WaPo: How D.C. and its teachers, with shifting plans and demands, failed to reopen schools

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Plenty of blame to go around. I'm never voting for Bowser again, I can say that. I'm also angry with the union and can't believe how poorly they've handled this entire situation. But it's the unions job to advocate for teachers (I personally do not think they did a good job with it). It's the mayor's and chancellor's job to negotiate with the union, to communicate with parents, to build coalitions and to solve difficult logistical issues. That's the job. It pays pretty well and people beg to to get it. Sorry it's hard?

One thing the article points out is just how bad the city's messaging to parents was, how little outreach they did to build support for reopening. I attended some of the town halls they mention in the article and had the same takeaways as the parents they interviewed -- it was hard to ask questions, and when we did, we got unsatisfactory answers that only made me wary of reopening. And that's as a parent who really wanted schools to reopen and believes the science supports it! But I had real misgivings about DCPS's ability to do it in a way that not only protected teachers, but protected my kid and the rest of my family.

So I'm angry with the union, but I'm not going to pretend like teachers were the only ones who wanted some answers to basic questions about how this would work and was disturbed (though not surprised) by how few answers we were given. And the article also points out that once schools did not reopen in September, families scrambled to figure out other arrangements. Those arrangements were largely not great, but they were a known quantity. So when DCPS started talking about CARES classrooms and limited reopening, but had very few details or actionable plans in place, a lot of parents who do want schools open (me included) were not sure if it was worth the risk to cancel those plans and take a flyer on the district's half baked plan.

Anyway, it's a cluster that has me wondering if we can even stay in the district. We can't afford private and I don't think homeschool is a real option for us. Maybe we switch to a charter (I never thought I'd say that). Or maybe we just move. I've never loved DCPS but this experience has left me hating it, and I don't know if I can spend the next decade plus hating the school district we are part of.

I agree with most of this. I have tried to have faith in DCPS and they have let me down time and time again. It is all lip service - pretending to care about poor kids which is really their excuse to do nothing. The mayor may be good at somethings but does a crap job with education. OSSE is filled with patronage jobs which is why it is utterly useless. Not sure what the deputy mayor of Ed does with his time. This chancellor is unfortunately way worse than our last one. There are no winners in this situation. We all lose.

[Anonymous]

Wow! What a disaster! I don’t understand why DCPS kept the principals in the dark. Then they fired the popular Walls principal and all hell broke loose. Why did they keep shooting themselves in the foot so many times. The principal of our school is very transparent about how much she hates DCPS Central.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plenty of blame to go around. I'm never voting for Bowser again, I can say that. I'm also angry with the union and can't believe how poorly they've handled this entire situation. But it's the unions job to advocate for teachers (I personally do not think they did a good job with it). It's the mayor's and chancellor's job to negotiate with the union, to communicate with parents, to build coalitions and to solve difficult logistical issues. That's the job. It pays pretty well and people beg to to get it. Sorry it's hard?

One thing the article points out is just how bad the city's messaging to parents was, how little outreach they did to build support for reopening. I attended some of the town halls they mention in the article and had the same takeaways as the parents they interviewed -- it was hard to ask questions, and when we did, we got unsatisfactory answers that only made me wary of reopening. And that's as a parent who really wanted schools to reopen and believes the science supports it! But I had real misgivings about DCPS's ability to do it in a way that not only protected teachers, but protected my kid and the rest of my family.

So I'm angry with the union, but I'm not going to pretend like teachers were the only ones who wanted some answers to basic questions about how this would work and was disturbed (though not surprised) by how few answers we were given. And the article also points out that once schools did not reopen in September, families scrambled to figure out other arrangements. Those arrangements were largely not great, but they were a known quantity. So when DCPS started talking about CARES classrooms and limited reopening, but had very few details or actionable plans in place, a lot of parents who do want schools open (me included) were not sure if it was worth the risk to cancel those plans and take a flyer on the district's half baked plan.

Anyway, it's a cluster that has me wondering if we can even stay in the district. We can't afford private and I don't think homeschool is a real option for us. Maybe we switch to a charter (I never thought I'd say that). Or maybe we just move. I've never loved DCPS but this experience has left me hating it, and I don't know if I can spend the next decade plus hating the school district we are part of.

Agree with a not of what you said, but my kid’s DC charter school is still closed, too. They won’t do shit until DCPS reopens. And unless you leave the area altogether, there’s nowhere to go. MCPS, FCPS, APS—all closed too. I feel hopeless. There’s nowhere to go.

This is a good post and as a real DCPS elementary parent, I agree with a lot of it.

As someone who is very skeptical of the mayor and chancellor, I have joined Empower Ed, which is building a teacher-parent effort to fight for a directly elected school board or chancellor.

Having a single elected official focused on education builds accountability.
The mayor handles a lot of issues and even if she screws up education people will vote for her for other issues.
An elected chancellor is ONLY about education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Howard County is the same and a hot.hot.mess

They aren’t even planning to go back until 12/21.

Really, December 2021?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting. Disgusted with the teachers. No civic duty.

"Civic duty." LOL. Teachers are not your babysitters in a pandemic. They provide education via DL. If you need childcare, hire it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean... This really lays the blame about 75% with the Union. The Mayor miscalculated politically and failed to engage enough with interested parties and to sell the plan... But the WTU really seems to have operated in bad faith throughout. Wow.

Oh shut up. Teachers are too underpaid for this, even in DC. Quit with the 100k BS, the average is 60k. 20 years to get to 100k is NOTHING.

Boo hoo nurses have been working in person, ok what does that have to do with teachers specifically. What do hospitals and schools have in common besides corrupt leaders, unfair pay for the backbones (nurses, teachers)?

And wow only 39% of teachers did the sick out and you all were acting like it was 80-90%. In case you suck at math 39% isn't even half. The mayor KNEW what would happen if she didn't include the WTU in the beginning.

I am a preschool teacher who went back and then got covid, I survived (likely because I am 24 and healthy) and I'm not going back without a vaccine.
4 years of pay freezes, a classroom whose lights won't turn off, broken heater and air conditioner, broken toilet, no pull ups, etc. but woooooow we have an HVAC. FU. Fix our schools!

Wow. You’re clearly reacting to posters that aren’t me, but literally none of that responds to my actual point. You can think teachers shouldn’t go back for safety reasons (although it’s not just nurses, obviously, it’s like 70% of all employees in DC at the moment), but that doesn’t change the fact that the WTU appears to have negotiated in bad faith. Nothing in your diatribe suggests otherwise. By the way, blaming the WTU isn’t the same as blaming every individual teacher. But, also, you clearly have no idea where you got COVID and have constructed a narrative in your head about where you probably got it. It doesn’t really work like that.

Oh, look, the oh-so-convenient I Bet You Didn't Even Get It At School lie.

Nope. Sorry. Try again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean... This really lays the blame about 75% with the Union. The Mayor miscalculated politically and failed to engage enough with interested parties and to sell the plan... But the WTU really seems to have operated in bad faith throughout. Wow.

Oh shut up. Teachers are too underpaid for this, even in DC. Quit with the 100k BS, the average is 60k. 20 years to get to 100k is NOTHING.

Boo hoo nurses have been working in person, ok what does that have to do with teachers specifically. What do hospitals and schools have in common besides corrupt leaders, unfair pay for the backbones (nurses, teachers)?

And wow only 39% of teachers did the sick out and you all were acting like it was 80-90%. In case you suck at math 39% isn't even half. The mayor KNEW what would happen if she didn't include the WTU in the beginning.

I am a preschool teacher who went back and then got covid, I survived (likely because I am 24 and healthy) and I'm not going back without a vaccine.
4 years of pay freezes, a classroom whose lights won't turn off, broken heater and air conditioner, broken toilet, no pull ups, etc. but woooooow we have an HVAC. FU. Fix our schools!

Wow. You’re clearly reacting to posters that aren’t me, but literally none of that responds to my actual point. You can think teachers shouldn’t go back for safety reasons (although it’s not just nurses, obviously, it’s like 70% of all employees in DC at the moment), but that doesn’t change the fact that the WTU appears to have negotiated in bad faith. Nothing in your diatribe suggests otherwise. By the way, blaming the WTU isn’t the same as blaming every individual teacher. But, also, you clearly have no idea where you got COVID and have constructed a narrative in your head about where you probably got it. It doesn’t really work like that.

You're part of the issue, nasty white parent who has no idea about the history of DCPS and it's teachers.
It is not 70% but sure even if it was I really don't care. And the WTU represents teachers thus your comment is about teachers. I don't really care about what you think about me individually.

Also I assume I got it from school because I do not go out and when I do there's really no people around. My husband works from home, pretty simple.

You don't care about children, you just care about b*tching since now you can't gossip about other mundane things. If you cared you'd complain about the state many of our schools are in.

Wow. You mentioned in a previous post you were thinking about quitting to accept another job or be a SAHM. I think it’s time you took a break from teaching if you’re this angry. It’s not good for you, the school you’re in, or anyone in your classroom. Yes, everyone was correct, teaching is a thankless job. Get out of it.

When you snottily demand that any teacher who doesn't kiss your rear end or do your bidding quit, who's going to replace them in all these classrooms? You?

Yeah, I didn't think so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean... This really lays the blame about 75% with the Union. The Mayor miscalculated politically and failed to engage enough with interested parties and to sell the plan... But the WTU really seems to have operated in bad faith throughout. Wow.

Oh shut up. Teachers are too underpaid for this, even in DC. Quit with the 100k BS, the average is 60k. 20 years to get to 100k is NOTHING.

Boo hoo nurses have been working in person, ok what does that have to do with teachers specifically. What do hospitals and schools have in common besides corrupt leaders, unfair pay for the backbones (nurses, teachers)?

And wow only 39% of teachers did the sick out and you all were acting like it was 80-90%. In case you suck at math 39% isn't even half. The mayor KNEW what would happen if she didn't include the WTU in the beginning.

I am a preschool teacher who went back and then got covid, I survived (likely because I am 24 and healthy) and I'm not going back without a vaccine.
4 years of pay freezes, a classroom whose lights won't turn off, broken heater and air conditioner, broken toilet, no pull ups, etc. but woooooow we have an HVAC. FU. Fix our schools!

Wow. You’re clearly reacting to posters that aren’t me, but literally none of that responds to my actual point. You can think teachers shouldn’t go back for safety reasons (although it’s not just nurses, obviously, it’s like 70% of all employees in DC at the moment), but that doesn’t change the fact that the WTU appears to have negotiated in bad faith. Nothing in your diatribe suggests otherwise. By the way, blaming the WTU isn’t the same as blaming every individual teacher. But, also, you clearly have no idea where you got COVID and have constructed a narrative in your head about where you probably got it. It doesn’t really work like that.

You're part of the issue, nasty white parent who has no idea about the history of DCPS and it's teachers.
It is not 70% but sure even if it was I really don't care. And the WTU represents teachers thus your comment is about teachers. I don't really care about what you think about me individually.

Also I assume I got it from school because I do not go out and when I do there's really no people around. My husband works from home, pretty simple.

You don't care about children, you just care about b*tching since now you can't gossip about other mundane things. If you cared you'd complain about the state many of our schools are in.

Wow. You mentioned in a previous post you were thinking about quitting to accept another job or be a SAHM. I think it’s time you took a break from teaching if you’re this angry. It’s not good for you, the school you’re in, or anyone in your classroom. Yes, everyone was correct, teaching is a thankless job. Get out of it.

Encouraging a teacher to quit while simultaneously begging for schools to reopen is counterintuitive. If a teacher quits now in January, during a pandemic, no one is replacing them. There are numerous vacancies in the district already with no one to fill them.

You’re right, teaching is a thankless job. Not many people want to do it, let’s value the people who do.

But the poster you are referencing clearly does not and is fed up so for the sake of metal health and well being she should act in her own best interest.

Yes, because we all believe that you care oh-so-deeply about that teacher's "mental health." You are fooling no one with a brain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s gotten to the point where teachers need to be told to go back to the classroom or be fired. Enough is enough.

I'm so very glad that it's not your decision, and that it's not by popular vote. Smarter heads prevail.

[Anonymous]

Someone woke up angry ready to fire off a series of retorts...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting. Disgusted with the teachers. No civic duty.

"Civic duty." LOL. Teachers are not your babysitters in a pandemic. They provide education via DL. If you need childcare, hire it.

+1000000

Teachers are not babysitters dude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting. Disgusted with the teachers. No civic duty.

"Civic duty." LOL. Teachers are not your babysitters in a pandemic. They provide education via DL. If you need childcare, hire it.

No moron, the funds allocated to spending per pupil include childcare. Therefore the school should credit parents so they can spend it if the school are not able to provide it.

[Anonymous]

I don’t claim to be an expert on DC politics, but I will say that Bowser DESPISES charters and has never pretended otherwise. To suggest she prefers them over publics is totally bizarre. WTU is trying to distract from the core truth of the article OP posted: Our children were the victims of bad faith union bargaining.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting. Disgusted with the teachers. No civic duty.

"Civic duty." LOL. Teachers are not your babysitters in a pandemic. They provide education via DL. If you need childcare, hire it.

+1000000

Teachers are not babysitters dude.

And the "Teacher Babysitter" loser is back.

Head over to the unemployment line, please. I think that the pandemic has shown has us that there is a contingent of teachers who are so very bad at actual TEACHING that they consider themselves babysitters, because that is all that they do. And tax dollars are enabling them to do nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Disgusting. Disgusted with the teachers. No civic duty.

"Civic duty." LOL. Teachers are not your babysitters in a pandemic. They provide education via DL. If you need childcare, hire it.

+1000000

Teachers are not babysitters dude.

NP. Why would you assume "civic duty" refers to babysitting? Teachers' civic duty lies in providing *effective* education and help facilitate social growth for kids in a school environment. Virtual teaching is not effective for most kids, and deprives them of the social learning integral to the school experience.