Nancy Van Doren just went off the deep end

[Anonymous]

Tonight's Work Session is covering the 1,300 seats at the HS level and the enrollment and transfer policy. One of the changes the APS staff is proposing is to eliminate the twin-as-one policy at the secondary level, i.e. at HB Woodlawn. The new policy would require each twin to enter the lottery and get in or not as an individual.

Nancy freaked out, essentially yelling at the staff that she "find[s] it offensive that people are willing to discriminate against the biological connection between twins. It can be very detrimental to separate them. I am really offended by that! It's a very special and psychological position they are in." She told them they couldn't "forcibly separate families." Never occurred to her that gee, maybe if the kids don't want to be separated then maybe they should just go to their neighborhood HS. She basically tried to force a Board vote on the issue. Tannia agreed with her, Reid didn't. Barbara said she didn't have a position, and James was silent. Major bitch mode.

Tell me again when she's up for re-election?

[Anonymous]

She cray cray, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tonight's Work Session is covering the 1,300 seats at the HS level and the enrollment and transfer policy. One of the changes the APS staff is proposing is to eliminate the twin-as-one policy at the secondary level, i.e. at HB Woodlawn. The new policy would require each twin to enter the lottery and get in or not as an individual.

Nancy freaked out, essentially yelling at the staff that she "find[s] it offensive that people are willing to discriminate against the biological connection between twins. It can be very detrimental to separate them. I am really offended by that! It's a very special and psychological position they are in." She told them they couldn't "forcibly separate families." Never occurred to her that gee, maybe if the kids don't want to be separated then maybe they should just go to their neighborhood HS. She basically tried to force a Board vote on the issue. Tannia agreed with her, Reid didn't. Barbara said she didn't have a position, and James was silent. Major bitch mode.

Tell me again when she's up for re-election?

Of all the problems APS needs to address, this should be somewhere in the high 90s on the list.

[Anonymous]

We JUST reelected her. Sickening.

FWIW - I'm a twin and by high school, we were perfectly capable of living seperate lives at different schools.

Nancy really is the worst.

[Anonymous]

The reasons you count twins as one is not because of "the biological connection" but because of the logistics, even at the secondary level.

There's a reason APS can't figure things out logically, and it appears to be the board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reasons you count twins as one is not because of "the biological connection" but because of the logistics, even at the secondary level.

There's a reason APS can't figure things out logically, and it appears to be the board.

Families with kids one grade apart may have to deal with two schools if one lotteries into HB. If you can't deal with logistics, go to your home school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The reasons you count twins as one is not because of "the biological connection" but because of the logistics, even at the secondary level.

There's a reason APS can't figure things out logically, and it appears to be the board.

Families with kids one grade apart may have to deal with two schools if one lotteries into HB. If you can't deal with logistics, go to your home school.

Right! These are choice schools. No one is forcing families to apply.

[Anonymous]

Is it just my impression from DCUM or is APS completely incompetent?!!!

[Anonymous]

The more you get involved and the more learn, eventually you will conclude that Arlington as a whole isn't completely well run.
This will come into sharper focus if you ever need to pull a permit!
We have some great county services and it is mostly a great place to live.
However...
So many competing interests and very little space. I'm a democrat, but this county is a great example of what goes wrong with one party rule. Lots of emotional decision making and no real desire for hard, honest, discussions.

Nancy is an embarrassment. I'm truly embarrassed for her.

[Anonymous]

I watched that and was pretty horrified and kind of offended. What if you have super close siblings one year apart? They can be separated.

[Anonymous]

She was truly out of control and allowing her personal bias to affect her consideration of the issue. It was a rant and she was yelling at everyone in the room. She was also unprofessional and disrespectful to her colleague Reid Goldstein. When he said in a self-deprecating way that he wasn't very smart she very audibly muttered into her microphone, "that's for sure." She's a disgrace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:She was truly out of control and allowing her personal bias to affect her consideration of the issue. It was a rant and she was yelling at everyone in the room. She was also unprofessional and disrespectful to her colleague Reid Goldstein. When he said in a self-deprecating way that he wasn't very smart she very audibly muttered into her microphone, "that's for sure." She's a disgrace.

WHAT?!?!? That's disgraceful, though not surprising.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it just my impression from DCUM or is APS completely incompetent?!!!

Something has, it seems, gone terribly wrong over the last few years. It's sad because I really like Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it just my impression from DCUM or is APS completely incompetent?!!!

Something has, it seems, gone terribly wrong over the last few years. It's sad because I really like Arlington.

To be clear, APS teachers are wonderful. I mean, there's a dud or two and some are fine, but over the years my kids have had many teachers who just blew me away.

The administration is completely effed up, and the school board does nothing to insist on improvement.

[Anonymous]

I wish there was a way to kick her out. Is there?