Did Dr. McKnight's antiracist speech fall flat?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

This. Not MCPS’ job to fix racism.

MCPS needs to focus on EDUCATION. For all kids. Smaller class sizes and a solid curriculum.

Get rid of some of the useless Central Office bloat and get rid of the useless initiatives that don’t benefit our kids.

You can't separate racism and EDUCATION, though. No matter how much some people keep insisting that you can.

I don't need her to give a speech on racism. Her job is to make sure kids, of all races, are getting a solid education. Making speeches about racism (or global warming) isn't going to achieve that goal.

Tell us what you are going to do about the abysmal test scores. Tell us what you are going to do about the low staff morale. Tell us what you are going to do about the prevalence of drugs in our schools. That's really what parents and staff want to hear about from McKnight.

*this*

She doesn’t have a plan to address abysmal test scores. She blames teachers for their implicit biases while ignoring her own so morale will not be improving even with a pay raise. She also doesn’t have a plan to keep drugs from being brought and used at MCPS schools. She is using the focus on racism to get a news sound bite to deflect from the real problems. The lack of a plan or metric to measure the success of her plan is an example of why she is a terrible superintendent.

I'd be happy if she focused on educating kids and left drug enforcement to the experts like the DEA and MCPD.

I would be happy if MCPD could randomly bring drug sniffing dogs into schools like they used to. That’s one way to get drugs out of MCPS schools. Expulsion of offenders would be another.

This, and bring in detectors for guns/weapons like other school systems. However that would mean a partnership with MCPD and they kicked them out of the schools.

How about some transparency on what's actually going on as well.

To be fair, MCPD is seemingly pretty complicit because they haven't pitched a fit about all the crime going on in schools that MCPS isn't calling them in for. MCPD and MCPS watch each other's backs and cover for one another to a degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

But you can't educate kids when they are afraid to come to school because they are targets of racism and bias. Even if they do come to class, if they are distracted all day because someone said something mean to them, they can't learn. Try getting a kid to focus on today's science lesson when a kid in their previous math class commented about their grade on a quiz with reference to their race (I've seen Asian kids get a B on a quiz and told they were a poor representation of their race. I've seen Black kids get an A on a quiz and asked "what, are you trying to be Asian?") Kids are brutal and unkind to each other, especially if the adults around them model similar behavior towards anyone perceived as "other". The only place to address the diversity in our community and how to get along with each other is with explicit instruction in the classroom. Kids can't learn if they feel unwelcome at school.

I didn't hear anything in Dr. McKnight's speech that would stop or impede the mean and racist comments you gave examples of. Addressing those behaviors would mean spelling new or significant changes in consequence and discipline for students who do engage in the behavior you outlined.

But let's be clear: The biggest impediment to student success is NOT racists comments between other races. It's the comments WITHIN races that are the most toxic and destructive.

Comments among black kids who say things like:
- Being a good student or caring about academics is "acting white"
- Speaking English without relying on slang is "talking white"
- Going against the tropes that are popular in hip-hop and social media, like not doing drugs or engaging in language that uses the n word and the b word, is "acting white"

Racism, meaning one group targeting another group, is not the biggest issue facing students at MCPS. Many of the conflicts that break out at school happen between kids of the SAME RACE.

For example, the national newsworthy shooting that happened at Magruder last year was between two black boys. Dr. McKnight's antiracist speech does NOTHING to address that. Most of the fights that break out at school are between kids of the same race over drugs, gang/clique battles, boyfriend/girlfriend squabbles and social media beef.

You, and Dr. McKnight, are focused on the wrong thing. Which is not a surprise since MCPS is horrible at diagnosing and troubleshooting the real problems with the right insights.

It’s not just Black kids who experience hat and racism. And if your kids are doing that to each other what are you doing as parents to stop your kid’s behavior and language.

You are missing the point or you don’t care. If you keep focusing on just one group, what about all the impacted kids in other groups. Some of us cannot afford to pull our kids to privates as ones like JDS are expensive and the academics are not great.

I didn't say it was just black kids who experience hate and racism. But I'm black and therefore most knowledgable and comfortable speaking my own lived and experiences and those of my kids. Feel free to add yours.

And I think you missed my point, which is that the bigger issue is not conflict between races, but conflict WITHIN races, which you didn't even address in your reply. So I don't know what you're really talking to me about.

What you are saying is that if hate impacts Black kids, it is an issue for you, but if the hate is against Asian, Jewish, or any other population you are perfectly fine with ignoring it as its not impacting your kids.

As a parent, you can do something about how your child speaks to others and how they are spoken to you within reason. However, as a parent, I cannot stop the hate symbols that are put in our schools that our kids see. None of our kids should experience this. But, some of it is parenting and we as parents need to set a good example on how we behave and what we say, enforce our expectations with our kids and have consequences at home for bad behavior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

This. Not MCPS’ job to fix racism.

MCPS needs to focus on EDUCATION. For all kids. Smaller class sizes and a solid curriculum.

Get rid of some of the useless Central Office bloat and get rid of the useless initiatives that don’t benefit our kids.

You can't separate racism and EDUCATION, though. No matter how much some people keep insisting that you can.

I don't need her to give a speech on racism. Her job is to make sure kids, of all races, are getting a solid education. Making speeches about racism (or global warming) isn't going to achieve that goal.

Tell us what you are going to do about the abysmal test scores. Tell us what you are going to do about the low staff morale. Tell us what you are going to do about the prevalence of drugs in our schools. That's really what parents and staff want to hear about from McKnight.

*this*

She doesn’t have a plan to address abysmal test scores. She blames teachers for their implicit biases while ignoring her own so morale will not be improving even with a pay raise. She also doesn’t have a plan to keep drugs from being brought and used at MCPS schools. She is using the focus on racism to get a news sound bite to deflect from the real problems. The lack of a plan or metric to measure the success of her plan is an example of why she is a terrible superintendent.

I'd be happy if she focused on educating kids and left drug enforcement to the experts like the DEA and MCPD.

I would be happy if MCPD could randomly bring drug sniffing dogs into schools like they used to. That’s one way to get drugs out of MCPS schools. Expulsion of offenders would be another.

This, and bring in detectors for guns/weapons like other school systems. However that would mean a partnership with MCPD and they kicked them out of the schools.

How about some transparency on what's actually going on as well.

To be fair, MCPD is seemingly pretty complicit because they haven't pitched a fit about all the crime going on in schools that MCPS isn't calling them in for. MCPD and MCPS watch each other's backs and cover for one another to a degree.

Very true but no one is holding either organization accountable and any time they do something, folks like Jwando speak up and scream racism and not to have any consequences (of course his kids are in private and protected from all this).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Whenever I see the word “antiracist”, I cringe.

Whenever I read about people who say they cringe whenever they see the word "antiracist", I draw the logical conclusion that they are antiantiracist, i.e., proracist.

So does saying antifascist make fascists cringe?

I'm the PP you're responding to. Fortunately, I have not met any fascists, that I know of, so I haven't had any conversations about antifascism with them. I have met racists, whom I have had conversations about antiracism with.

[Anonymous]

I think it was an deflect what will probably be dramatic criticism of the anti racism training due to its content and expense. She’s trying to make the case that the training will save the kids from this crisis. I doubt it will save any kids but might be somewhat im useful and wish they would just move on to more pragmatic issues like reducing class sizes and hiring more aides and counselors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it was an deflect what will probably be dramatic criticism of the anti racism training due to its content and expense. She’s trying to make the case that the training will save the kids from this crisis. I doubt it will save any kids but might be somewhat im useful and wish they would just move on to more pragmatic issues like reducing class sizes and hiring more aides and counselors.

These trainings and time spent "educating" students is doing far more harm than good. These kids are bored, don't have their needs met and are acting up. They need to put the money where it's needed in actually helping these kids.

They also cannot handle mental health issues. The county needs to create more mental health services for youth and students should be referred there - both with sliding fee and taking insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Look at the majority of the top brass has hired under Dr. McKnight at Central Office. They are not gender nor racially diverse. They do not represent demographics that mirrors the student population. However, the hires do show Dr. McKnight’s focus and where she wants to take MCPS.

Do tell. Are they just more Whitey McWhites?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

This. Not MCPS’ job to fix racism.

MCPS needs to focus on EDUCATION. For all kids. Smaller class sizes and a solid curriculum.

Get rid of some of the useless Central Office bloat and get rid of the useless initiatives that don’t benefit our kids.

You can't separate racism and EDUCATION, though. No matter how much some people keep insisting that you can.

I don't need her to give a speech on racism. Her job is to make sure kids, of all races, are getting a solid education. Making speeches about racism (or global warming) isn't going to achieve that goal.

Tell us what you are going to do about the abysmal test scores. Tell us what you are going to do about the low staff morale. Tell us what you are going to do about the prevalence of drugs in our schools. That's really what parents and staff want to hear about from McKnight.

*this*

She doesn’t have a plan to address abysmal test scores. She blames teachers for their implicit biases while ignoring her own so morale will not be improving even with a pay raise. She also doesn’t have a plan to keep drugs from being brought and used at MCPS schools. She is using the focus on racism to get a news sound bite to deflect from the real problems. The lack of a plan or metric to measure the success of her plan is an example of why she is a terrible superintendent.

Yes, exactly. There is no action on the ubiquitous drug use IN schools. There is no action on staff shortages and low teacher morale. Rather, she is putting more blame on teachers. There is no action (really, not even any discussion) on the abysmal test scores.

I read through the 5 Things You Need to Know she sends out weekly. Haven't seen much about how bad test scores have been recently. Seems like that would be something I 'need to know'.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

This. Not MCPS’ job to fix racism.

MCPS needs to focus on EDUCATION. For all kids. Smaller class sizes and a solid curriculum.

Get rid of some of the useless Central Office bloat and get rid of the useless initiatives that don’t benefit our kids.

You can't separate racism and EDUCATION, though. No matter how much some people keep insisting that you can.

I don't need her to give a speech on racism. Her job is to make sure kids, of all races, are getting a solid education. Making speeches about racism (or global warming) isn't going to achieve that goal.

Tell us what you are going to do about the abysmal test scores. Tell us what you are going to do about the low staff morale. Tell us what you are going to do about the prevalence of drugs in our schools. That's really what parents and staff want to hear about from McKnight.

*this*

She doesn’t have a plan to address abysmal test scores. She blames teachers for their implicit biases while ignoring her own so morale will not be improving even with a pay raise. She also doesn’t have a plan to keep drugs from being brought and used at MCPS schools. She is using the focus on racism to get a news sound bite to deflect from the real problems. The lack of a plan or metric to measure the success of her plan is an example of why she is a terrible superintendent.

I'd be happy if she focused on educating kids and left drug enforcement to the experts like the DEA and MCPD.

I would be happy if MCPD could randomly bring drug sniffing dogs into schools like they used to. That’s one way to get drugs out of MCPS schools. Expulsion of offenders would be another.

This, and bring in detectors for guns/weapons like other school systems. However that would mean a partnership with MCPD and they kicked them out of the schools.

How about some transparency on what's actually going on as well.

To be fair, MCPD is seemingly pretty complicit because they haven't pitched a fit about all the crime going on in schools that MCPS isn't calling them in for. MCPD and MCPS watch each other's backs and cover for one another to a degree.

MCPD is understaffed and not supported by our County political leadership (or by voters).

But, even if that was not the case, why would MCPD 'pitch a fit' over the crime in schools. They are not even made aware of it. Admin is encouraged NOT to involve MCPD. MCPS would prefer to minimize issues and sweep them under the rug. And our politicians want police out of our schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

But you can't educate kids when they are afraid to come to school because they are targets of racism and bias. Even if they do come to class, if they are distracted all day because someone said something mean to them, they can't learn. Try getting a kid to focus on today's science lesson when a kid in their previous math class commented about their grade on a quiz with reference to their race (I've seen Asian kids get a B on a quiz and told they were a poor representation of their race. I've seen Black kids get an A on a quiz and asked "what, are you trying to be Asian?") Kids are brutal and unkind to each other, especially if the adults around them model similar behavior towards anyone perceived as "other". The only place to address the diversity in our community and how to get along with each other is with explicit instruction in the classroom. Kids can't learn if they feel unwelcome at school.

I didn't hear anything in Dr. McKnight's speech that would stop or impede the mean and racist comments you gave examples of. Addressing those behaviors would mean spelling new or significant changes in consequence and discipline for students who do engage in the behavior you outlined.

But let's be clear: The biggest impediment to student success is NOT racists comments between other races. It's the comments WITHIN races that are the most toxic and destructive.

Comments among black kids who say things like:
- Being a good student or caring about academics is "acting white"
- Speaking English without relying on slang is "talking white"
- Going against the tropes that are popular in hip-hop and social media, like not doing drugs or engaging in language that uses the n word and the b word, is "acting white"

Racism, meaning one group targeting another group, is not the biggest issue facing students at MCPS. Many of the conflicts that break out at school happen between kids of the SAME RACE.

For example, the national newsworthy shooting that happened at Magruder last year was between two black boys. Dr. McKnight's antiracist speech does NOTHING to address that. Most of the fights that break out at school are between kids of the same race over drugs, gang/clique battles, boyfriend/girlfriend squabbles and social media beef.

You, and Dr. McKnight, are focused on the wrong thing. Which is not a surprise since MCPS is horrible at diagnosing and troubleshooting the real problems with the right insights.

It’s not just Black kids who experience hat and racism. And if your kids are doing that to each other what are you doing as parents to stop your kid’s behavior and language.

You are missing the point or you don’t care. If you keep focusing on just one group, what about all the impacted kids in other groups. Some of us cannot afford to pull our kids to privates as ones like JDS are expensive and the academics are not great.

I didn't say it was just black kids who experience hate and racism. But I'm black and therefore most knowledgable and comfortable speaking my own lived and experiences and those of my kids. Feel free to add yours.

And I think you missed my point, which is that the bigger issue is not conflict between races, but conflict WITHIN races, which you didn't even address in your reply. So I don't know what you're really talking to me about.

What you are saying is that if hate impacts Black kids, it is an issue for you, but if the hate is against Asian, Jewish, or any other population you are perfectly fine with ignoring it as its not impacting your kids.

As a parent, you can do something about how your child speaks to others and how they are spoken to you within reason. However, as a parent, I cannot stop the hate symbols that are put in our schools that our kids see. None of our kids should experience this. But, some of it is parenting and we as parents need to set a good example on how we behave and what we say, enforce our expectations with our kids and have consequences at home for bad behavior.

That's not what I said at all and I question your sanity and reading comprehension skills at this point, so I'm not going to engage further. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

This. Not MCPS’ job to fix racism.

MCPS needs to focus on EDUCATION. For all kids. Smaller class sizes and a solid curriculum.

Get rid of some of the useless Central Office bloat and get rid of the useless initiatives that don’t benefit our kids.

You can't separate racism and EDUCATION, though. No matter how much some people keep insisting that you can.

I don't need her to give a speech on racism. Her job is to make sure kids, of all races, are getting a solid education. Making speeches about racism (or global warming) isn't going to achieve that goal.

Tell us what you are going to do about the abysmal test scores. Tell us what you are going to do about the low staff morale. Tell us what you are going to do about the prevalence of drugs in our schools. That's really what parents and staff want to hear about from McKnight.

*this*

She doesn’t have a plan to address abysmal test scores. She blames teachers for their implicit biases while ignoring her own so morale will not be improving even with a pay raise. She also doesn’t have a plan to keep drugs from being brought and used at MCPS schools. She is using the focus on racism to get a news sound bite to deflect from the real problems. The lack of a plan or metric to measure the success of her plan is an example of why she is a terrible superintendent.

I'd be happy if she focused on educating kids and left drug enforcement to the experts like the DEA and MCPD.

I would be happy if MCPD could randomly bring drug sniffing dogs into schools like they used to. That’s one way to get drugs out of MCPS schools. Expulsion of offenders would be another.

This, and bring in detectors for guns/weapons like other school systems. However that would mean a partnership with MCPD and they kicked them out of the schools.

How about some transparency on what's actually going on as well.

To be fair, MCPD is seemingly pretty complicit because they haven't pitched a fit about all the crime going on in schools that MCPS isn't calling them in for. MCPD and MCPS watch each other's backs and cover for one another to a degree.

MCPD is understaffed and not supported by our County political leadership (or by voters).

But, even if that was not the case, why would MCPD 'pitch a fit' over the crime in schools. They are not even made aware of it. Admin is encouraged NOT to involve MCPD. MCPS would prefer to minimize issues and sweep them under the rug. And our politicians want police out of our schools.

They are made aware of it. Several parents who said they had kids who were using and purchasing drugs at school said they went to MCPD with this info and MCPD didn't follow up and pursue the teenage dealers, because MCPD is in lock step with MCPS in avoiding "criminalizing" student behavior.

I'm not saying MCPD and MCPS are 100% on the same page about everything, but they have each other's back enough not to call each other out in public and to turn a blind eye to the things they want to. MCPD knows what's going on in the schools and don't go hard after what they know is going on because that's what MCPS wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

This. Not MCPS’ job to fix racism.

MCPS needs to focus on EDUCATION. For all kids. Smaller class sizes and a solid curriculum.

Get rid of some of the useless Central Office bloat and get rid of the useless initiatives that don’t benefit our kids.

You can't separate racism and EDUCATION, though. No matter how much some people keep insisting that you can.

I don't need her to give a speech on racism. Her job is to make sure kids, of all races, are getting a solid education. Making speeches about racism (or global warming) isn't going to achieve that goal.

Tell us what you are going to do about the abysmal test scores. Tell us what you are going to do about the low staff morale. Tell us what you are going to do about the prevalence of drugs in our schools. That's really what parents and staff want to hear about from McKnight.

*this*

She doesn’t have a plan to address abysmal test scores. She blames teachers for their implicit biases while ignoring her own so morale will not be improving even with a pay raise. She also doesn’t have a plan to keep drugs from being brought and used at MCPS schools. She is using the focus on racism to get a news sound bite to deflect from the real problems. The lack of a plan or metric to measure the success of her plan is an example of why she is a terrible superintendent.

I'd be happy if she focused on educating kids and left drug enforcement to the experts like the DEA and MCPD.

I would be happy if MCPD could randomly bring drug sniffing dogs into schools like they used to. That’s one way to get drugs out of MCPS schools. Expulsion of offenders would be another.

This, and bring in detectors for guns/weapons like other school systems. However that would mean a partnership with MCPD and they kicked them out of the schools.

How about some transparency on what's actually going on as well.

To be fair, MCPD is seemingly pretty complicit because they haven't pitched a fit about all the crime going on in schools that MCPS isn't calling them in for. MCPD and MCPS watch each other's backs and cover for one another to a degree.

MCPD is understaffed and not supported by our County political leadership (or by voters).

But, even if that was not the case, why would MCPD 'pitch a fit' over the crime in schools. They are not even made aware of it. Admin is encouraged NOT to involve MCPD. MCPS would prefer to minimize issues and sweep them under the rug. And our politicians want police out of our schools.

They are made aware of it. Several parents who said they had kids who were using and purchasing drugs at school said they went to MCPD with this info and MCPD didn't follow up and pursue the teenage dealers, because MCPD is in lock step with MCPS in avoiding "criminalizing" student behavior.

I'm not saying MCPD and MCPS are 100% on the same page about everything, but they have each other's back enough not to call each other out in public and to turn a blind eye to the things they want to. MCPD knows what's going on in the schools and don't go hard after what they know is going on because that's what MCPS wants.

I disagree that MCPD is made aware of everything or at least everything in a timely manner. The locker room incident at Damascus is a prime example.

However, I do agree MCPD goes out of their way to coordinate with MCPS to cover up problems. An example is the MCPS and MCPD memorandum of understanding in which they have closed door meetings without a representative for victims.

Selling drugs is a crime. Students selling drugs in school have a lucrative business in MCPS schools with minimal downside if caught. Ignoring the crisis has normalized drug use in schools. Until there’s severe consequences, drugs will remain being sold and used in MCPS schools.

[Anonymous]

I would add, what was the MCPD response to the delay at Damascus when staff did not immediately report rape and they compromised a police investigation by interviewing all the witnesses? Nothing. No consequences for the MCPS employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

This. Not MCPS’ job to fix racism.

MCPS needs to focus on EDUCATION. For all kids. Smaller class sizes and a solid curriculum.

Get rid of some of the useless Central Office bloat and get rid of the useless initiatives that don’t benefit our kids.

You can't separate racism and EDUCATION, though. No matter how much some people keep insisting that you can.

I don't need her to give a speech on racism. Her job is to make sure kids, of all races, are getting a solid education. Making speeches about racism (or global warming) isn't going to achieve that goal.

Tell us what you are going to do about the abysmal test scores. Tell us what you are going to do about the low staff morale. Tell us what you are going to do about the prevalence of drugs in our schools. That's really what parents and staff want to hear about from McKnight.

*this*

She doesn’t have a plan to address abysmal test scores. She blames teachers for their implicit biases while ignoring her own so morale will not be improving even with a pay raise. She also doesn’t have a plan to keep drugs from being brought and used at MCPS schools. She is using the focus on racism to get a news sound bite to deflect from the real problems. The lack of a plan or metric to measure the success of her plan is an example of why she is a terrible superintendent.

I'd be happy if she focused on educating kids and left drug enforcement to the experts like the DEA and MCPD.

I would be happy if MCPD could randomly bring drug sniffing dogs into schools like they used to. That’s one way to get drugs out of MCPS schools. Expulsion of offenders would be another.

This, and bring in detectors for guns/weapons like other school systems. However that would mean a partnership with MCPD and they kicked them out of the schools.

How about some transparency on what's actually going on as well.

To be fair, MCPD is seemingly pretty complicit because they haven't pitched a fit about all the crime going on in schools that MCPS isn't calling them in for. MCPD and MCPS watch each other's backs and cover for one another to a degree.

MCPD is understaffed and not supported by our County political leadership (or by voters).

But, even if that was not the case, why would MCPD 'pitch a fit' over the crime in schools. They are not even made aware of it. Admin is encouraged NOT to involve MCPD. MCPS would prefer to minimize issues and sweep them under the rug. And our politicians want police out of our schools.

They are made aware of it. Several parents who said they had kids who were using and purchasing drugs at school said they went to MCPD with this info and MCPD didn't follow up and pursue the teenage dealers, because MCPD is in lock step with MCPS in avoiding "criminalizing" student behavior.

I'm not saying MCPD and MCPS are 100% on the same page about everything, but they have each other's back enough not to call each other out in public and to turn a blind eye to the things they want to. MCPD knows what's going on in the schools and don't go hard after what they know is going on because that's what MCPS wants.

I disagree that MCPD is made aware of everything or at least everything in a timely manner. The locker room incident at Damascus is a prime example.

However, I do agree MCPD goes out of their way to coordinate with MCPS to cover up problems. An example is the MCPS and MCPD memorandum of understanding in which they have closed door meetings without a representative for victims.

Selling drugs is a crime. Students selling drugs in school have a lucrative business in MCPS schools with minimal downside if caught. Ignoring the crisis has normalized drug use in schools. Until there’s severe consequences, drugs will remain being sold and used in MCPS schools.

Lucrative business? Are MPCS and MCPD getting kickbacks? Does it go to the principal's personal fund we keep hearing about?

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Anonymous wrote:I liked the speech but also was listening for the action steps and was left feeling like it was a lot of talk. I think most of us, and certainly those with kids who are getting bullied, would like to hear what, specifically, the consequences are now for hate speech and behavior, and how the curriculum will be altered to address this as well. It’s not that I think she doesn’t care, it’s that I want to see the tangible changes in school policies. I think that’s what she wants too, so I want her to be brave and just enforce standards of decency. Give the words some teeth.

This is a broad problem for society that MCPS can't possibly address. The school system should focus on doing its job of educating kids.

This. Not MCPS’ job to fix racism.

MCPS needs to focus on EDUCATION. For all kids. Smaller class sizes and a solid curriculum.

Get rid of some of the useless Central Office bloat and get rid of the useless initiatives that don’t benefit our kids.

You can't separate racism and EDUCATION, though. No matter how much some people keep insisting that you can.

I don't need her to give a speech on racism. Her job is to make sure kids, of all races, are getting a solid education. Making speeches about racism (or global warming) isn't going to achieve that goal.

Tell us what you are going to do about the abysmal test scores. Tell us what you are going to do about the low staff morale. Tell us what you are going to do about the prevalence of drugs in our schools. That's really what parents and staff want to hear about from McKnight.

*this*

She doesn’t have a plan to address abysmal test scores. She blames teachers for their implicit biases while ignoring her own so morale will not be improving even with a pay raise. She also doesn’t have a plan to keep drugs from being brought and used at MCPS schools. She is using the focus on racism to get a news sound bite to deflect from the real problems. The lack of a plan or metric to measure the success of her plan is an example of why she is a terrible superintendent.

I'd be happy if she focused on educating kids and left drug enforcement to the experts like the DEA and MCPD.

I would be happy if MCPD could randomly bring drug sniffing dogs into schools like they used to. That’s one way to get drugs out of MCPS schools. Expulsion of offenders would be another.

This, and bring in detectors for guns/weapons like other school systems. However that would mean a partnership with MCPD and they kicked them out of the schools.

How about some transparency on what's actually going on as well.

To be fair, MCPD is seemingly pretty complicit because they haven't pitched a fit about all the crime going on in schools that MCPS isn't calling them in for. MCPD and MCPS watch each other's backs and cover for one another to a degree.

Very true but no one is holding either organization accountable and any time they do something, folks like Jwando speak up and scream racism and not to have any consequences (of course his kids are in private and protected from all this).

It's MCPD's job to enforce laws. MCPS is a school system only one of these groups is accountable for law enforcement. Please get real