Teachers not returning. MCPS to hire “Monitors” instead

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t people start taking accountability for their lives? Look at what happens when society relies so much on schools to care for children. Wake up people!!!

Do you mean educate children?

Education is happening. People are just sick of their kids. They want the child care part of school back.

You are out of touch and accusing parents of not wanting to be around their kids is disgusting. I know so people who are modestly paid nurses, EMTs, and TEACHERS who cannot stay at home with kids and are struggling with childcare. You must live in a bubble.

The people I know who are fighting the hardest for this have never spent more than a week alone with their kids. We are going on a year and they cannot stand it anymore. They'll send them back whatever the setup is.

Exactly. The screamers are the privileged. To them, inconvenience feels like oppression.

The truly poor and financially struggling families are used to constant life crises and not having anyone to bail them out, so they are quietly buckling down and finding ways to manage under new stressful conditions, just like they have always had to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Everyone isn't going to agree with MCPS's decisions. I certainly don't, not all the time. But that's still a reasonable decision to make, even if you don't agree with it.

How you and I define "in person" learning is, frankly, irrelevant, because we're not MCPS. I don't think Zoom DL in a classroom is as good as being taught in person. But our ES has told us that they can't provide true in person learning and keep the kids safe or keep the kids with their teachers, they've explained why, and their explanations make sense. It sucks but it is what it is.

No, it isn't irrelevant, at least not if you think that wordshave meaning. If you took your car in for service to a mechanic who said they provide transportation, and it turned out to mean they contribute $5 towards an Uber ride, would you say, "*shrug* my opinion is irrelevant because I'm not the mechanic."?

Ok, you clearly don't think that in-school DL is "in person learning." So what? MCPS does. Are you going to waive a dictionary at school buildings and make the rooms bigger? Are you going to go up to parents who are choosing virtual learning for their kids and smack them in the face with your thesaurus? Are you going to sit down with COVID and all its variants, and explain your excellent Uber analogy in the hopes that it will stop being so damn communicable?

I guess I expect our public agencies to use words according to the words' actual meanings. It might be naive of me. If MCPS actually means "an expanded program of child care hubs in school buildings," then they should have say that, rather than referring to "return to school" or "reopening plans" or "in-person learning."

Problem is, that’s your personal description because it’s not what you want (or any if us want, frankly). This model had been discussed and has always been part of the options on the table since the return plan surfaced. I’m unclear how so many are shocked. I do recall teachers mentioning it on this board. We are in the DL group so nothing changes except for maybe a longer day.

On another thread, people were screaming that they obviously didn't communicate the possibility well enough since the complainer didn't understand. Well, you would have understood if you had chosen to READ. It was clearly outlined as one of three possibilities all along.

[Anonymous]

Very few of my low income families are returning to school. They cannot afford to get sick. The families who want to send their kids back are wealthy and white.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t people start taking accountability for their lives? Look at what happens when society relies so much on schools to care for children. Wake up people!!!

Do you mean educate children?

Education is happening. People are just sick of their kids. They want the child care part of school back.

You are out of touch and accusing parents of not wanting to be around their kids is disgusting. I know so people who are modestly paid nurses, EMTs, and TEACHERS who cannot stay at home with kids and are struggling with childcare. You must live in a bubble.

The people I know who are fighting the hardest for this have never spent more than a week alone with their kids. We are going on a year and they cannot stand it anymore. They'll send them back whatever the setup is.

Exactly. The screamers are the privileged. To them, inconvenience feels like oppression.

The truly poor and financially struggling families are used to constant life crises and not having anyone to bail them out, so they are quietly buckling down and finding ways to manage under new stressful conditions, just like they have always had to do.

I almost can't believe this is a real comment. You know that being able to have / supervise your kids while they safely sit on a computer at home is the EPITOME of privilege, right? You're really beyond nasty (and trying to hide behind those you so kindly refer to as "them.'" Beyond gross.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t people start taking accountability for their lives? Look at what happens when society relies so much on schools to care for children. Wake up people!!!

Do you mean educate children?

Education is happening. People are just sick of their kids. They want the child care part of school back.

You are out of touch and accusing parents of not wanting to be around their kids is disgusting. I know so people who are modestly paid nurses, EMTs, and TEACHERS who cannot stay at home with kids and are struggling with childcare. You must live in a bubble.

The people I know who are fighting the hardest for this have never spent more than a week alone with their kids. We are going on a year and they cannot stand it anymore. They'll send them back whatever the setup is.

Exactly. The screamers are the privileged. To them, inconvenience feels like oppression.

The truly poor and financially struggling families are used to constant life crises and not having anyone to bail them out, so they are quietly buckling down and finding ways to manage under new stressful conditions, just like they have always had to do.

You mean the people who were already struggling are struggling MORE. Stop romanticizing poverty and chronic stress. It’s disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t people start taking accountability for their lives? Look at what happens when society relies so much on schools to care for children. Wake up people!!!

Do you mean educate children?

Education is happening. People are just sick of their kids. They want the child care part of school back.

You are out of touch and accusing parents of not wanting to be around their kids is disgusting. I know so people who are modestly paid nurses, EMTs, and TEACHERS who cannot stay at home with kids and are struggling with childcare. You must live in a bubble.

The people I know who are fighting the hardest for this have never spent more than a week alone with their kids. We are going on a year and they cannot stand it anymore. They'll send them back whatever the setup is.

Exactly. The screamers are the privileged. To them, inconvenience feels like oppression.

The truly poor and financially struggling families are used to constant life crises and not having anyone to bail them out, so they are quietly buckling down and finding ways to manage under new stressful conditions, just like they have always had to do.

I almost can't believe this is a real comment. You know that being able to have / supervise your kids while they safely sit on a computer at home is the EPITOME of privilege, right? You're really beyond nasty (and trying to hide behind those you so kindly refer to as "them.'" Beyond gross.

I genuinely wonder if there are people who actually believe this stuff about reopening being about not wanting to be around your children, or if it's just someone who is really bored and wants to get a rise out of people. I suspect a lot of it is the latter.

[Anonymous]

MCPS paraeducator here: teachers and support staff like me are not refusing to come back to work. Staff were asked to apply for any ADA or FMLA accommodations/leave they might qualify for, but everyone else is expected to report to work when buildings reopen. The monitors will be in addition to teachers, not instead of them.

A majority of the kids at the school I work at plan to return, and classrooms can hold about 12-15 per classroom depending on the room's size - meaning in some cases, one classroom may need to be spread out over two rooms. A classroom monitor could be very helpful here, and I'm guessing they're also being hired to help with lunchtime. In a normal school year, a cafeteria can hold 6-8 classes at a time and there are usually 2-4 adults monitoring. When we go back, at least at the elementary level kids will be eating in their classrooms - and I would guess there will be a monitor in every one of those rooms. We are also going to need more adults to help manage and spread out arrival and dismissal procedures since those will need to look different than they have in the past.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t people start taking accountability for their lives? Look at what happens when society relies so much on schools to care for children. Wake up people!!!

Do you mean educate children?

Education is happening. People are just sick of their kids. They want the child care part of school back.

You are out of touch and accusing parents of not wanting to be around their kids is disgusting. I know so people who are modestly paid nurses, EMTs, and TEACHERS who cannot stay at home with kids and are struggling with childcare. You must live in a bubble.

The people I know who are fighting the hardest for this have never spent more than a week alone with their kids. We are going on a year and they cannot stand it anymore. They'll send them back whatever the setup is.

Exactly. The screamers are the privileged. To them, inconvenience feels like oppression.

The truly poor and financially struggling families are used to constant life crises and not having anyone to bail them out, so they are quietly buckling down and finding ways to manage under new stressful conditions, just like they have always had to do.

I almost can't believe this is a real comment. You know that being able to have / supervise your kids while they safely sit on a computer at home is the EPITOME of privilege, right? You're really beyond nasty (and trying to hide behind those you so kindly refer to as "them.'" Beyond gross.

I genuinely wonder if there are people who actually believe this stuff about reopening being about not wanting to be around your children, or if it's just someone who is really bored and wants to get a rise out of people. I suspect a lot of it is the latter.

Agreed. Some of the things this poster is saying can't be a real MCPS parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS paraeducator here: teachers and support staff like me are not refusing to come back to work. Staff were asked to apply for any ADA or FMLA accommodations/leave they might qualify for, but everyone else is expected to report to work when buildings reopen. The monitors will be in addition to teachers, not instead of them.

A majority of the kids at the school I work at plan to return, and classrooms can hold about 12-15 per classroom depending on the room's size - meaning in some cases, one classroom may need to be spread out over two rooms. A classroom monitor could be very helpful here, and I'm guessing they're also being hired to help with lunchtime. In a normal school year, a cafeteria can hold 6-8 classes at a time and there are usually 2-4 adults monitoring. When we go back, at least at the elementary level kids will be eating in their classrooms - and I would guess there will be a monitor in every one of those rooms. We are also going to need more adults to help manage and spread out arrival and dismissal procedures since those will need to look different than they have in the past.

Thank you!! Part of my frustration, as an MCPS parent, is the lack of transparency on these issues. I don’t blame you or the teachers at ALL for that—it’s the BOE’s (continued) failure. It makes total sense to me that classroom monitors could be useful in the ways you describe, in addition to the teachers and paras who would be in the building.

My kids are at a learning hub (and thriving as much as they can), so I know there are real benefits to this model, and I also don’t have the weird paranoia around my kids being with non-teachers that some PPs seem to. It doesn’t work for kids with special needs and really young kids, but I’m hopeful this step will get us closer to a real return to in-person education in the Fall.

Again, thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t people start taking accountability for their lives? Look at what happens when society relies so much on schools to care for children. Wake up people!!!

Do you mean educate children?

Education is happening. People are just sick of their kids. They want the child care part of school back.

You are out of touch and accusing parents of not wanting to be around their kids is disgusting. I know so people who are modestly paid nurses, EMTs, and TEACHERS who cannot stay at home with kids and are struggling with childcare. You must live in a bubble.

The people I know who are fighting the hardest for this have never spent more than a week alone with their kids. We are going on a year and they cannot stand it anymore. They'll send them back whatever the setup is.

Exactly. The screamers are the privileged. To them, inconvenience feels like oppression.

The truly poor and financially struggling families are used to constant life crises and not having anyone to bail them out, so they are quietly buckling down and finding ways to manage under new stressful conditions, just like they have always had to do.

I almost can't believe this is a real comment. You know that being able to have / supervise your kids while they safely sit on a computer at home is the EPITOME of privilege, right? You're really beyond nasty (and trying to hide behind those you so kindly refer to as "them.'" Beyond gross.

I genuinely wonder if there are people who actually believe this stuff about reopening being about not wanting to be around your children, or if it's just someone who is really bored and wants to get a rise out of people. I suspect a lot of it is the latter.

Agreed. Some of the things this poster is saying can't be a real MCPS parent.

The "parents don't want to spend time with their kids" retort has lost a lot of juice to the point of irrelevancy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS paraeducator here: teachers and support staff like me are not refusing to come back to work. Staff were asked to apply for any ADA or FMLA accommodations/leave they might qualify for, but everyone else is expected to report to work when buildings reopen. The monitors will be in addition to teachers, not instead of them.

A majority of the kids at the school I work at plan to return, and classrooms can hold about 12-15 per classroom depending on the room's size - meaning in some cases, one classroom may need to be spread out over two rooms. A classroom monitor could be very helpful here, and I'm guessing they're also being hired to help with lunchtime. In a normal school year, a cafeteria can hold 6-8 classes at a time and there are usually 2-4 adults monitoring. When we go back, at least at the elementary level kids will be eating in their classrooms - and I would guess there will be a monitor in every one of those rooms. We are also going to need more adults to help manage and spread out arrival and dismissal procedures since those will need to look different than they have in the past.

Thank you!! Part of my frustration, as an MCPS parent, is the lack of transparency on these issues. I don’t blame you or the teachers at ALL for that—it’s the BOE’s (continued) failure. It makes total sense to me that classroom monitors could be useful in the ways you describe, in addition to the teachers and paras who would be in the building.

My kids are at a learning hub (and thriving as much as they can), so I know there are real benefits to this model, and I also don’t have the weird paranoia around my kids being with non-teachers that some PPs seem to. It doesn’t work for kids with special needs and really young kids, but I’m hopeful this step will get us closer to a real return to in-person education in the Fall.

Again, thank you.

+1 This is the kind of information that parents need to hear to convince us that we’re not being offered fake news that will result in the rug being pulled out from under us.

People like you are the answer. Thank you!

[Anonymous]

This thread title is 100% not true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MCPS paraeducator here: teachers and support staff like me are not refusing to come back to work. Staff were asked to apply for any ADA or FMLA accommodations/leave they might qualify for, but everyone else is expected to report to work when buildings reopen. The monitors will be in addition to teachers, not instead of them.

A majority of the kids at the school I work at plan to return, and classrooms can hold about 12-15 per classroom depending on the room's size - meaning in some cases, one classroom may need to be spread out over two rooms. A classroom monitor could be very helpful here, and I'm guessing they're also being hired to help with lunchtime. In a normal school year, a cafeteria can hold 6-8 classes at a time and there are usually 2-4 adults monitoring. When we go back, at least at the elementary level kids will be eating in their classrooms - and I would guess there will be a monitor in every one of those rooms. We are also going to need more adults to help manage and spread out arrival and dismissal procedures since those will need to look different than they have in the past.

Thank you!! Part of my frustration, as an MCPS parent, is the lack of transparency on these issues. I don’t blame you or the teachers at ALL for that—it’s the BOE’s (continued) failure. It makes total sense to me that classroom monitors could be useful in the ways you describe, in addition to the teachers and paras who would be in the building.

My kids are at a learning hub (and thriving as much as they can), so I know there are real benefits to this model, and I also don’t have the weird paranoia around my kids being with non-teachers that some PPs seem to. It doesn’t work for kids with special needs and really young kids, but I’m hopeful this step will get us closer to a real return to in-person education in the Fall.

Again, thank you.

+1 This is the kind of information that parents need to hear to convince us that we’re not being offered fake news that will result in the rug being pulled out from under us.

People like you are the answer. Thank you!

Thank you to my para colleague for this response. This is the most accurate, factual post in this thread. Thank you for being a voice of reason.
I will add that this format is merely the first step in the process of reopening buildings. I am not looking forward to this structure (I teach some of our youngest children in Mcps) but I know that it will not last forever and it means we are one step closer to getting to where we all want to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

On another thread, people were screaming that they obviously didn't communicate the possibility well enough since the complainer didn't understand. Well, you would have understood if you had chosen to READ. It was clearly outlined as one of three possibilities all along.

I really don't understand this "You didn't follow MCPS closely enough to realize that while you thought they were talking about A, they were actually talking about B, boy are you ever dumb" stuff on DCUM, other than that DCUM's gonna DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why can’t people start taking accountability for their lives? Look at what happens when society relies so much on schools to care for children. Wake up people!!!

Do you mean educate children?

Education is happening. People are just sick of their kids. They want the child care part of school back.

You are out of touch and accusing parents of not wanting to be around their kids is disgusting. I know so people who are modestly paid nurses, EMTs, and TEACHERS who cannot stay at home with kids and are struggling with childcare. You must live in a bubble.

The people I know who are fighting the hardest for this have never spent more than a week alone with their kids. We are going on a year and they cannot stand it anymore. They'll send them back whatever the setup is.

Exactly. The screamers are the privileged. To them, inconvenience feels like oppression.

The truly poor and financially struggling families are used to constant life crises and not having anyone to bail them out, so they are quietly buckling down and finding ways to manage under new stressful conditions, just like they have always had to do.

I almost can't believe this is a real comment. You know that being able to have / supervise your kids while they safely sit on a computer at home is the EPITOME of privilege, right? You're really beyond nasty (and trying to hide behind those you so kindly refer to as "them.'" Beyond gross.

I am black and grew up in a household that struggled financially. I am part of a large family. We have had these discussions and I completely agree with what the previous poster stated. We are not strangers to adversity. We don’t wait around for the system to work for us, because usually it doesn’t. Get a grip.