Anonymous wrote:Love the way they report on SB meeting with the chart showing minutes devoted to each topic.

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Anonymous wrote:I find APE really impressive and helpful this year. They are pivoting to be more broadly useful, and I think this is a good thing for APS to be held more accountable.

If you look at the educational outcomes data from last year, it's clear that APE was right to be pushing for more in-person schooling -- especially last spring pre-Delta when our teachers were all vaccinated.

I don't get all the APE haters, honestly. Yes, some people in that group have been loud and mean, but that's been true of every parent group I've ever encountered in Arlington.

Did you watch any of the APE comments at school board meetings last year? Did you see their members' posts on social media?

APE has zero credibility with me after all that.

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find APE really impressive and helpful this year. They are pivoting to be more broadly useful, and I think this is a good thing for APS to be held more accountable.

If you look at the educational outcomes data from last year, it's clear that APE was right to be pushing for more in-person schooling -- especially last spring pre-Delta when our teachers were all vaccinated.

I don't get all the APE haters, honestly. Yes, some people in that group have been loud and mean, but that's been true of every parent group I've ever encountered in Arlington.

Did you watch any of the APE comments at school board meetings last year? Did you see their members' posts on social media?

APE has zero credibility with me after all that.

Plenty of us saw meeting comments by APE members and other individuals. We are capable of seeing their social media posts. We are also capable of distinguishing between APE as an organization and the separate actions of individual members in their personal capacity rather than on behalf of APE.

But where is that line? When they all got up there and screamed at the board, the superintendent, teachers and even jeered Latina parents?

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find APE really impressive and helpful this year. They are pivoting to be more broadly useful, and I think this is a good thing for APS to be held more accountable.

If you look at the educational outcomes data from last year, it's clear that APE was right to be pushing for more in-person schooling -- especially last spring pre-Delta when our teachers were all vaccinated.

I don't get all the APE haters, honestly. Yes, some people in that group have been loud and mean, but that's been true of every parent group I've ever encountered in Arlington.

Did you watch any of the APE comments at school board meetings last year? Did you see their members' posts on social media?

APE has zero credibility with me after all that.

Plenty of us saw meeting comments by APE members and other individuals. We are capable of seeing their social media posts. We are also capable of distinguishing between APE as an organization and the separate actions of individual members in their personal capacity rather than on behalf of APE.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I find APE really impressive and helpful this year. They are pivoting to be more broadly useful, and I think this is a good thing for APS to be held more accountable.

If you look at the educational outcomes data from last year, it's clear that APE was right to be pushing for more in-person schooling -- especially last spring pre-Delta when our teachers were all vaccinated.

I don't get all the APE haters, honestly. Yes, some people in that group have been loud and mean, but that's been true of every parent group I've ever encountered in Arlington.

Did you watch any of the APE comments at school board meetings last year? Did you see their members' posts on social media?

APE has zero credibility with me after all that.

Anonymous wrote:I find APE really impressive and helpful this year. They are pivoting to be more broadly useful, and I think this is a good thing for APS to be held more accountable.

If you look at the educational outcomes data from last year, it's clear that APE was right to be pushing for more in-person schooling -- especially last spring pre-Delta when our teachers were all vaccinated.

I don't get all the APE haters, honestly. Yes, some people in that group have been loud and mean, but that's been true of every parent group I've ever encountered in Arlington.

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Anonymous wrote:Honest question from a newcomer here...just moved into the area a few months ago and have just started getting acquainted with APE and AEM. I don't understand how someone can be "in" either of these groups? They're just raising two separate collections of ideas/concerns, and everyone is free to disagree or agree with them, right? Why the animosity for debating policy? I would think that's a good thing. So far, both groups have brought up reasonable things I thought - this isn't the case of deranged right-wingers at school boards.....

There is a lot of history with APE behaving poorly last year. They *did* have crazies yelling at the SB meeting. Very irrational and angry. Teacher bashing, aggressive attacks of other parents, etc.

They are trying to reinvent themselves now as a political lobbying entity. While discussion and advocacy are certainly great for everyone, it’s important to understand their positions and call out when they push misinformation or try to skew the conversation.

We shall see how much they help - or hurt - the conversation as the election nears.

There are a few people who happen to be in APE who have behaved poorly in issues in the past. I’m pretty sure anyone can join APE. But my multiple requests to join Smart Restart have never been approved - probably because I’m in APE - despite the fact that I never post in APE. AEM has its own set of “crazies” and yet I don’t see AEM being painted with a broad brush to take responsibility for all of their members’ behavior. Personally I like to hear all sides of these issues because I don’t trust anyone in APE or AEM to be unbiased. Personally, I like that AEM is taking a position on certain issues and being transparent about what they support as an org - so that I can separate it from individuals in the group who are way more conservative / less Covid conscious than I am. The main difference is you can raise questions in APE about masks, test types or program methodology, etc. and people will tell you in a calm, factual way if they think you are wrong. If you even dare question certain things or admit you don’t have a panic attack if your kid eats indoors on AEM or here on DCUM, you are shouted down and shamed. I’m pretty sure lawsuit dad has very few actual supprters in APE - but I like reading what other people in my community are thinking instead of being blissfully unaware in my safe little bubble.

AEM doesn't take positions. It's just an education discussion group with people of all viewpoints.

Except that any viewpoint that is not aligned with the most vocal people on there is summarily dismissed. I’m pretty liberal AND conservative about Covid risks and I am afraid to post there.

I completely agree, the general culture of AEM does not allow for differing viewpoints. The people who are active in the group do not seem to appreciate the extent to which they are operating in an echo chamber that does not necessarily reflect the views of the broader community on every issue.

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I'm not "fighting" anything - just pointing out APE's priorities.

Why did APE also include school closures (twice) & VMPI as its #1 topic for this newsletter?

I have no idea why they chose the particular order for the news letter because I didn't write it. But since they are an educational advocacy group, legislative action on education issues seems like an appropriate topic for them to comment on.

Pushing “schools closures” as the top issue in Oct ‘21, weeks before Election Day, is sus.

You think Janet Howell is sus? Patrick Hope? Rip Sullivan? Alfonso Lopez? Hala Ayala? They all voted in favor of SB1303.

Uh. They voted on it back in Feb/Mar. It’s now October.

Who legit thinks “school closures” is a concern now?

The bill is set to expire after this school year, which means if the pandemic is still going on next year, there would no long be a requirement that schools offer in-person learning. If that’s going to change, the legislature needs to act before then - it can’t wait until August to start thinking about it.

IF the pandemic is still going in a year
IF there is some new strain
IF kids aren’t vaccinated
IF vaccines aren’t effective against that strain
IF the GA wouldn’t pass a similar law to what it has already passed

That’s a lot of IFs for that top #1 “concern”.

It is fine if you do not believe school closures are an issue. I will not tell you that you have to think it is, or that you have to agree with APE's viewpoint. People can have different ideas about what issues are and are not priorities without either operating in bad faith, though. Operating under an assumption that anyone who does not completely share your views must be operating in bad faith does not change anyone's mind; the only purpose is to stifle discussion of different viewpoints.

Should it be on the radar? Sure.

But to place it at the top of the list of concerns? Along with VMPI misinformation?

Transparent.

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I'm not "fighting" anything - just pointing out APE's priorities.

Why did APE also include school closures (twice) & VMPI as its #1 topic for this newsletter?

I have no idea why they chose the particular order for the news letter because I didn't write it. But since they are an educational advocacy group, legislative action on education issues seems like an appropriate topic for them to comment on.

Pushing “schools closures” as the top issue in Oct ‘21, weeks before Election Day, is sus.

You think Janet Howell is sus? Patrick Hope? Rip Sullivan? Alfonso Lopez? Hala Ayala? They all voted in favor of SB1303.

Uh. They voted on it back in Feb/Mar. It’s now October.

Who legit thinks “school closures” is a concern now?

The bill is set to expire after this school year, which means if the pandemic is still going on next year, there would no long be a requirement that schools offer in-person learning. If that’s going to change, the legislature needs to act before then - it can’t wait until August to start thinking about it.

IF the pandemic is still going in a year
IF there is some new strain
IF kids aren’t vaccinated
IF vaccines aren’t effective against that strain
IF the GA wouldn’t pass a similar law to what it has already passed

That’s a lot of IFs for that top #1 “concern”.

It is fine if you do not believe school closures are an issue. I will not tell you that you have to think it is, or that you have to agree with APE's viewpoint. People can have different ideas about what issues are and are not priorities without either operating in bad faith, though. Operating under an assumption that anyone who does not completely share your views must be operating in bad faith does not change anyone's mind; the only purpose is to stifle discussion of different viewpoints.