How many DCPS parents might be willing to file a lawsuit against DCPS to ensure fall reopening?

[Anonymous]

I'm curious how many DCPS parents would be willing to go the route of public school parents in New Jersey and elsewhere who have successfully sued their school districts for in-person INSTRUCTION (not IPL, which is a farce, especially for middle school and high schoolers who sit in CARES classrooms on their computers while their teachers teach from home). After a year of getting the runaround from school administrators, Bowser, and the WTU, I'm pessimistic that they won't do more of the same in the fall (especially as they are running out the clock for Term 4 and not offering meaningful return to classroom instruction). Walls HS hasn't offered a single in-person class all year. Wilson is allowing one class a week in person for some students but it's still hybrid so the teacher is focused on the virtual students, not the ones in front of him/her.

The mayor claiming schools are open is ridiculous; they are not open and the surveys they have sent out to parents all year haven't even offered a return to in-person instruction as an option. Their reassurances that they "plan" to reopen in the fall are what they said over the winter break about the spring. I don't believe them.

Given the declining case rates, vaccination, new CDC guidance, etc. there is now plenty of objective scientific evidence that it is safe to return to full time, 5 days a week school. Other school districts have done it; private schools have done it since the fall. The threat of a lawsuit might help the mayor see some sense and clarify plans for the fall and perhaps finally give the WTU a response to their year-long goalpost shifting and dishonest stunts (body bags in front of the mayor's office, "mental health day" strikes, etc) with regard to getting back to the classroom. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious how many DCPS parents would be willing to go the route of public school parents in New Jersey and elsewhere who have successfully sued their school districts for in-person INSTRUCTION (not IPL, which is a farce, especially for middle school and high schoolers who sit in CARES classrooms on their computers while their teachers teach from home). After a year of getting the runaround from school administrators, Bowser, and the WTU, I'm pessimistic that they won't do more of the same in the fall (especially as they are running out the clock for Term 4 and not offering meaningful return to classroom instruction). Walls HS hasn't offered a single in-person class all year. Wilson is allowing one class a week in person for some students but it's still hybrid so the teacher is focused on the virtual students, not the ones in front of him/her.

The mayor claiming schools are open is ridiculous; they are not open and the surveys they have sent out to parents all year haven't even offered a return to in-person instruction as an option. Their reassurances that they "plan" to reopen in the fall are what they said over the winter break about the spring. I don't believe them.

Given the declining case rates, vaccination, new CDC guidance, etc. there is now plenty of objective scientific evidence that it is safe to return to full time, 5 days a week school. Other school districts have done it; private schools have done it since the fall. The threat of a lawsuit might help the mayor see some sense and clarify plans for the fall and perhaps finally give the WTU a response to their year-long goalpost shifting and dishonest stunts (body bags in front of the mayor's office, "mental health day" strikes, etc) with regard to getting back to the classroom. Thoughts?

My faith is so eroded in DCPS and charter schools that i feel my money and emotional labor is better spent exploring private school options. Selfish, I know. But that’s where my family is at right now.

[Anonymous]

You are like a teenager screaming "I'll sue you!" Child.

[Anonymous]

Me!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm curious how many DCPS parents would be willing to go the route of public school parents in New Jersey and elsewhere who have successfully sued their school districts for in-person INSTRUCTION (not IPL, which is a farce, especially for middle school and high schoolers who sit in CARES classrooms on their computers while their teachers teach from home). After a year of getting the runaround from school administrators, Bowser, and the WTU, I'm pessimistic that they won't do more of the same in the fall (especially as they are running out the clock for Term 4 and not offering meaningful return to classroom instruction). Walls HS hasn't offered a single in-person class all year. Wilson is allowing one class a week in person for some students but it's still hybrid so the teacher is focused on the virtual students, not the ones in front of him/her.

The mayor claiming schools are open is ridiculous; they are not open and the surveys they have sent out to parents all year haven't even offered a return to in-person instruction as an option. Their reassurances that they "plan" to reopen in the fall are what they said over the winter break about the spring. I don't believe them.

Given the declining case rates, vaccination, new CDC guidance, etc. there is now plenty of objective scientific evidence that it is safe to return to full time, 5 days a week school. Other school districts have done it; private schools have done it since the fall. The threat of a lawsuit might help the mayor see some sense and clarify plans for the fall and perhaps finally give the WTU a response to their year-long goalpost shifting and dishonest stunts (body bags in front of the mayor's office, "mental health day" strikes, etc) with regard to getting back to the classroom. Thoughts?

My faith is so eroded in DCPS and charter schools that i feel my money and emotional labor is better spent exploring private school options. Selfish, I know. But that’s where my family is at right now.

This is similar to us. We're looking into moving to a different area to get out of the WTU sh!tshow, and I'm saving my money and energy for that. I would be willing to join the cause (just not fund it) though.

[Anonymous]

Situation is ripe for a class action lawsuit. I pay my taxes and my child did not get an education. What about y’all?

[Anonymous]

Lawyer up Bit-hes!

[Anonymous]

Total waste of time and energy.

[Anonymous]

Not enough eye roll emojis in the world

[Anonymous]

OP here. Why a waste of time? For those of us who can't afford private school and can't move due to jobs / family obligations, I don't see how we have any other choice. The WTU has a $4.5 million budget to lobby and cajole and threaten city officials; the Mayor has punted decision-making to health officials who have been ignoring the evidence about the safety of reopening for months. If a good lawyer would be willing to file a lawsuit on behalf of parents pro bono, as one did for parents did in NJ, why not try? Many parents (including myself) have repeatedly asked our kids' school principals for clarification and commitment to reopening. There is a reason they won't give us a definitive answer about the fall.

[Anonymous]

What makes you think the mere threat of a lawsuit is going to make the city government jump? D.C.'s budget is $24 billion a year; they get sued all the time. Just saying you're going to sue the District isn't going to change anything.

And then, on what grounds exactly do you plan to sue? I say that as someone who wishes my kids were in school in person full-time, too -- I know that would be better, I just don't understand how you think the city is violating the law by operating mostly remote teaching (and some hybrid and in-person classes) during a pandemic.

[Anonymous]

Sue on failure to educate; children have a right to a minimum basic education. Scientific evidence is clear on the matter of in-person instruction in the classroom being safe (esp with vaccination now available) and the overwhelming evidence that hybrid and virtual learning environments harm the most at-risk students -- to say nothing of the emotional/psychological damage that a year without schooling has caused. NJ's case in South Orange is a lot like DC: city officials and union were squabbling and couldn't agree. Only the lawsuit moved the needle and got kids back in the classroom

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sue on failure to educate; children have a right to a minimum basic education. Scientific evidence is clear on the matter of in-person instruction in the classroom being safe (esp with vaccination now available) and the overwhelming evidence that hybrid and virtual learning environments harm the most at-risk students -- to say nothing of the emotional/psychological damage that a year without schooling has caused. NJ's case in South Orange is a lot like DC: city officials and union were squabbling and couldn't agree. Only the lawsuit moved the needle and got kids back in the classroom

Seems unlikely that a court would find that the distance learning isn't at least attempting to provide a minimum basic education. It'd be one thing if DCPS never planned to do in-person school again, but that's not what's going on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sue on failure to educate; children have a right to a minimum basic education. Scientific evidence is clear on the matter of in-person instruction in the classroom being safe (esp with vaccination now available) and the overwhelming evidence that hybrid and virtual learning environments harm the most at-risk students -- to say nothing of the emotional/psychological damage that a year without schooling has caused. NJ's case in South Orange is a lot like DC: city officials and union were squabbling and couldn't agree. Only the lawsuit moved the needle and got kids back in the classroom

Won't most of these claims be moot as soon as D.C. announces plans to reopen in the fall for in-person school for every kid who wants to attend in person, which seems extremely likely to happen? Just because they haven't said what you want to hear yet doesn't mean they aren't going to or that you can sue over it.

[Anonymous]

It would be wonderful if this question were moot, but if "reopening" means anything less than 5 days a week, full day schooling with teachers in the classroom, it will continue to be an issue. Currently D.C. is claiming its schools ARE open. But they are not. Teachers can claim exemptions to refuse to return to the classroom, and have, which is why we have no real return to school in Term 4; school principals are claiming they "expect" to be reopen in the fall but won't commit to that in writing and DCPS won't either. Why? Because the WTU would like to continue the option of remote teaching for its members and are pushing for a 4 day work week w/ reduced hours. (Don't get me started on the "non-instructional" Wednesdays when teachers claim they are available to students but are ). See, for example, what LA teachers union has negotiated while parents beg for a return to full time, in person school: https://www.the74million.org/article/court-documents-reveal-how-l-a-teachers-union-gained-upper-hand-in-pandemic-negotiations-limiting-instruction-time/