NYC parents vs DC parents

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a concrete action you can take now:

Each state must submit a plan to the CDC outlining how it will distribute the vaccine and what populations will get it first.

Look up the city’s first iteration of its plan and organize parents to demand that teachers are at the front of the line!!!

The teachers just want a perpetual vacation. Next, they’ll refuse the vaccine so that they can continue sheltering forever. Time to move.

Teachers are not now and have not been on "vacation," you fool. Parent your kids.

We ARE parenting our 2 kids, but they are NOT learning anything from DL. Their teachers aren't even pretending to be trying anymore, they're just going through the motions until it's break time again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a native New Yorker, I am completely and totally sick of the Washington Teachers Union/ ELIZABETH DAVIS and her unrealistic notion of virtual school-going forever... My Kindergartener is new to her DCPS school and starting a BRAND NEW SCHOOL VIRTUALLY SUCKS. I hate everything about this. I'm beyond angry at the Mayor and "leadership" but mostly disgusted by the WTU and their complete lack of concern for how badly these new learners in elementary school are going to be behind due to the WTU's BS demands.
NYC managed to get the kids back in school in a much more complicated school district and after a Spring and Summer of MUCH worse conditions than DC but DC teachers can not? The parents in NYC are not standing for the city shutting down the schools and are FIGHTING BACK but in DC? every parent here is too Politically correct and scared to stand up to the WTU and demand we open schools. I'm so sick of this and can't believe parents are just lying down and taking this garbage.

OP, I also have an early elementary child who is new to her DCPS school, and I can't agree more. And our school has made no effort to help. The attitude seems to be to let parents figure it out on their own, but as a new family, we feel completely on our own. I feel particularly bad for our kid, because she knows that if she were in school in-person, she could be making friends, but DL doesn't facilitate that in any way. It might be sufficient for older kids to keep in touch with friends from prior years, but for kids this age (5-6) who don't already know each other, there's just no way for them to develop relationships.

I honestly feel equally frustrated with the union and DCPS itself. I do think the union has acted unreasonably at times, and I especially feel that their rhetoric has been divisive at a time when it's particularly unproductive. I can support teachers and want them to have reasonable safety measures, and also want schools to open, and those are not inconsistent positions. But DCPS and Bowser have been equally terrible, and are too happy to blame the union for a lot of stuff that isn't their fault at all. The union is not the reason DL is so inadequate and bad -- that's due to Central Office policies that ignore what teachers know is the better pedagogical approach. And the union isn't at fault for DCPS's terrible communication, and their refusal to really engage parents and teachers on what is working (and what is very much not) and how best to meet the needs of kids and families.

Honestly, if DCPS had engaged parents early and listened, I think they would have had an easier time negotiating with the union. Part of the problem is that they kept everyone in the dark and then when they announced things, teachers and parents alike were confused and frustrated. I do think there is some political posturing among parents (some people claim to love DL or act like opening schools is an automatic death sentence, which it clearly is not) but I also think a lot of parents sided with teachers because they know them, they actually talk to them, and DCPS has offered so little in the way of communication or leadership.

What a mess.

What exactly do you think DCPS central did to interfere with the DL approaches? My understanding is that schools and teachers have a ton of latitude. I'm not sure that it makes sense to blame DCPS for how DL is being executed.

As for what DCPS could have done differently ... I think they have done multiple parent surveys, and were negotiating with WTU all summer. So I'm not sure what else they could have done. Maybe they could have accepted that they would have to make bigger concessions to the WTU from the get-go. But given that many urban districts are in the same position, I'm not ready to conclude there is something uniquely bad about DCPS. I do with they had pulled off what Detroit did or Rhode Island is doing now.

Central Office set requirement for how many hours of live instruction kids are getting, as well as certain requirements for how and when they are executed. This means that my K student has back to back classes from 8:45 until almost noon, except for two short breaks. They want DL to mirror how in-person class would work, and aren't accounting for how hard it is for early learners to sit in front of a screen for that long, and how desperately they need to move their bodies and take a break from the screen.

Both parents and teachers at our school wanted fewer live sessions and were really unhappy about back to back sessions (for instance, going straight from a 30 minute morning meeting to a 30 minute small group). But the schedule was set by the district and our teacher has had minimal leeway within that. She has started shortening classes because she sees it's not working, but since most of them are full-group sessions (and we have more than 20 kids in class) that means the kids aren't getting much engagement. What would be better is to do half as much live instruction, but split it all up into smaller groups. So kids would only have maybe 90 minutes of class (ELA, math, special) but those classes would be with fewer kids and they'd get more attention and be more involved. But the morning meeting is mandated and teachers are limited in what they can do with the rest.

I do think charters have way more latitude. But if you are at a DCPS school, there are a ton of rules for how DL works. What differences there are, it's teachers basically breaking the rules in order to do something that works for the kids.

I think you’re misinformed. Our DCPS doesn’t do back to back classes - they have pretty long breaks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Oh yay! Another thread of entitled parents ranting about the pandemic.


It sucks for everyone. Why do you think you would be spared?

Because I don't accept that people who have money for private or are in Catholic schools (or in publics in other states) are somehow more resistant to the virus.

Catholic schools have required faculty and staff to sign liability waivers. Private school families that are not adhering to guidelines are being kicked out (see the Kushners) but generally speaking private school families have higher levels of education and social trust and less exposure due to their jobs.

Not comparable to DCPS.

Public schools EVERYWHERE are open - in the US and internationally. You're copping out. DCPS serves kids who need to be in school the most; therefore, they should be making the biggest effort. The real reason we're not in school is the teacher's union refusing to do it, not any of the things you listed.

DCPS is open. It’s open via DL. You just don’t like it.

I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

That's your OPINION. Don't speak for the many of us whose kids are succeeding in DL (through their own effort, combined with our parental effort).

Then you can homeschool forever. Don’t drag the rest of us down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NY schools shut down. Go back to NY if you don't like how its done here. Simple. No one will miss you, really, go back.

How what's done? Incompetence? I'm advocating for teaching our youngest learners so they don't suffer the long-term effects a lack of education will cause for the rest of their schooling. What a stupid comment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

How do you know its failing a huge proportion of kids?

Everyone knows that.

No, we don't. Some of our kids are doing really well with it. Maybe OP is the problem, not DL.

That's great if your kid is doing well. Mine is not. Neither are any of my friend's kids. Kids were not meant to learn in this manner. ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN.

[Anonymous]

DL is not homeschooling. Homeschooling is when you pick the schedule, the curriculum, you figure out the pedagogy you want to employ, trouble shoot any issues with. You also buy all the supplies, books, etc.

And homeschooling to get in all the curriculum you need to cover in a day takes between 2-3 hours.

But this 2-3 hours doesn't include - showing up on time (you are home you can start whenever you want); learning to follow rules like standing in line; engaging with other all the time; learning to work with new kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

How do you know its failing a huge proportion of kids?

Everyone knows that.

No, we don't. Some of our kids are doing really well with it. Maybe OP is the problem, not DL.

That's great if your kid is doing well. Mine is not. Neither are any of my friend's kids. Kids were not meant to learn in this manner. ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN.

First off, its K. That means you need to work with them regardless of DL and school - reading, handwriting and basic math. Second, you need to be heavily involved with DL. You are the parent, take responsibility. And, stop having kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

How do you know its failing a huge proportion of kids?

Everyone knows that.

No, we don't. Some of our kids are doing really well with it. Maybe OP is the problem, not DL.

That's great if your kid is doing well. Mine is not. Neither are any of my friend's kids. Kids were not meant to learn in this manner. ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN.

First off, its K. That means you need to work with them regardless of DL and school - reading, handwriting and basic math. Second, you need to be heavily involved with DL. You are the parent, take responsibility. And, stop having kids.

you’re absurd. everyone thinks so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

How do you know its failing a huge proportion of kids?

Everyone knows that.

No, we don't. Some of our kids are doing really well with it. Maybe OP is the problem, not DL.

That's great if your kid is doing well. Mine is not. Neither are any of my friend's kids. Kids were not meant to learn in this manner. ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN.

First off, its K. That means you need to work with them regardless of DL and school - reading, handwriting and basic math. Second, you need to be heavily involved with DL. You are the parent, take responsibility. And, stop having kids.

Stop having kids? As one of the millions of women who have had to quit my job as I can't afford a nanny to take over DL while I work please F off. Women Are Exiting the Labor Force En Masse due to DL and people like you legitimize this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

How do you know its failing a huge proportion of kids?

Everyone knows that.

No, we don't. Some of our kids are doing really well with it. Maybe OP is the problem, not DL.

That's great if your kid is doing well. Mine is not. Neither are any of my friend's kids. Kids were not meant to learn in this manner. ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN.

First off, its K. That means you need to work with them regardless of DL and school - reading, handwriting and basic math. Second, you need to be heavily involved with DL. You are the parent, take responsibility. And, stop having kids.

Stop having kids? As one of the millions of women who have had to quit my job as I can't afford a nanny to take over DL while I work please F off. Women Are Exiting the Labor Force En Masse due to DL and people like you legitimize this.

You piss off and grow up. How did you pay for child care 0-5? You both are working and cannot afford child care and yet you did before? I quit my job when we realized my child had special needs. It sucked but paying a nanny would have cost more than I was earning. We get it. Your kids are trophies so you just want to show them off but not take care of them. Your husband could have quit instead of you. The kids probably would have been better off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

How do you know its failing a huge proportion of kids?

Everyone knows that.

No, we don't. Some of our kids are doing really well with it. Maybe OP is the problem, not DL.

That's great if your kid is doing well. Mine is not. Neither are any of my friend's kids. Kids were not meant to learn in this manner. ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN.

First off, its K. That means you need to work with them regardless of DL and school - reading, handwriting and basic math. Second, you need to be heavily involved with DL. You are the parent, take responsibility. And, stop having kids.

you’re absurd. everyone thinks so.

Its not absurd to work with your kids at home. Its called being a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

How do you know its failing a huge proportion of kids?

Everyone knows that.

No, we don't. Some of our kids are doing really well with it. Maybe OP is the problem, not DL.

That's great if your kid is doing well. Mine is not. Neither are any of my friend's kids. Kids were not meant to learn in this manner. ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN.

First off, its K. That means you need to work with them regardless of DL and school - reading, handwriting and basic math. Second, you need to be heavily involved with DL. You are the parent, take responsibility. And, stop having kids.

you’re absurd. everyone thinks so.

Its not absurd to work with your kids at home. Its called being a parent.

No, much of what PP described is exactly what used to be a core part of the teacher's job. If you want to roll off your job responsibilities onto parents do we then also get to share part of your salary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a concrete action you can take now:

Each state must submit a plan to the CDC outlining how it will distribute the vaccine and what populations will get it first.

Look up the city’s first iteration of its plan and organize parents to demand that teachers are at the front of the line!!!

The teachers just want a perpetual vacation. Next, they’ll refuse the vaccine so that they can continue sheltering forever. Time to move.

You are wrong to make such a flip blanket statement. Teacher here and this has been as far from a vacation as you can get. It’s awful for the kids, for teachers and for parents. So take your thoughtlessness elsewhere. You are NOT helping.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: I don't "like" it because it's failing a huge proportion of kids. It's not "open" by any meaningful standard.

How do you know its failing a huge proportion of kids?

Everyone knows that.

No, we don't. Some of our kids are doing really well with it. Maybe OP is the problem, not DL.

That's great if your kid is doing well. Mine is not. Neither are any of my friend's kids. Kids were not meant to learn in this manner. ESPECIALLY FOR KINDERGARTEN.

First off, its K. That means you need to work with them regardless of DL and school - reading, handwriting and basic math. Second, you need to be heavily involved with DL. You are the parent, take responsibility. And, stop having kids.

Stop having kids? As one of the millions of women who have had to quit my job as I can't afford a nanny to take over DL while I work please F off. Women Are Exiting the Labor Force En Masse due to DL and people like you legitimize this.

You piss off and grow up. How did you pay for child care 0-5? You both are working and cannot afford child care and yet you did before? I quit my job when we realized my child had special needs. It sucked but paying a nanny would have cost more than I was earning. We get it. Your kids are trophies so you just want to show them off but not take care of them. Your husband could have quit instead of you. The kids probably would have been better off.

You're gross. Why don't you go back to actually helping our kids learn instead of shaming parents for your own shortcomings. Just shameless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here is a concrete action you can take now:

Each state must submit a plan to the CDC outlining how it will distribute the vaccine and what populations will get it first.

Look up the city’s first iteration of its plan and organize parents to demand that teachers are at the front of the line!!!

The teachers just want a perpetual vacation. Next, they’ll refuse the vaccine so that they can continue sheltering forever. Time to move.

You are wrong to make such a flip blanket statement. Teacher here and this has been as far from a vacation as you can get. It’s awful for the kids, for teachers and for parents. So take your thoughtlessness elsewhere. You are NOT helping.

You just watch. I bet there will be tons of teachers refusing to take the vaccine with the WTU egging them on all along.