The early results are in, and Mount Diablo Unified School District survey respondents are almost split down the middle when it comes to deciding to continue distance learning full-time, or change to a hybrid model with distance learning in the morning, and on campus, in-person support in the afternoon two days a week.
Superintendent Adam Clark gave an update Wednesday to the MDUSD Governing Board on negotiations with labor unions and plans to reopen schools in the district. A survey sent out to families last weekend offered two options: continue with 100 percent distance learning or participate in a hybrid model where they would do distance learning in the morning and then come to the school two days a week in the afternoons for in-person support.
The survey is due by Monday, and Clark said 7,484 respondents chose the hybrid option and 7,091 chose to remain in distance learning through the end of the school year in early June.
“We’re almost split down the middle between those who want to stay out and those who want to come back,” he said.
Many parents at the meeting and in emails submitted to the board said they weren’t opposed to returning to campuses but that the district’s hybrid model was inadequate, particularly for working families, and didn’t offer any additional academic instruction beyond what would take place during the morning distance learning period.
They pointed to other school districts nearby that have already reopened.
“The majority of the surrounding districts have already reopened elementary schools for hybrid learning within the last 2 weeks while we are still planning with no set return date,” parent Jeff Barnett wrote to the board. “There is a narrative in the East Bay that our school district, school system and education is inferior to Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda and San Ramon districts that border us. Our inability to reopen for hybrid learning right now only perpetuates this narrative.”
Any specific plans and dates for reopening are pending Contra Costa County’s move to the “red tier” in the state’s COVID-19 guidelines as well as negotiations with the district’s labor partners like the Mt. Diablo Education Association teachers’ union, according to Clark.
He said district negotiators are “making progress” in those talks, with more discussions planned in the coming days.
Many parents criticized the teachers’ union for not coming to an agreement, while some teachers laid the blame at the feet of the district.
Clark said the district is still aiming for elementary schools to reopen for students sometime in March, and that the next school year will look different than the plans to reopen for the rest of the 2020-21 school year.
He said students will be going to school five days a week in the fall, although there might have to be a hybrid model such as some students coming for the mornings and others for the afternoons, depending on the status of the pandemic and state and county health guidelines at that point. The district will still offer a 100 percent distance learning option next school year for families who prefer that, he said.
51 comments
If the survey was for people that wanted in person instruction for the kids it wouldn’t be split down the middle. A lot of parents have no interest in trying to get their kids to the school for 2 hours in the middle of the day twice a week, when it is only for help with homework & does not include any sort of in person instruction. The hybrid model proposed is not a hybrid model at all, since all instruction is still done via distance learning.
Exactly
No other comments needed. Concord Lifer nailed it.
Exactly right
100% agree. The model offered is BS.
BINGO, what I’ve been saying since they floated this nonsense out there last week…this is nothing more than a pretext for the district and especially teachers to keep pushing for as much online as possible.
NAILED IT!
Also, at our school the 2 afternoons at school would just be social hours. Nothing else. Is it worth it?
I feel the exact same way! I would be happy to have my kids have at least some time with their classmates as it better than NOTHING, but the offered hybrid model is an absolute joke!
I’d be curious to see how those number change if there were a better in-person learning option. Seriously, 2 hours up to 2 days away for in class instruction? What a joke. I can see people thumbing their nose at that and as a result pick the “100 percent distance learning” as it’s not worth it to take their kids in for such short amounts of time. Give some REAL options and I bet the numbers would overwhelmingly be in favor of in-person learning of at least TWO full days a week!
It’s not even 2 hours of in class instruction, it’s only support. So basically your kid sits in a room and does their distance learning work, and there is a support teacher if they need help. Might not even be their teacher. It is a joke.
Why wasn’t a 3rd option of “Return to full-time, in-person learning” offered? Crazy, but that’s how it goes. Millions of people living as foes. Maybe it’s not too late to learn how to love, and forget how to hate. Mental wounds not healing, life’s a bitter shame. The kids are going off the rails on a crazy train, ya know.
Almost a guarantee that if they offered full time that it would not longer be split down the middle. I chose the hybrid because I want them in the classroom for social development, and this is better than nothing … but I have no aspirations that they will learn academics in this hyrbid model.
The board does not want to open.
The teachers or union do not want to teach. They want to continue being paid for not doing their job.
Props on the Sabbath lyrics.
Wasn’t Sabbath…was Ozzy and Randy Rhoads for Ozzy’s first solo album, Blizzard of Ozz.
After the first two responses, I was beginning to wonder who’d catch on. You’re welcome.
My grandkids have been going to school full time for months without a problem.
My kids have also been full time in person since August. We moved to Texas in the fall of 2019 after living my whole life in Clayton, and the schools here have done an outstanding job in managing Covid and in person learning. Everything you hear about how they can’t go back until XYZ is just an excuse for incompetence. MDUSD should pick up the phone and call their counterparts in the Prosper ISD, maybe they could pick up some tips on how to do their jobs.
I am very happy for your kids! I wish our school district would get their act together. Its shameful how much they’re lagging!
Okay. I want my school bond measures on my property taxes returned for the year.
It was a forced choice o begin with The board had no intention of considering a full time return so they used this survey pretend they actually were considering something……they weren’t. It was all theater and BS, The board should ask if parents want their kids back full time….it they refuse to ask that then the board should resign and we have some intelligent non-ideologues take over. The current board is pathetic
Why did you not run for the Board? Just curious.
Should we as parents stage a zoom black out as LA did? Schools are still getting their 50 bucks per student for attendance. If we black out that’s no money for the schools!
I feel like us parents in MUSD and MDUSD are being too complacent.
The other school districts mentioned above that have opened the parents put pressure on the school board.
We need to get proactive !
The fact that almost half would be willing to take the garbage hybrid model tells you everything you need to know.
Precisely!! You said it best!
Completely agree with “Concord Lifer” and “Open Up”
How is 2 hours in the middle of the day, twice week, even an option? Parents work! How do they expect us to transport our kids back and forth and have it disrupt our work day? It’s not efficient for anyone or worth the time. This is NOT realistic option. Very disappointed in the hybrid option presented, which is why I opted for 100% distance learning.
I agree with all you said, except I chose the hybrid model for my middle and elementary school kids because I was of the mindset that I didn’t want MDUSD to have an excuse to say “see, no one wants in person instruction; they all want to continue distance learning!” Not sure how I’ll manage to do the back and forth from my job in Berkeley, but I’ll worry about that later (if it even happens).
I don’t know what the right response is to send the message to these guys that the schools need to open, and not in the most inconvenient way possible.
I guess they don’t want to go back to being babysitters so we can just smoke weed…they all need to go along with the teachers union. The teachers are a joke and so is the MDUSD governing board. Public school needs to change how they are funded to cast aside the greedy unions and the lazy teachers that refuse to do their job while receiving full pay. They should learn how to code or install solar panels.
so how many parents voted for distance learning because the unions told them it would be racist to ask for classes to be held at school again
Just remember this is not necessarily the opinion of teachers to keep the distance learning model. There are many good teachers who are doing what they can. Covid and the choices being made around them has caused this. The teachers Union does not represent all teachers. Please be sure to thank your child’s teacher for doing their best in a hard, hard season.
Dominion must have processed the survey.
That IS absolutely disgraceful!
Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw today
“ Don’t steal. The gov’t doesn’t like the competition “
My kids attend Valley View Middle School and College Park. I live very close to them. I completed the survey for each of my children.
And you jimmy?
I have participated in the board meetings for the last couple of months. I have attended and participated in the county board meetings for the last couple of months.
Had I known how INEPT and DUMB and BIASED this useless board would be in our time of need, I would have run for the board! They have a job, they are failing …
Hey JImC
I am a parent and I can’t even count the hours I have spent volunteering over the years in all of my children’s classrooms, the PTA mtgs, driving on field trips , school site council ect ect ect
It’s true we are voicing our frustrations behind a screen and you know what? It makes me feel better knowing there are other parents out there that feel the same way.
Is that wrong? I’m not in FB or any other social media sites and at church we are told to not stop and congregate and I don’t have all the usual places to talk to other parents that I used to.
Please don’t judge it’s not helping our situation. Thank you.
What is the mystery here? Tons of people did voice their opinion with the call-in comments. You can’t just replace a school board overnight, unfortunately. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they are all voted out at the first opportunity. It’s not a secret that families feel betrayed by the district and the teachers’ unions. Other kids get to go to school, but not MDUSD kids, nope.
Also, in what world is this situation the fault of keyboard warriors on Claycord?? How does that make sense? It’s the board that is supposed to lead the school district. It’s the teachers who are supposed to teach, and their union that is supposed to represent them *in the context of their job – teaching.* What exactly are parents supposed to do here? We’re doing our part – we’re making our voices heard and we’re paying for the darn school system. Stop trying to offload the blame onto people whose comments annoy you.
A friend who teaches in an East Bay HS said her union rep told them that the district was in no rush to open schools. There may be union backed people on the board, but the districts are who call the shots as they control the money. Stop blaming teachers.
The survey forced you to choose between two bad options and is no way an indication of what the majority of parents want for their kids. This circus is going up continue into the fall unless people start hold the district and the teacher’s union feet to the fire.
I simply do not believe anyone in government is honest anymore.
MDUSD appears to be a lousy organization, easily swayed by influencers with no public standing.
As a group, I believe, that they do not even care if they have the trust of the voters.
They have failed in so many areas and simply don’t care. ( I watched the meeting last night).
So, how can anyone trust their ability to count without bias?
Spot on. My kids get 45mins a day to 2 hours a day of instruction from teachers depending on their age(grade). Teachers need vaccines and back in the classroom full time to teach our kids. Virtually spending minimal time on our tax dime is unnacceptable.
We had our chance out of MDUSD in Walnut Creek and we blew it. Those that voted the wrong way need to stop complaining.
I still want my full time in person learning option! so sad the MDUSD and Union does not give a crap about our children and their learning/well being.
I’m still unsure if I will complete this ‘survey’ at all.
Low turnout elections like school board most often dominated by teacher union because they have the resource. It is very difficult for non-union candidates to win even if they try.
Look at the former Oakley school board should give you some idea who you are up against.
And yes, I am a parent with kids in MSUSD and I did fill out the survey.
Voice my opinion? I think my 3 minutes is up.
Bay point parent here , guess what we’ve been saying we want in person that DL isn’t working . There are nonwhite parents who want to return to in person .
Well, if you support anything that crazy race baiting jerk says, then we all know where you stand. She judged everyone by a picture and you are just judging everyone by nothing!! I am a parent too, vocal about this crap. We live close to Keisha’s area, but admittedly do have resources. There is nothing racist about opening schools. Nothing.
I have been involved for years in the leadership of our parent organization and in the school happenings. The union is crap and there is little we can do about it. The district has been hemorrhaging for years because of poor planning and poor financial awareness, as well as continuing to pay teachers quite a bit due to union demands.
So, most of your inept musings seems pretty wrong. But, that is usually what happens when someone judges.
… I would want to audit their results ….. and they didn’t offer the other option of 5 days a week in class study..
Our efforts need to be focused on MDEA. The board meeting on Wednesday made it PAINFULLY clear that MDEA is the roadblock for our kids returning to school. Union strong arming to slow play any type of effective resolution. It appears their goal is to keep the kids “distance NON LEARNING” for the rest of this year.
Will MDEA commit to a realistic reopening plan once we reach the Red Tier? They seem to clinging to the only metric we have not reached, being below 7/100,000 new case rate. Currently we are at 12.5/100,000 and declining.
We need MDEA to step up and show transparency. Put something on paper that we all can work towards, instead of hiding behind baseless claims that COVID is “widespread in all cities within MDUSD” per Dan Reynolds.
What is their plan once we reach the Red Tier? Will MDEA finally put the kids ahead of their destructive bureaucracy and agenda?
FIGURE IT OUT.
What is the MDUSD plan for reopening?
Where is the transparency for the $31m that they cant show records for?
MDEA is waiting on MDUSD for a plan, they don’t have one, that is why the surveys went out.
Class action lawsuit against MDUSD and MDEA for failure to provide a public education to our kids. They take the tax money for education. MDEA says they won’t go back until it is safe to do so. The teachers better not go to the grocery store, drug store, gas station, restaurant, retail store, or leave their homes if they are so afraid of something with a 99 +% survival rate. If masks and social distancing are so effective and there are handwashing stations added, there is no reason the lazy-ass teachers can’t be in the classrooms. They think parents want babysitters?! No, it is mandatory that kids attend school. The teachers are paid because the government mandates that our kids attend.
Maybe they shouldn’t go back to a place where they will soon be taught that there is no such thing as male or female, where they won’t be allowed to say, mom, dad, sister, brother, her, him, he, or she, where boys that identify as girls are put on the same teams and share locker rooms.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5/text
And where Asian, Indian, European, and white American lives do not matter. If you’re white, you are a privileged devil. And where it is okay for your 14-year-old to have sex with a 24-year-old because the law is discriminatory against the LBGTQ community.
https://rare.us/rare-news/bill-sb-145/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=agora&utm_term=faves&utm_campaign=faves&fbclid=IwAR0bzkyq1z_Uf71Ykviq1enHN4mgLUm2HS2VPLFnlkkFhiYe2g7lEAQMkY8
And where it is possible that your child could be given hormone blockers and cross-sex hormones without your consent because of Biden’s assistant health secretary.
https://youtu.be/laS93iac9Ws
https://youtu.be/M4zk4KLkYII
I took the survey, my Child is in middle school at Eldorado, my wife is a teacher of 27 years. I have been active in the PTA in the community. Hell I even had my name in the hat for School Board.
The majority of people bashing teachers on this site live in the a certain area of concord/clayton/walnut creek where socio-economic family is very well off and of a certain color.
They don’t live in the monument corridor, or go to Mt Diablo H.S. or Ygnacio. They don’t go to title one schools do they?
Oh and Pete V insane whack job? NO, I just see with my eyes open and tell right from wrong and the can see how the population of a group of well off people want to call the shots for a group that they either don’t understand, don’t want to be around or would rather go away and not have in “their town”
Jim C,
I’m sorry are you saying that parents with children that attend Mt Diablo HS do not want their kids back in school? Well, I live in the not so well off part of Concord, have a kid going to Mt. Diablo, and I am not white. I also took the survey and chose the hybrid option. You are what the problem is in this conversation. Sorry to disappoint but NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT RACE. HOW DARE YOU CRITICIZE PARENTS VOICING THEIR FEELINGS, HARDSHIPS, OR OPINIONS ON A PUBLIC FORUM. I am so sick and tired of every issue and problem revolving around race. What’s next Jim? Is it ” white supremacy” if parents call on the board, teachers, and district to do their jobs? I sure hope your teacher wife doesn’t hold your same views!
Another false promise by Cherise Kaund, head of MDUSD and head of the Diablo Valley Democratic Party and founder of MDEF which killed off PEAK.
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