Reply to TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program

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Reply to "TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Ok. I think I understand. TPMS up to now required teachers to teach an extra class beyond what teachers at other middle schools are required to teach. This extra work was not compensated. Parents like this perk and are used to’ better treatment’ than would occur at other middle schools. Now teachers say they are no longer very willing to teach an extra class beyond what they would teach elsewhere so the middle school will need to have a similar schedule to other middle schools. Parents see this as unfair in a negative way to them versus the unfair in a positive way to them that had been occurring. I do not think requiring teachers to teach an extra class  will get MCPS wide parent support nor MCEA support. Parents of magnet students who choose TPMS based on the extra period can reverse this decision for next year and return to their home schools if the magnet no longer meets their needs.  The good thing about the magnet is that it is optional so students can choose between what the magnet offers the year they are choosing to attend versus what their home schools offers.  At a time when all of MCPS is struggling due to teacher retention issues, larger class sizes and underfunded special education needs, I do not see a will to protest over TPMS not requiring teachers to teach the extra period.  At all middle schools, students have to make choices that limit their options for electives and it sounds like this will now also be the case for students at TPMS.

My guess is that as MCPS struggles with budget concerns that led to the increased class size guidance that occurred going into this year, the appetite for pressing teachers to work extra such as teaching an extra class is non-existent.  My guess is also that it would be a hard sell for MCPS to justify hiring more teachers for one school to accommodate the extra period at a time when so many schools are suffering from overly large class sizes.

In a perfect world, all middle school students would be able to take both a foreign language and also another elective.  In the world most MCPS middle school students inhabit, students must choose between the elective or the language.  And now TPMS students must as well.  This is not gutting the music/art program but rather making the program the same as at other middle schools.

Parents angry over the change at TPMS  would likely get much more sympathy and support if they aligned with parents at other middle schools to argue that all middle schools should be structured to allow the extra period so that all students could benefit.  Arguing that students at one MS are more deserving than students at other middle schools of the extra period is a bad look.

I do  understand the anger a the ‘fake’ community outreach.  It would have been better for parents just to have been told that this change was coming and to make their plans for next year accordingly.

[/quote]

Wow. This is so well said. [/quote]

Yes exactly. [/quote]

And yet, so completely wrong[/quote]

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