Secret Meetings have begun!

In an August 21, 2009, YouTube Video, MCEA President Doug Prouty announced that the secret MCPS Budget discussions have already begun for the next budget cycle.

MCEA is "at the table" working on putting together the FY 2011 MCPS budgets along with MCAASP, SEIU and MCCPTA.

When Superintendent Weast announces his Capital and Operating budgets he has the full support of these 4 groups who have been participating in budget creation since the summer.

Noticeably absent from the "budget table" are our elected members of the Board of Education and our ability as citizens to observe this process. If the MCPS budgets were being constructed by the Board of Education the public would be permitted to observe and monitor the process under the Maryland Open Meetings Act.

Board of Education member Laura Berthiaume spoke out about the Board's failure to actually review and discuss the Operating Budget earlier this year.

This announcement by Mr. Prouty also means that the "secret table" discussions began even before the public presented comments to the Board of Education at the fall community forums. See Board member Berthiaume's comment about sitting "stone faced".

See minute 1:35 of this video. Thanks to Mr. Prouty for letting the public know that the secret budget meetings began before school started!

UPDATE: MCEA has taken down the video of Mr. Prouty announcing the start of the secret budget process.