Skip to main content

Social Studies

This week the Howard County School System has begun a much-publicized push to update their social media policy. Of course, it's easy for most of what they do to be "much-publicized" with the amount of money they spend on public relations personnel. And then there's all the free publicity they get just for being themselves. As I stated earlier in the week, I find this move to be rather hilarious. Here's why.

In recent years hcpss has consistently misused its social media accounts to further the management agenda. Examples:

  • Open letter to the community on hcpss website from former Superintendent Michael Hickey which denigrated teachers during ongoing negotiations between hcpss and HCEA. (This was actually illegal. Someone must have told them this, because it mysteriously disappeared.)
  • Open letter to the community from Christine O'Connor which was really a letter to the editor of the Sun.
  • Dr. Foose's open letter to the Howard County Delegation on her blog.
  • Christine O'Connor's "Fact Checking" post on the school system website and sent out to all parents as a part of schoolwide communications.

In the most recent case, Ms. O'Connor uses school system social media platforms to attempt to put an official spin on issues which are currently being discussed and debated in an ongoing election. No matter how you slice it, this was done with the intent of influencing the outcome of the school board election. This is a flagrant attempt to discredit candidates who are challenging the incumbents.

The Howard County Public School System has no business interfering with the Board of Education election. Period.

In addition, it's just terribly done. My high school English teachers would have sent me back to the drawing board had I tried to get away with "fact checking" that includes no independent fact checking. Where are specific, comprehensive sources? As a friend of mine said in exasperation, "You can't fact check yourself." So, not only is this an example of unethical interference in an election, it's also an example of academically indefensible work.

Not great for a school system.

I'm not in the habit of throwing the Bible at people on this blog, but I in this case a certain verse seems particularly apt.

3 “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when the beam is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” (Matthew 5: 3-7)

I would heartily endorse an update to the school system's social media policy if they looked to clean up their own house first.

In the meantime, you can help this endeavor along by voting on Tuesday for a better Board of Education, if you haven't already. Sometimes we all need a little push to do the right thing. Okay, maybe the school system needs a big push. You can help.


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

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

What Kids Are Thinking

  It’s a Monday in February, and if you guessed that a lot of Howard County students have the new cell phone policy on their minds, you’d be right. It will mean big changes and it will be stressful, no matter how much good we hope it will do in the long run. But on this particular Monday cell phones might not be top of mind, as amazing as that seems. Some kids will go to school wondering if they or family members will be seized by ICE. Some will fear that their parents’ employment will be purged by the ongoing rampage of Elon Musk and his cronies through Federal Government. Some fear heightened and renewed racism as programs that supprted Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion are vilified and destroyed.  Some worry that it soon won’t be safe for them to use the bathroom in school anymore. It goes without saying that some kids fear going to school every day because of the prevalence of school shootings.  And look! Here’s something new to fear. That old hate group, Libs of TikTo...
1 comment
Read more