Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The lack of "Dear colleague..." letters demanding that schools e.g. eliminate all disciplinary measures may work to keep both teachers and students in the public system.

The PP is referring back to President Obama’s “Dear colleagues,” letter, which greatly reduced or eliminate suspension or expulsion of public school students for destruction of school property, assault, threats, theft, robbery, etc.

Obama believes school discipline is racist.

That was January 2014. Is this where we comment about ODS (Obama Derangement Syndrome)?

Your poor attempt at humor is just that: a poor attempt which failed.

Why don’t you try reading about what is REALLY happening inside our schools, as relayed by other parents on DCUM?

Here, I’ll help you:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1246486.page

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a current teacher and parent I’m worried about the department of education cuts and what that will mean for schools and staffing. Do you think people will stick with public or there will be a mass exodus similar to COVID for the families who can afford to leave?

That mass exodus from MCPS to private or alternatives is well under way.

The people who will be impacted by federal cuts (namely Title I schools) can't afford the alternatives and unfortunately have no way out. So they will bear the consequences of the cuts, as frankly, they already have been with Title I schools having lower academic outcomes, less high-quality instruction, etc.

Prove it. No such capacity exists.
You think all the feds that just lost their jobs are now going to afford some imaginary private school?

Prove what? That people are leaving MCPS? Just look at the declining enrollment numbers year over year, which have consistently been below MCPS's projections. People are voting their feet.

What declining numbers year over year? There was declining enrollment during the pandemic. Since then, it's been trending upwards.

They are opening two new high schools...

Anonymous wrote:I work as an ESL tester for a school district and I am not sure I will have my job next year. On the other hand I am in a blue state so maybe the state will step in?
Otherwise I think the dept of education closure won’t affect anyone above middle class and with no disabilities in any way.

Who will test the students? I've never heard of someone who just does testing. I'm an ESOL teacher and we lose a ton of instructional time due to testing. We always joke that they could eliminate so many district positions and hire someone just to test the kids so we could continue teaching.

I work as an ESL tester for a school district and I am not sure I will have my job next year. On the other hand I am in a blue state so maybe the state will step in?
Otherwise I think the dept of education closure won’t affect anyone above middle class and with no disabilities in any way.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a current teacher and parent I’m worried about the department of education cuts and what that will mean for schools and staffing. Do you think people will stick with public or there will be a mass exodus similar to COVID for the families who can afford to leave?

That mass exodus from MCPS to private or alternatives is well under way.

The people who will be impacted by federal cuts (namely Title I schools) can't afford the alternatives and unfortunately have no way out. So they will bear the consequences of the cuts, as frankly, they already have been with Title I schools having lower academic outcomes, less high-quality instruction, etc.

In your DCUM alternative world only

It started during Covid and hasn't really stopped. It may have slowed but people are definitely leaving.

Why are the teachers' unions suing to prevent the Department of Education from being eliminated?

I would think teachers would be glad not to have big brother breathing down their neck with unfunded mandates and threats of federal oversight for things they love to penalize schools for that schools have no control over, like poor attendance (and poor test scores that stem to a large degree from poor attendance, families that don't care and students who don't study).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The lack of "Dear colleague..." letters demanding that schools e.g. eliminate all disciplinary measures may work to keep both teachers and students in the public system.

The PP is referring back to President Obama’s “Dear colleagues,” letter, which greatly reduced or eliminate suspension or expulsion of public school students for destruction of school property, assault, threats, theft, robbery, etc.

Obama believes school discipline is racist.

True.

Here is some background:

https://fedsoc.org/commentary/fedsoc-blog/conservative-leaders-to-devos-repeal-illegal-harmful-obama-era-dear-colleague-letter

I would argue that the letter was positive and needed. The implementation or lack therof (resistance to it) was the problem.

Obama's Dear Colleague Letter on School Discipline addressed racial disparities in school discipline policies.

It cited data showing that Black and Latino students, as well as students with disabilities, were disproportionately disciplined compared to their white peers.

So, schools were encouraged to use positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) instead of zero-tolerance policies.

The idea is that having a consistent way to handle problems would help ALL students, instead of treating students differently based on skin color or ability.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The lack of "Dear colleague..." letters demanding that schools e.g. eliminate all disciplinary measures may work to keep both teachers and students in the public system.

The PP is referring back to President Obama’s “Dear colleagues,” letter, which greatly reduced or eliminate suspension or expulsion of public school students for destruction of school property, assault, threats, theft, robbery, etc.

Obama believes school discipline is racist.

True.

Here is some background:

https://fedsoc.org/commentary/fedsoc-blog/conservative-leaders-to-devos-repeal-illegal-harmful-obama-era-dear-colleague-letter

Wow. I had no idea about this. I’ve always wondered what caused this complete turnaround in the discipline (or lack thereof) in schools. From reading DCUM I assumed that the entire problem was about “disabilities” since they apparently consider even things like ODD to be a disability now. But that letter explains a lot. They need to rescind it ASAP.

Yes, everything wrong with education today can be blamed on an Obama directive that was repealed 11 years and two presidents ago.