Skip to main content

On the Record

This morning I read this article by Sun Education Reporter Sara Toth. A lot of work went into this. She has put in a lot of time drawing information from a variety of sources. I get the feeling that all sides were given an opportunity to speak their piece, as it were. And that is balanced reporting at its best.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for Sara and her work. And yet I read this article with mixed feelings. Why? I noticed whose voices were absent: teachers. I feel certain that Sara would have included them if at all possible. So it seems likely that none are willing to come forward and speak on the record.

Why would that be? Teachers gave testimony about changes to the Middle School curriculum. Teachers gave testimony about changes to the school calendar. Teachers came out to support good faith negotiations with HCEA. So where were the teachers on reductions to music and arts instruction?

They were there at the meeting. Their silence is telling.

Rebecca Amani-Dove, of the school system, said there has been "no effort to hide things" from the public.

"I don't think there's been any coercion," she said. "That sounds very conspiratorial."

Yes. Yes, it does. And I can't fix how this looks, nor can Ann Faust or Bernadette Giroux, and certainly not Sara Toth, because to fix this we would have to see teachers and administrators willing to speak on the record. Look around your school. Whose job would you be willing to sacrifice, if reports of intimidation are true? Your music or art teacher? Your band or strings teacher? Perhaps your principal?

Hmm.

So parents are going to have to carry the torch on this one. It looks like it may be a long haul, as the comments from Ms. Amani-Dove suggest that the parents who turned up on Thursday night are considered to be just one small group whose concerns are of lesser importance than "the many". I didn't see one things in her words that said: we are listening, hearing, understanding and will respond to parents on this issue.

Many thanks to Sara Toth and the Sun for giving this issue the attention it deserves. I am hoping, however, that this is not the end of the story.

*****

A post script. I am asking that if you respond in the comments about this issue that you use your real name. Anonymous comments have been popping up and I feel quite strongly that credibility is compromised by withholding identity. Thanks.-- JAM

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents.  When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...
1 comment
Read more

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more