Anonymous
05/19/2025 09:05
Subject: TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:What’s the update on this? I know one of the music teachers is retiring. How many electives have been cut due to the change back to a standard 7 period day
Please make a new thread so this one can be locked before people start relitigating stale topics from the OP and first page.
Anonymous
05/18/2025 09:58
Subject: TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
What’s the update on this? I know one of the music teachers is retiring. How many electives have been cut due to the change back to a standard 7 period day
Anonymous
02/13/2025 14:51
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
I’m not sure if you are referring to a different group but this isn’t an accurate characterization at all (other than one parent at times who has not only been hostile to the school but also to fellow parents). It’s largely a conversation about the school’s communication and not mostly magnet parents either.
The fact that someone came on here to mischaracterize the Whatsapp chat and blame all those "other" magnet parents when it's really one parent is really disturbing. The language you use about "striver" parents and "nastiness" and "competitive attitudes" and "classism" shows your own biases and racism but you don't want to be seen that way so you come here and you bash the parents anonymously. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to create divisions at the school.
Agree. If PP is so triggered by a largely respectful conversation among parents on how to best advocate, sharing information or asking for advice, I’d suggest they get off WhatsApp. The conversation is so “off the rails” that the only discussion since last month has been about musical instruments, how to contact a teacher and high school credits in middle school.
Anonymous
02/13/2025 12:42
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
I’m not sure if you are referring to a different group but this isn’t an accurate characterization at all (other than one parent at times who has not only been hostile to the school but also to fellow parents). It’s largely a conversation about the school’s communication and not mostly magnet parents either.
The fact that someone came on here to mischaracterize the Whatsapp chat and blame all those "other" magnet parents when it's really one parent is really disturbing. The language you use about "striver" parents and "nastiness" and "competitive attitudes" and "classism" shows your own biases and racism but you don't want to be seen that way so you come here and you bash the parents anonymously. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to create divisions at the school.
Anonymous
02/13/2025 12:10
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
You need to cut it out. Most of the people on this thread are not on the Whatsapp and the only person who sounds crazy is you, white person from Takoma Park who is probably bashing Asian parents? Who TF talks about their fellow parents as "striver parents"? These are parents of kids your child goes to school with and are probably friend with
I think this reply pretty clearly shows the tone of the WhatsApp discussion.
Anonymous
02/13/2025 11:54
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
I’m not sure if you are referring to a different group but this isn’t an accurate characterization at all (other than one parent at times who has not only been hostile to the school but also to fellow parents). It’s largely a conversation about the school’s communication and not mostly magnet parents either.
Thank you for posting this.
Anonymous
02/13/2025 11:52
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
You need to cut it out. Most of the people on this thread are not on the Whatsapp and the only person who sounds crazy is you, white person from Takoma Park who is probably bashing Asian parents? Who TF talks about their fellow parents as "striver parents"? These are parents of kids your child goes to school with and are probably friend with
Anonymous
02/13/2025 10:21
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
Yes to all of this. Thank you. For those not on the WhatsApp believe us. These parents are not all of the magent parents but they are TOXIC.
Completely agree that the WhatsApp group has gone off the rails. It's like some of these parents commenting forget that there are 115 other parents on the chat not commenting but who can see what they are saying -- with their names attached! There's one parent in particular who is really out of line. I believe this was the same parent who changed their screen name during the parent Zoom about the Bell Schedule and was basically heckling the administration in the chat.
I have been very pleased with TPMS for my sixth grade magnet student. I don't think TPMS is "killing the arts, the magnet program and the autism program" as the title of this thread says. I think they were in a tough spot with teachers voting to go to seven periods and communicated poorly about it, but that's about it. My child's education has been excellent this year and I believe it will continue to be excellent next year. I hope most non-magnet parents know that the outspoken set of magnet parents is really a small group. The rest of us are normal and just want our kids to have a positive middle school experience!
Anonymous
02/13/2025 09:14
Subject: TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
I think this dmv area in general has a lot of rude mothers. (I am sure there are rude fathers at sports groups but I have not encountered any.) There is a higher likelihood of encountering them in competitive settings such as tpms magnet.
Anonymous
02/12/2025 09:11
Subject: TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
I’ve had kids in CES, middle school magnet and high school magnet. DCUM loves to claim that “magnet parents are the worst”, but it’s not been my experience. Certainly there are some pushy parents out there but I’ve seen them both in and out of these programs.
Anonymous
02/12/2025 08:48
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
I’m not sure if you are referring to a different group but this isn’t an accurate characterization at all (other than one parent at times who has not only been hostile to the school but also to fellow parents). It’s largely a conversation about the school’s communication and not mostly magnet parents either.
(BTW, (PP above here), my guess is that parent may have stated this hyperbolic thread.)
Anonymous
02/12/2025 08:45
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
I’m not sure if you are referring to a different group but this isn’t an accurate characterization at all (other than one parent at times who has not only been hostile to the school but also to fellow parents). It’s largely a conversation about the school’s communication and not mostly magnet parents either.
Anonymous
02/12/2025 08:33
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
Yes to all of this. Thank you. For those not on the WhatsApp believe us. These parents are not all of the magent parents but they are TOXIC.
+1. I am not on WhatsApp but the parents around me who are behaving as if TPMS magnet is the end all be all are seriously toxic. These are 11 year old kids.. most of them will be fine no matter which middle school they attend. Since the criteria based magnets are now lottery based, many kids in the pool are probably more ‘qualified’ than the ones picked. This has become more about bragging rights and feeding parents egos than anything else. No parent who truly cares about their children’s education will behave as described by PP’s especially towards teachers and administrators.
Anonymous
02/12/2025 08:16
Subject: Re:TPMS is killing the arts, the magnet program, and the autism program
Anonymous wrote:ndAnonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Have an 8th grader in the magnet and glad that we are not there next year, it would have been a tough choice to stay in the program without the music & language choice. I have to say it is eye-opening to see how much other parents despise the program with all the references to snowflakes and their by-default "entitled parents." I did not realize there was so much nastiness in this community. As a magnet parent, I donate to school programs and pitch in for fundraising initiatives, assuming we are part of the community. Guess not.
Hopefully your kid will be in the HS magnet. The jealousy toward gifted kids is next level.
NP. I think what's missing from this discussion is the fact that there's a whole secondary thread where self-described magnet parents are showing their entire a**es. That is all happening on WhatsApp under real names, which is kind of incredible actually. So you have folks here on DCUM responding to the way some magnet parents are behaving on another platform.
As a magnet parent, the WhatsApp conversation is honestly shameful. A handful of my fellow magnet parents have attacked PTA leadership, spoke disparagingly about beloved teachers, and posted condescending or hostile remarks about specific administrators. It's been disgusting, and attempts to get those folks to rein in their vitriol and classism have been fruitless.
I've been lucky enough to have my kids benefit from MCPS criteria-based programs at all levels across multiple kids, and TPMS magnet parents have been consistently the worst across two kids. There's just something about the age or the program that brings out people's worst impulses. My personal theory is that middle school kids are kind of a mess, which raises the stress levels of striver parents who worry their child won't get into the 'right' high school program and therefore will work at Arby's forever. That stress translates into cracking down on the poor kids even harder, and the spillover effect is nastiness and competitive attitudes.
Yes to all of this. Thank you. For those not on the WhatsApp believe us. These parents are not all of the magent parents but they are TOXIC.