APS School Board race

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the worst parts of APE back in the day was the contingent of “respectable” members who would shrug at the bad actors, and explain that APE was taking a “big tent” approach, and not all members shared the views of its loudest members. Because, you know, big tent and all. Just letting the hate machine do it’s job, giving branding / lobbying / strategy advice, but simultaneously distancing themselves from the stuff that respectable professionals wouldn’t do publicly. Maybe the ACDC is ok endorsing a school board candidate who was involved in that? She won’t get my vote, but I am curious to see how the ACDC responds. Maybe their perspective is different than mine? Maybe they just allow the caucus to elevate a candidate they find politically undesirable but who won the caucus fair and square?

This description is spot on.

But what can ADCD do? They have to respect the results of the caucus right?

Uh, after voting to keep an undemocratic caucus that excludes federal employees (among others) from serving on the school board??? Yeah, I would say they are stuck with the consequences of their own choices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the worst parts of APE back in the day was the contingent of “respectable” members who would shrug at the bad actors, and explain that APE was taking a “big tent” approach, and not all members shared the views of its loudest members. Because, you know, big tent and all. Just letting the hate machine do it’s job, giving branding / lobbying / strategy advice, but simultaneously distancing themselves from the stuff that respectable professionals wouldn’t do publicly. Maybe the ACDC is ok endorsing a school board candidate who was involved in that? She won’t get my vote, but I am curious to see how the ACDC responds. Maybe their perspective is different than mine? Maybe they just allow the caucus to elevate a candidate they find politically undesirable but who won the caucus fair and square?

This description is spot on.

But what can ADCD do? They have to respect the results of the caucus right?

Uh, after voting to keep an undemocratic caucus that excludes federal employees (among others) from serving on the school board??? Yeah, I would say they are stuck with the consequences of their own choices.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say they care more about retaining control of the process than the identity of the candidate who ends up on the school board. As a parent with a very direct and personal stake in the quality of our schools, this is frustrating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the worst parts of APE back in the day was the contingent of “respectable” members who would shrug at the bad actors, and explain that APE was taking a “big tent” approach, and not all members shared the views of its loudest members. Because, you know, big tent and all. Just letting the hate machine do it’s job, giving branding / lobbying / strategy advice, but simultaneously distancing themselves from the stuff that respectable professionals wouldn’t do publicly. Maybe the ACDC is ok endorsing a school board candidate who was involved in that? She won’t get my vote, but I am curious to see how the ACDC responds. Maybe their perspective is different than mine? Maybe they just allow the caucus to elevate a candidate they find politically undesirable but who won the caucus fair and square?

This description is spot on.

But what can ADCD do? They have to respect the results of the caucus right?

Uh, after voting to keep an undemocratic caucus that excludes federal employees (among others) from serving on the school board??? Yeah, I would say they are stuck with the consequences of their own choices.

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say they care more about retaining control of the process than the identity of the candidate who ends up on the school board. As a parent with a very direct and personal stake in the quality of our schools, this is frustrating.

Good point. Only our students will be stuck with the consequences of their selfish actions.

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

"The past is never dead. It's not even past."

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

Wait what’s the thing about the open coffins?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One of the worst parts of APE back in the day was the contingent of “respectable” members who would shrug at the bad actors, and explain that APE was taking a “big tent” approach, and not all members shared the views of its loudest members. Because, you know, big tent and all. Just letting the hate machine do it’s job, giving branding / lobbying / strategy advice, but simultaneously distancing themselves from the stuff that respectable professionals wouldn’t do publicly. Maybe the ACDC is ok endorsing a school board candidate who was involved in that? She won’t get my vote, but I am curious to see how the ACDC responds. Maybe their perspective is different than mine? Maybe they just allow the caucus to elevate a candidate they find politically undesirable but who won the caucus fair and square?

This description is spot on.

But what can ADCD do? They have to respect the results of the caucus right?

Uh, after voting to keep an undemocratic caucus that excludes federal employees (among others) from serving on the school board??? Yeah, I would say they are stuck with the consequences of their own choices.

Unfortunately we are too

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

Wait what’s the thing about the open coffins?

PP is mad that teachers were concerned about their health (just like everyone else).

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

Wait what’s the thing about the open coffins?

I was following things pretty closely back then and I don't remember any open coffins!

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

Yes I remember all of this and it made me so sad to see that these were educators on AEM posting these things. I kept thinking, these are APS teachers expressing themselves like this in a forum (any forum)? I am glad some of the APE craziest were kicked out of the group, do not condone a lot of the rhetoric on both sides but for me APS took a way bigger hit in the past three years. Hope to have Miranda on the SB soon!

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

Yes I remember all of this and it made me so sad to see that these were educators on AEM posting these things. I kept thinking, these are APS teachers expressing themselves like this in a forum (any forum)? I am glad some of the APE craziest were kicked out of the group, do not condone a lot of the rhetoric on both sides but for me APS took a way bigger hit in the past three years. Hope to have Miranda on the SB soon!

PP. Want to be clear again that it was very few teachers but wanted to respond to an earlier person who said they didn't remember teachers attacking parents. Emotions ran high that year and some people did not pass the test. Sadly that included a few teachers even though most were the glue for our virtual lives. I don't hold grudges against anyone because teachers were scared and families were watching their kids suffer in lots of ways. So glad those days are behind us.

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

I do not remember any open coffins. Where are you getting that from?

I DO remember parents who reported teachers for their principals just because teachers who were concerned for their health expressed a position on social media. Do you consider this kind of attack on their job ok? I sure don't. And I don't know of anything comparable that teachers did to parents.

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

I do not remember any open coffins. Where are you getting that from?

I DO remember parents who reported teachers for their principals just because teachers who were concerned for their health expressed a position on social media. Do you consider this kind of attack on their job ok? I sure don't. And I don't know of anything comparable that teachers did to parents.

reported teachers TO their principals

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

Yes I remember all of this and it made me so sad to see that these were educators on AEM posting these things. I kept thinking, these are APS teachers expressing themselves like this in a forum (any forum)? I am glad some of the APE craziest were kicked out of the group, do not condone a lot of the rhetoric on both sides but for me APS took a way bigger hit in the past three years. Hope to have Miranda on the SB soon!

I was in APE for quite a long time, and only remember one crazy being kicked out and that was after a very long time. I do remember APE often kicking out those who expressed any concern about safety. The party line was that there was absolutely no safety concerns with opening school full time during the surge, and anyone who felt differently was booted from the group. I saw teachers booted routinely.

[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:

jsteele wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Jeff/Admin: Can you explain why posts in this thread keep getting deleted if they mention APE?

There is a post directly above yours that mentions APE that did not get deleted. Posts are getting deleted for that reason. They are getting deleted for making false statements.

This group, which a SB candidate led for years, was an open schools group in Arlington. They were abusive online and in school board meetings. Some of their most aggressive, vocal members were anti-maskers, anti-CRT, pro-voucher. They were aligned with open schools groups out in FCPS and LCPS. Including Ian Prior, PDE (Koch bro), etc.

I really hope the normal lurkers on this page are not buying these defamatory lies. Literally none of this true. It'd be laughable if we we're living in an era of mis-information and conspiracy theory uptake. Please do your own research and look into this group, read their newsletters, and explore their website. I know some of them personally and they are all very active in their school communities and closely aligned with many APS teachers. There are a few deranged trolls on this page (likely the same people making the same outlandish claims on AEM) that are obsessed and continue to spread lies. They make accusation with no evidence or links. They associate people who have long been kicked out of APE if they went against their values and mission as being "leaders." It's disturbing.

No,PP, they are true. I'm involved in school issues, know MT, know APE. I can respect different views and I respect her for some of her advocacy. But APE was unhinged for a while, and MT didn't see that forest for the trees until later. Their level of anger and personal attacks turned off people like me who were open to their original advocacy.

I will never forget the hostility and abuse they showed to teachers.

+1

And administrators and parents.

It’s shocking that they have the audacity to move forward without some massive apology to the community. Are they hoping that we all just forgot?

I don't think they are hoping. More like gaslighting.

This former APS teacher remembers it like it was:

At first, when schools moved to online instruction in the spring of 2020 and parents saw firsthand the hardships teachers were enduring, plaudits poured in for the educators showing remarkable commitment to their profession in a difficult situation they had never trained for. Virtual teaching took much more time to prepare, execute and evaluate. And because students were often not required to turn on their cameras, it was a lot like teaching into a void. But as time crawled on and schools remained closed to in-person instruction, parents became critical, even angry. The hostility parents leveled against teachers was astonishing.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/books/2023/03/08/teachers-woes-vulnerable-profession-robbins/?fbclid=IwAR09zWPxOvQ7ARNI88LVb53WxRdEE-8OSZNjn02BRB4rxJ5N_3psAqdN2Ts

Are you a secondary teacher? Because elementary school in APS wasn't anything like this in spring of 2020. For K-2, APS prohibited any teaching whatsoever, so my child didn't see her teacher after the schools closed and didn't get any work from her. For 3-5, no new instruction was permitted, so my older child's teacher sent repetitive worksheets every day (she was great, this was not her fault) and had once weekly video check ins. I didn't and don't blame the teachers for this; these were APS decisions. But for elementary parents, we were very much on our own and we saw our kids suffer from the complete lack of instruction and limited engagement from their teachers. I'm not a member of APE or any other group. But I think it's important to remember the context to understand how disappointed and concerned parents were when APS decided in the summer of 2020 to keep schools closed.

Are you saying the context justified the hostility the parents in the OPEN SCHOOLS NOW group showed to teachers (and others too)? I cannot agree with that.

Bad behavior is bad behavior all around and should not be considered acceptable. However, let's also not forget the, "Open Coffins Now" teachers that did their own protests mock coffins included!

I don't ever remember teachers attacking parents. That is the difference.

You don't remember the open coffins? You don't remember accusations here and on AEM that parents just wanted babysitters? You don't remember the incessant gaslighting that kids were resilient and if they weren't it was their parents fault? There was even a teacher or staff member with a phony name on AEM who was vicious to parents. The vast majority of teachers did not engage in those actions, but there were a few who did. To be clear, we had great teachers. They showed up every day that hard virtual year with nothing but enthusiasm, often while their own kids were at home. I understood only a smidge of what they had to do to show up like that every day in a zoom room. I was disappointed in APS and lack of leadership from our school board and county board to not work together more on real solutions. But was never disappointed in my kids' teachers.

I do not remember any open coffins. Where are you getting that from?

I DO remember parents who reported teachers for their principals just because teachers who were concerned for their health expressed a position on social media. Do you consider this kind of attack on their job ok? I sure don't. And I don't know of anything comparable that teachers did to parents.

Teachers in nearby PWC protested with open coffins (as did others across nation). Their teacher’s association had to apologize for it. You can find the news articles. In APS, not sure about open coffins but remember there was a car parade with problematic signs. And absolutely beyond the pale for parents to report teachers. I understood teachers were scared. Not angry at the very few who went a little too far.