50 kids in a class

[Anonymous]

Third grade? This means private school applications for next year's Fourth Grade class are going to spike! That is really not workable, I'm surprised Lafayette would foist this insanity on third graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My child is in this class & there is no barrier removed to make it one large room. It is a room set up originally to house 25 children, now containing 50 kids, eight of whom have to sit on the floor everyday.

A half wall separating classrooms with square footage sufficient to accommodate the class size is hugely different than the situation these children are in.

Were you ever in this area last year? If so, you'd know that the space was indeed TWO classrooms, with dividers between them. The one in the middle was actually not being used as a classroom, I believe it was used for special lessons and activities. However, it most certainly was two separate "rooms." The space now has been joined, doubling the original room size that was on the end.

[Anonymous]

I still can't believe anyone thinks 50 kids in a class is reasonable.

[Anonymous]

As the posts above illustrate, some parents are supportive of these teachers no matter what. But others of us are terribly concerned and trying to figure out what to do next.

We have already talked to the teachers, who seem set on pursing this model. We have spoken to the principal several times, who alternates between misstating the reality of the situation and telling us that we just need to trust her and the teachers.

Can anyone recommend a good education lawyer?

If you are plan on lawyering up to force the school to abandon this model, then you have already decided that you know more than the education professionals and that your way is the best way. Why not wait and see how it goes for while? Why assume you know better than the people in charge?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My child is in this class & there is no barrier removed to make it one large room. It is a room set up originally to house 25 children, now containing 50 kids, eight of whom have to sit on the floor everyday.

A half wall separating classrooms with square footage sufficient to accommodate the class size is hugely different than the situation these children are in.

Were you ever in this area last year? If so, you'd know that the space was indeed TWO classrooms, with dividers between them. The one in the middle was actually not being used as a classroom, I believe it was used for special lessons and activities. However, it most certainly was two separate "rooms." The space now has been joined, doubling the original room size that was on the end.

Then why is there not enough space for every child to have a seat?

[Anonymous]

I don't care how good you make it sound, there is never a model where it's okay for 8 kids to sit on the floor. This is absurd. No I don't have a kid in the class, I don't need to, you can't make it sound desirable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone who has a child in the 50-student classroom being discussed:

No one is arguing that these are not experienced teachers with great reputations. But that has no bearing as to whether grouping 50 children in a single classroom space intended for 25 is a good idea, or whether the teachers or the principal have been responsive to parent concerns (they haven't been).

On back to school night, the teachers didn't address their 50-student plan at all until parents asked about it, 25 minutes into a 30-minute session. Their only explanation was that because of changes in classroom allocation, the teachers would otherwise have had to have classrooms right next to each other, and the potential noise created by this might have bothered one of the teachers, who said she is noise-sensitive.

(Note that all the other classroom spaces in the school are configured this way, so it's not like this "problem" of adjacent classrooms would have been unique to the 3rd grade; it's just how the Lafayette space is set up inside.) If there was a better instructional reason for combining the classes, the teachers didn't share it.

Also, no partitions were removed or moved to create this classroom configuration. All 50 kids are really, truly, in square footage intended for 25.

As the posts above illustrate, some parents are supportive of these teachers no matter what. But others of us are terribly concerned and trying to figure out what to do next.

We have already talked to the teachers, who seem set on pursing this model. We have spoken to the principal several times, who alternates between misstating the reality of the situation and telling us that we just need to trust her and the teachers.

Can anyone recommend a good education lawyer?

Just - WOW! So this "solution" is to accommodate an ADULT who has hearing (sensory) issues. Gee, I wonder if any of the FIFTY children being shoved into this mega-classroom might have any sensory issues as well?

Who cares, right? They don't have a union rep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Just - WOW! So this "solution" is to accommodate an ADULT who has hearing (sensory) issues. Gee, I wonder if any of the FIFTY children being shoved into this mega-classroom might have any sensory issues as well?

Who cares, right? They don't have a union rep.

Somehow, this doesn't sound like a situation in which teachers are seeking union protection. They have the support of the principal and many parents. We don't really know if the teacher's sensory issues were the real or main reason for doing this.

I do hope the teachers and principal are more forthcoming with concerned parents before lawyers are called in.

What about central admin? Does the chancellor know about this? condone it? Please find out before calling a lawyer.

[Anonymous]

Unless there's a law mandating class size (and they exist in some jurisdictions for some grades, but I'm pretty sure not in DC), then I don't think there's much a court can or will do.

[Anonymous]

So let me guess, we have a situation where a teacher has some sort of issue that needs help, the legal reality is the administration has to improve that teacher's work space but can't disclose information personal to the teacher's situation, and the teacher is very well regarded by students/parents, so...let's all just get along? Or is there a better explanation that the school will be sharing soon?

[Anonymous]

What is wrong with you people?

This seems to be a forum for overprivileged know-nothing complainers, who like to opine on things they are ignorant about and/or that don't affect their children.

Get a life!

I have a child in this class. She is loving it and things are going fine. My older child had one of these teachers previously and I would honestly say she was the best teacher in the collective 10 years of DCPS instruction that my kids have had. I'd clone these teachers if I could, and I have total confidence in both of them. The teachers are awesome and deserve not just a chance, but our full support.

The real problem here is that Lafayette's second grade team is not as strong as these third grade teachers, the classes were large last year, and the parents are all on edge because of last year's experience. This is totally natural, but BELIEVE ME -- these teachers can handle this and your kids will be fine.

I hope the skeptical parents of the Lafayette children in this class give this a chance, I respectfully suggest that the rest you who are posting here but don't have kids in the class shut the f*ck up before your ignorant ranting ruins the attitude of these two teachers and the experience that my kid is having in this wonderful class. These teachers already put up with a lot, and they don't need to be subjected to a bunch of ignorant commenters whining about their eminently reasonable team teaching approach.

[Anonymous]

11:58 - do you really think it's reasonable for 8 third-graders to have to sit on the floor?

[Anonymous]

Oh please PP this is a free public forum and we all have the right to post and give opinions. Its your right not to listen. There is not a prerequisite that one must have a kid in a particular school or class in order to speak about it. I still maintain that 8 kids having to sit on the floor each day is crazy. I don't care about the class size being that is seems like it's working alright. I would hope that the admin would adequately accommodate the students with a desk and chair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh please PP this is a free public forum and we all have the right to post and give opinions. Its your right not to listen. There is not a prerequisite that one must have a kid in a particular school or class in order to speak about it. I still maintain that 8 kids having to sit on the floor each day is crazy. I don't care about the class size being that is seems like it's working alright. I would hope that the admin would adequately accommodate the students with a desk and chair.

But some of the opinions expressed are not based on the facts of the situation. And some feel compelled to point that out.

[Anonymous]

I'm not judging, I just want to know the facts. Are 50 third-graders all in the same classroom together at the same time for much of the day on a daily basis? And, are there seats available for all of the children?