Monday, March 31, 2014
NYC Superintendent of Schools Vows to Get Rid of "Learning Cottages" within Five Years
Kudos to Carmen Farina. The new Superintendent of NYC schools publicly vows to get rid of all of those awful trailers -or in MCPS speak - the "learning cottages" within five years.
In the nation's largest school system, more than 7000 school children are learning in portable, temporary spaces. Ms. Farina acknowledges the tough budget situation in NY, and all the challenges that accompany her new job.
A snip from the article:
You can read more here.
The [then] mayor is behind the effort to get kids out of trailers? And the school system is BUYING more land?
Amazing.
Even if the space shortage isn't totally solved, at least in NYC they are really trying.
Hey Ike and Josh - can you make the same commitment to the students of Montgomery County Maryland?
In the nation's largest school system, more than 7000 school children are learning in portable, temporary spaces. Ms. Farina acknowledges the tough budget situation in NY, and all the challenges that accompany her new job.
A snip from the article:
Shortly after he took office, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg vowed that New York City would get rid of all “transportable classroom units” by 2012. But today, 7,158 students, most of them in the beginning grades, are still learning in them, a testament to the struggle to keep up with rapid neighborhood growth, as well as to the magical powers of Liquid Nails and duct tape.
Undaunted by the city’s failures, the new schools chancellor, Carmen Fariña, has vowed to rid the schools of trailers within five years, though, at the same time, she is also trying to find space for thousands more students expected to enter the system as Mayor Bill de Blasio expands prekindergarten. And the state budget deal reached last week is quite likely to make the task even harder, since it compels the city to find room in public school buildings for new charter schools, or help pay for their space costs.
You can read more here.
The [then] mayor is behind the effort to get kids out of trailers? And the school system is BUYING more land?
Amazing.
Even if the space shortage isn't totally solved, at least in NYC they are really trying.
Hey Ike and Josh - can you make the same commitment to the students of Montgomery County Maryland?
Starr: Hope will help close achievement gap #edubabble #Gallup #nobidcontract
Superintendent Joshua P. Starr said Wednesday that “hope is how we are going to close the achievement gap” in Montgomery County Public Schools.
“Persistent achievement gaps call out to us with urgency and we must respond with urgency, the urgency of hope,” he said...
Sunday, March 30, 2014
County Executive Candidates Forum April 16th
All,
The
Montgomery County Civic Federation, Montgomery County Taxpayers League,
and the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, MD, are co-sponsoring a
County Executive Candidates Forum.
All four candidates will attend (Phil Andrews, Doug Duncan, Ike Leggett,
and James Shalleck). Andrea McCarren of WUSA*9 will moderate.
DATE: Wednesday, April 16th
TIME: 6:30pm: meet-and-greet. 7-9 pm: Q&A
PLACE: Rockville Memorial Library, 21 Maryland Ave., Rockville
Bring your questions!
Please pass this on to any neighborhood, school, or other listservs you may be on.
hashtag: #CXForum
Thanks!
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Friday, March 28, 2014
WUSA 9: Restaurant Alert: Mice at Montgomery Co school cafeteria
Bethesda, Md. (WUSA9) The Montgomery County Health Department confirms to WUSA9 the authenticity of a Wood Acres Elementary School e-mail acknowledging a "temporary suspension of meal services" after "evidence of mice was observed in the cafeteria storeroom."
Public Discussion of MCPS FY 2015 Operating Budget #budgetpalooza
In February, members of the public got together to publicly discuss and analyse the proposed MCPS Operating Budget for FY 2015.
The participants were joined by a number of candidates for elected office and the current County Executive. Here is the video of the budget discussion. Captions on the screen show the MCPS budget chapters as they are discussed.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Gaithersburg HS: No Response from @mcpssuper on When Stoves Can Be Used!
To: Joshua Starr (originally sent March 20, 2014)
I had the pleasure today of visiting the School-Community Based classroom at the brand-new Gaithersburg High School. As you know, the school has been open to students since August. The School-Community Based program is a special education program for students with intellectual and or developmental disabilities who need instruction in fundamental life skills. As part of the design plan for both the SCB program and the LFI program at the school, kitchens were designed and installed between the classrooms to enable the students to engage in real-life activities of meal planning and preparation.
Unfortunately, school has been in session for 7 months now, and the stoves, while present in the kitchens, are unable to be used. Apparently the stoves are not “vented” to the outside. Either this was a serious design flaw on someone’s part, or the “venting” still has not occurred; either way, the students in the SCB and LFI programs are being denied educational opportunities that are important for them to develop as much independence as possible.
Please let me know what your plan is to correct this situation, and how soon the students in the SCB and LFI programs will be able to utilize the stoves. I look forward to your prompt response.
Unfortunately, school has been in session for 7 months now, and the stoves, while present in the kitchens, are unable to be used. Apparently the stoves are not “vented” to the outside. Either this was a serious design flaw on someone’s part, or the “venting” still has not occurred; either way, the students in the SCB and LFI programs are being denied educational opportunities that are important for them to develop as much independence as possible.
Please let me know what your plan is to correct this situation, and how soon the students in the SCB and LFI programs will be able to utilize the stoves. I look forward to your prompt response.
March 26th Hearing on Senator Raskin's Sex Abuse of Students Bill
On March 26, 2014, the Maryland House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to review bills from the Senate side of the General Assembly. Included in the bills reviewed was Senator Jamie Raskin's Senate Bill 460 - Criminal Law - Person in Position of Authority. Senator Raskin appeared before the House committee to present his Senate version of this bill.
This hearing also permitted public comment on these bills. The purpose of the public comment was to speak to the House Committee about the differences between the Senate version and the House version of the bill. The House Committee hearings are videotaped.
Here is the March 26th video of the House Judiciary Committee hearing on Senate Bill 460.
Will the Maryland General Assembly do everything in their power to protect children when they are with teachers, coaches, and volunteers?
On March 26, 2014, the Maryland House Judiciary Committee held a hearing to review bills from the Senate side of the General Assembly. Included in the bills reviewed was Senator Jamie Raskin's Senate Bill 460 - Criminal Law - Person in Position of Authority.
This hearing also permitted public comment on these bills. The purpose of the public comment was to speak to the House Committee about the differences between the Senate version and the House version of the bill.
House
Judiciary Committee
Conform
SB 460 to HB 781
Criminal
Law – Person in Position of Authority – Sexual Offenses with a
Minor
March
26, 2014
Thank you for the
opportunity to speak on conforming Senate Bill 460 to House Bill 781.
My name is Janis Zink
Sartucci and I am a member of the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery
County, Maryland.
Is the proposed
legislation important to Maryland children? That's the question that
is before this Committee.
Since May of 2012 there
have been 8 arrests of Montgomery County Public School (MCPS)
teachers and staff on charges relating to the sexual abuse of
students. One defendant was found not guilty on all counts and two
defendants have yet to go to trial. All of the other cases have
resulted in guilty verdicts.
And, then there is this
September 2012 opinion from an Administrative Law Judge that was
released as part of a Maryland State Board of Education Opinion (MD
State BOE Opinion 12-34) that stated, "...MCPS continued for
fifteen years to employ a teacher who had been found responsible for
indicated child abuse."
These are real life
cases of sexual offenses by Persons in a Position of Authority. We
don't have to imagine what this proposed legislation is about, we
have first hand, recent knowledge of incidences where students have
been sexually abused by a Person in a Position of Authority. It's
not a what if, it's real life.
The question before you
today is how much do you want to protect children? Do you want
to close loop holes or do you want to leave a few out there for
future perpetrators? The House bill provides protection for children
from teachers, part-time teachers, coaches, and volunteers. The
Senate version of the bill only protects students from teachers. Why
is the Senate willing to gamble that children will only be molested
by full time and part-time teachers? Let's make the bill do it's
job and protect children from all of the Persons in Positions of
Authority that they encounter in their daily lives.
The 2014 legislative
session is drawing to a close and will be complete before the
upcoming trials of Montgomery County Public Schools teacher Lawrence
Joynes take place. Mr. Joynes was denied bail and is currently being
held in Montgomery County. You all probably haven't read the
charging documents in those cases. I have. What is coming are two
trials involving this MCPS teacher that have the potential for
National media coverage as one of the trials involves the sexual
abuse of 6 and 7 year old MCPS students in a MCPS classroom
during the school day.
- One trial involves 10 counts of allegations of rape, child abuse and sexual abuse of an Eastern Middle School student over 2 years from 1991 to 1993 by MCPS teacher Lawrence Joynes. Mr. Joynes remained in MCPS classrooms for another 20 years.
- The second trial involves allegations of the creation of pornographic videos using 6 and 7 year old MCPS students in this MCPS teachers' music classroom during the school day. The Internet has created a whole new industry where videos of children can be photoshopped and turned into pornographic videos that are distributed around the world. Not only are our children now vulnerable to sexual abuse by Persons in a Position of Authority, but in addition, they are vulnerable to the manipulation of their photoshopped images that can become images of sexual abuse that are transferred around the world. There are 29 counts in this matter including allegations of child pornography and sex abuse of minors by this MCPS teacher.
These trials are
scheduled to take place before the November elections. Will
Montgomery County voters, State voters and the Nation see that when
the Maryland legislature was in session our Delegates and Senators
did everything in their power to provide the utmost protection for
children, or will they see that the legislature left Maryland
children vulnerable to more loopholes that allow Persons in a
Position of Authority to sexually abuse them without the maximum
criminal consequences?
Are our children safe
when they are in the custody of others? That's the question that will
be on parents' minds when the trials of Lawrence Joynes take place.
Will the Nation see that Maryland is doing everything possible to
protect children from Persons in Positions of Authority?
$11.1 is Average MCPS Middle School Funding
That's all the information you get about local school budgets.
http://prezi.com/uao7ge0d3plp/superintendent-starrs-fy2015-recommended-operating-budget-presentation/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Montgomery County officials violated Maryland election law by using public funds and employees on county time...
This article is about the Montgomery County Executive, his staff and Montgomery County Council members who all asserted that they were above the law back in 2012. They weren't.
These are the same elected officials and lawyers who continue to support the Board of Education and Superintendent in the charging of illegal fees to students. Is it time for some new legal counsel for Montgomery County?
The Washington Post: Court says Montgomery County violated law in campaign to roll back police union rights
These are the same elected officials and lawyers who continue to support the Board of Education and Superintendent in the charging of illegal fees to students. Is it time for some new legal counsel for Montgomery County?
The Washington Post: Court says Montgomery County violated law in campaign to roll back police union rights
Montgomery County officials violated Maryland election law by using public funds and employees on county time to campaign in support of the 2012 ballot proposition that eliminated certain collective bargaining rights for police, a state circuit court judge has ruled...
...Circuit Court Judge Ronald B. Rubin said in a March 19 decision that the union’s claim may have validity. But he ruled that the two officials are entitled to at least “qualified immunity” because they acted in good faith on the advice of county and state attorneys...
...The county launched an aggressive campaign in favor of the measure. Leggett authorized Lacefield to spend up to $200,000 in county funds for mailings, bus advertisements and bumper stickers. County employees campaigned actively during work hours, according to testimony.
The FOP sought to purchase the same kind of advertising for Ride-On buses but was denied by the county because the ads were deemed “political.” Leggett eventually allowed the ads, but it was too late to place them on buses before the election.
Leggett and Lacefield said they were advised by attorneys for the state and county that they were exempt from requirements in Maryland election law to create a campaign committee and file reports disclosing the sources of funding. The county also argued in court that under home rule it had the authority to conduct the campaign.
But Rubin called this “a bold presumption of power.” He said the county’s fight for Question B went far beyond the bounds of merely informing Montgomery citizens about a matter of public interest and became partisan electioneering.
“No court has suggested that a government may not spend money to inform the public about its initiatives or legislative enactments. Of course it can,” Rubin wrote. “But there is a world of difference between communications that inform, and communications that proselytize and try to influence the outcome of an election contest.”
Rubin added: “In this case, based on the court’s findings, the question is not even a close call.”
"...MCPS continued for fifteen years to employ a teacher who had been found responsible for indicated child abuse."
As a reminder, the above quote was from an Administrative Law Judge Opinion and released as part of a Maryland State Board of Education Opinion.
The ALJ Opinion was July 2, 2012. What has MCPS done since that time to stop this practice?
See list of MCPS teachers/staff arrested since 2012 at this link.
The ALJ Opinion was July 2, 2012. What has MCPS done since that time to stop this practice?
See list of MCPS teachers/staff arrested since 2012 at this link.
Monday, March 24, 2014
Dinner! You are paying, but you can't eat!
The March 24, 2014, Board of Education "all day" meeting isn't going to start until 3:00 PM. Why the late start? None of the MCPS Board of Education members have day jobs.
That late start is going to cost taxpayers. The Board of Education has voted themselves a dinner.
Another $325,000 to Walker Willis Corp on March 24th at BOE Meeting
Monday, March 24, 2014, Board of Education Consent Agenda at this link. The Board of Education will approve $4.8 million in spending without seeing any contracts or details as to how this spending will be used.
When the Parents' Coalition has attempted to obtain the supporting contracts for similar expenditures we have not met with much success. How does the Board of Education know how these funds will actually be used?
Walker Willis annual payments from MCPS from the MCPS Funding Accountability and
Transparency database.
FY 2010 1,896,907
FY 2011 3,211,507
FY 2012 3,030,770
FY 2013 2,864,299
FY 2014 -as of February 1,197,789
Starr Wants All the Power, BOE to Be Neutered, Public to Be Excluded
At the March 24, 2014, Board of Education meeting the Board of Education will unanimously (we have a crystal ball) vote to give all their power related to the use of public school land over to the Superintendent.
Why not? Board of Education members are just figure heads anyway. And besides, by delegating all these decisions to the Superintendent the PUBLIC will have NO CLUE what is going on!
That's the way it should be in Montgomery County, right?
Land use decisions should be made behind closed doors with no public notification or comment period, right?
You know what they say...
Why not? Board of Education members are just figure heads anyway. And besides, by delegating all these decisions to the Superintendent the PUBLIC will have NO CLUE what is going on!
That's the way it should be in Montgomery County, right?
Land use decisions should be made behind closed doors with no public notification or comment period, right?
You know what they say...
My Two Cents: Career Skills And MCPS
Joseph Hawkins
In a recent publication, Montgomery County Public Schools Superintendent Joshua Starr wrote, “…industry leaders are telling us that our graduates don’t have skills like perseverance, teamwork and creative problem solving that are so important in the 21-century workplace.”http://www.bethesdanow.com/2014/03/19/my-two-cents-career-skills-and-mcps/
When reading Starr’s entire essay, one realizes he is not just writing about MCPS high school graduates, but high school graduates in general.
But what do these skills really entail? How much can a public school system do to instill those skills and should that be where our focus is?
Sunday, March 23, 2014
WPost: Secret policymaking on school reform is on the rise
But, The Washington Post won't report on what goes on in Montgomery County Public Schools. Same story here, but no reporting. Why not?
Secret policymaking on school reform is on the rise
WPost: Montgomery Co. is poised to spend money on schools that it will regret
THE FISCAL WOUNDS inflicted on local governments during the Great Recession have barely begun to heal, but already politicians in Montgomery County seem intent on taking a stroll down memory-impaired lane. They are poised to pump up per capita spending on public schools even though state law all but ensures that any such increase will be irrevocable — in perpetuity. That state law, enacted in 2012 at the behest of the teachers union, means that any good budgetary deed by the county will be punished in the next economic downturn. How soon county officials forget.http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/montgomery-co-is-poised-to-spend-money-on-schools-that-it-will-regret/2014/03/22/9f12e52a-afa4-11e3-95e8-39bef8e9a48b_story.html
It was just a few years ago that Montgomery County, its budget depleted by the recession, ran afoul of state rules forbidding any cuts in per capita school funding. The county appealed and eventually prevailed, modestly trimming spending on public education even as it made much steeper reductions for libraries, parks and transportation. Then the teachers union flexed its muscle in Annapolis— and struck back...
It happens in MCPS classrooms...“This is the documentation of the worst kinds of abuse against a child.”
...“This happens all over the world; it happens in America,” she said during a visit to New York. “It’s not necessarily children being kidnapped and swept away. A lot of times it’s someone the child trusts: family members or a minister or a coach.”
The child pornography industry is a facet of child abuse that has exploded with the rise of the Internet, and it’s widely misunderstood.
A Justice Department study reports that 21 million unique computer I.P. addresses were tracked while sharing child pornography files in 2009, more than 9 million of them in the United States. It’s not clear how many individuals that represented because some people may have used multiple computers.
It’s also not clear how many children are abused to generate child pornography, but, in 2011, law enforcement authorities in the United States turned over 22 million such images and videos to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children to try to identify the victims...
..."college needs to accommodate students coming from the county school system"...
Montgomery College’s president said the school needs county money to staff a new bioscience center and add full-time faculty that County Executive Isiah Leggett did not include in his proposed operating budget...
...The college also would partially channel funds toward expanded community outreach efforts in response to the county’s changing demographics, she said...
Gazette: Pollard: Montgomery College needs $8 million more from county
Friday, March 21, 2014
Will Sen. Frosh Kill Bill with Maximum Protection for Kids?
Dear Senator Frosh,
As the Chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee you now hold the key to what will happen this year with regard to closing the existing loop holes in Maryland law with regard to sexual abuse of teens by persons in positions of authority.
The Maryland House passed a bill that would provide maximum protection for kids, the Maryland Senate passed a bill that would provide minimum protection. Will you support conforming the Senate bill to the House bill with maximum protections?
The differences in the Senate and House bills comes down to the differences in the definition of a person in a position of authority and penalties.
House bill: Person in position of authority would expand current law to include part-time teachers, coaches in recreational programs and volunteers.
Senate bill: Person in position of authority would expand current law to only include part-time teachers and penalties would be lessened.
Will your Committee take the amendments in the House bill and include coaches and volunteers as persons in positions of authority, as we know that in some cases coaches and volunteers may indeed be molesters? Will your Committee take the amendments in the House bill to provide maximum penalties for offenders?
The House Judiciary Committee has already scheduled a public hearing for March 26th. Will your Committee hold a public hearing on the House bill so that the public can weigh in on the differences in these bills prior to the next vote?
The Maryland legislative session is short and this year's session is moving toward conclusion. Parents are watching to see if existing loop holes in current Maryland law will be eliminated this year, or if we must wait for a future legislature to stand up for maximum protection of our children.
Janis Sartucci
As the Chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee you now hold the key to what will happen this year with regard to closing the existing loop holes in Maryland law with regard to sexual abuse of teens by persons in positions of authority.
The Maryland House passed a bill that would provide maximum protection for kids, the Maryland Senate passed a bill that would provide minimum protection. Will you support conforming the Senate bill to the House bill with maximum protections?
The differences in the Senate and House bills comes down to the differences in the definition of a person in a position of authority and penalties.
House bill: Person in position of authority would expand current law to include part-time teachers, coaches in recreational programs and volunteers.
Senate bill: Person in position of authority would expand current law to only include part-time teachers and penalties would be lessened.
Will your Committee take the amendments in the House bill and include coaches and volunteers as persons in positions of authority, as we know that in some cases coaches and volunteers may indeed be molesters? Will your Committee take the amendments in the House bill to provide maximum penalties for offenders?
The House Judiciary Committee has already scheduled a public hearing for March 26th. Will your Committee hold a public hearing on the House bill so that the public can weigh in on the differences in these bills prior to the next vote?
The Maryland legislative session is short and this year's session is moving toward conclusion. Parents are watching to see if existing loop holes in current Maryland law will be eliminated this year, or if we must wait for a future legislature to stand up for maximum protection of our children.
Janis Sartucci
Annapolis Legislators meet in secret
It’s not exactly the Papal conclave but legislators in Annapolis met behind closed doors Friday morning to discuss solutions to the Court of Appeals ruling requiring attorneys at bail hearings.http://thedailyrecord.com/2014/03/21/legislators-meet-in-secret/
Delegates and senators who are part of a workgroup on the issue met in secret in the lounge of the House of Delegates.
Aside from the meeting not being announced, the location is essentially off limits to reporters who are allowed to pass through as they head to a section of the floor reserved for the press. Additionally, the door was closed and had a sign taped over the two doors proclaiming the room was off limits.
Average High School Funding is $21.5 million
http://prezi.com/uao7ge0d3plp/superintendent-starrs-fy2015-recommended-operating-budget-presentation/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy
Enjoy the presentation. That's all the information you get.
Oh, but this is transparency in MCPS land.
Thursday, March 20, 2014
NBC4: Md. Teacher, Richard Shemer, Pleads Guilty to Sex Abuse of Former Student
Shemer was arrested last October at his home in Potomac, Md., and charged with one count of sex abuse of minor.http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/Richard-Shemer-Pleads-Guilty-to-Sex-Abuse-of-Former-Student-251315251.html
Shemer was a social studies teacher at the school, according to the high school's website. He has been an MCPS employee since Aug. 21, 2002, and has also taught at Cabin John Middle School and Rockville High School.
WPost: ...adults and former baseball players to speak on Shemer’s behalf at his sentencing hearing...
...Helfand, Shemer’s attorney, spoke briefly in court on Thursday. He conceded prosecutors had enough evidence to convict his client of sex abuse...
...Ramon Korionoff, spokesman for the Montgomery County state’s attorney’s office, said that the plea holds Shemer accountable. “Use of the school system’s computers to send lurid requests of a teenage girl is inappropriate, and today’s agreement reflects that,” he said.http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/former-montgomery-teacher-slated-to-plead-guilty-thursday-in-sex-abuse-case/2014/03/20/254c95b2-b029-11e3-95e8-39bef8e9a48b_story.html
Sunshine Week: Transparency Camp is coming! May 30th-31st
Each year the Sunlight Foundation holds a Transparency Camp 'Unconference.' This is a great opportunity to meet others interested in and working on opengov and government transparency issues. This year the Unconference will be held on May 30th-31st, at George Mason University on the Arlington campus.
Sunlight has asked us to let you know that if
you or anyone you know is interested in coming to Transparency Camp 2014
and may need a little help, please do check out and apply for the TCamp
scholarship. You can apply here.
Blog post calling for applications is here
http://sunlightfoundation.com/blog/2014/03/08/apply-to-be-a-tcamp-2014-scholar/
We hope to see everyone there!
We hope to see everyone there!
MCPS teacher pleads guilty to sex abuse - teen hung out in Shemer’s classroom on lunch breaks and after school
...The sex abuse charge stems from a string of incidents earlier this school year.http://www.gazette.net/article/20140320/NEWS/140329957/1124/former-montgomery-county-schools-teacher-pleads-guilty-to-sex-abuse&template=gazette
The teen hung out in Shemer’s classroom on lunch breaks and after school this year, even though she wasn’t his student any more, according to court documents. According to records filed in court, Shemer was the victim’s “Modern World” teacher at Einstein High School during the 2012-13 school year.
Police said they talked about bondage, domination, submission and masochism — what’s known as BDSM. The girl was 16 when the conversations occurred, according to court records.
In court Thursday, prosecutor Timothy Hagan said Shemer asked the teen if he could “dominate” her and if she would let him perform other sexual acts. In an email, Shemer asked the teen to send him a photo of her private parts, according to the charging documents.
Police got involved after the girl’s mother discovered the lude email exchange and called Montgomery County Police on Sept. 28. He used an AOL account and his school system email account to communicate with the girl, according to arrest records...
Wednesday, March 19, 2014
For Sunshine Week, Gazette looks at who requests public information
...This year, The Gazette asked Montgomery County, Montgomery County Public Schools and 19 municipalities within the county for copies of all of the PIA requests they received in 2013. The newspaper asked for a copy of each request, the government’s reply and, when feasible, the information that was provided to fulfill those requests...
...Among the largest sample size — 92 PIA requests made to Montgomery County Public Schools — individual people living in the county (sometimes representing a watchdog group) made about 40 percent the requests. Journalists had about 20 percent of the requests...
...Requests to the school system ranged from AP test scores to discussions about head injuries among football players. There was an inquiry about a possible investigation of the conduct of a basketball coach (it was unfounded). A parent wanted a recap of “an event” that happened one afternoon in 2004 at an elementary school...
...The school system gave The Gazette about 1,400 pages of letters and records, most of them double sided-pages. It also included 13 DVDs with additional information. These were provided at no charge...http://www.gazette.net/article/20140319/NEWS/140319155/1022/for-sunshine-week-gazette-looks-at-who-requests-public-information&template=gazette
Gazette Opinion: Why not post Starr’s expense records online, knowing that one person wanted it and others probably would, too? And post the school board’s spending reports?
Information belongs to you
...And one of our favorites: How are the school board and the superintendent spending money on their expense accounts or through district credit cards?...
County Executive's FY15 Budget Proposal Numbers for MCPS
County Executive Ike Leggett’s FY15 recommended operating budget includes a record-high of $2.164 billion for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), an increase of $79.8 million – or 3.8 percent. The unprecedented County contribution is $1.502 billion, $26 million over the Maintenance of Effort requirement of the State of Maryland and 99.3 percent of the Board of Education request – a 3.8 percent increase.
Maryland Education Trends
Long-term trends in academic performance and spending are valuable tools for evaluating past education policies and informing current ones. But such data have been scarce at the state level, where the most important education policy decisions are made....full report at the link below...
Tuesday, March 18, 2014
Starr Puts Students on Twitter, Parents Should Watch ICE Video and Learn How Child Porn Ring in News Today Operated
http://www.ice.gov/news/releases/1403/140318washingtondc.htm
That's the information about the arrest today.
Now listen to the press conference video about what was actually going on. Go to Minute 6:40 of the video and learn how children were brought in to this operation.
http://www.dvidshub.net/unit/ICE#.UyiGrvldX-o
Rock Terrace: Open Letter to George Leventhal and Craig Rice, Montgomery County Council
Wednesday, March 12, 2014
To: Councilmember Craig Rice
Councilmember George Leventhal
Dear George and Craig:
First of all, thank you both for writing letters to MCPS concerning the "bus" incident and the "healthy foods" issue. I agree that both of these matters need to be addressed by MCPS.
As both of you know, I have asked before why you haven't also written Joshua Starr concerning the issues surrounding Rock Terrace School. My understanding from Craig is that you are waiting to see how the criminal investigation plays out (from Craig) and that the Council does sometimes question MCPS as it relates to matters that tie in with Health and Human Service matters (from George).
I have said from the beginning that the Rock Terrace issues are not simply criminal ones. Yes, a criminal investigation is ongoing, so far as I know, but so are other investigations. The Maryland Dept. of Labor has interviewed staff. The USDOE Office of Inspector General is reviewing information, as is the National Credit Union Administration. I see the Rock Terrace issues as being divided into three parts:
(1) criminal issues
(2) MCPS program issues
(3) how the families were impacted
As you may know, MCPS has sent out letters informing families that they will be sending them checks of varying amounts. The letters specifically state that MCPS cannot advise them on the impact these funds will have on the children's benefits, and advises them to seek advice from their "financial advisor or accountant."
This is unacceptable.
Why should the families of children who were financially exploited have to undergo an additional expense and burden of consulting a professional at their own expense?!
As Chair of the HHS committee, George, this specific issue is ripe for the Council to address. What impact are these payments going to have on these families? At least one family I know of has been notified that they will be receiving checks totaling over $1100. Will their children's medicaid or SSI benefits be jeopardized if they cash them?
It is obvious that MCPS is trying to sweep this issue under the rug by paying off families and hoping the issues go away. Instead, they may be causing MORE problems. And additionally: where is this money coming from? Have you asked MCPS whether these payments are coming out of the Special Ed Budget?
I have more questions than answers. As my elected representatives, you should have questions too. I hope that you will join me in seeking answers.
Lyda Astrove
(*As of March 18, I have not had the courtesy of a response.)
To: Councilmember Craig Rice
Councilmember George Leventhal
Dear George and Craig:
First of all, thank you both for writing letters to MCPS concerning the "bus" incident and the "healthy foods" issue. I agree that both of these matters need to be addressed by MCPS.
As both of you know, I have asked before why you haven't also written Joshua Starr concerning the issues surrounding Rock Terrace School. My understanding from Craig is that you are waiting to see how the criminal investigation plays out (from Craig) and that the Council does sometimes question MCPS as it relates to matters that tie in with Health and Human Service matters (from George).
I have said from the beginning that the Rock Terrace issues are not simply criminal ones. Yes, a criminal investigation is ongoing, so far as I know, but so are other investigations. The Maryland Dept. of Labor has interviewed staff. The USDOE Office of Inspector General is reviewing information, as is the National Credit Union Administration. I see the Rock Terrace issues as being divided into three parts:
(1) criminal issues
(2) MCPS program issues
(3) how the families were impacted
As you may know, MCPS has sent out letters informing families that they will be sending them checks of varying amounts. The letters specifically state that MCPS cannot advise them on the impact these funds will have on the children's benefits, and advises them to seek advice from their "financial advisor or accountant."
This is unacceptable.
Why should the families of children who were financially exploited have to undergo an additional expense and burden of consulting a professional at their own expense?!
As Chair of the HHS committee, George, this specific issue is ripe for the Council to address. What impact are these payments going to have on these families? At least one family I know of has been notified that they will be receiving checks totaling over $1100. Will their children's medicaid or SSI benefits be jeopardized if they cash them?
It is obvious that MCPS is trying to sweep this issue under the rug by paying off families and hoping the issues go away. Instead, they may be causing MORE problems. And additionally: where is this money coming from? Have you asked MCPS whether these payments are coming out of the Special Ed Budget?
I have more questions than answers. As my elected representatives, you should have questions too. I hope that you will join me in seeking answers.
Lyda Astrove
(*As of March 18, I have not had the courtesy of a response.)
Guest Post: Do members of the MD Senate think that coaches never sexually abuse and sexually assault minors in Maryland?
The following is in response to Senator Karen Montgomery's e-mail to the Parents' Coalition suggesting that parents and child advocates come back next year to advocate for legislation that will protect students from sexual predators.
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We note that Senator Montgomery mentions that any problems with Senate Bill 460 should be taken up next year. She does not acknowledge that there will be hearings on cross filed bills where the public can petition legislators about significant problems with the Senate version of the bill. These problems can be taken up in a conference committee this year. She does not acknowledge that the House Judiciary Committee amendments provide far more protections than the the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee (JPR) Amendments in House Bill 781, Senate Bill 460's cross filed bill. She does not explain why this must be the case. While it is true that Senators rightly deleted a proposed provision concerning the seven year gap and allowed part-time employees to be penalized for the first time since 2006 after the Senate's JPR struck part-time employees from the House bill that year, a heinous case had to occur causing unnecessary harm to a 14 year-old before they would legislate a common sense provision. This child waited until it was too late.
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We note that Senator Montgomery mentions that any problems with Senate Bill 460 should be taken up next year. She does not acknowledge that there will be hearings on cross filed bills where the public can petition legislators about significant problems with the Senate version of the bill. These problems can be taken up in a conference committee this year. She does not acknowledge that the House Judiciary Committee amendments provide far more protections than the the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee (JPR) Amendments in House Bill 781, Senate Bill 460's cross filed bill. She does not explain why this must be the case. While it is true that Senators rightly deleted a proposed provision concerning the seven year gap and allowed part-time employees to be penalized for the first time since 2006 after the Senate's JPR struck part-time employees from the House bill that year, a heinous case had to occur causing unnecessary harm to a 14 year-old before they would legislate a common sense provision. This child waited until it was too late.
Instead of following Senator Montgomery's advice to take up problems with the Senate's JPR amendments before the session ends, parents and other citizens concerned with the safety and protection of children should ask the following questions of the members of the Senate's Judicial Proceedings Committee including its Chairman, Brian Frosh, and the sponsor of SB 460, Jaime Raskin :
- Why must children and their parents wait until next year instead of solving these problems in a conference committee? Why won't the Senate's Judicial Proceeding Committee agree to reconsider its decision to exclude necessary protections in HB 781 which passed the House 129 to 0? Does Senator Montgomery's comments reflect the views of Senator Frosh? If so, will the Senator retaliate by refusing to go to conference and then kill the bill as the Senate's JPR did last year?
- What public policy demands the Senate's JPR refusal to conform SB 460 to an amendment in HB 781 which would allow prosecutors to charge child sexual abuse which is a felony as well as separately charge a violation of the Position of Authority (POA) law which is a misdemeanor when an educator violates both laws. Was it to make sure that defense attorneys could pressure prosecutors to accept plea bargains to a misdemeanor rather than a felony? If an educator sexually assaults a child in school it is a felony. If an educator engages in the same behavior with the same child off-campus off time, it is a misdemeanor. If an an educator commits both types of crimes, why does the Senate's JPR want to continue to prevent legitimate prosecutions of both crimes?
- Why did the Senate's JPR refuse to conform SB 460 to an amendment in HB 781 that would have raised the current penalty from imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding $ 1000 or both to the penalty approved by the House of Delegates, imprisonment not exceeding 5 years or a fine not exceeding $1000. Why does the Senate's JPR think that the current penalty is proportionate to this serious crime so that it cannot even be increased minimally? Indeed, if the same criminal behavior is a felony in school, why should the Senate's JPR reward clever molesters or child rapists by permitting them to get away with a misdemeanor rather than a felony merely because of the location perpetrators choose to commit these sexual crimes? This makes no sense.
- Why did the Senate's JPR refuse to include an amendment requested by the Montgomery County Board of Education to include administrators and Board members who may not supervise a child, but may hold sway over a child because of their positions?
- Why did the Senate's JPR refuse to include those who work or volunteer in sports and recreational programs who supervise minors under the purview of the legislation as did the House of Delegates? Do members of the Senate's JPR think that coaches, for example, never sexually abuse and sexually assault minors in Maryland? Why have other states responded to the Sandusky case by strengthening their laws? Why has the Senate's JPR ignored this case along with other cases in Maryland which prove that this is a child protection problem here in Maryland? Mark Hartill, a foremost expert on sexual abuse in sports has stated: " If the sex abuse conviction of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky did one thing, it was to shatter the assumption that organized sports is an oasis where the well-being of children are always assured." Why doesn't his statement appear to have had an impact on the members of the of Judicial Proceedings Committee?
Sen. Montgomery Tells Parents to Come Back Next Year...Students Can Wait for Protection from Predators
Maryland Senator Karen Montgomery has responded to the Parents' Coalition blog post It's Magic! Senate Committee Amends SB460 Without Introduction of All Amendments
Note that the House passed their version of the Person in a Position of Authority bill after deleting the 7 year gap proposal and leaving in place all other protections for students.
The Senate not only deleted the 7 year gap proposal but, in addition, many of the protections for students including the prohibition against sexual contact from volunteers and sports coaches.
Somehow, the House was able to keep the safety of students as their top priority, but the Senate was not. Here is Senator Montgomery's response to the Senate action:
RE: It's Magic! Senate Committee Amends SB460 Without Introduction of All Amendments
From: "Montgomery, Karen Senator"Date: Mon, Mar 17, 2014 12:17 pm
To: Parents' Coalition
Hello,
I am sorry that there are some differences in opinion on the changes to the bill. However, changing the age gap and adding part-time employees protects children more than they have been previously. If you believe that there should be additional strengths added, please bring them forward next year to the committee.
Sincerely,
Karen S. Montgomery
Senator Karen S. Montgomery
The Senate of Maryland
District 14- Montgomery County
301-858-3625
410-841-3625
James Senate Office Building
11 Bladen Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Monday, March 17, 2014
Sign the Petition!
From our friends at Real Food...
Real
Food For Kids - Montgomery (RFKM) is a grassroots parent advocacy group
promoting whole, delicious, fresh and nutrient-rich foods in the
Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). Formed in October of 2012, it
has now grown to over 1200 supporters and members in 128 schools in
MCPS.
Over
the last year, RFKM has been building its grassroots support to
advocate for better school food for our children. Now is the moment that
we are bringing it all together with an online petition designed to show support for our priorities by
parents, students, community members, businesses, churches,
health care providers, organizations and educators in the county. We
will collect
signatures over the next 2 months, then plan to deliver them to the
Board of Education and Superintendent Starr at a BOE meeting in May,
with hopefully many of you in attendance.
We are counting on our supporters for this advocacy campaign to be a success! Please
sign, have your spouse and kids sign, share it on Facebook, tweet it
and e-mail it to all your friends in MCPS. To sign, go to:
Thank you!
Karen Devitt and Lindsey Parsons
Co-Founders
Real Food For Kids - Montgomery
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Empty Middle School Sits Right Next to Elem. School with Trailers
Empty classrooms right next to a school that is overcrowded, and yet, Superintendent Starr says that MCPS has no use for the empty classrooms.
Yes, Broome Middle School is located right next door to Meadow Hall Elementary School. Remember Broome is the empty school building that Superintendent Joshua Starr has personally determined is not needed for public school students.
Meadow Hall is...overcrowded and currently has 4 classroom trailers in use at the school.
What other Maryland Counties have the luxury of not using empty classrooms when the school right next door is overcrowded?
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| Meadow Hall Elementary School is in upper left of this image. Broome Middle School is lower right. |
Meadow Hall is...overcrowded and currently has 4 classroom trailers in use at the school.
What other Maryland Counties have the luxury of not using empty classrooms when the school right next door is overcrowded?
Friday, March 14, 2014
Over 10 School Buildings Controlled by MCPS, But Not Used for Classrooms
Here's a follow up to the listing of public school buildings under the control of Montgomery County Government. This list shows school buildings that are under the control of MCPS, but are not used for public school classrooms. See the column titled "status". Could any of these buildings be re-opened and used for current public school students? Has the Board of Education discussed long range planning for public school classroom needs in the last 10 years, or does the BOE just rubber stamp whatever the MCPS construction department brings to them as "plans"?
*Note: These two blog posts are not the complete list of closed MCPS school sites.
*Note: These two blog posts are not the complete list of closed MCPS school sites.
Starr Doesn't Need Empty Middle School
Could it be used to get current students out of classroom trailers?
Superintendent Joshua Starr has told County Executive Ike Leggett that the classrooms aren't needed and won't be needed for at least the next 6 years, and so Montgomery County can use the building.
Should the Board of Education have discussed this decision, or can Superintendent Starr simply declare an entire middle school building useless to the needs of current public school students?
By the numbers, MCPS isn't in a capacity crisis.
Not according to the State of Maryland.
According to Maryland Public School Construction standards, MCPS has seats for 155,825 students.
Current enrollment is 151,289.
According to Maryland Public School Construction standards, MCPS has seats for 155,825 students.
Current enrollment is 151,289.
Over 20 Unused Public School Sites controlled by Montgomery County Government
Here is a partial list of closed MCPS schools.
There are over 20 properties on this list, each representing a former MCPS school that was closed when enrollment declined. These former MCPS schools are currently under the control of Montgomery County government. We know that at least 2 of these school buildings will have empty classrooms this year.
Now that enrollment has increased have any of these sites been evaluated for re-opening? Public school construction funds already paid to build these public school buildings, but they aren't benefiting public school students in need of classroom space today.
Where is the long range planning for public school classrooms? That process was gutted in 2005. Why do any long range planning?
Read what Montgomery County has to say about closed school sites at this link. (June 2017 Update: Montgomery County has taken down this link since this blog post was written. The link now goes to an archived screen shot of the County's website page on unused school sites and buildings.)
There are over 20 properties on this list, each representing a former MCPS school that was closed when enrollment declined. These former MCPS schools are currently under the control of Montgomery County government. We know that at least 2 of these school buildings will have empty classrooms this year.
Now that enrollment has increased have any of these sites been evaluated for re-opening? Public school construction funds already paid to build these public school buildings, but they aren't benefiting public school students in need of classroom space today.
Where is the long range planning for public school classrooms? That process was gutted in 2005. Why do any long range planning?
Read what Montgomery County has to say about closed school sites at this link. (June 2017 Update: Montgomery County has taken down this link since this blog post was written. The link now goes to an archived screen shot of the County's website page on unused school sites and buildings.)
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