Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're talking about a school system that sent out a letter to families about the attack in Israel without using the words Israel, Jew or Jewish. It felt very hurtful.

You're right. That letter was oddly neutered and avoided mentioning what should be uncontroversial to mention.

My guess is that since it's easy to get blasted as being pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel, they decided to just mention war and not say anything about either side.

My guess is that it's because there are many Muslims in MCPS, as well. While I'm sure many Muslims abhor violence, the conflict between Israel and Palestine is complicated. IMO, Israel is not always innocent. I'm not saying they deserved it. But, put yourself in the shoes of Palestinian civilians over the past 50 years.

Yeah, no, you are wrong on this, sorry. The letter that mentions war and natural disasters (what?!) is unbelievably tone deaf. It would be like referring to the murder of George Floyd as “the disagreement in the Midwest” or referring to 9/11 by saying every perspective should be heard. Any terrorism should be condemned. Hamas is a terrorist organization. There are many things that are complicated but this part is very simple.

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is in crisis right now.
McKnight cares about image more than actually fixing anything unfortunately

This is unfortunately true.

If they wanted to end the crisis they would actually fire the people responsible for causing the crisis. Instead they are hiring a PR firm.

Honestly sad for the county. We’re watching a school system flush itself down the drain in real time.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're talking about a school system that sent out a letter to families about the attack in Israel without using the words Israel, Jew or Jewish. It felt very hurtful.

You're right. That letter was oddly neutered and avoided mentioning what should be uncontroversial to mention.

My guess is that since it's easy to get blasted as being pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel, they decided to just mention war and not say anything about either side.

My guess is that it's because there are many Muslims in MCPS, as well. While I'm sure many Muslims abhor violence, the conflict between Israel and Palestine is complicated. IMO, Israel is not always innocent. I'm not saying they deserved it. But, put yourself in the shoes of Palestinian civilians over the past 50 years.

Is anyone else watching this all unfold with a horrifying feeling that you’re watching the movie Spotlight? The movie that dramatized how the Boston Globe uncovered the child sexual abuse scandal in the Catholic Church? Because I am.

Anonymous wrote:DCUM - MCPS is terrible at communicating during a crisis!!!!

MCPS - *hires communications firm*

DCUM - OMG MCPS is spending money to fix the communications problem!!!!!

McKnight already hired Aggie Alvez. How much outside PR help does she need?

Anonymous wrote:This letter was from Churchill’s principal (decent amount of Jews at the school). No issue mentioning the situation and country which was so much better than the MCPS one. MCPS does need help, but others should be FIRED and not just have more central jobs added.

Good Morning Winston Churchill Families and Staff -

Many of you have heard about the tragic terrorist attacks in Israel, and the growing violence over the weekend between Israel and Hamas. As we learn more about the growing cost in lives of this attack, our hearts ache for everyone that was impacted and everything that was lost in these attacks. We condemn the hate and violence of these attacks, and I personally hope for a quick end to the bloodshed. My thoughts are with the people of Israel, and the innocents in the Gaza strip who will suffer because of the actions of the terrorists who led this attack.

We will be sharing messages of support for our students here at Churchill, making sure they are aware they can access the Counseling Services Team as needed in the coming days as the full tragedy unfolds. Our Social Studies department will be leading each class with an information session to ensure that students have the facts of the event so they do not have to rely on social media and rumors. We will also be hosting a community discussion at lunch to allow students a safe place to discuss their feelings and help them to think about ways the Churchill community can help.

If your student needs support during this difficult time, do not hesitate to reach out to your child's counselor or administrator.

I also wanted to provide some resources for you and your families as we move forward from this horrible event:

I'm intrigued that the principals were allowed to send their own flavor of this message. Here is RMHS'

"Good Afternoon Richard Montgomery Families,

The news of Hamas’s attack on Israel and the resulting war are present in the hearts and minds of many in our community this week. We realize that this news is disturbing to our students and can create feelings of anxiety, sadness, fear, and anger. Our hearts are broken for the innocent victims of this conflict, and we are keenly aware of the ties our students and families have to the international community.

As a school community, we strive to care for one another and provide support when needed. It is important that we demonstrate kindness and compassion in an environment where all voices are heard and respected. It is also crucial that our students engage in respectful and thoughtful dialogue whether in person or via social media.

We will provide support to our students as they cope with their emotions and help make sense of what they are hearing and seeing. Students should seek out their counselor, administrator, or any other trusted staff member in the building if they need support. We have shared resources with our staff on how to address these concerns as they arise amongst our students. Our Social Studies department is also prepared to engage with students in conversations through balanced dialogue within a historical context and in a structured setting. Additionally, we will hold a community circle during our Advisory period next Wednesday, October 18th, to give our students a space to discuss their thoughts surrounding these disturbing events.

Below are resources for families to reference as they engage in conversations with their children. Through these difficult times, I am confident that we can work together as a school community to be an example of inclusivity and unity."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM - MCPS is terrible at communicating during a crisis!!!!

MCPS - *hires communications firm*

DCUM - OMG MCPS is spending money to fix the communications problem!!!!!

*this* no matter what they do the same people will find a way to spin things negatively

Don't they already have someone internally to deal with communication? Why are taxpaying paying for this person AND for an agency to do what this person should be doing?

Fire the person if they are so incompetent that you need to spend more to higher someone who knows what they're doing.

That's what I was wondering..

Didn’t they hire an agency a couple years ago? Is this a replacement or do we now have two agencies and internal staff?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCUM - MCPS is terrible at communicating during a crisis!!!!

MCPS - *hires communications firm*

DCUM - OMG MCPS is spending money to fix the communications problem!!!!!

*this* no matter what they do the same people will find a way to spin things negatively

Don't they already have someone internally to deal with communication? Why are taxpaying paying for this person AND for an agency to do what this person should be doing?

Fire the person if they are so incompetent that you need to spend more to higher someone who knows what they're doing.

This is common. It’s a huge organization. More work than one person can handle.

Anonymous wrote:

I guess they got tired of Chris Cram and his spectacular failures. I hope this results in better, more coherent explanations for all of the sh*tshows going on in MCPS. Or at least more believable lies than the stuff we've been getting to date.

105k? You get what you pay for. Competent crisis communications costs a lot more than that.

Anonymous wrote:

I guess they got tired of Chris Cram and his spectacular failures. I hope this results in better, more coherent explanations for all of the sh*tshows going on in MCPS. Or at least more believable lies than the stuff we've been getting to date.

I don't know that this group can do much with $105,000, but this is the co-founder of the agency. https://www.precisionstrategies.com/team/stephanie-cutter/

Cram isn't the spectacular failure here. That is occurring above his pay grade. The superintendent is flailing for a deflection because the heat is on her. $105,000 is not going to make that go away.

Both of my schools mentioned Israel in their letters and I thought they were both appropriately worded and didn't follow this template word for word. I'm Jewish and do not take offense that they did not mention Jews in their letter. They're a secular school system. I thought the letter was appropriately worded and struck the right tone. focused more on resources to discuss the issue with students--I have one in ES and HS and both were age appropriate.

This letter was from Churchill’s principal (decent amount of Jews at the school). No issue mentioning the situation and country which was so much better than the MCPS one. MCPS does need help, but others should be FIRED and not just have more central jobs added.

Good Morning Winston Churchill Families and Staff -

Many of you have heard about the tragic terrorist attacks in Israel, and the growing violence over the weekend between Israel and Hamas. As we learn more about the growing cost in lives of this attack, our hearts ache for everyone that was impacted and everything that was lost in these attacks. We condemn the hate and violence of these attacks, and I personally hope for a quick end to the bloodshed. My thoughts are with the people of Israel, and the innocents in the Gaza strip who will suffer because of the actions of the terrorists who led this attack.

We will be sharing messages of support for our students here at Churchill, making sure they are aware they can access the Counseling Services Team as needed in the coming days as the full tragedy unfolds. Our Social Studies department will be leading each class with an information session to ensure that students have the facts of the event so they do not have to rely on social media and rumors. We will also be hosting a community discussion at lunch to allow students a safe place to discuss their feelings and help them to think about ways the Churchill community can help.

If your student needs support during this difficult time, do not hesitate to reach out to your child's counselor or administrator.

I also wanted to provide some resources for you and your families as we move forward from this horrible event:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You're talking about a school system that sent out a letter to families about the attack in Israel without using the words Israel, Jew or Jewish. It felt very hurtful.

You're right. That letter was oddly neutered and avoided mentioning what should be uncontroversial to mention.

My guess is that since it's easy to get blasted as being pro-Palestinian or anti-Israel, they decided to just mention war and not say anything about either side.

I think it’s a good choice to not mention specifics, because the purpose was to remind families that there are supports available to help all students process feelings. We have students with direct connections to Israelis, Palestinians, and people who travel/have business in the region. Any mention of one group without mentioning the others would only add to negative feelings.

Anonymous wrote:They have long needed crisis comms expertise. Hiring David Plouffe's firm right now is just plain old funny. They've failed so spectacularly at regular communications and accountability that they need Olivia Pope-level firms to help them get out of their morass.

They have long needed crisis comms expertise. Hiring David Plouffe's firm right now is just plain old funny. They've failed so spectacularly at regular communications and accountability that they need Olivia Pope-level firms to help them get out of their morass.