Anonymous wrote:

I don’t get what’s going on with the multiple group 8s with different dates??

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I will go back when I’m asked to go back, but if they tell me I can teach from home forever I’d happily do that too. My job is to teach, that’s what I’m doing. My job is not to fight leadership about what that teaching should look like.

The idea that I’m a bad teacher because I’m not fighting the FEA rhetoric is ridiculous. I’m not an FEA member, I want nothing to do with it. I just want to write my lessons and teach my students, wherever the location is.

You aren’t teaching if the kids aren’t learning. What you are doing from home right now isn’t teaching.

DP. A lot of kids are learning. We have data that shows this. You don’t get to deny their hard work and progress because it doesn’t fit your narrative. Distance learning isn’t ideal but teachers and kids have been busting their a$$ to make it work. It’s not okay to erase that or deny it because it’s inconvenient for your agenda.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I will go back when I’m asked to go back, but if they tell me I can teach from home forever I’d happily do that too. My job is to teach, that’s what I’m doing. My job is not to fight leadership about what that teaching should look like.

The idea that I’m a bad teacher because I’m not fighting the FEA rhetoric is ridiculous. I’m not an FEA member, I want nothing to do with it. I just want to write my lessons and teach my students, wherever the location is.

I'm curious. What grade do you teach? I teach a primary grade and I don't know anybody who would make that statement.

My husband teaches middle school math and likes teaching from home. I told him fcps may offer more virtual learning in the future so go ahead and apply for a job doing it full time if he wants. He would go back whenever but likes it more than he thought.

Middle school math is extremely difficult for the students. My kid who used to
love math has a D and is miserable. Tons of time wasted manipulating slide show tools and whatnot and very little learning time.

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I will go back when I’m asked to go back, but if they tell me I can teach from home forever I’d happily do that too. My job is to teach, that’s what I’m doing. My job is not to fight leadership about what that teaching should look like.

The idea that I’m a bad teacher because I’m not fighting the FEA rhetoric is ridiculous. I’m not an FEA member, I want nothing to do with it. I just want to write my lessons and teach my students, wherever the location is.

You aren’t teaching if the kids aren’t learning. What you are doing from home right now isn’t teaching.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I will go back when I’m asked to go back, but if they tell me I can teach from home forever I’d happily do that too. My job is to teach, that’s what I’m doing. My job is not to fight leadership about what that teaching should look like.

The idea that I’m a bad teacher because I’m not fighting the FEA rhetoric is ridiculous. I’m not an FEA member, I want nothing to do with it. I just want to write my lessons and teach my students, wherever the location is.

I'm curious. What grade do you teach? I teach a primary grade and I don't know anybody who would make that statement.

My husband teaches middle school math and likes teaching from home. I told him fcps may offer more virtual learning in the future so go ahead and apply for a job doing it full time if he wants. He would go back whenever but likes it more than he thought.

Right. He doesn't teach kindergarten, first, second, or third grade. I don't know anyone in those grade levels who says they like this or want to do it long term. I'm sure some do, but this entire school year many I know have been saying this is not sustainable and as we go further into the school year the sentiment is growing. I hear the frustrations daily. I'm not going to put lipstick on a pig.

I would absolutely LOATHE teaching ES virtually. If I were Queen of FFX County, I would have put all the resources and space into making K-5 happen. I know the HS and MS students are suffering but the little ones NEED in person instruction.

Every teacher I know including myself believes this. We COULD have been putting all the resources and planning into in person k-5 and self contained sped and EL1. All PPE to them, mitigation can be strictly enforced at those numbers. 6-12 needed to be out of the convo long ago when the data didn’t support them returning safely and not spreading. Unfortunately, no school system has been willing to tell secondary parents “your kids CAN DO this online” so they could prioritize elementary which means ultimately , though little ones are much less susceptible to spread and infection, they were held out exactly the same as the older kids at higher risk.

The biggest failure isn’t not opening at all. It’s that elementary and high needs groups could have been all this time if we had just been willing to admit some honors and AP level junior wanting to be in school doesn’t mean they can’t do it online and actually prioritized the group who needed to be in school and could have done it safer.

To put it another way: a first grader will have missed all this school because a senior who is 18 years old and been accepted to college couldn’t go in too.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I will go back when I’m asked to go back, but if they tell me I can teach from home forever I’d happily do that too. My job is to teach, that’s what I’m doing. My job is not to fight leadership about what that teaching should look like.

The idea that I’m a bad teacher because I’m not fighting the FEA rhetoric is ridiculous. I’m not an FEA member, I want nothing to do with it. I just want to write my lessons and teach my students, wherever the location is.

Don't call yourself a teacher and say you want to teach from home forever. That is not what teachers do. You're a disgrace.

I hear your frustration. I'm not a disgrace, I am working within the boundaries that I have been given. I will do the best teaching I can from whatever location I am told to teach, and I am choosing to be happy wherever that location is. I am not ashamed for being content right now. I will be content when I return to the classroom too.

Thanks. Teacher, here. I needed that. I am so anxiety ridden these days. It is impossible to please so many people and sometimes I feel like I am being torn apart.

Seriously, I think I can go to sleep now. Thank you, fellow teacher.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I will go back when I’m asked to go back, but if they tell me I can teach from home forever I’d happily do that too. My job is to teach, that’s what I’m doing. My job is not to fight leadership about what that teaching should look like.

The idea that I’m a bad teacher because I’m not fighting the FEA rhetoric is ridiculous. I’m not an FEA member, I want nothing to do with it. I just want to write my lessons and teach my students, wherever the location is.

Don't call yourself a teacher and say you want to teach from home forever. That is not what teachers do. You're a disgrace.

I hear your frustration. I'm not a disgrace, I am working within the boundaries that I have been given. I will do the best teaching I can from whatever location I am told to teach, and I am choosing to be happy wherever that location is. I am not ashamed for being content right now. I will be content when I return to the classroom too.

Thanks. Teacher, here. I needed that. I am so anxiety ridden these days. It is impossible to please so many people and sometimes I feel like I am being torn apart.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Eh, I guess if I had to choose between siding with the FEA or the parents posting on this thread, I will go with the FEA. Yeah, I don’t agree with them, but they also don’t verbally and emotionally abuse me. I said before the FEA is like a skeezy divorce attorney, but if your partner makes you feel like a worthless gnat and regularly tells you how crappy and lazy you are, then It is time to lawyer up. I already survived one abusive relationship, and the things people write on this board... well, I won’t tolerate that again.

I said this before and I’ll say it again:

I love being a teacher. When I see obnoxious weird paranoid fuming raging parents attacking and belittling here... I love it even more! We just came from a 5 day weekend and it’s already Friday. They need to take a chill pill.

Maybe that is problem. it wasn’t a 5 day weekend for me. I am in paper grading hell.

Anonymous wrote:Eh, I guess if I had to choose between siding with the FEA or the parents posting on this thread, I will go with the FEA. Yeah, I don’t agree with them, but they also don’t verbally and emotionally abuse me. I said before the FEA is like a skeezy divorce attorney, but if your partner makes you feel like a worthless gnat and regularly tells you how crappy and lazy you are, then It is time to lawyer up. I already survived one abusive relationship, and the things people write on this board... well, I won’t tolerate that again.

I said this before and I’ll say it again:

I love being a teacher. When I see obnoxious weird paranoid fuming raging parents attacking and belittling here... I love it even more! We just came from a 5 day weekend and it’s already Friday. They need to take a chill pill.

Eh, I guess if I had to choose between siding with the FEA or the parents posting on this thread, I will go with the FEA. Yeah, I don’t agree with them, but they also don’t verbally and emotionally abuse me. I said before the FEA is like a skeezy divorce attorney, but if your partner makes you feel like a worthless gnat and regularly tells you how crappy and lazy you are, then It is time to lawyer up. I already survived one abusive relationship, and the things people write on this board... well, I won’t tolerate that again.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have seen exactly ZERO teachers speak at the schoolboard meeting in favor or returning to school.

Most people with a career who are passionate about what they do for a living would advocate for much less. Teachers seem quite happy sitting on their asses.

No you're not doing a good job, no more than a surgeon can direct a patient over zoom to preform their own operation. Its a complete and utter failure and it is now no longer any mystery whatsoever why American kids are lagging behind in education.

I’m assuming you are homeschooling since you think teachers are useless...right?

My kids go to private, 5 days a week, in person.

Our private Catholic K-8 school is 200 yards from a FCPS elementary that has been vacant for almost a year now.

My wife and I are both FCPS K-12 grads, we moved here for the school and still hope to one day send them back to that now vacant school. But the prospect of that happening is growing smaller every day.

Okay, well bye! I don’t know why you are here if your kids don’t go to FCPS. Mine do and their teachers are incredible. Leadership....whew...

Like I said, we want our kids to go to FCPS. We moved here for FCPS. Both my wife and I are FCPS K-12 grades.

We didn't send our kids this year because why in gods name would we make a five year old go through virtual Kindergarten when there was another option available to us?

We hope to go back to FCPS because we think when open FCPS provide a better education then private. We value diversity and community. But right now FCPS is providing nothing more then a portal for teachers to play youtube clips through.

You say you think FCPS provides a better education, but you have 0 respect for the people who would be delivering that education.

Right now, no I do not.

I have yet to see a single concerted effort lead by staff to reopen schools. Until I see otherwise that's not only my opinion but the opinion of quite a bit of the general public.

Then, keep your kids in private. You make no sense. You want staff to organize to prove to you that they are working instead of working? If you don’t like FCPS, you have the option to continue in private.

Yes, I would expect teachers to change the tone of their union if they don't like what their union is saying, that's how unions work.

Yes it is extra work, yes it is hard.

But if you aren't willing to put in the work then you don't get to abscond blame.

It is not my union! It is an association that like 3 percent of teachers are part of!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To all the teachers who are saying they want to go back and their Union doesn't speak for you. I get it, and I 100% believe you.

But, the head of FEA (who spoke 1st again tonight at the SB meeting) has said they should not return to school until all children are vaccinated, which would be 2022 at the earliest. FEA may be small but they own half of the school board and the school board had been pushing the FEA agenda from day 1.

You say you are powerless?

I am in a union too (ALPA) and when my union started making unrealistic demands and in my mind embarrassing my profession I ran for Union leadership and changed the agenda). Until one of you do that and remove the ass clowns who lead FEA and FCFT then you are as responsible as them.

Maybe that's not fair, but if you want the insurance and the soon to happen collective bargaining then that's your burden.

Teacher associations are expensive, which is partly why teachers don't join. We can't lead change at the union level if we can't afford to join.

If you don't get involved then you don't get to push back when people blame teachers for the current situation.

You don't want to pay? Ok, then when people blame teachers for the current situation you have to sit and take it. You are in a position to make a change and chose not to. You can make all the excuses you want, but that's just how it is.

My dues are 2% of my salary, I make it work.

Or...here’s a wild idea. No. FEA has less than 3,000 members. They lack collective bargaining. They can SAY whatever they want. They have no actual power. Hell, I can say I’m a millionaire. It doesn’t mean I get a million dollars. Leadership also means you take a LOA from teaching, which effects retirement and healthcare. Most of us can’t afford to pay cobra prices, so parents can “stop blaming us.” So that’s a hard pass. Frankly, I don’t care who you all blame. When it comes time to go back, I’ll be there.

Fine, you don't want to put in the work.

That's your prerogative.

But when people take the FEA position to be the teacher position you don't get to push back because you didn't fight to change.

Oh she can’t. Guess what? She did. And i am doing that now too. It must infuriate you, us breaking your rules and all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I will go back when I’m asked to go back, but if they tell me I can teach from home forever I’d happily do that too. My job is to teach, that’s what I’m doing. My job is not to fight leadership about what that teaching should look like.

The idea that I’m a bad teacher because I’m not fighting the FEA rhetoric is ridiculous. I’m not an FEA member, I want nothing to do with it. I just want to write my lessons and teach my students, wherever the location is.

I'm curious. What grade do you teach? I teach a primary grade and I don't know anybody who would make that statement.

My husband teaches middle school math and likes teaching from home. I told him fcps may offer more virtual learning in the future so go ahead and apply for a job doing it full time if he wants. He would go back whenever but likes it more than he thought.

Right. He doesn't teach kindergarten, first, second, or third grade. I don't know anyone in those grade levels who says they like this or want to do it long term. I'm sure some do, but this entire school year many I know have been saying this is not sustainable and as we go further into the school year the sentiment is growing. I hear the frustrations daily. I'm not going to put lipstick on a pig.

I would absolutely LOATHE teaching ES virtually. If I were Queen of FFX County, I would have put all the resources and space into making K-5 happen. I know the HS and MS students are suffering but the little ones NEED in person instruction.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have seen exactly ZERO teachers speak at the schoolboard meeting in favor or returning to school.

Most people with a career who are passionate about what they do for a living would advocate for much less. Teachers seem quite happy sitting on their asses.

No you're not doing a good job, no more than a surgeon can direct a patient over zoom to preform their own operation. Its a complete and utter failure and it is now no longer any mystery whatsoever why American kids are lagging behind in education.

I’m assuming you are homeschooling since you think teachers are useless...right?

My kids go to private, 5 days a week, in person.

Our private Catholic K-8 school is 200 yards from a FCPS elementary that has been vacant for almost a year now.

My wife and I are both FCPS K-12 grads, we moved here for the school and still hope to one day send them back to that now vacant school. But the prospect of that happening is growing smaller every day.

Okay, well bye! I don’t know why you are here if your kids don’t go to FCPS. Mine do and their teachers are incredible. Leadership....whew...

Like I said, we want our kids to go to FCPS. We moved here for FCPS. Both my wife and I are FCPS K-12 grades.

We didn't send our kids this year because why in gods name would we make a five year old go through virtual Kindergarten when there was another option available to us?

We hope to go back to FCPS because we think when open FCPS provide a better education then private. We value diversity and community. But right now FCPS is providing nothing more then a portal for teachers to play youtube clips through.

You say you think FCPS provides a better education, but you have 0 respect for the people who would be delivering that education.

Right now, no I do not.

I have yet to see a single concerted effort lead by staff to reopen schools. Until I see otherwise that's not only my opinion but the opinion of quite a bit of the general public.

Then, keep your kids in private. You make no sense. You want staff to organize to prove to you that they are working instead of working? If you don’t like FCPS, you have the option to continue in private.

Yes, I would expect teachers to change the tone of their union if they don't like what their union is saying, that's how unions work.

Yes it is extra work, yes it is hard.

But if you aren't willing to put in the work then you don't get to abscond blame.

You write this as if there is one union representing all teachers.

Hey, Buddy, are you suggesting the teachers band together and collectively tell the FEA to get lost? You know what they would be then? A union. Yep.
Some of us just want to do our actual jobs. I don’t mind spewing my thoughts, here, but no way I am organizing, advertising, lobbying and whatever else a union does. It is not my responsibility.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher. I will go back when I’m asked to go back, but if they tell me I can teach from home forever I’d happily do that too. My job is to teach, that’s what I’m doing. My job is not to fight leadership about what that teaching should look like.

The idea that I’m a bad teacher because I’m not fighting the FEA rhetoric is ridiculous. I’m not an FEA member, I want nothing to do with it. I just want to write my lessons and teach my students, wherever the location is.

I'm curious. What grade do you teach? I teach a primary grade and I don't know anybody who would make that statement.

High school here. I can do the advanced classes virtually very easily. I can’t say I prefer virtual, though. Well, I do like getting a lunch break. I never seemed to get one at school.