DCPS opened meal centers during the blizzard last winter and over the course of 2-3 days less than 500 meals total were served. DC has done a great job ensuring our kids are getting meals AT HOME with food stamps and other means. However, DC has not done well with ensuring our neediest kids are getting access to warm coats, shoes, gloves and other winter gear. When I worked at Title I school, I watched majority of my kids walk in with sweaters or sweatshirts in the snow or extreme cold. When I pressed to ask where their coat was, they claimed no one could afford it. That is the real danger in opening school in dicey situations. If we kept neighborhood schools open, I wouldn't be complaining about this. But instead DC has continued to close these schools and force students to travel further from home to get to school. That is really the big issue here for me.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of DCPS kids depend on breakfast and lunch and the parents need to work. This is different than many suburban districts that have a smaller need. There are public trans. options the suburbs don't have. City schools tend not to close for these reasons.

I'm so sick of this argument. If this is truly the case, then set up certain schools as designated meal locations and have specific "essential personnel" to monitor breakfast and lunch distribution. Teachers don't prepare or distribute the food. The high schoolers don't come to school normally. They really don't come in inclement weather. There were two or three kids in each class today.

Please have a heart...https://www.facebook.com/david.venable/posts/10155116178363249

np: You don't need to accuse PP of not having a heart. Her experience and observations are different than the author of the blog you cite. And a number of teachers seem to agree with her. Do you have the data?!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of DCPS kids depend on breakfast and lunch and the parents need to work. This is different than many suburban districts that have a smaller need. There are public trans. options the suburbs don't have. City schools tend not to close for these reasons.

I'm so sick of this argument. If this is truly the case, then set up certain schools as designated meal locations and have specific "essential personnel" to monitor breakfast and lunch distribution. Teachers don't prepare or distribute the food. The high schoolers don't come to school normally. They really don't come in inclement weather. There were two or three kids in each class today.

Please have a heart...https://www.facebook.com/david.venable/posts/10155116178363249

it's true we get paid better than lots of other districts, and it's also true that we're treated poorly.

Anonymous wrote:Our title 1 had about a third of the usual class. All high SES or high achieving. Small class size!

Wow you know who is high achieving and high SES in your class and you're joy the teacher?! Wow.