Board of Education member Christopher Barclay's opening comments at the November 19, 2009, MCPS Board of Education meeting are shown on the video below.
Board member Barclay refers to the Board's recent revision of the MCPS Core Values as one reason for rejecting Superintendent Jerry Weast's plan to close Monocacy Elementary School. Mr. Barclay does not mention that the revision of the MCPS Core Values was discussed at an off-site Board "retreat" that was found to have violated the Maryland Open Meetings Act.
The surprise recommendation to close a school based on previously unseen data, and unsubstantiated cost numbers is one very good example of why respect for the Maryland Open Meetings Act is important in a public body.
The Board of Education has been found in violation of the Maryland Open Meetings Act twice in the last 10 months. Those violations point out the public business that is not being conducted in public, thereby depriving the public of their right to observe, monitor, learn, understand and participate in the work of the Board of Education.
Failure to respect the Maryland Open Meetings Act by the governing body, the Board of Education, contributes to a culture of disrespect for the public in general that permeates how MCPS conducts business. Hear Mr. Barclay discuss how failure to include the public in the decision making process erodes the public trust in the Board.
What, did Mr. Barclay have an epiphany? Suddenly community input matters, when it didn't three years ago when he raised his hand to vote to close the secondary learning centers?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, the secondary learning centers have been eliminated at the middle school level. Test scores accordingly tanked, suspension data sucked, and the person in charge of the whole mess has "moved on." But the kids are left without the program that helped them.
Do the right thing, Barclay. Admit that closing the SLCs was a big mistake, and work to fix it. Otherwise your nice speech on "community input" is nothing but a cheap attempt to get Monocacy-area voters in your next election.