Emails reveal contempt by MoCo health dept for nonpublic schools

[Anonymous]

This was from the time when Gayles and co were fighting to keep all nonpublic schools closed.

They really do just seem to hate anyone who doesn’t send their kid to public school.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/emails-reveal-montgomery-county-health-departments-contempt-for-nonpublic-schools?fbclid=IwAR0nVc-Vn-HDyf82g0U_hqRQn1for0IpTtMKuJAnpXHzIEnK2bmpEcwsO08

[Anonymous]

This is a poorly written email minimizing the risks of covid. It about minimizing community spread and not just about deaths and hospitizlatiosn and we don't know those numbers as most schools did not have weekly testing and its impossible to guess how it may have spread within the community. Gayles was right to keep schools virtual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a poorly written email minimizing the risks of covid. It about minimizing community spread and not just about deaths and hospitizlatiosn and we don't know those numbers as most schools did not have weekly testing and its impossible to guess how it may have spread within the community. Gayles was right to keep schools virtual.

Did you read the article?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a poorly written email minimizing the risks of covid. It about minimizing community spread and not just about deaths and hospitizlatiosn and we don't know those numbers as most schools did not have weekly testing and its impossible to guess how it may have spread within the community. Gayles was right to keep schools virtual.

Well, he didn’t succeed in keeping all private schools virtual.

[Anonymous]

Ah, yes, the Washington Examiner, always a citadel of unbiased good faith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ah, yes, the Washington Examiner, always a citadel of unbiased good faith.

Can you dispute the article with facts? If someone posted "Ah, yes, the Washington Post, always a citadel of unbiased good faith." a person like you would blast the poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ah, yes, the Washington Examiner, always a citadel of unbiased good faith.

Why don’t you read the excerpts from the emails, which are quoted in the article?

[Anonymous]

Here are the parts of the article that quote emails:


“The privileged class of the county is showing their behinds,” health officer Travis Gayles of Montgomery County, Maryland, wrote on Aug. 1, dismissing objections from parents, teachers, and principals upset at his blanket closure of all nonpublic schools. ...

A local orthodontist married to a public school teacher emailed Gayles Saturday afternoon, Aug. 1, with a request.

“I ask that your department of health visit Bullis," a private school in the county seeking to reopen. "Bullis has exceeded my expectations for the safety of my precious youngest child. ... At the very least could you please provide the specific criteria which you would need to see achieved in MoCo and the necessary protocols in the schools in order to provide the critical and essential in person learning.” Gayles forwarded the message to colleagues, commenting only, “The arrogance…”

Tiffany Ward, the Chief Equity Officer of the county, replied, “SMDH, totally unsurprised by this." Ward then invoked the local private school Holton Arms. "Want to let you know that Holton alums who are in the medical field are singing your praises and saying you made the right decision. Not sure what current parents are saying. But folks need to know they can’t buy their way out of the needed pandemic precautions!”

“Absolute arrogance and privilege,” added Deputy Health Officer James Bridgers to the email chain. “Imagine what you would do if your child was exposed? You mitigate risks by being overly cautious.” ...

On Saturday night, Aug. 1, Shantee Jackson, a specialist at the county’s Department of Health and Human Services, emailed colleagues a story from CNN about Gayles’s order.

“Thanks…but why are on e-mail on a Saturday night lol,” Gayles replied a minute later.

“It has been a long day and the privileged class of the county is showing their behinds as my grandmother would say," Gayles wrote. "We will continue to press ahead and do the work to keep our folks safe.”

[Anonymous]

Gayles should step down or be fired immediately! He was wrong in his actions and in the unintelligent and inappropriate emails. Private schools opened and educated their students just fine. Not public schools - and this is his problem. He has no idea how to do his job and these email revelations should be the nail in his coffin. He is terrible at his job, divisive, and prejudiced. Time to Go!

[Anonymous]

Props to Governor Hogan for pushing back, and to those parochial schools that opened and were able to stay open. At least some kids got an education this year.

[Anonymous]

He’s just speaking the truth. That’s why everyone on this thread is upset. Why not acknowledge your privilege and then have a conversation?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He’s just speaking the truth. That’s why everyone on this thread is upset. Why not acknowledge your privilege and then have a conversation?!

Do you even listen to yourself?

[Anonymous]

Thank God our private is in Anne Arundel, far away from these self-righteous ding dongs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He’s just speaking the truth. That’s why everyone on this thread is upset. Why not acknowledge your privilege and then have a conversation?!

You're an idiot. He was wrong in his prejudiced efforts to attempt to keep non-public schools closed and he was wrong in his inappropriate emails. Time to go, bye bye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:He’s just speaking the truth. That’s why everyone on this thread is upset. Why not acknowledge your privilege and then have a conversation?!

What privilege? I work hard to afford private for my kid. So? You made other choices. People that bash others using the tired “privileged” label sound like envious middle school children. Get over it. People are more successful then you.