Anonymous wrote:Call me a cynic. Why do we even have this position? The SMOB position is window dressing so the Board can pretend to listen to students (how could one student possible represent 160,000+ anyway?). I am truly sorry that she was bullied by adults. Those folks should be ashamed of themselves. Hopefully she was able to parlay this experience into a good college acceptance.

How could one member of the House of Representatives represent 700,000+ people anyway?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She said the perception of masks making us safer was all that matters. That makes no sense and is worthy of ridicule.

No, that is not what she said. This is what she said:

“The last thing I want is for schools to be a source of anxiety for our students and it feels like making masks optional because of all the messaging, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, that my mask not only protects me, it protects my community,” O’Looney said at the meeting. “… That’s still a lingering sentiment. Regardless of what data says, perception is reality for students and families. I’m really afraid that if we get rid of the mask mandate, it’s going to cause a lot of fear for our students and families.”

Yes, and that was dumb. Perception is more important than data? Shouldn’t schools be educating people? They can do that about masks and covid, too.

What she's trying to say is making masks optional puts the onus on children to protect themselves and their community. I get that YOU think there's no need for them to do that. No doubt you were on of the sociopaths sending your kids to school sick in January and demanding masks be removed. But what she's saying is, again, making masks optional right now--right after a surge that was pretty damned traumatic for a lot of those kids and their teachers, btw--is putting the responsibility in the hands of minor children, who will then have to weigh the choice with the added fun of peer pressure, bullying etc. As you've taken a side and politicized this, so will your damaged children. No doubt they're already stalking asthmatics in their classrooms telling them "masks don't work," and whatever other nonsense you've put in their heads.

And no, again, this doesn't mean we mask forever. But we need to listen to our children too. We need to keep them safe. We need to stop demanding they have to make life or death decisions in middle school.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She said the perception of masks making us safer was all that matters. That makes no sense and is worthy of ridicule.

This is one more reason why there shouldn't be a full-fledge student member of the board. They are taking a position where they are able to make broad decisions regarding our school system and yet it is not politically correct to criticize them when they say things that don't make sense.

+100

+1

Agreed. Kids can have a voice but not a vote.

Not having a vote is exactly what it means to not have a voice. If the SMOB is non-voting, it's a waste of the student's time re: pushing the dialogue based on their current experiences and it'd be a waste of the BOE's time as a body. They don't make decisions on personnel, etc. so it's not "broad" decisions. After all, they are the ones who will have to follow those policies in their respective schools. Name one area/sector where the consumer doesn't have a voice that's almost co-equal.

No, she can talk at every board meeting. That's a voice. Children should not get to make policy. Adults do know better than children. Adults can become better informed adults by listening to children. But they are still children. Adults should be making the decisions.

Is this how your family functions? I listen to my kids, but I am the one who makes the decisions and accepts responsibility.

They're high school seniors, and if they're not already adults, they will be in a few months. It's not like we're allowing 6-year-olds to vote.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She said the perception of masks making us safer was all that matters. That makes no sense and is worthy of ridicule.

This is one more reason why there shouldn't be a full-fledge student member of the board. They are taking a position where they are able to make broad decisions regarding our school system and yet it is not politically correct to criticize them when they say things that don't make sense.

+100

+1

Agreed. Kids can have a voice but not a vote.

Not having a vote is exactly what it means to not have a voice. If the SMOB is non-voting, it's a waste of the student's time re: pushing the dialogue based on their current experiences and it'd be a waste of the BOE's time as a body. They don't make decisions on personnel, etc. so it's not "broad" decisions. After all, they are the ones who will have to follow those policies in their respective schools. Name one area/sector where the consumer doesn't have a voice that's almost co-equal.

No, she can talk at every board meeting. That's a voice. Children should not get to make policy. Adults do know better than children. Adults can become better informed adults by listening to children. But they are still children. Adults should be making the decisions.

Is this how your family functions? I listen to my kids, but I am the one who makes the decisions and accepts responsibility.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She said the perception of masks making us safer was all that matters. That makes no sense and is worthy of ridicule.

This is one more reason why there shouldn't be a full-fledge student member of the board. They are taking a position where they are able to make broad decisions regarding our school system and yet it is not politically correct to criticize them when they say things that don't make sense.

+100

If you watch the board meetings, she does a better job at asking questions and discussing issues than the "adults." The few I've watched recently I've been impressed by her.

Anonymous wrote:It's entirely possible to disagree with someone's position without attacking the person as an individual. We seem to have forgotten that here in the US at all levels.

Your bothsidesing is inappropriate.

Anonymous wrote:There are more details in this article, including how National Review wrote about it, and how they did not identify her in their article as a student board member.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/school-board-condemns-online-harassment-of-student-member-after-comments-about-masks/

Not at all surprised that the National Review did something unprofessional and disgusting.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She said the perception of masks making us safer was all that matters. That makes no sense and is worthy of ridicule.

No, that is not what she said. This is what she said:

“The last thing I want is for schools to be a source of anxiety for our students and it feels like making masks optional because of all the messaging, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, that my mask not only protects me, it protects my community,” O’Looney said at the meeting. “… That’s still a lingering sentiment. Regardless of what data says, perception is reality for students and families. I’m really afraid that if we get rid of the mask mandate, it’s going to cause a lot of fear for our students and families.”

Yes, and that was dumb. Perception is more important than data? Shouldn’t schools be educating people? They can do that about masks and covid, too.

Unfortunately this is exactly the kind of thing the schools are teaching. Lived experience, feelings, etc. should be used in place of data if it furthers your agenda. Wokeness loves this stuff because the data is usually not in their favor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She said the perception of masks making us safer was all that matters. That makes no sense and is worthy of ridicule.

No, that is not what she said. This is what she said:

“The last thing I want is for schools to be a source of anxiety for our students and it feels like making masks optional because of all the messaging, especially at the beginning of the pandemic, that my mask not only protects me, it protects my community,” O’Looney said at the meeting. “… That’s still a lingering sentiment. Regardless of what data says, perception is reality for students and families. I’m really afraid that if we get rid of the mask mandate, it’s going to cause a lot of fear for our students and families.”

Yes, and that was dumb. Perception is more important than data? Shouldn’t schools be educating people? They can do that about masks and covid, too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, she's been a really strong board member and will be a tough act to follow. Her questions and comments are often much more intelligent than those of her older colleagues.

+1

Yes, I have kids in MS and the SMOB is really adored. But she's wrong on this issue. Even great leaders get it wrong sometimes.

I wish I could edit my reply upthread. I also agree and my personal opinion about her is that she is intelligent, well spoken and a very good leader. I think that bullying and racism is wrong and there is no justification for it. But when there is a critique of a member of the Board of Education position, the student member should not be excluded from that same critique since they have an artful voting members of the boe.

If we are going to hold the student member position has a protected position, then they should not have full voting rights.

Nope. Grown adults should have the capacity to treat the student member with the respect and safety they deserve from adults while also having a vote. It does NOT have to be one or the other. Adults in this county really need to get it together. It's so funny how all of the reopening parents who started this keep whining about how their kids don't have a say or a voice and they are important stakeholders; this student represents the student body with voting powers and you simply don't like it because her ideals don't align with your own.

Anonymous wrote:It's entirely possible to disagree with someone's position without attacking the person as an individual. We seem to have forgotten that here in the US at all levels.

This! Disagreement, debate, critiques: all fine. But this went way beyond that.

It's entirely possible to disagree with someone's position without attacking the person as an individual. We seem to have forgotten that here in the US at all levels.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, she's been a really strong board member and will be a tough act to follow. Her questions and comments are often much more intelligent than those of her older colleagues.

+1

Yes, I have kids in MS and the SMOB is really adored. But she's wrong on this issue. Even great leaders get it wrong sometimes.

I wish I could edit my reply upthread. I also agree and my personal opinion about her is that she is intelligent, well spoken and a very good leader. I think that bullying and racism is wrong and there is no justification for it. But when there is a critique of a member of the Board of Education position, the student member should not be excluded from that same critique since they have an artful voting members of the boe.

If we are going to hold the student member position has a protected position, then they should not have full voting rights.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, she's been a really strong board member and will be a tough act to follow. Her questions and comments are often much more intelligent than those of her older colleagues.

+1

Yes, I have kids in MS and the SMOB is really adored. But she's wrong on this issue. Even great leaders get it wrong sometimes.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She said the perception of masks making us safer was all that matters. That makes no sense and is worthy of ridicule.

This is one more reason why there shouldn't be a full-fledge student member of the board. They are taking a position where they are able to make broad decisions regarding our school system and yet it is not politically correct to criticize them when they say things that don't make sense.

+100

Agreed. There should not be a Student Member of the Board.

This is a large school district with an even larger budget.

It’s clear that this poster and several others on this thread have no idea of the history of the SMOB position or how it’s a well- respected position in the county. It seems like the NR article and discussion of it is attracting folks unrelated to MCPS to bring their uninformed opinions to this thread. Please go take them elsewhere.