That Takoma Principal Part 2

[Anonymous]

This is not the appropriate forum to discuss allegations of abuse or to opine on a staff member.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for those who have had a bad experience with Clayton, and I hate to put a mirror up to your face or ask your work community about your toxic selves. As a parent of TES kids, they are happy and thriving. When I did have a concern, I found a way to work with the teacher. The time I did approach the Principal, I found him knowledgeable, responsive and the issue was taken care of.

You can sell your soul for 7k but do not expect all teachers to do so. I know you are not a parent, stop posing as one to protect your incompetent boss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clayton has a pretty bad history if anyone cares to actually do research on him. But more importantly, there are a LOT of abusive behaviors that are insidious at Takoma and the buck stops with the leadership. Unfortunately he’s covered similar behavior up in the past and continues to excuse such behavior, and so I don’t have a lot of hope going forward. He’s been abusive himself towards several teachers in the past. One even consulted a lawyer about what options they had.

It doesn’t surprise me that many parents are ignorant to what’s going on. There has been an active effort to keep it hush hush and certain staff are afraid to speak out because it likely means potentially loss of a job or being blacklisted in DCPS.

+1 It's no coincidence that the weekly PrinciPAL message is all about only saying positive things about each other, unifying, highlighting the good, etc. Probably drafted by the same poster who said "let's not air our dirty laundry."

Yep it’s pretty funny. Maybe he will finally watch his mouth but I doubt it. This will blow over and he’ll start his huffing and puffing again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clayton has a pretty bad history if anyone cares to actually do research on him. But more importantly, there are a LOT of abusive behaviors that are insidious at Takoma and the buck stops with the leadership. Unfortunately he’s covered similar behavior up in the past and continues to excuse such behavior, and so I don’t have a lot of hope going forward. He’s been abusive himself towards several teachers in the past. One even consulted a lawyer about what options they had.

It doesn’t surprise me that many parents are ignorant to what’s going on. There has been an active effort to keep it hush hush and certain staff are afraid to speak out because it likely means potentially loss of a job or being blacklisted in DCPS.

+1 It's no coincidence that the weekly PrinciPAL message is all about only saying positive things about each other, unifying, highlighting the good, etc. Probably drafted by the same poster who said "let's not air our dirty laundry."

Yep it’s pretty funny. Maybe he will finally watch his mouth but I doubt it. This will blow over and he’ll start his huffing and puffing again.

He asked one of us to write a note about how great he is for cover at last week's PTO. Nothing about his presentation is authentic.

[Anonymous]

I’m bored…*yawns*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m bored…*yawns*

Maybe stop abusing your students for entertainment…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clayton is a nice guy. Don’t believe these stories.

Are you saying it didn't happen? Did he say that or did he not?

Is there video?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for those who have had a bad experience with Clayton, and I hate to put a mirror up to your face or ask your work community about your toxic selves. As a parent of TES kids, they are happy and thriving. When I did have a concern, I found a way to work with the teacher. The time I did approach the Principal, I found him knowledgeable, responsive and the issue was taken care of.

100% this is Clayton or one of his groupies. It’s pathetic really. Notice the “defenders” all showed up at once? Almost as if it was coordinated?

[Anonymous]

Wow, what a hypocrite you are… anyone who has had a different opinion that you is a groupie or defender. Sounds like you can handle being wrong. You should get some help for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, what a hypocrite you are… anyone who has had a different opinion that you is a groupie or defender. Sounds like you can handle being wrong. You should get some help for that.

dp but if you've ever spent time around that building, it's a very clear demarcation of who his "people" are. They're typically the ones who came with him from Florida

[Anonymous]

By making this messy, we have allowed others to distract us from why we are here.

There is a teacher who is acting in a way that is mentally and emotionally damaging to children.

There is a man who is shielding her, creating distractions, making any excuses that serve him, hoping it blows over, and not exercising his responsibility to protect said children.

These are the things we cannot lose focus on.

Children are asking adults to help. Do we turn our backs and get distracted from that, or do we demand change?

Katie Larkin is the instructional superintendent. Make it impossible for her to ignore this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By making this messy, we have allowed others to distract us from why we are here.

There is a teacher who is acting in a way that is mentally and emotionally damaging to children.

There is a man who is shielding her, creating distractions, making any excuses that serve him, hoping it blows over, and not exercising his responsibility to protect said children.

These are the things we cannot lose focus on.

Children are asking adults to help. Do we turn our backs and get distracted from that, or do we demand change?

Katie Larkin is the instructional superintendent. Make it impossible for her to ignore this.

She's leaving at the end of the school year; she doesn't care at all

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:By making this messy, we have allowed others to distract us from why we are here.

There is a teacher who is acting in a way that is mentally and emotionally damaging to children.

There is a man who is shielding her, creating distractions, making any excuses that serve him, hoping it blows over, and not exercising his responsibility to protect said children.

These are the things we cannot lose focus on.

Children are asking adults to help. Do we turn our backs and get distracted from that, or do we demand change?

Katie Larkin is the instructional superintendent. Make it impossible for her to ignore this.

So if the confidential DCPS process, the details of which could not be shared at the PTO meeting, finds the allegations unsubstantiated, will DCPS and the principal take no action and simply continue as usual for this teacher and the affected students? That outcome would be deeply concerning.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I need to say we find that no school is perfect but we’ve had warm teachers and caring staff and our child has found community at Takoma. While the principal did not present his best self at the meeting…he has created a good school we are happy at

We are also very happy at Takoma. His whole mood changed when a parent interrupted him and then said yes she is interrupting. I've never experienced that type of disrespect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow, what a hypocrite you are… anyone who has had a different opinion that you is a groupie or defender. Sounds like you can handle being wrong. You should get some help for that.

This! All our experiences are not the same. We don't have any issues with the principal.