I watched the videos and was expecting to be horrifed. I hate all types of violence but honestly this was no different than the fights that occured in my high school in the early 90's. It just looks like a regular fight. Yes, fights are bad. But they happen.

Anonymous wrote:my daughter goes to paint branch and dreads it every single morning. she is the quiet, studious type and absolutely hates the environment at paint branch. I tried to get her a cosa to a school with a better reputation and was shot down despite presenting video evidence of fights and kids acting up in class. She tried to escape by taking AP classes hoping the kids would be better behaved, but since they allow almost anyone to register, nothing changed, except now she is paired up with kids who challenge her on race (she is white) and dont contribute to the projects. she comes home in tears frequently. Hate MCPS. Can afford private or to move to a better school area. Hate MCPS. I guarantee not a single BOE member or central office staff has done an unannounced visit to the schools on the east. They would be in shock but would brush it off. Some schools could use an SRO in every class.

Did she choose PB? I know some kids whose home school was Blake and they choose PB and are really happy. There was a particular program they wanted that PB offers. FWIW, PB is not alone with the fights.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids are not okay. SMH.

Schools need to be smaller. 500 for MS. 1000 for HS. Classroom sizes need to be much smaller. 15 for MS. 20 for HS. Stagger the school day and make school year round so there is an AM shift and a PM shift. Cramming adolescents together in packed hallways and classroom increases their stress and helps leads to stupid disputes. But smaller populations cost money so MCPS just adds additional security.

The stupid disputes 9/10 have nothing to do with school. They tend to be about:

1) Perceived slights of disrespect (sometimes influenced by older gang affiliated teens who egg the fights on for their entertainment and/or to initiate them into the gang). These slights are sometimes amplified by social media and group chats that spread the humiliation.
2) Fights over girlfriends/boyfriends
3) Trash talking that goes too far either in games or sports. This trash talking can be amplified by group chats and social media as well.

I'm not saying there's not some merit to smaller schools, but that isn't why these kids are fighting.

What do you expect when the county has built multiple low income housing communities in that area? Of course sending all the poor section 8 kids to the 2 high schools in that area would cause problems. what do you expect from communities that lack strong parents and are raised to get upset and take offense at every little comment. I live in that area and it's scary as shit.

Wow is that a lot of assumptions about people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like how the MoCoPGNews person has decided to stop tweeting videos of fights because it just encourages fights and the video-ing thereof. It would be nice if they had decided this sooner, but better late than never.

Actually, he claims the principals of Paint Branch, Kennedy and the PG high schools he posted were reporting his account, which also factored into his decision to stop the fight videos.

I think it's a catch 22. MCPS's broken and toxic culture thrives on its cloud of secrecy, so exposing the reality of the school environment informs parents who are ignorant and oblivious and puts pressure on MCPS to react and respond instead of shoving things under the rug like it normally does.

But it does also recreate the WorldStar Hiphop phenomenon where kids who are traumatized, hurting and in need of attention do bad things to get noticed in really permanent and public ways that aren't good for them in the long run.

Understandable, since the principals are probably always telling the students not to stand around and film fights.

My high school had fights, but we didn't have cell phones, so we didn't film them.

The principals don't want the heat from parents and the community about how they might be perceived to be mismanaging the schools. That is the main impetus for them not wanting this stuff to get out, I assure you. There's a lot of self-interest going on here. It's not for the benefit of the kids.

The kids may not be the main motivation for the principals. However, it definitely does benefit the kids when the kids don't stand around and film the kids fighting.

Bring back Mark Twain. those kids dont belong in a regular high school.

Anonymous wrote:my daughter goes to paint branch and dreads it every single morning. she is the quiet, studious type and absolutely hates the environment at paint branch. I tried to get her a cosa to a school with a better reputation and was shot down despite presenting video evidence of fights and kids acting up in class. She tried to escape by taking AP classes hoping the kids would be better behaved, but since they allow almost anyone to register, nothing changed, except now she is paired up with kids who challenge her on race (she is white) and dont contribute to the projects. she comes home in tears frequently. Hate MCPS. Can afford private or to move to a better school area. Hate MCPS. I guarantee not a single BOE member or central office staff has done an unannounced visit to the schools on the east. They would be in shock but would brush it off. Some schools could use an SRO in every class.

That's awful. I'm sorry. I went to a rough HS where there were fights *everyday*, but at least I could escape it by taking AP classes that not just anyone could take.

I don't like that type of restriction for AP classes because I think if you want to be challenged, then you should be able to have that opportunity, but it's awful to then have to be partnered with someone who doesn't pull their weight on projects. And the whole race thing is awful, too. Some people make everything about race such that it's lost its meaning.

Your DD should demand the admin there do restorative justice with the the POC person because clearly that POC person has some issues with your white DD -- I say this a bit tongue in cheek, sort of. But isn't this what RJ is about? What would MCPS say to that, I wonder? I know.. if your DD brought it up, she'd probably get jumped. Sad situation.

Not an ideal situation but can you rent in a different area?

ITA about SROs.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids are not okay. SMH.

Schools need to be smaller. 500 for MS. 1000 for HS. Classroom sizes need to be much smaller. 15 for MS. 20 for HS. Stagger the school day and make school year round so there is an AM shift and a PM shift. Cramming adolescents together in packed hallways and classroom increases their stress and helps leads to stupid disputes. But smaller populations cost money so MCPS just adds additional security.

The stupid disputes 9/10 have nothing to do with school. They tend to be about:

1) Perceived slights of disrespect (sometimes influenced by older gang affiliated teens who egg the fights on for their entertainment and/or to initiate them into the gang). These slights are sometimes amplified by social media and group chats that spread the humiliation.
2) Fights over girlfriends/boyfriends
3) Trash talking that goes too far either in games or sports. This trash talking can be amplified by group chats and social media as well.

I'm not saying there's not some merit to smaller schools, but that isn't why these kids are fighting.

What do you expect when the county has built multiple low income housing communities in that area? Of course sending all the poor section 8 kids to the 2 high schools in that area would cause problems. what do you expect from communities that lack strong parents and are raised to get upset and take offense at every little comment. I live in that area and it's scary as shit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like how the MoCoPGNews person has decided to stop tweeting videos of fights because it just encourages fights and the video-ing thereof. It would be nice if they had decided this sooner, but better late than never.

Actually, he claims the principals of Paint Branch, Kennedy and the PG high schools he posted were reporting his account, which also factored into his decision to stop the fight videos.

I think it's a catch 22. MCPS's broken and toxic culture thrives on its cloud of secrecy, so exposing the reality of the school environment informs parents who are ignorant and oblivious and puts pressure on MCPS to react and respond instead of shoving things under the rug like it normally does.

But it does also recreate the WorldStar Hiphop phenomenon where kids who are traumatized, hurting and in need of attention do bad things to get noticed in really permanent and public ways that aren't good for them in the long run.

Understandable, since the principals are probably always telling the students not to stand around and film fights.

My high school had fights, but we didn't have cell phones, so we didn't film them.

The principals don't want the heat from parents and the community about how they might be perceived to be mismanaging the schools. That is the main impetus for them not wanting this stuff to get out, I assure you. There's a lot of self-interest going on here. It's not for the benefit of the kids.

my daughter goes to paint branch and dreads it every single morning. she is the quiet, studious type and absolutely hates the environment at paint branch. I tried to get her a cosa to a school with a better reputation and was shot down despite presenting video evidence of fights and kids acting up in class. She tried to escape by taking AP classes hoping the kids would be better behaved, but since they allow almost anyone to register, nothing changed, except now she is paired up with kids who challenge her on race (she is white) and dont contribute to the projects. she comes home in tears frequently. Hate MCPS. Can afford private or to move to a better school area. Hate MCPS. I guarantee not a single BOE member or central office staff has done an unannounced visit to the schools on the east. They would be in shock but would brush it off. Some schools could use an SRO in every class.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The kids are not okay. SMH.

Schools need to be smaller. 500 for MS. 1000 for HS. Classroom sizes need to be much smaller. 15 for MS. 20 for HS. Stagger the school day and make school year round so there is an AM shift and a PM shift. Cramming adolescents together in packed hallways and classroom increases their stress and helps leads to stupid disputes. But smaller populations cost money so MCPS just adds additional security.

The stupid disputes 9/10 have nothing to do with school. They tend to be about:

1) Perceived slights of disrespect (sometimes influenced by older gang affiliated teens who egg the fights on for their entertainment and/or to initiate them into the gang). These slights are sometimes amplified by social media and group chats that spread the humiliation.
2) Fights over girlfriends/boyfriends
3) Trash talking that goes too far either in games or sports. This trash talking can be amplified by group chats and social media as well.

I'm not saying there's not some merit to smaller schools, but that isn't why these kids are fighting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like how the MoCoPGNews person has decided to stop tweeting videos of fights because it just encourages fights and the video-ing thereof. It would be nice if they had decided this sooner, but better late than never.

Actually, he claims the principals of Paint Branch, Kennedy and the PG high schools he posted were reporting his account, which also factored into his decision to stop the fight videos.

I think it's a catch 22. MCPS's broken and toxic culture thrives on its cloud of secrecy, so exposing the reality of the school environment informs parents who are ignorant and oblivious and puts pressure on MCPS to react and respond instead of shoving things under the rug like it normally does.

But it does also recreate the WorldStar Hiphop phenomenon where kids who are traumatized, hurting and in need of attention do bad things to get noticed in really permanent and public ways that aren't good for them in the long run.

Understandable, since the principals are probably always telling the students not to stand around and film fights.

My high school had fights, but we didn't have cell phones, so we didn't film them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I like how the MoCoPGNews person has decided to stop tweeting videos of fights because it just encourages fights and the video-ing thereof. It would be nice if they had decided this sooner, but better late than never.

Actually, he claims the principals of Paint Branch, Kennedy and the PG high schools he posted were reporting his account, which also factored into his decision to stop the fight videos.

I think it's a catch 22. MCPS's broken and toxic culture thrives on its cloud of secrecy, so exposing the reality of the school environment informs parents who are ignorant and oblivious and puts pressure on MCPS to react and respond instead of shoving things under the rug like it normally does.

But it does also recreate the WorldStar Hiphop phenomenon where kids who are traumatized, hurting and in need of attention do bad things to get noticed in really permanent and public ways that aren't good for them in the long run.

Agree with this. MCPS is so dysfunctional and this is just one example. MCPS is known to sweep things under the rug for ‘optics’ instead of addressing issues the way it should.

Anonymous wrote:Bring back SROs and most importantly, stop with this embarrassing implementation of restorative justice. Enough. Why do you think these kids think it's okay to act like shmucks in school? Because the adults tolerate it.

Yes, this, please.

Anonymous wrote:The kids are not okay. SMH.

Schools need to be smaller. 500 for MS. 1000 for HS. Classroom sizes need to be much smaller. 15 for MS. 20 for HS. Stagger the school day and make school year round so there is an AM shift and a PM shift. Cramming adolescents together in packed hallways and classroom increases their stress and helps leads to stupid disputes. But smaller populations cost money so MCPS just adds additional security.

Anonymous wrote:I like how the MoCoPGNews person has decided to stop tweeting videos of fights because it just encourages fights and the video-ing thereof. It would be nice if they had decided this sooner, but better late than never.

Actually, he claims the principals of Paint Branch, Kennedy and the PG high schools he posted were reporting his account, which also factored into his decision to stop the fight videos.

I think it's a catch 22. MCPS's broken and toxic culture thrives on its cloud of secrecy, so exposing the reality of the school environment informs parents who are ignorant and oblivious and puts pressure on MCPS to react and respond instead of shoving things under the rug like it normally does.

But it does also recreate the WorldStar Hiphop phenomenon where kids who are traumatized, hurting and in need of attention do bad things to get noticed in really permanent and public ways that aren't good for them in the long run.