If there is a candidate who can show they don't have a conflict of interest and is not beholden to any special interest and can set up a small-donor campaign, I would be willing to donate regularly and volunteer. But such a candidate is fairly rare. Even more rare is one who is a parent of school-aged children. Such parents generally just don't have the time or wherewithal to run such a campaign.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I’m not sure why anyone would want to be on the board. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t with anything in ACPS.

But this board, and previous boards, have never taken any risks. They simply follow what central office and the superintendents tell them to do. They only do one thing, the results keep getting worse and they keep the course. They never do the other thing. They never take any risks.

Then run yourself. Seems pretty simple, really.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of the school board members aren't even parents.

My mom was a superintendent for many years. Unfortunately this is very common.

Probably because people without children (and older people with grown children) are the ones who have the time to serve. It's the same with our HOA board. I give credit to those on the board who are parents with kids in ACPS but am disappointed that hasn't led to more change.

Anonymous wrote:Some of the school board members aren't even parents.

My mom was a superintendent for many years. Unfortunately this is very common.

Anonymous wrote:Some of the school board members aren't even parents.

Makes it easier for them to dismiss the concerns of parents. But they also get total support on that from the school board members WITH children.

But it should be a factor in voting. I remember former SB member Margaret Lorber (B of course) telling parents on a PTA zoom that she took care of her daughter's infant for a couple of hours a few times a week so she was experiencing having kids during zoom school. But she's a particularly um...dotty...person who was very cruel to parents.

Some of the school board members aren't even parents.

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, I’m not sure why anyone would want to be on the board. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t with anything in ACPS.

But this board, and previous boards, have never taken any risks. They simply follow what central office and the superintendents tell them to do. They only do one thing, the results keep getting worse and they keep the course. They never do the other thing. They never take any risks.

Honestly, I’m not sure why anyone would want to be on the board. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t with anything in ACPS.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

When 20-30% of your poorest kids aren't reading in elementary school, I'd say you're not meeting those basic needs either.

Pp here. That was my point, there are more urgent things to worry about than whether some mommy thinks her very privileged child feels challenged enough in school.

Has it occurred to you that both problems may have similar causes?

No, because they don’t.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

When 20-30% of your poorest kids aren't reading in elementary school, I'd say you're not meeting those basic needs either.

Pp here. That was my point, there are more urgent things to worry about than whether some mommy thinks her very privileged child feels challenged enough in school.

Has it occurred to you that both problems may have similar causes?

How do we get people to run for school board who really care about public education and all students achieving academic access, regardless of social class, race, ethnicity or disability status?

We have moved around a lot due to my husband's job, and I can say as the mom of a disabled student, I have found no school board or school that I have encountered so far meaningfully cares about the bolded. Sorry to be negative, but that is how I feel.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

When 20-30% of your poorest kids aren't reading in elementary school, I'd say you're not meeting those basic needs either.

Pp here. That was my point, there are more urgent things to worry about than whether some mommy thinks her very privileged child feels challenged enough in school.

Anonymous wrote:What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

When 20-30% of your poorest kids aren't reading in elementary school, I'd say you're not meeting those basic needs either.

What does that mean? You don’t like the focus on poverty and meeting the most basic needs of the most vulnerable because you perceive that comes at the expense of enrichment for your gifted and talented snowflake?

How do we get people to run for school board who really care about public education and all students achieving academic access, regardless of social class, race, ethnicity or disability status?