Is it possible to get rid of Jack Smith?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The fact is, Smith does the bidding of the BOE. They micromanage and get what they want, he keeps his job. It's as simple as that.

It is funny that you think that this is what happens. Not! MCPS staff present items to the Board of Education, the Board then runnber-stamps whatever he wants. When is the last time the Board disagreed with or over-rode the MCPS staff, including Dr Smith?

I'll confess that I've only really been paying attention since March, but this is my impression as well.

Only in the last two meetings has anyone even asked a hard question. But even then, they just let the BS responses continue.

I don't think I've seen anything besides a unanimous vote, to be honest

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The fact is, Smith does the bidding of the BOE. They micromanage and get what they want, he keeps his job. It's as simple as that.

I'm honestly really curious to know who the person is that wrote this post. How could you possibly think this is true? Do you may attention to what's going on in MCPS at all? Is there a niche issue that you're particularly focused on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lack of action? He cannot fix covid.

No, but he could bring students back to school, like they're doing all over the country and the world, even in places with higher community spread.

He's not even seriously trying to bring back special needs kids.

Are you nuts? With cases rising, no one is going back, and the ones who are already back are going home. My nephew in Connecticut has gone in person since August and they're switching to hybrid soon and then to full distance learning. For kindergarteners. Because they have to.

Apparently Europe is nuts then, because they value education enough to keep schools open despite community spread at similar levels.

The teachers unions are quite strong in the US, though. And we're happy to close schools to make people feel better about the decisions to keep restaurants and bars open.

You can make the choice to not go to restaurants and bars.

And you can make the choice to not send your kids to school. Or to find a different job if you're a teacher.

We don't go to bars, restaurants, socialize or send our kids to school. I am not a teacher but I wold find a different job if I was. I'm in another profession that is equally at risk so I will not be returning to that profession with my health issues. If we have the option to go back in the Spring, we have discussed it as a family and everyone agrees to continue with DL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jack Smith is awful, many of us who have been in the system have been saying it for a long time but just get labeled whiners and complainers here. I won't rehash it all, but just to mention a few:
-no discipline or consequences for students (not for misbehaving horribly and not for failing classes, because no one is allowed to fail)
-no support from central office to admins (Principals)
-no support from Admins to teachers
-cuts in special education, from the preschool program up through high school and LFI
-horrible forecasting, leading to severely overcrowded schools
-horrible maintenance of facilities, meaning mold, bathrooms that consistently don't work, roof tiles that fly off and more
-wasted tax payer dollars on studies that go nowhere (capacity and site selection studies that result in no changes)
-wasted tax payer dollars from hiring the same few construction companies over and over, rather than having a competitive bidding process

Not to worry, Jack Smith will not be completing his 4 year contract, our taxpayer dollars will continue to pay him, and Monifa will take over. Just ask Calvert County residents how happy they were to see him go

This has always been the case with MCPS. It will be the same with anyone you bring in especially parents who argue over redistricting and demanding their new facilities get more money then ones that need replaced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What is the reason lazy Jack wasn't at the virtual conference last night? Neither was Monifa. Central office doesn't care about parent questions or the community. If Jack can't listen and lead time to find someone else.

How can anyone defend this with a straight face? The fact that neither of them attended is unacceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is the reason lazy Jack wasn't at the virtual conference last night? Neither was Monifa. Central office doesn't care about parent questions or the community. If Jack can't listen and lead time to find someone else.

How can anyone defend this with a straight face? The fact that neither of them attended is unacceptable.

If Jack shows up at a Q&A meeting, it'll become all about him - not the topic. Just like this thread. And lots of threads in the past.

He's really better off not trying to lead such discussions in person - both for him and for anyone looking for real answers instead of a sh*tshow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty clear that Jack Smith is the single person most responsible for the lack of action to bring kids back to school. I know he just got a renewed contract, but what would it take to fire him? Is this something only the BoE can do? Presumably they'd be some sort of financial penalty- would they have to buy out the remaining 3.5 years?

I mean, no one in MCPS, Mo CO, Maryland and the US is perfect, but MCPS is doing well for being such a large diverse school system. Why can't you people be realistic about the situation and make productive suggestion. Maybe your lack of productive input to the community is why you need to off load your kids for others to babysit during a pandemic. Maybe we need to get rid of you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty clear that Jack Smith is the single person most responsible for the lack of action to bring kids back to school. I know he just got a renewed contract, but what would it take to fire him? Is this something only the BoE can do? Presumably they'd be some sort of financial penalty- would they have to buy out the remaining 3.5 years?

I mean, no one in MCPS, Mo CO, Maryland and the US is perfect, but MCPS is doing well for being such a large diverse school system. Why can't you people be realistic about the situation and make productive suggestion. Maybe your lack of productive input to the community is why you need to off load your kids for others to babysit during a pandemic. Maybe we need to get rid of you.

+1. Cases are rising. This is a highly contagious illness that is hard to treat and deadly. You can deal with it and if you want to go back act in a responsible manner to stop Covid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty clear that Jack Smith is the single person most responsible for the lack of action to bring kids back to school. I know he just got a renewed contract, but what would it take to fire him? Is this something only the BoE can do? Presumably they'd be some sort of financial penalty- would they have to buy out the remaining 3.5 years?

I mean, no one in MCPS, Mo CO, Maryland and the US is perfect, but MCPS is doing well for being such a large diverse school system. Why can't you people be realistic about the situation and make productive suggestion. Maybe your lack of productive input to the community is why you need to off load your kids for others to babysit during a pandemic. Maybe we need to get rid of you.

+1. Cases are rising. This is a highly contagious illness that is hard to treat and deadly. You can deal with it and if you want to go back act in a responsible manner to stop Covid.

Exactly! Deal with it and teach your kids to step up and deal with it. You can really help your kids by making them step up rather than complaining with them. I am so tired of seeing whining MCPS parents. GROW the "F" up please and be an example to your kids.

[Anonymous]

Ah another MCPS admin trying to make sure the gravy train continues...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty clear that Jack Smith is the single person most responsible for the lack of action to bring kids back to school. I know he just got a renewed contract, but what would it take to fire him? Is this something only the BoE can do? Presumably they'd be some sort of financial penalty- would they have to buy out the remaining 3.5 years?

I mean, no one in MCPS, Mo CO, Maryland and the US is perfect, but MCPS is doing well for being such a large diverse school system. Why can't you people be realistic about the situation and make productive suggestion. Maybe your lack of productive input to the community is why you need to off load your kids for others to babysit during a pandemic. Maybe we need to get rid of you.

What exactly do you think MCPS is doing well? From what I hear, they are feeding children well. From what I hear, they have done a good job of distributing technology (chrome books and wi-fi). We are fortunate not to have needed that, and have donated for others. What MCPS is NOT doing well, is educating children, their primary mission.

I have 2 in HS. Their AP classes are even bad - teacher tells them to go off and read on their own, watch videos, and then she reads additional chapters during the 2 hours a week of classes. No discussion of ideas, no research papers or debate. It's awful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty clear that Jack Smith is the single person most responsible for the lack of action to bring kids back to school. I know he just got a renewed contract, but what would it take to fire him? Is this something only the BoE can do? Presumably they'd be some sort of financial penalty- would they have to buy out the remaining 3.5 years?

I mean, no one in MCPS, Mo CO, Maryland and the US is perfect, but MCPS is doing well for being such a large diverse school system. Why can't you people be realistic about the situation and make productive suggestion. Maybe your lack of productive input to the community is why you need to off load your kids for others to babysit during a pandemic. Maybe we need to get rid of you.

+1. Cases are rising. This is a highly contagious illness that is hard to treat and deadly. You can deal with it and if you want to go back act in a responsible manner to stop Covid.

Exactly! Deal with it and teach your kids to step up and deal with it. You can really help your kids by making them step up rather than complaining with them. I am so tired of seeing whining MCPS parents. GROW the "F" up please and be an example to your kids.

Is hard to get kids to prioritize their education when the rest of society doesn't- particularly their teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty clear that Jack Smith is the single person most responsible for the lack of action to bring kids back to school. I know he just got a renewed contract, but what would it take to fire him? Is this something only the BoE can do? Presumably they'd be some sort of financial penalty- would they have to buy out the remaining 3.5 years?

I mean, no one in MCPS, Mo CO, Maryland and the US is perfect, but MCPS is doing well for being such a large diverse school system. Why can't you people be realistic about the situation and make productive suggestion. Maybe your lack of productive input to the community is why you need to off load your kids for others to babysit during a pandemic. Maybe we need to get rid of you.

What exactly do you think MCPS is doing well? From what I hear, they are feeding children well. From what I hear, they have done a good job of distributing technology (chrome books and wi-fi). We are fortunate not to have needed that, and have donated for others. What MCPS is NOT doing well, is educating children, their primary mission.

I have 2 in HS. Their AP classes are even bad - teacher tells them to go off and read on their own, watch videos, and then she reads additional chapters during the 2 hours a week of classes. No discussion of ideas, no research papers or debate. It's awful.

Have you asked the teacher about this? Discussed with the department chair or Assistant Principal or even Counselor? This is likely to be teacher specific Or school specific and not a generalization of the whole of MCPS. Especially since some have mentioned how busy their kids are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty clear that Jack Smith is the single person most responsible for the lack of action to bring kids back to school. I know he just got a renewed contract, but what would it take to fire him? Is this something only the BoE can do? Presumably they'd be some sort of financial penalty- would they have to buy out the remaining 3.5 years?

I mean, no one in MCPS, Mo CO, Maryland and the US is perfect, but MCPS is doing well for being such a large diverse school system. Why can't you people be realistic about the situation and make productive suggestion. Maybe your lack of productive input to the community is why you need to off load your kids for others to babysit during a pandemic. Maybe we need to get rid of you.

What exactly do you think MCPS is doing well? From what I hear, they are feeding children well. From what I hear, they have done a good job of distributing technology (chrome books and wi-fi). We are fortunate not to have needed that, and have donated for others. What MCPS is NOT doing well, is educating children, their primary mission.

I have 2 in HS. Their AP classes are even bad - teacher tells them to go off and read on their own, watch videos, and then she reads additional chapters during the 2 hours a week of classes. No discussion of ideas, no research papers or debate. It's awful.

Your kids got a bad teacher. That bad teacher would be equally bad in person. We have great teachers this year. Past few years were terrible. The only blessing to Covid was the school ending early as it was a huge waste.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's pretty clear that Jack Smith is the single person most responsible for the lack of action to bring kids back to school. I know he just got a renewed contract, but what would it take to fire him? Is this something only the BoE can do? Presumably they'd be some sort of financial penalty- would they have to buy out the remaining 3.5 years?

I mean, no one in MCPS, Mo CO, Maryland and the US is perfect, but MCPS is doing well for being such a large diverse school system. Why can't you people be realistic about the situation and make productive suggestion. Maybe your lack of productive input to the community is why you need to off load your kids for others to babysit during a pandemic. Maybe we need to get rid of you.

+1. Cases are rising. This is a highly contagious illness that is hard to treat and deadly. You can deal with it and if you want to go back act in a responsible manner to stop Covid.

Exactly! Deal with it and teach your kids to step up and deal with it. You can really help your kids by making them step up rather than complaining with them. I am so tired of seeing whining MCPS parents. GROW the "F" up please and be an example to your kids.

Is hard to get kids to prioritize their education when the rest of society doesn't- particularly their teachers.

As a parent, it’s on you.