Anonymous
05/21/2026 12:10
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why did the SMOB rep side with closed lunches without a conversation with the kids?
Because clearly they're not mature enough to sit on the Board. But also, they don't exactly have great role models either!
Dude. It's a kid. Probably a super smart and motivated kid with good intentions to do good. I don't even care about this issue (I can see arguments for both sides), but I certainly can give a hard-working kid the benefit of the doubt that they were persuaded by some of the safety issues brought up. You have no idea what data and feedback they saw.
The irony of an adult picking on a kid saying that the KID is immature. Just wow.
This wasn't a decision by the SMOB. The SMOB is told what to do by board staff and the adult board members.
Some SMOBs, like Sami Saeed, resist and push back. Anuva, unfortunately, is very compliant.
Going back some years, Hannah was also a great SMOB. She did a phenomenal job keeing the kids informed and getting their feedback.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 11:42
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The proposed policy action is posted: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DUAK9Q50CE33/$file/Tentative%20Action%20Policy%20JEF%20260521.pdf
So they're moving forward with just handing the decision over to Dr. Taylor. Well....that's a choice.
They're sending it out for public comment. So at least they are inviting comments... but we all know where this is going.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 11:41
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why did the SMOB rep side with closed lunches without a conversation with the kids?
Because clearly they're not mature enough to sit on the Board. But also, they don't exactly have great role models either!
Dude. It's a kid. Probably a super smart and motivated kid with good intentions to do good. I don't even care about this issue (I can see arguments for both sides), but I certainly can give a hard-working kid the benefit of the doubt that they were persuaded by some of the safety issues brought up. You have no idea what data and feedback they saw.
The irony of an adult picking on a kid saying that the KID is immature. Just wow.
This wasn't a decision by the SMOB. The SMOB is told what to do by board staff and the adult board members.
Some SMOBs, like Sami Saeed, resist and push back. Anuva, unfortunately, is very compliant.
Yes, I saw several times that TT hinted Anuva to second an action. Her screenplay has been written before every BOE meeting.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 11:40
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:The proposed policy action is posted: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DUAK9Q50CE33/$file/Tentative%20Action%20Policy%20JEF%20260521.pdf
So they're moving forward with just handing the decision over to Dr. Taylor. Well....that's a choice.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 11:39
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why did the SMOB rep side with closed lunches without a conversation with the kids?
Because clearly they're not mature enough to sit on the Board. But also, they don't exactly have great role models either!
Dude. It's a kid. Probably a super smart and motivated kid with good intentions to do good. I don't even care about this issue (I can see arguments for both sides), but I certainly can give a hard-working kid the benefit of the doubt that they were persuaded by some of the safety issues brought up. You have no idea what data and feedback they saw.
The irony of an adult picking on a kid saying that the KID is immature. Just wow.
This wasn't a decision by the SMOB. The SMOB is told what to do by board staff and the adult board members.
Some SMOBs, like Sami Saeed, resist and push back. Anuva, unfortunately, is very compliant.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 11:38
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
The proposed policy action is posted: https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DUAK9Q50CE33/$file/Tentative%20Action%20Policy%20JEF%20260521.pdf
Anonymous
05/21/2026 11:37
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Why do parents think they should be consulted on EVERYthing? I have a strong preference on this issue. But I also respect the school district's right to make operational decisions regarding the schools.
Many things should absolutely have input from parents. But come one. How many period lunch is scheduled for; whether they let students off campus midday. These are things for which principals or the superindendent's office have a much better perspective on the breadth of issues. Let them do their jobs!
I think today's vote (or somewhere in the near future) is to take a way the decision power of open or closed lunch from school principals? So do you think principals should at least have the power to weigh in or at least provide feedbacks? Were they able to do so?
Anonymous
05/21/2026 11:31
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Why do parents think they should be consulted on EVERYthing? I have a strong preference on this issue. But I also respect the school district's right to make operational decisions regarding the schools.
Many things should absolutely have input from parents. But come one. How many period lunch is scheduled for; whether they let students off campus midday. These are things for which principals or the superindendent's office have a much better perspective on the breadth of issues. Let them do their jobs!
The principals were not asked their perspectives on this, nor were they given the opportunity to weigh in.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 10:52
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Why do parents think they should be consulted on EVERYthing? I have a strong preference on this issue. But I also respect the school district's right to make operational decisions regarding the schools.
Many things should absolutely have input from parents. But come one. How many period lunch is scheduled for; whether they let students off campus midday. These are things for which principals or the superindendent's office have a much better perspective on the breadth of issues. Let them do their jobs!
Many things should absolutely have input from parents. But come one. How many period lunch is scheduled for; whether they let students off campus midday. These are things for which principals or the superindendent's office have a much better perspective on the breadth of issues. Let them do their jobs!
Anonymous
05/21/2026 10:22
Subject: Re:no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:The most frustrating and disappointing aspect of this topic is the fact that MCPS would even bring this topic up for discussion amidst all of the other turmoil happening in the system right now: a very tight budget, a regional model and changing of school boundaries that isn't fully fleshed out, closing of Whooton High School, a lack of a true attendance policy to hold high school students accountable, and so many other items. This should NOT be a priority at this time.
To add upon, the cancellation of compacted math, the ~180 frontline teachers/staff at the chopping board of losing their jobs.
Plus two surprise bus depots, a second massive warehouse and the loss of a monthly BOE business meeting.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 10:15
Subject: Re:no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:The most frustrating and disappointing aspect of this topic is the fact that MCPS would even bring this topic up for discussion amidst all of the other turmoil happening in the system right now: a very tight budget, a regional model and changing of school boundaries that isn't fully fleshed out, closing of Whooton High School, a lack of a true attendance policy to hold high school students accountable, and so many other items. This should NOT be a priority at this time.
To add upon, the cancellation of compacted math, the ~180 frontline teachers/staff at the chopping board of losing their jobs.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 08:57
Subject: Re:no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
The most frustrating and disappointing aspect of this topic is the fact that MCPS would even bring this topic up for discussion amidst all of the other turmoil happening in the system right now: a very tight budget, a regional model and changing of school boundaries that isn't fully fleshed out, closing of Whooton High School, a lack of a true attendance policy to hold high school students accountable, and so many other items. This should NOT be a priority at this time.
Anonymous
05/21/2026 08:53
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Why did the SMOB rep side with closed lunches without a conversation with the kids?
Because clearly they're not mature enough to sit on the Board. But also, they don't exactly have great role models either!
Dude. It's a kid. Probably a super smart and motivated kid with good intentions to do good. I don't even care about this issue (I can see arguments for both sides), but I certainly can give a hard-working kid the benefit of the doubt that they were persuaded by some of the safety issues brought up. You have no idea what data and feedback they saw.
The irony of an adult picking on a kid saying that the KID is immature. Just wow.
Anonymous
05/20/2026 08:18
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:Why did the SMOB rep side with closed lunches without a conversation with the kids?
This! Who supports and trains SMOB. How can they represent when they didn’t seek SGA and student feedback!
Anonymous
05/19/2026 20:34
Subject: no matter which side you are on - Open Lunch Call To Action - more time for input is needed
Anonymous wrote:None of the HS cafeterias are large enough to hold all the students, so that's a moot point. For those schools with closed lunch, they bring lunch and eat in hallways, classrooms (usually for a club or to meet with a teacher), etc. The kids need to learn to pick up after themselves, and not leave all their after lunch trash lying around - that's how you deter the rodent problem, not by only eating in the cafeteria.
That being said, I am for open lunch (I work in a closed lunch school and my kids attend an open lunch school).
While rodents can become an issue when students can eat anywhere on campus like PPP said, it hasn't stopped neighboring school districts like APS (Arlington), where high schools students can eat most anywhere on campus including outdoors. Students learn to clean up. APS also has a decades long open campus lunch policy, amended over the years, where upperclassmen can walk or drive off campus.
There's really no need for MCPS to get rid of open campus. Is it about equity? I don't understand.