Dr. X may not really have a doctorate?

[Anonymous]

Assuming this isn’t a troll I’d just block the email and let the office staff/admin know what was up so they didn’t accidentally grant her any access to the school.

[Anonymous]

Hi -

Not sure if you are aware, but your PhD in Education studies does not appear on the Virginia Department of Education licensing website.

https://vadoe.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx?facility=N

It looks like you just renewed your license in June of this year (since it doesn't expire until 2032).

I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate -- I did ask XXXX and XXXX last December, but they couldn't tell me.

Anyway - since this database is accessible to the public -- thought you should know that your teaching license isn't reflecting your doctorate.

"I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate. Instead of taking this very obvious step, I instead asked your bosses when I was accusing you of lying about it and then I kept googling you and searching data bases in my free time because I know what kinds of things really matter, like the impending climate disaster, starving children, a global tilt toward fascism, and of course, whether or not you really have a doctorate. Silly me to skip the obvious first step of asking you directly, but you forgive me, right 'Dr.' X? Anyway, since you are obviously lying about your degree and for some reason no one else is willing to spend hours of their lives devoted to investigating this enormous perversion of justice, I thought I'd circle back around until I'd resolved The Case of the Mysterious Degree myself. You're welcome for this email that I'm sure feels very warm and not at all weird and invasive!"

[FCPSAlumnowMom]

Anonymous wrote:

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn’t lie to FCPS or VDOE based on your OP, so it’s not a licensing/credentials issue. Just write her an email and tell her to stop doing this if it’s so important to you. This isn’t something to report to anyone.

Yes - I think this makes sense. As the PP asked - what consequences do I want? Or the other PP who said what a fool I will feel when it turns out she does have a doctorate and just doesn't want to report it --

I think I would feel GREAT if it turns out VADOE was wrong. YAY - she can report it and get a pay raise!!
And if she really doesn't have it -- I think I would just like to see her be called Ms. or Mrs. X.

That's it -- order restored. No "alternative facts" -- no playing doctor.

So I sent her an email this morning -- and referenced that I did talk to both of her Assistant Principals last year about this.
****************************

Hi -

Not sure if you are aware, but your PhD in Education studies does not appear on the Virginia Department of Education licensing website.

https://vadoe.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx?facility=N

It looks like you just renewed your license in June of this year (since it doesn't expire until 2032).

I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate -- I did ask XXXX and XXXX last December, but they couldn't tell me.

Anyway - since this database is accessible to the public -- thought you should know that your teaching license isn't reflecting your doctorate.
*************************************

PP who asked why I had not just asked her before - well, given all the stuff that went on her in classroom -- things she would tell me about my child (or was said about other kids) that could not be corroborated by other teachers etc -- I figured she wouldn't necessarily tell me anyway -- so I let it go from last December.
I didn't see this VADOC website database until someone on DC URBAN MOM posted about it this summer or so in reference to teachers being hired with provisional licensing etc. That's when I looked her up and found that she didn't have a PhD or EdD listed.

oh my GOD. This HAS to be satire. Right?

I understand your curiosity, but you reached out to the administration last year, right? That's the only action you can take. At this point, now that your kids are out of the school, it seems really odd to circle back with the teacher. The administration either determined it wasn't even worth looking into, or they looked into it and were satisfied. For you to be like, but that's not good enough for me as the random parent of your former student, is not your place. If you think admin didn't handle it correctly and there's actually a teacher with a master's insisting everyone call her doctor because she's a delusional weirdo, then you can take it higher up the chain.

The way you are handling and writing about it makes it seem like a weird obsession based on jealousy.

So the administration I reached to last year is gone -- the assistant principal left in January for a new school and the "acting" assistant principal didn't get (or want?) the job -- not sure she 's in FCPS any more even. She specifically told me she had no idea where the degree was from and that was something FCPS handles for the school.

Jealousy? No - don't think it's that. I know enough about her professional and personal life that I cannot think of anything I would want to trade in her life -- well, she's taller than me -- that would be nice?

I think I'm more concerned that she holds herself out there as a PhD and yet won't list from where on Social Media or with the county... not sure how that's a great look for a teacher of elementary students.

You seem very fixated on how she presents herself to students and how she views her job, and you definitely connect this to why you need to wage this one woman war.

I'm betting she has a PhD and there's just some recording error. Why? Because she would have stopped asking people to call her Dr. when you started sniffing around, or the school would have told her to stop calling herself that. She would have seen that you are a dog with a bone and she'd better bury the bone real quick.

I assume she just got your email and laughed and forwarded it around for others to laugh at as well.

One time I was a grown woman teaching high school and I left an hour early to catch a plane to Paris for spring break. I wasn't bragging about my plans but when the students asked where I was going, I told them. I came back engaged. I didn't mention how or when or where I got engaged.

Then the vice principal called me in to tell me that a squeaky wheel parent had complained that I was immoral because I had clearly gone off to Paris with some man I wasn't married to. She told me that no one took this woman seriously and not to worry, she would handle it for me. She reminded me to of course not talk about my personal life with my students, but I never did so there was nothing for me to change.

You are coming across like this parent, except at least I could understand if you were some puritanical pearl clutcher you might believe that traveling with a man you are just about to become engaged to might be contagious and corrupt your child. That parent felt real fear, though it was invasive, unfair, and holding me to some religious standard that was outside her right when it comes to public school teachers. I don't understand why you are feeling fear or outrage about this.

You get one life, OP. It's good to fight righteous battles, but you are tilting at windmills here.

Again - your marital status, or lack there of, shouldn't have a direct impact on your ability to teach. Saying you have a PhD in Educational Studies, if you don't does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Hi -

Not sure if you are aware, but your PhD in Education studies does not appear on the Virginia Department of Education licensing website.

https://vadoe.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx?facility=N

It looks like you just renewed your license in June of this year (since it doesn't expire until 2032).

I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate -- I did ask XXXX and XXXX last December, but they couldn't tell me.

Anyway - since this database is accessible to the public -- thought you should know that your teaching license isn't reflecting your doctorate.

"I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate. Instead of taking this very obvious step, I instead asked your bosses when I was accusing you of lying about it and then I kept googling you and searching data bases in my free time because I know what kinds of things really matter, like the impending climate disaster, starving children, a global tilt toward fascism, and of course, whether or not you really have a doctorate. Silly me to skip the obvious first step of asking you directly, but you forgive me, right 'Dr.' X? Anyway, since you are obviously lying about your degree and for some reason no one else is willing to spend hours of their lives devoted to investigating this enormous perversion of justice, I thought I'd circle back around until I'd resolved The Case of the Mysterious Degree myself. You're welcome for this email that I'm sure feels very warm and not at all weird and invasive!"

This person isn’t your child’s teacher anymore? Or even a teacher at the child’s school?
There would be no way in hell I would answer your email in that situation.

[Anonymous]

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just mind your own business. You seriously need to go to therapy to see why this is bothering you so much. Move on with your life.

YES! But isn't "my business" the education my kids are receiving/have received??

In therapy - professional recommendation was that I share this with the school, the school board, or even let her know that her PhD is not showing as part of her license so that I can work on letting it go-

Of course this was coming from a professional who takes licensing and such pretty seriously in general. So, posted here to see what other parents might do.

Turns out -- majority seems to think it's totally ok for a teacher to call herself whatever she wants and the real problem is that I care!

Wait, you are so bothered by the fact that your child's FORMER teacher might be misusing a professional title that you are discussing this in therapy?

I am very glad to hear that you are in therapy, but I am concerned that this issue with the teacher is apparently your #1 concern. Wow.

[Anonymous]

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn’t lie to FCPS or VDOE based on your OP, so it’s not a licensing/credentials issue. Just write her an email and tell her to stop doing this if it’s so important to you. This isn’t something to report to anyone.

Yes - I think this makes sense. As the PP asked - what consequences do I want? Or the other PP who said what a fool I will feel when it turns out she does have a doctorate and just doesn't want to report it --

I think I would feel GREAT if it turns out VADOE was wrong. YAY - she can report it and get a pay raise!!
And if she really doesn't have it -- I think I would just like to see her be called Ms. or Mrs. X.

That's it -- order restored. No "alternative facts" -- no playing doctor.

So I sent her an email this morning -- and referenced that I did talk to both of her Assistant Principals last year about this.
****************************

Hi -

Not sure if you are aware, but your PhD in Education studies does not appear on the Virginia Department of Education licensing website.

https://vadoe.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx?facility=N

It looks like you just renewed your license in June of this year (since it doesn't expire until 2032).

I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate -- I did ask XXXX and XXXX last December, but they couldn't tell me.

Anyway - since this database is accessible to the public -- thought you should know that your teaching license isn't reflecting your doctorate.
*************************************

PP who asked why I had not just asked her before - well, given all the stuff that went on her in classroom -- things she would tell me about my child (or was said about other kids) that could not be corroborated by other teachers etc -- I figured she wouldn't necessarily tell me anyway -- so I let it go from last December.
I didn't see this VADOC website database until someone on DC URBAN MOM posted about it this summer or so in reference to teachers being hired with provisional licensing etc. That's when I looked her up and found that she didn't have a PhD or EdD listed.

oh my GOD. This HAS to be satire. Right?

I understand your curiosity, but you reached out to the administration last year, right? That's the only action you can take. At this point, now that your kids are out of the school, it seems really odd to circle back with the teacher. The administration either determined it wasn't even worth looking into, or they looked into it and were satisfied. For you to be like, but that's not good enough for me as the random parent of your former student, is not your place. If you think admin didn't handle it correctly and there's actually a teacher with a master's insisting everyone call her doctor because she's a delusional weirdo, then you can take it higher up the chain.

The way you are handling and writing about it makes it seem like a weird obsession based on jealousy.

So the administration I reached to last year is gone -- the assistant principal left in January for a new school and the "acting" assistant principal didn't get (or want?) the job -- not sure she 's in FCPS any more even. She specifically told me she had no idea where the degree was from and that was something FCPS handles for the school.

Jealousy? No - don't think it's that. I know enough about her professional and personal life that I cannot think of anything I would want to trade in her life -- well, she's taller than me -- that would be nice?

I think I'm more concerned that she holds herself out there as a PhD and yet won't list from where on Social Media or with the county... not sure how that's a great look for a teacher of elementary students.

You seem very fixated on how she presents herself to students and how she views her job, and you definitely connect this to why you need to wage this one woman war.

I'm betting she has a PhD and there's just some recording error. Why? Because she would have stopped asking people to call her Dr. when you started sniffing around, or the school would have told her to stop calling herself that. She would have seen that you are a dog with a bone and she'd better bury the bone real quick.

I assume she just got your email and laughed and forwarded it around for others to laugh at as well.

One time I was a grown woman teaching high school and I left an hour early to catch a plane to Paris for spring break. I wasn't bragging about my plans but when the students asked where I was going, I told them. I came back engaged. I didn't mention how or when or where I got engaged.

Then the vice principal called me in to tell me that a squeaky wheel parent had complained that I was immoral because I had clearly gone off to Paris with some man I wasn't married to. She told me that no one took this woman seriously and not to worry, she would handle it for me. She reminded me to of course not talk about my personal life with my students, but I never did so there was nothing for me to change.

You are coming across like this parent, except at least I could understand if you were some puritanical pearl clutcher you might believe that traveling with a man you are just about to become engaged to might be contagious and corrupt your child. That parent felt real fear, though it was invasive, unfair, and holding me to some religious standard that was outside her right when it comes to public school teachers. I don't understand why you are feeling fear or outrage about this.

You get one life, OP. It's good to fight righteous battles, but you are tilting at windmills here.

Again - your marital status, or lack there of, shouldn't have a direct impact on your ability to teach. Saying you have a PhD in Educational Studies, if you don't does.

At this point you're not just accusing the teacher of lying; you're accusing the school of knowing that she's lying and doing nothing. A school your kids don't even go to anymore.

[FCPSAlumnowMom]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Hi -

Not sure if you are aware, but your PhD in Education studies does not appear on the Virginia Department of Education licensing website.

https://vadoe.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx?facility=N

It looks like you just renewed your license in June of this year (since it doesn't expire until 2032).

I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate -- I did ask XXXX and XXXX last December, but they couldn't tell me.

Anyway - since this database is accessible to the public -- thought you should know that your teaching license isn't reflecting your doctorate.

"I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate. Instead of taking this very obvious step, I instead asked your bosses when I was accusing you of lying about it and then I kept googling you and searching data bases in my free time because I know what kinds of things really matter, like the impending climate disaster, starving children, a global tilt toward fascism, and of course, whether or not you really have a doctorate. Silly me to skip the obvious first step of asking you directly, but you forgive me, right 'Dr.' X? Anyway, since you are obviously lying about your degree and for some reason no one else is willing to spend hours of their lives devoted to investigating this enormous perversion of justice, I thought I'd circle back around until I'd resolved The Case of the Mysterious Degree myself. You're welcome for this email that I'm sure feels very warm and not at all weird and invasive!"

This person isn’t your child’s teacher anymore? Or even a teacher at the child’s school?
There would be no way in hell I would answer your email in that situation.

I didn't ask for a response.

My message, listed earlier in this thread, said I was just letting her know that the database is not reflecting her doctorate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn’t lie to FCPS or VDOE based on your OP, so it’s not a licensing/credentials issue. Just write her an email and tell her to stop doing this if it’s so important to you. This isn’t something to report to anyone.

Yes - I think this makes sense. As the PP asked - what consequences do I want? Or the other PP who said what a fool I will feel when it turns out she does have a doctorate and just doesn't want to report it --

I think I would feel GREAT if it turns out VADOE was wrong. YAY - she can report it and get a pay raise!!
And if she really doesn't have it -- I think I would just like to see her be called Ms. or Mrs. X.

That's it -- order restored. No "alternative facts" -- no playing doctor.

So I sent her an email this morning -- and referenced that I did talk to both of her Assistant Principals last year about this.
****************************

Hi -

Not sure if you are aware, but your PhD in Education studies does not appear on the Virginia Department of Education licensing website.

https://vadoe.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx?facility=N

It looks like you just renewed your license in June of this year (since it doesn't expire until 2032).

I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate -- I did ask XXXX and XXXX last December, but they couldn't tell me.

Anyway - since this database is accessible to the public -- thought you should know that your teaching license isn't reflecting your doctorate.
*************************************

PP who asked why I had not just asked her before - well, given all the stuff that went on her in classroom -- things she would tell me about my child (or was said about other kids) that could not be corroborated by other teachers etc -- I figured she wouldn't necessarily tell me anyway -- so I let it go from last December.
I didn't see this VADOC website database until someone on DC URBAN MOM posted about it this summer or so in reference to teachers being hired with provisional licensing etc. That's when I looked her up and found that she didn't have a PhD or EdD listed.

oh my GOD. This HAS to be satire. Right?

+1. Even among the FCPS crazies, this can’t be real.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op, thank you for providing excellent Tuesday afternoon entertainment. Off to go update the LinkedIn profile I never look at in case there are equally unhinged parents at my school.

+1

Mommies FROM OTHER SCHOOLS beating down your door demand you be fired because they think you don’t have a degree you don’t need to teach and aren’t being paid for.

[Anonymous]

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she's been ABD somewhere for a long time and decided to just go for it and call herself Dr.

This would be fraudulent. Being ABD is not even close to earning the actual Ph.D. I say this as someone who is ABD myself.

I don't think it's fraudulent to call yourself Dr. and let people assume you have a doctorate. If you submit a false credential that would be fraud.

What? “Fraudulent” means “unjustifiably claiming or being credited with particular accomplishments or qualities.“. Claiming to have a Ph.D. when you do not have a Ph.D. is fraudulent.

I could make my students call me Mrs even though I'm not married. Like Dr. X I would not be lying about a condition of my employment and I would not benefit financially, so it would be weird but who exactly am i defrauding?

False equivalents -- your marital status doesn't necessarily prepare you for teaching a subject matter, managing a classroom, etc -- a degree in something like the "PhD in Education studies" in theory does.

[Anonymous]

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She didn’t lie to FCPS or VDOE based on your OP, so it’s not a licensing/credentials issue. Just write her an email and tell her to stop doing this if it’s so important to you. This isn’t something to report to anyone.

Yes - I think this makes sense. As the PP asked - what consequences do I want? Or the other PP who said what a fool I will feel when it turns out she does have a doctorate and just doesn't want to report it --

I think I would feel GREAT if it turns out VADOE was wrong. YAY - she can report it and get a pay raise!!
And if she really doesn't have it -- I think I would just like to see her be called Ms. or Mrs. X.

That's it -- order restored. No "alternative facts" -- no playing doctor.

So I sent her an email this morning -- and referenced that I did talk to both of her Assistant Principals last year about this.
****************************

Hi -

Not sure if you are aware, but your PhD in Education studies does not appear on the Virginia Department of Education licensing website.

https://vadoe.mylicense.com/verification/Search.aspx?facility=N

It looks like you just renewed your license in June of this year (since it doesn't expire until 2032).

I apologize for never asking you directly where you received your doctorate -- I did ask XXXX and XXXX last December, but they couldn't tell me.

Anyway - since this database is accessible to the public -- thought you should know that your teaching license isn't reflecting your doctorate.
*************************************

PP who asked why I had not just asked her before - well, given all the stuff that went on her in classroom -- things she would tell me about my child (or was said about other kids) that could not be corroborated by other teachers etc -- I figured she wouldn't necessarily tell me anyway -- so I let it go from last December.
I didn't see this VADOC website database until someone on DC URBAN MOM posted about it this summer or so in reference to teachers being hired with provisional licensing etc. That's when I looked her up and found that she didn't have a PhD or EdD listed.

oh my GOD. This HAS to be satire. Right?

I understand your curiosity, but you reached out to the administration last year, right? That's the only action you can take. At this point, now that your kids are out of the school, it seems really odd to circle back with the teacher. The administration either determined it wasn't even worth looking into, or they looked into it and were satisfied. For you to be like, but that's not good enough for me as the random parent of your former student, is not your place. If you think admin didn't handle it correctly and there's actually a teacher with a master's insisting everyone call her doctor because she's a delusional weirdo, then you can take it higher up the chain.

The way you are handling and writing about it makes it seem like a weird obsession based on jealousy.

So the administration I reached to last year is gone -- the assistant principal left in January for a new school and the "acting" assistant principal didn't get (or want?) the job -- not sure she 's in FCPS any more even. She specifically told me she had no idea where the degree was from and that was something FCPS handles for the school.

Jealousy? No - don't think it's that. I know enough about her professional [/u]and personal life[u] that I cannot think of anything I would want to trade in her life -- well, she's taller than me -- that would be nice?

I think I'm more concerned that she holds herself out there as a PhD and yet won't list from where on Social Media or with the county... not sure how that's a great look for a teacher of elementary students.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a stalker. Time for the teacher to get a restraining order.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

FCPSAlumnowMom wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maybe she's been ABD somewhere for a long time and decided to just go for it and call herself Dr.

This would be fraudulent. Being ABD is not even close to earning the actual Ph.D. I say this as someone who is ABD myself.

I don't think it's fraudulent to call yourself Dr. and let people assume you have a doctorate. If you submit a false credential that would be fraud.

What? “Fraudulent” means “unjustifiably claiming or being credited with particular accomplishments or qualities.“. Claiming to have a Ph.D. when you do not have a Ph.D. is fraudulent.

I could make my students call me Mrs even though I'm not married. Like Dr. X I would not be lying about a condition of my employment and I would not benefit financially, so it would be weird but who exactly am i defrauding?

False equivalents -- your marital status doesn't necessarily prepare you for teaching a subject matter, managing a classroom, etc -- a degree in something like the "PhD in Education studies" in theory does.

If you lived in the abstinence on teaching South, I bet the was Mrs.s (not misses and god forbid Ms.s teaching sex ed).

[Anonymous]

There are plausible reasons why the VDOE site and her social media do not indicate a Phd.

Your behavior is legitimately concerning. You are cyberstalking this person. Do not send anyone else any emails about this matter because it's veering into harassment territory. You need to get your behavior under control.

Have you had trouble managing this kind of behavior before?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are plausible reasons why the VDOE site and her social media do not indicate a Phd.

Your behavior is legitimately concerning. You are cyberstalking this person. Do not send anyone else any emails about this matter because it's veering into harassment territory. You need to get your behavior under control.

Have you had trouble managing this kind of behavior before?

Also, getting sued for defamation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are plausible reasons why the VDOE site and her social media do not indicate a Phd.

Your behavior is legitimately concerning. You are cyberstalking this person. Do not send anyone else any emails about this matter because it's veering into harassment territory. You need to get your behavior under control.

Have you had trouble managing this kind of behavior before?

+1 If you had sent this email as your first salvo without looping in multiple administrators in the past then maybe you could pass this off as a friendly "hey, I noticed this isn't up to date." But you clearly believe you have a right to ask for proof. You already gave it to the school to investigate last year, and I'm sure that their silence is because they view you as unhinged and didn't want to give someone private information you have no right to.

I am absolutely certain that neither this teacher nor the administrators view you as a person acting in good faith and with good judgment. So they are going to be very careful how they interact with you so that you don't latch onto something else irrationally. If I had a PhD and received this email from you after all the weirdness from last year, I wouldn't reply.

I'm concerned that your therapist is suggesting contact with the former teacher as a strategy for you to deal with your irrational feelings.