Monday, August 25, 2014

MCPS Public Information Officer: "Some of these students may be facing issues that might be beyond what we can handle," #steak #lobster #mabe #expenseaccounts

BOE Fine Dining
$2.3 billion and MCPS can't handle counseling for students? Maybe the BOE should cut out the lobster and steak dinners at their Ocean City conventions? 
Next BOE junket to Ocean City is October 1, 2014. While the BOE cut up credit cards for the media, they have still maintained their $96,000 expense account. 

The Baltimore Sun: 
...Montgomery County public schools have taken in 985 students from the region in the past year, 107 of whom are without a parent or relative in the country. As they register the children, school officials in Montgomery try to ensure that the students are healthy and have access to a health clinic, said Dana Tofig, a school system spokesman. Montgomery County, like other school systems, is not equipped to handle intensive counseling, and Tofig said the system is turning to nonprofits for help in meeting those needs.
"Some of these students may be facing issues that might be beyond what we can handle," he said. "We are going to provide the services that kids need. Having more students who come needing more services, that does have a financial impact."...

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/education/bs-md-immigrant-students-20140824,0,530122.story#ixzz3BQAEn1RU

13 comments:

  1. "$2.3 billion and MCPS can't handle counseling for students? Maybe the BOE should cut out the lobster and steak dinners at their Ocean City conventions?
    Next BOE junket to Ocean City is October 1, 2014. While the BOE cut up credit cards for the media, they have still maintained their $96,000 expense account."

    This has nothing to do with Tofig's statement! Misguided, irrelevant, cheap comments don't make any progress towards goals. #irresponsible

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has everything to do with his statement. He says there is a "financial impact" to the arrival of these students. MCPS has the money, they just don't want to spend it on kids. MCPS already provides intensive counseling to students that require counseling to be successful in school. It's the law.

      But, if you would prefer that BOE member be handed $96,000 to play with while students go without, that is absolutely your prerogative!

      Delete
    2. P.S. Lobster and steak over students is #irresponsible #unethical #violationoftrust

      Delete
    3. They don't have enough teachers, either. My daughter doesn't have a math teacher in her elementary school. Last year, either. It's an abomination.

      Delete
  2. 96k / 2.3B = .0004% and does not equal "they just don't want to spend it on kids" and it's not the expense account for 1 BOE member. Statements like that are exactly why you struggle to make progress, earn respect and credibility. #irresponsible

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow. So you are good with Lobster and Steak over children. Again, your call.

      Education dollars are precious. Each and every dollar.
      Each and every dollar that is diverted away from students is a violation of the trust that has been put in our public school system by the taxpayers of this county. The Maintenance of Effort Law was put in place to guarantee dollars for education, NOT dollars for Lobster and Steak.

      $96,000 could buy counseling services for many students. How sad that you don't value those services.

      Sorry to burst your bubble, but no one here is struggling. #keeptrying

      Delete
    2. Your strategy thwarts progress...

      Delete
    3. Actually you are wrong. As an example, the Parents' Coalition has made tremendous progress in eliminating the illegal curricular fees being charged by MCPS. This year's list of illegal fees shows that the fees are shrinking, yet again, except for the unfortunate example of the fees being charged at Edison High School.
      Advocating for MCPS to follow the law is not a strategy, it's just plain and simple parent advocacy that is done all over in communities all over the USA. Public school education is a right of all children and in most of the country is valued.

      Delete
  3. I'm referring to your PR strategy... always (at least what I see and read) is negative, condescending, and/or taking jabs at others against your personal views. It is your blog though and you are entitled to that. IMO, that strategy or approach doesn't win you true progress. I'm remind of the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie and recommend it to you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your definition of "true progress" is Lobster and Steak for BOE members?
      That's not our definition.

      Our principles are written on the side of this blog and we have made significant progress toward those principles over the last 10 years. You can also read what the Gazette and Washington Post editors have said about the Parents' Coalition.

      Our focus is on public school education for ALL students, not perks for BOE members and administrators.

      P.S. Thanks, but already read the book.

      Delete
  4. We can somehow find the wherewithal to fund 40K Chromebooks this year up to 100K laptops & tablets down the road, plus software & licensing, maintenance, and replacement once obsolete. :-(

    ReplyDelete
  5. They don't have a math teacher for my child in her elementary school, but they get chrome books. Did they eat the lobster on or with the chrome books, they sure didn't do anything useful with them, except exploit my child. What a misguided group they are. I grew up here and went to HS here and am embarrassed now by how much they focus on mediocrity. when did it become so cool to be mediocre?

    ReplyDelete
  6. " is not equipped to handle intensive counseling" Does it require special waiters and training?

    ReplyDelete

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