Monday's Most Active Threads

The two most active threads yesterday have already been discussed, so I'll start with what was actually the third most active thread yesterday. Titled, "Algebra 2 is currently offered at TPMS" and posted in the "Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)" forum, this is quite a bizarre thread. The best way that I can think of to convey the essence of this thread is to transport us all back to the time of my youth when I would occasionally stay up late to watch the "The Twilight Zone", the original not the remakes. Imagine the voice of Rod Stirling introducing an episode as you read this. So, come with me, if you will, to the Twilight Zone. For the last several days a poster has revived several old threads in the MCPS schools forum in order to highlight old posts about the math class offerings in various MCPS schools. The argument this poster is trying to make is that Algebra 2 is only offered at "a few wealthy schools" and either implying or explicitly claiming (I'm not sure which) that Algebra 2 is not offered at Takoma Park Middle School. This thread was created in response to that poster to assure everyone that Algebra 2 is indeed being offered by TPMS. Yes, dear readers, this is what resulted in the third most active thread yesterday. The very first response is from the poster who has been reviving all the threads, who simultaneously claims that Algebra 2 is only being offered at Frost Middle School and that TPMS does offer the class, albeit reluctantly. I'm not sure how both of these claims can be true, but the poster goes on to repeat this contradictory argument multiple times. The poster, who also has a bad habit of replying to their own posts, would ultimately end up posting 42 times in this 11 page thread. Not that they are obsessed or anything. I can't fully immerse myself in this particular twilight zone and haven't read all of the pages. But, from what I understand, some MCPS elementary schools offer a class called AIM. I have no idea what that stands for, but the class seems to be some sort of advanced math that prepares students for algebra. Many of the students who complete this class naturally want to continue into algebra and, eventually, algebra 2. Therefore, TPMS provides a class to meet this demand. Apparently, students who did not take AIM in elementary school are not able to take algebra 2, presumably because they lack the prerequisites. Depending on your point of view, this is either a huge travesty of justice that represents the gross inequities plaguing MCPS or a completely normal and acceptable arrangement. Basically, this debate went around and around until I eventually locked the thread. Yes, I had to lock a thread about Algebra 2. It truly is the Twilight Zone.

The next most active thread was posted in the "College and University Discussion" forum and titled, "Academic IEPs vs weak extra-curriculars". To discuss this thread, we must return to "The Twilight Zone". The original poster explains that her son has refused to participate in any extracurricular activities other than soccer. She believes he has some sort of mental block in this regard. She compares this to friends of her son who have individualized educational plans (IEPs) that allow them certain supports such as extra time on tests and extensions on assignments. These students also participate in a number of extracurricular activities. The result, as the original poster's son prepares to apply to college, is that the other students have the same grade point average as the original poster's son — she attributes this to their IEP supports — but also have extracurricular activities they can include on their applications. The original poster believes this places her son at an unfair disadvantage. The fundamental issue here is the views the original poster holds about IEPs, something of which she does not appear to have a strong understanding. Like many in the forum, the original poster seems to believe that an IEP can be obtained somewhat cavalierly as a form of cheating. She repeatedly refers to her son's friends as having "mild" IEPs and suggests that the supports are not really needed. In response, she proposes that schools offer some sort of support for kids such as hers to help them pursue extracurriculars. I have a hard time imagining exactly what such supports would consist of and the original poster offers no clarification. Most of those responding tend to see the original poster's son's reluctance to pursue extracurricular activities as laziness rather than a disability. Several posters whose children have IEPs are offended by the notion that IEPs provide unfair advantages rather than addressing legitimate needs. DCUM is full of parents who are willing to interpret just about anything as an unfair advantage that others are exploiting to the detriment of their own kids. This poster simply manages to take that phenomenon to new heights. For all the original poster's fixation on extracurricular activities, several posters say that they don't really make that much of a difference on college applications.

The third thread that I will discuss today was titled, "Florida new Immigration law" and posted in the "Political Discussion" forum. The original poster asks if others are familiar with the new immigration law just approved in Florida which will provide several measures for punishing undocumented immigrants. I don't really have much to say about this thread. Like many, if not most, of the threads in our political discussion forum, it is fairly useless and doesn't provide much in the way of serious discussion. There are many posters who oppose undocumented immigrants and support anything that might be done in response to them. The opponents of Florida's law are strangely fixated on whether a reduction in undocumented workers will make it hard to find maids, lawn care, or roofers. My primary issue with such threads is posters often attempt to address laws of this sort on their merits. In my opinion, that is completely wrong. Laws such as these should be viewed as little more than legislative virtue signaling. The law has less to do with combatting undocumented immigrants than it does with enhancing Governor Ron DeSantis' prospects in the Republican presidential primary race. There will likely be a few very-well publicized enforcement activities aimed at gaining DeSantis media coverage and establishing his bona fides, but basically life will continue as normal. The real question I have is why the Florida legislature is so-willingly turning the state into an arm of the DeSantis presidential campaign. Whether it has to do with schools and universities, transgender rights, Disney, or — in this case — immigration, the legislature is doing little more than rubber-stamping DeSantis' political platform. I fully expect that this will turn out to have been a horrendous mistake that will cause considerable harm to the state.

The final thread at which I'll look today was posted in the "General Parenting Discussion" forum. Titled, "Running moms ragged with Teacher Appreciation right before Mother’s Day", the original poster complains about all that mother's are expected to do for Teacher Appreciation Week. She is frustrated that with everything she already has to do, the week adds more responsibilities and, coming just before Mother's Day, leaves her depleted of energy when time comes to be celebrated herself. The original poster is joined by several others who also dislike the expectation that they assist with activities during this week, many saying that they begrudgingly go along with it but dislike it. Many posters take the position that none of what the original poster feels obligated to do is required. She could do less of it or none of it. Other posters offer alternative ideas for honoring teachers that might work better for the original poster. Several posters who say that they participate in their schools' Parent Teacher Associations describe being caught between expectations that they undertake activities to honor teachers and parents who resent being asked to help out. In response, posters offer ideas to these posters that might make their task easier. Other posters argue that fathers should be expected to do more during the week rather than leaving it to moms. A number of those responding suggest that the event should simply be a day rather than an entire week. A few posters don't understand all the animosity and argue that it takes very little effort to do most of the things parents are asked to do to show appreciation for teachers. They don't understand why this is such a big deal.