired principal (Jeanette Dixon - she didn't run for re-election, and Steve Austin and 12 other people are running to fill her seat) 4. a retired principal (Judy Docca) 5. a school board member (Pat O'Neill) 6. a Montgomery College administrator (Karla Silvestre) 7. a former legislative aide (Rebecca Smondrowski) Characterizing these various members of various backgrounds - all women - as having "many years of PTA and teaching experience," and then saying that they would benefit from Steve Austin's quantitative skills (and total lack of volunteer experience) - ick. |
Anonymous
| Also, "public comment should have a meaningful impact on the results" means "people who are used to getting their way should get their way, otherwise they will kick up a huge fuss." |
Anonymous
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Really? Where's all the discussion about Ahadpour? Or Chaudry? Or Geller? Odongo? Osorio? I am waiting to hear your opinions about those candidates.
Not the PP you asked, but: Ahadpour: Primary care dr, FDA. 2 MCPS grads, 1 current. Attended MCPS schools herself (she's a local). Advocates for no boundary changes, doesn't like boundary study process that just happened. Similar views to Austin but no evidence of polarizing behavior that I've seen. PTA roles; MoCo Medical Society volunteer. Top issues: using evidence-based practices, addressing drug abuse/mental health. Chaudry: DHS, veteran, served multiple tours in Iraq. Child of educators, 3 kids in MCPS, no MCPS volunteering. Top issues: data driven analysis of results (defund programs w/o results); safe/orderly learning enviros, countywide responsibility for achievement gap. Wants period boundary studies (dropping current one) to prioritize, in order: proximity; reduced transit times; limit split articulation/provide compact feeder patterns; diversity: build flexibility to reduce community opportunity gaps; optimize the usage of existing facilities; ensure school assignment stability. Geller: MCPS kids, but answered Q oddly so unclear how many. MCCPTA pres/VP programs, lots of PTA roles. Top issues: boundaries to "rethink how best to utilize existing schools to accommodate all 166K students"; achievement gap, overburdensome testing, college/career readiness. Odongo: didn't respond to Bethesda Magazine Q&A Osorio: 18 month old DD. Former school social worker, now works at prog for children wi severe special needs. Political volunteerism. Top issue: opportunity gap which he will solve by a) Grow-Your-Own (MCPS students into teachers) & b) commitment to the “3 C’s”: career, college, and community. Wants to use data from boundary study to inform next steps, thinks there should have been > transparency. Why didn't you ask about Lynne Harris or Darwin Romero? or Thomas? (I'm assuming you deliberately left the 2 young tutors off the list). Harris: MCPS kids, answered question oddly so unclear how many. Current MCCPTA Pres, has held many prior MCCPTA positions. Top issue: "provide consistency in academic courses/opportunities, uniform excellence in delivery of them, access for all." Sort of an equality of outcomes message imo. Flags lack of transparency/community engagement but pro use of data to redo boundaries. Pro community schools for high FARMS. Romero: MCPS parent. Not sure if he volunteered for MCPS or CBO Latino groups but 2 of them. Top issue: culturally competent diverse administrators/teachers. Boundary study overdue but poorly handled process. Thomas: MCPS parent. Govt lawyer, FDA. Lots of PTA roles. Thinks current boundary study not objective/transparent. Independent audit of Title I/FARMs progs. Pro universal PreK. No to raising salary. Bethesda Q&A has links to all of their websites. |
Anonymous
For someone who wants "community voices heard" he doesn't seem to have an issue shutting down naysayers on his FB page. If Mr. Austin analyzed the WXY data then he should be aware that we currently have some f*dup crazy boundaries, and we should have those boundaries redrawn, and that some 30% to 40% of students do not go to their closest schools, ie neighborhood schools. Austin should be glad that the boundary analysis was done which shows these issues in our current boundaries. We already have choices programs, yet, we still have overcrowded schools. How many parents in the W clusters would want their children to choose to go to Watkins Mill? Re-opening closed facilities - sure, but you can't just open it as they are. It does require money to get them up to date, and it would still require redrawing boundaries, and that means looking at the adjacent clusters. I don't think most parents would want distance learning as a permanent solution. If Austin is all for it, I'm wondering if he finds the current distance learning to be great for his child. Mr Austin's experience in investments does not mean that he knows anything about budgets. Those are two different skill sets. Mr Austin has zero experience in education, not even volunteering. That does not show me he cares about educating all kids in this county. If he wants a job as a number cruncher in MCPS, then go for it. But, the BOE needs people who understands the educational needs of our students. You don't have to be a policy wonk, or an educator, but I do expect someone who says they care about the education of our kids to have at least volunteered in his kids' schools. |
Anonymous
| Are the developers not required to pay for new schools prior to approvals granted? |