How is one supposed to be heard? When my DC experienced violence in middle school I spoke out and continued speaking out as DC went through middle school and high school. I was met with indifference at the school level, silence from Central Office, and sympathetic noises from a couple of school board members. Post covid, central office took the position that it no longer wanted to hear from parents and the school board chair demanded that board members not respond to or communicate with parents. The violence is exponentially worse. Teachers and admins in the buildings respond that they know there is a problem but are overwhelmed and told by central office that they cannot discipline students. Central office and school board members - who conveniently don’t have kids in the see schools or set foot in the buildings - have cut off all methods of communication from parents other than emailing through the “Ask ACPS” link that I am convinced sends all email into the trash. Even showing up at a meeting to speak is pointless- they just look at their phones and ignore whoever is speaking. There is simply no recourse for those who would like school to be a safe place for kids to go. It baffles me that the group of people charged with running our schools don’t care at all that our middle and high school students are subject to constant threat physical violence. The only thing left to parents is to pull their kids out of the schools. Perhaps that’s the administration’s way of solving the overcrowding problem.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a clarification. When PTA is mentioned does this mean an overarching PTA for the district? Or at the school level?

PTA is at the school level. PTAC is the overarching PTA citywide.

For the east end schools they are the same unpleasant ilk. Upsetting to the PTAC is the west end schools actually have PTAs seeking to do better for their kids. Irony is the west end kids are the ones PTAC should be fighting for, but the Rosemont parties would be unsettling if you had to actually help and mingle with the underserved instead of just virtue signaling.

I agree. I have been surprised how vocal some of the west end PTAs were this year about staff shortages.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a clarification. When PTA is mentioned does this mean an overarching PTA for the district? Or at the school level?

PTA is at the school level. PTAC is the overarching PTA citywide.

For the east end schools they are the same unpleasant ilk. Upsetting to the PTAC is the west end schools actually have PTAs seeking to do better for their kids. Irony is the west end kids are the ones PTAC should be fighting for, but the Rosemont parties would be unsettling if you had to actually help and mingle with the underserved instead of just virtue signaling.

Anonymous wrote:Just a clarification. When PTA is mentioned does this mean an overarching PTA for the district? Or at the school level?

PTA is at the school level. PTAC is the overarching PTA citywide.

Just a clarification. When PTA is mentioned does this mean an overarching PTA for the district? Or at the school level?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't these parents protecting their children by showing up at school board meetings or talking to the press or speaking out at PTA meetings. ACPS gets away with schools like this partly because parents don't stand up for their kids.

I don't think this is true. I think they are, but are getting silenced. I saw a woman who's child was attacked having her posts deleted on a Facebook group just this week.

That's mild. But she has a choice. She can shut up which is what the Alexandria establishment wants or she can keep pushing and speak at a school board meeting, reach out to the handful of parents who are still outspoken, write an op-ed.

Can't let the mean girls of the facebook pages shut down any mention of violence.

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't these parents protecting their children by showing up at school board meetings or talking to the press or speaking out at PTA meetings. ACPS gets away with schools like this partly because parents don't stand up for their kids.

I don't think this is true. I think they are, but are getting silenced. I saw a woman who's child was attacked having her posts deleted on a Facebook group just this week.

I can't believe that they just allow these bullies who are violently assaulting other children be allowed back into the school building. That is really crazy.

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so I pulled my kids from ACPS (Elementary and middle) due to extreme physical bullying that I knew would never change. But I still want to fight the good fight. Think I'll be shot down in the same way? Has anyone stepped in to voice their option/demand change who has already left the schools? Would this even be helpful?

We live in another district and left for private. I care about the public school system and wanted to voice my opinion, but I ultimately decided that the message can’t come from me. Just FWIW.

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so I pulled my kids from ACPS (Elementary and middle) due to extreme physical bullying that I knew would never change. But I still want to fight the good fight. Think I'll be shot down in the same way? Has anyone stepped in to voice their option/demand change who has already left the schools? Would this even be helpful?

Try Ashley Baird. Apparently her main constituency is private school parents and those are her biggest supporters.

Anonymous wrote:Ok, so I pulled my kids from ACPS (Elementary and middle) due to extreme physical bullying that I knew would never change. But I still want to fight the good fight. Think I'll be shot down in the same way? Has anyone stepped in to voice their option/demand change who has already left the schools? Would this even be helpful?

Very few people voice their opinion/demand change in any real way (there are a handful of parents who show up to school board meetings, write op-eds and refuse to be bullied by the Dem establishment).

You'll be dismissed and the school board chair Meghan Alderton (and other board members) will laugh at you. Which is ironic since her kids are in private. And to be fair she dismisses and laughs at most parents unless they are in the PTA clique. That little clique likes to tell people with kids in ACPS that if they aren't volunteering then their opinions and complaints don't matter either. Expect to be called a racist and attempts will be made to cancel you in the city and your job will be threatened.

Anonymous wrote:Only 5 arrests in March at King Street versus the 9 of February. So a little improvement. Can you imagine going to a high school with multiple arrests a week? Why people here think this is normal and acceptable is beyond my comprehension. The arrested kids will be back in school, even those arrested for aggravated assault. This is insane. Socially ostracizing the moms, and kids of the moms, who highlighted this is even more insane.

It's toxic and vile.

Ok, so I pulled my kids from ACPS (Elementary and middle) due to extreme physical bullying that I knew would never change. But I still want to fight the good fight. Think I'll be shot down in the same way? Has anyone stepped in to voice their option/demand change who has already left the schools? Would this even be helpful?

Only 5 arrests in March at King Street versus the 9 of February. So a little improvement. Can you imagine going to a high school with multiple arrests a week? Why people here think this is normal and acceptable is beyond my comprehension. The arrested kids will be back in school, even those arrested for aggravated assault. This is insane. Socially ostracizing the moms, and kids of the moms, who highlighted this is even more insane.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues. No more. In the last week:

-a friend shared with me that he kindergartener was told by another student that he was going to take her in the class restroom and rape her
-an acquaintance with a middle school kid told me about her daughter avoiding the bathrooms because she was afraid of getting beat up and that her daughter got beat up three times in her honors class
-a friend told me her son was robbed by classmates walking home from middle school
-a friends son has been attacked 3x on the bus and then later in the cafeteria
-my son had a classmate bring a taser to class
-our neighbor was jumped in the bathroom
-our other neighbor no longer uses the bathroom and doesn't drink water at school
-my stepdaughter told my nephews to stick with the kids wearing Patagonia and Lululemon or the white and Asian kids to not be beat up

What the heck is up? Why is our school board silent? What is central office doing to address?

What I think you mean is that you are rich, white and liberal and thought that the actual non white and poor people kept to themselves and wouldn't effect you.

+1000

"I used to think that the ACPS violence was a small group of parents who were disgruntled and maybe had other issues" aka I didn't think it was a problem until it affected me. Amazing how that works in life. So you didn't care, until it came for you. Lovely.

DP. I didn’t read it that way. I read it like OP thought the people complaining were a small group of malcontents that were blowing the issues out of proportion. But then OP recently heard issues from so many people that OP is now concerned. Just FWIW.


Idk, maybe I misread the post, but that was how I interpreted OP’s words.

Nope, that poster basically admitted they blew off the concerns and complaints of other parents because she/he labeled them disgruntled and she/he dismissed those complaints and not valid because he/she didn't have any personal knowledge or experience. Instead of believing or taking into consideration the experiences or viewpoints of other parents, she just decided they weren't true.

But now that people she/he actually knows, and people close to her/him say yeah, it is true, this poster suddenly has an about face, reconsiders. And probably has their come to Jesus moment that school violence actually can hit close to home and affect their kid too. Now is time to take action. It apparently wasn't enough before, because it didn't affect them, it didn't scare them, because it wasn't penetrating their bubble, It was NBD when it was happening to other people.

Disgusting.

You hit the nail on the head. Speaking as another parent who spoke up and was viciously attacked by other parents, PTAs, PTAC, he city Dems and Wilson's "mom mafia" the OP can save their pearl clutching.

The OP is so insulting and didn't even bother to apologize for thinking (and likely talking) ill of the parents who have been demanding better for all kids for year.

Reminds me of the PTAC president who has spent years praising ACPS and then when her kids' teachers started quitting...now she's ok with complaining.

Start with an apology next time, OP