APS teachers - be careful about what you send to parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In fairness, initially a bunch of people dumped on it but then several others chimed in to say what you are saying here.

This. Also in APE though mostly a lurker. Yea some people are reactionary and the post was overblown and got called out on it. So what? Have you seen AEM?!

No, sorry, we’re adults here and we’re not engaging in whataboutism.

“But moooooom, Jimmy was doing it toooooo!!”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

Like OP I am an APS teacher who largely supports APEs mission (I have blocked a few people there so I don’t see their toxic comments)
The person who wrote this letter has poor judgment IMO. I don’t like how he often presents as the face of all APS staff, especially considering the low membership in AEA. He riles up the relatively small number of COVID hysterics in our educators group. I think the response in APE was about half supportive, half taking him to task and both sides had a point.

NP. Also a teacher. Found the thread. That's the correct assessment. It went both ways. I wouldn't have sent that email. If I did, however, I wouldn't want it posted for general commentary on FB just because someone didn't like it. Geez. I expect the parents wouldn't like someone taking their posts on FB and copying them over to DCUM.

He sent that in his professional capacity, not his personal capacity. There is no expectation of privacy for a mass email sent out in that context.

LOL, really? Glad that APE is cool that stuff posted to their 1000 member group can be re-posted here. Can't be any expectation of privacy there, either. Good to know. This will be fun.

People have posted their newsletters here repeatedly. Things that individual people post in their personal capacity in a closed Facebook group is different.

APE is a corporation. It's got board members who post there. APE's purpose is to advocate and to influence elections. It's existence is to promote a former/future SB candidate. That's not closed. It's the public square. More so than a message to parents about about their children, which apparently NY Times material as far as your concerned. Let it rip, as APE members like to say.

Hey Clarence Darrow, it doesn't work that way. Besides, the name was redacted, so there was no real disclosure. No one on APE actually knows who sent the email out. It's just totally fair criticism of a totally out of line teacher telling people to wear masks and get vaxed. His job is to teach not promote public health. I expect emails about homework and tests, not telling me about masks. I decide whether my kid needs to wear a mask and get vaxed. As along as masks are required, we'll comply but not a second longer than we have to. Thank God vaxes aren't required.

Oh, you’re an imbecile. Didn’t realize. Mmkay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

People in Arlington tend to be more highly educated than rednecks in the rest of the country.

Yeah but those red neck kids are on a path to outsmart your arlington kids based on time spent on in person learning at this rate.

I honestly worry about this. What’s the point of paying $$$$ to live in Arlington when your kids could probably get an equivalent education (with actual differentiation) in Kentucky?

It’s not REMOTELY “equivalent.” Their kids are just taught by teachers bad enough at their jobs to be willing to work in KY for low pay, but hey, they’re warehoused in physical buildings and as we all know, that’s all that matters!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please move to Kentucky in pursuit of your public school education goals. PLEASE we are begging you.

This. Stop whining and do it. We’ll help you pack.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the person who posted it said it came from a teacher friend - I think they are sick of this guy too. the most off putting comment was that he was going to teach math more slowly, IF AT ALL given the new variant. as a secondary math teacher, that is not his call to make and I think that is what the OP was pointing at

I’m wondering if I can guess who this teacher is. Does he also post on AEM a lot? If so, his posts are annoying because he’s so bossy and he often acts like other teachers are clueless and he needs to help us.

It’s exactly who you think it is.

Ugh, I’m sorry, but he’s the worst. He seems to think he’s an expert at everything and loves to tell others what to do - especially other teachers. As a teacher, I would never tell my students to get their vaccines. It’s so presumptuous. Does he actually think they don’t already know that? If I was a parent, I would be annoyed.

The good thing is that the situation has caused him to step back from the internet for a few days so we won’t be getting any more lectures for the weekend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the person who posted it said it came from a teacher friend - I think they are sick of this guy too. the most off putting comment was that he was going to teach math more slowly, IF AT ALL given the new variant. as a secondary math teacher, that is not his call to make and I think that is what the OP was pointing at

I’m wondering if I can guess who this teacher is. Does he also post on AEM a lot? If so, his posts are annoying because he’s so bossy and he often acts like other teachers are clueless and he needs to help us.

It’s exactly who you think it is.

Ugh, I’m sorry, but he’s the worst. He seems to think he’s an expert at everything and loves to tell others what to do - especially other teachers. As a teacher, I would never tell my students to get their vaccines. It’s so presumptuous. Does he actually think they don’t already know that? If I was a parent, I would be annoyed.

The good thing is that the situation has caused him to step back from the internet for a few days so we won’t be getting any more lectures for the weekend.

Considering the warm weather this weekend, maybe he’ll do a low-risk motorcycle ride (one of his favorite hobbies, per his interview a few months ago with Crossed Sabres of W-L).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

People in Arlington tend to be more highly educated than rednecks in the rest of the country.

Yeah but those red neck kids are on a path to outsmart your arlington kids based on time spent on in person learning at this rate.

I honestly worry about this. What’s the point of paying $$$$ to live in Arlington when your kids could probably get an equivalent education (with actual differentiation) in Kentucky?

It’s not REMOTELY “equivalent.” Their kids are just taught by teachers bad enough at their jobs to be willing to work in KY for low pay, but hey, they’re warehoused in physical buildings and as we all know, that’s all that matters!

Wow—settle down. With cost of living factored in, teachers in a lot of flyover states are probably doing better than teachers here, income wise.

[Anonymous]

It’s kinda rude to call all teachers in a specific state bad and imply that they’d be somewhere great like Arlington if they were better at their jobs. Not exactly consistent with your pro-teacher stance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

People in Arlington tend to be more highly educated than rednecks in the rest of the country.

Yeah but those red neck kids are on a path to outsmart your arlington kids based on time spent on in person learning at this rate.

I honestly worry about this. What’s the point of paying $$$$ to live in Arlington when your kids could probably get an equivalent education (with actual differentiation) in Kentucky?

It’s not REMOTELY “equivalent.” Their kids are just taught by teachers bad enough at their jobs to be willing to work in KY for low pay, but hey, they’re warehoused in physical buildings and as we all know, that’s all that matters!

Wow—settle down. With cost of living factored in, teachers in a lot of flyover states are probably doing better than teachers here, income wise.

That’s likely true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand why the teacher took it upon themselves to send that email when the messaging on this should (and has) come from school and central administration.

I don’t understand why parents are such entitled asshats who think their desires are relative to anything. It’s not like parents are important stakeholders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APS teacher here. I’m a member of Arlington Parents for Education and support most of their advocacy. I’m disappointed about what some parents are doing though. A few days ago another APS teacher emailed families to say that learning may be uneven next month because of COVID and referenced vaccinations and masking, pointing to the Arlington website. It was a perfectly ordinary message but rubbed some the wrong way. Someone copied it, posted it to the FB group and then everyone dumped on it because some are against masks or vaccines, or because they think a teacher should never mention them. Some thought it was to avoid work. It makes me queasy to think that a well meaning message I might send would get treated that way and scorned for something that I didn’t say or intend. I don’t think the whole group is bad or anything like that. But be careful what you send to parents right now because you could have your message passed around that group.

That email was from one of the heads of the teachers unions too who is a COVID fanatic (his name was redacted but my friend’s kid received it and she was outraged too). But he loves to ride motorcycles in his free time, as he told the W-L newspaper (one of the most dangerous activities around).

His zero COVID evangelicism is completely offputting. We teach our kids not to wear masks, just as the majority of the country is doing. COVID is never going away and these fanatics will not quit until they ruin our children’s childhood completely trying to avoid the equivalent of a bad cold (considering they’re vaccinated and boosted).

This zero COVID fanaticism is so bizarre, and it really only seems to be a neurosis in the deepest of blue America.

Like OP I am an APS teacher who largely supports APEs mission (I have blocked a few people there so I don’t see their toxic comments)
The person who wrote this letter has poor judgment IMO. I don’t like how he often presents as the face of all APS staff, especially considering the low membership in AEA. He riles up the relatively small number of COVID hysterics in our educators group. I think the response in APE was about half supportive, half taking him to task and both sides had a point.

NP. Also a teacher. Found the thread. That's the correct assessment. It went both ways. I wouldn't have sent that email. If I did, however, I wouldn't want it posted for general commentary on FB just because someone didn't like it. Geez. I expect the parents wouldn't like someone taking their posts on FB and copying them over to DCUM.

He sent that in his professional capacity, not his personal capacity. There is no expectation of privacy for a mass email sent out in that context.

LOL, really? Glad that APE is cool that stuff posted to their 1000 member group can be re-posted here. Can't be any expectation of privacy there, either. Good to know. This will be fun.

People have posted their newsletters here repeatedly. Things that individual people post in their personal capacity in a closed Facebook group is different.

APE is a corporation. It's got board members who post there. APE's purpose is to advocate and to influence elections. It's existence is to promote a former/future SB candidate. That's not closed. It's the public square. More so than a message to parents about about their children, which apparently NY Times material as far as your concerned. Let it rip, as APE members like to say.

Hey Clarence Darrow, it doesn't work that way. Besides, the name was redacted, so there was no real disclosure. No one on APE actually knows who sent the email out. It's just totally fair criticism of a totally out of line teacher telling people to wear masks and get vaxed. His job is to teach not promote public health. I expect emails about homework and tests, not telling me about masks. I decide whether my kid needs to wear a mask and get vaxed. As along as masks are required, we'll comply but not a second longer than we have to. Thank God vaxes aren't required.

Oh, you’re an imbecile. Didn’t realize. Mmkay.

+1000 PP is a total imbecile.

[Anonymous]

Teacher was totally out of line. In the letter he said he may not teach new material. This is essentially a passive aggressive way to threaten kids and parents who want an in person education. This teacher should just quit. I wish him good luck finding a job with zero Covid risk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Teacher was totally out of line. In the letter he said he may not teach new material. This is essentially a passive aggressive way to threaten kids and parents who want an in person education. This teacher should just quit. I wish him good luck finding a job with zero Covid risk.

Exactly right. Shouldn't really still have a job, actually. That's not the policy of APS, which is to actually teach kids. I can't believe that this needs to be explained to everyone. It's the purpose of a school system. That kind of statement is absolutely the kind of thing that should be shared so that parents understand what they're dealing with some of the teachers in this system.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the person who posted it said it came from a teacher friend - I think they are sick of this guy too. the most off putting comment was that he was going to teach math more slowly, IF AT ALL given the new variant. as a secondary math teacher, that is not his call to make and I think that is what the OP was pointing at

I’m wondering if I can guess who this teacher is. Does he also post on AEM a lot? If so, his posts are annoying because he’s so bossy and he often acts like other teachers are clueless and he needs to help us.

It’s exactly who you think it is.

Ugh, I’m sorry, but he’s the worst. He seems to think he’s an expert at everything and loves to tell others what to do - especially other teachers. As a teacher, I would never tell my students to get their vaccines. It’s so presumptuous. Does he actually think they don’t already know that? If I was a parent, I would be annoyed.

I teach in APS. There is an APS substitute teacher who posts on ArlNow and acts as if he is in a policy role at APS. I don’t think many of the posters on ArlNow have kids in APS, because they hang on to his comments about APS as if they were directly from Syphax.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:the person who posted it said it came from a teacher friend - I think they are sick of this guy too. the most off putting comment was that he was going to teach math more slowly, IF AT ALL given the new variant. as a secondary math teacher, that is not his call to make and I think that is what the OP was pointing at

I’m wondering if I can guess who this teacher is. Does he also post on AEM a lot? If so, his posts are annoying because he’s so bossy and he often acts like other teachers are clueless and he needs to help us.

It’s exactly who you think it is.

Ugh, I’m sorry, but he’s the worst. He seems to think he’s an expert at everything and loves to tell others what to do - especially other teachers. As a teacher, I would never tell my students to get their vaccines. It’s so presumptuous. Does he actually think they don’t already know that? If I was a parent, I would be annoyed.

I teach in APS. There is an APS substitute teacher who posts on ArlNow and acts as if he is in a policy role at APS. I don’t think many of the posters on ArlNow have kids in APS, because they hang on to his comments about APS as if they were directly from Syphax.

“Metal Ox”? He’s really annoying.