Anonymous
Post 12/26/2021 08:37     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
I think two things can be true simultaneously:

1) The current BOE is not sufficiently exercising its oversight role, to the detriment of students; and

2) To date, the candidates who have run challenging the status quo have done a poor job connecting with voters, and have seemed underprepared and uninterested in the day-to-day job of educating students.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2021 08:29     Subject: Re:BOE/MCPS is a mess
All this talk about voting for or against the Apple Ballot candidates is pointless at this point because we don't even know who will be running. Only Karla Silvestre has filed for reelection, and no candidates have filed in the other races.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2021 08:22     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:But get this: Lynne Harris WAS a MCEA union member when she ran. While she may not have received their endorsement she was, de facto, an Apple Ballot candidate.

There’s no escaping the Apple in MoCo.


She did not accept their campaign funding and she was not promoted by the MCEA. She also has not been blindly following the MCEA agenda. Lynne Harris is an independent thinker asking hard questions to the Board. She challenged the original vote when Robert’s Rule of Order went out the window.

As long as Lynne Harris is not on the Apple Ballot, I will vote for her.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2021 08:12     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
But get this: Lynne Harris WAS a MCEA union member when she ran. While she may not have received their endorsement she was, de facto, an Apple Ballot candidate.

There’s no escaping the Apple in MoCo.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2021 07:37     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you believe Apple Ballot can be defeated in MoCo I have a bridge you may be interested in in Brooklyn...they know they are here forever - until they retire to South Carolina or West Virginia. You are in the schools maybe 3 years until you realize they are sub-optimal - and move, private school it or for the brave few homeschool.


The Apple Ballot made one BOE endorsement in 2020, Sunil Dasgupta, and he was defeated by Lynne Harris.


And Lynne Harris was the only Board Member who challenged the extra half days and 7 new vacation days. See what not being on the Apple Ballot does for independent governance? Parents are fed up with the union control over the Board of Ed.


Tough call. The MCEA needs to put their money where their mouth is. If they recommend a non-incumbent slate that really stands up for both teachers and parents, it's probably a win. But if they sit on the sidelines, or otherwise tacitly endorse the board incumbents - they'll lose whatever remaining credibility they have.


They have no credibility for me. It's worse, I actively distrust anyone connected to them. If they endorse a candidate, I will not vote for that candidate.
Anonymous
Post 12/26/2021 06:23     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you believe Apple Ballot can be defeated in MoCo I have a bridge you may be interested in in Brooklyn...they know they are here forever - until they retire to South Carolina or West Virginia. You are in the schools maybe 3 years until you realize they are sub-optimal - and move, private school it or for the brave few homeschool.


The Apple Ballot made one BOE endorsement in 2020, Sunil Dasgupta, and he was defeated by Lynne Harris.


And Lynne Harris was the only Board Member who challenged the extra half days and 7 new vacation days. See what not being on the Apple Ballot does for independent governance? Parents are fed up with the union control over the Board of Ed.


Tough call. The MCEA needs to put their money where their mouth is. If they recommend a non-incumbent slate that really stands up for both teachers and parents, it's probably a win. But if they sit on the sidelines, or otherwise tacitly endorse the board incumbents - they'll lose whatever remaining credibility they have.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 23:02     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:If you believe Apple Ballot can be defeated in MoCo I have a bridge you may be interested in in Brooklyn...they know they are here forever - until they retire to South Carolina or West Virginia. You are in the schools maybe 3 years until you realize they are sub-optimal - and move, private school it or for the brave few homeschool.


The Apple Ballot made one BOE endorsement in 2020, Sunil Dasgupta, and he was defeated by Lynne Harris.


And Lynne Harris was the only Board Member who challenged the extra half days and 7 new vacation days. See what not being on the Apple Ballot does for independent governance? Parents are fed up with the union control over the Board of Ed.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 22:13     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:If you believe Apple Ballot can be defeated in MoCo I have a bridge you may be interested in in Brooklyn...they know they are here forever - until they retire to South Carolina or West Virginia. You are in the schools maybe 3 years until you realize they are sub-optimal - and move, private school it or for the brave few homeschool.


The Apple Ballot made one BOE endorsement in 2020, Sunil Dasgupta, and he was defeated by Lynne Harris.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 21:28     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
If you believe Apple Ballot can be defeated in MoCo I have a bridge you may be interested in in Brooklyn...they know they are here forever - until they retire to South Carolina or West Virginia. You are in the schools maybe 3 years until you realize they are sub-optimal - and move, private school it or for the brave few homeschool.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 21:18     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They are all sheep who go along with whatever Starr, Smith and now McKnight want. None do their actual job of oversight


Perhaps for Smith and McKnight, but you may recall that they essentially fired Starr. I think he would have done a much better job through covid tbh.


That's one way of describing things but most people feel they're making the right decisions; otherwise, they wouldn't vote for them by a landslide. These silly arguments by the right just don't hold up with the facts.


That's you're opinion - i'm fed up with the current members. I won't be voting for any of the incumbents this time around. Even if there is no alternate candidate I'm writing in Steve Austin, if nothing else as a protest vote to irk whomever is voting for these nutcases.


No! it's not my opinion but a fact. They are re-elected by a landslide.


I love the Apple ballot. They got my vote!


Plenty of voters will think differently after the management of MCPS during the last two years. A campaign plus will be any candidate NOT on the Apple Ballot. The Apple Ballot equal bought and paid for by teacher union. Parents will remember that it was the teacher union that kept students virtual for 18 months and extra half days this year. The teacher union supports positions that are terrible for students.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 20:17     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They are all sheep who go along with whatever Starr, Smith and now McKnight want. None do their actual job of oversight


Perhaps for Smith and McKnight, but you may recall that they essentially fired Starr. I think he would have done a much better job through covid tbh.


That's one way of describing things but most people feel they're making the right decisions; otherwise, they wouldn't vote for them by a landslide. These silly arguments by the right just don't hold up with the facts.


That's you're opinion - i'm fed up with the current members. I won't be voting for any of the incumbents this time around. Even if there is no alternate candidate I'm writing in Steve Austin, if nothing else as a protest vote to irk whomever is voting for these nutcases.


No! it's not my opinion but a fact. They are re-elected by a landslide.


I love the Apple ballot. They got my vote!
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 16:05     Subject: Re:BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:Is this really a good week to close MCPS administrative offices? There are critical problems facing MCPS but additional time off is how Dr. McKnight and the BOE decided to do? Are they relying on fairy dust to address learning lost and achievement gaps? What about staffing shortages? What about a plan to protect students and staff from a highly transmissible form of COVID including more testing? What about a clear plan for online learning when students go into quarantine or even a clearer plan for which students should be in quarantine?

Everyone in MCPS and the BOE are totally checked out.


Don't you get it? The point of MCPS is to support its employees. The students are just window dressing.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 12:22     Subject: Re:BOE/MCPS is a mess
Is this really a good week to close MCPS administrative offices? There are critical problems facing MCPS but additional time off is how Dr. McKnight and the BOE decided to do? Are they relying on fairy dust to address learning lost and achievement gaps? What about staffing shortages? What about a plan to protect students and staff from a highly transmissible form of COVID including more testing? What about a clear plan for online learning when students go into quarantine or even a clearer plan for which students should be in quarantine?

Everyone in MCPS and the BOE are totally checked out.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 11:32     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They are all sheep who go along with whatever Starr, Smith and now McKnight want. None do their actual job of oversight


Perhaps for Smith and McKnight, but you may recall that they essentially fired Starr. I think he would have done a much better job through covid tbh.


That's one way of describing things but most people feel they're making the right decisions; otherwise, they wouldn't vote for them by a landslide. These silly arguments by the right just don't hold up with the facts.


That's you're opinion - i'm fed up with the current members. I won't be voting for any of the incumbents this time around. Even if there is no alternate candidate I'm writing in Steve Austin, if nothing else as a protest vote to irk whomever is voting for these nutcases.


No! it's not my opinion but a fact. They are re-elected by a landslide.


When you can vote for a board member NOT representing your district and the Apple Ballot organizes MCPS to vote against what parents want, I'm not sure it's something to be proud of. Shows just how bad the gerrymandering has gotten in MC.


All board members represent all districts. There are five district members to ensure there are residents from different parts of the county on the board. And it has nothing to do with gerrymandering.
Anonymous
Post 12/25/2021 11:10     Subject: BOE/MCPS is a mess
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:They are all sheep who go along with whatever Starr, Smith and now McKnight want. None do their actual job of oversight


Perhaps for Smith and McKnight, but you may recall that they essentially fired Starr. I think he would have done a much better job through covid tbh.


That's one way of describing things but most people feel they're making the right decisions; otherwise, they wouldn't vote for them by a landslide. These silly arguments by the right just don't hold up with the facts.


That's you're opinion - i'm fed up with the current members. I won't be voting for any of the incumbents this time around. Even if there is no alternate candidate I'm writing in Steve Austin, if nothing else as a protest vote to irk whomever is voting for these nutcases.


No! it's not my opinion but a fact. They are re-elected by a landslide.


When you can vote for a board member NOT representing your district and the Apple Ballot organizes MCPS to vote against what parents want, I'm not sure it's something to be proud of. Shows just how bad the gerrymandering has gotten in MC.