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| Merriam-Webster |
The exact same people who are responsible for denying Montgomery County students a free public education are now forming a coalition to "study" the problem of an "unmistakable shortage of skilled workers." As the Parents' Coalition has been investigating and publicizing since 2008, Montgomery County Public Schools and the Board of Education permit schools to charge random fees to students for attending public school classes.
As we have also documented repeatedly, the Maryland Constitution guarantees ALL children a free, public education. Fees to attend public school classes violate that right and are not permitted in Maryland.
In our 6 years of investigations of this issue, the most horrendous illegal curricular fees have always been found at Edison High School in Silver Spring, MCPS' only career and technical high school. Enrollment at Edison High School has dropped year after year and parents have told the Parents' Coalition that they will not even consider the sending their child to Edison because of the class fees.
Today, a new group is being announced to start an 18 month "study" of the "unmistakable shortage of skilled workers" in Montgomery County. Included on the Press Release for this new group is Superintendent Joshua Starr, BOE member Shirley Brandman, former MCPS employee Steve Simon, and former MCCPTA Cluster Coordinator Gigi Godwin.
Note that the Press Release from this group is from Steve Simon, former MCPS public relations employee who back in 2010 said:
MCPS' Steve Simon: "We absolutely are in conformance with state law. We are adamant that we are providing a free public education."
MCPS was not providing all students a free public education back in 2010 and they are still not today. The worst fees were, and still are, found at Edison High School.
Take a look at the Edison High School fees that the Parents' Coaliton exposed in 2008. Edison High School students were being charged curricular fees in 2008 and they are still being charged them today.
Do these fees look like students at Edison High School have been receiving a free public education?
Do we need to state the obvious?
If you block students from attending classes by imposing illegal fees is there any surprise that there is now a shortage of skilled workers?
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| 2008-2009 Edison High School curricular fees. |
Interesting. So, MCPS is willing to admit there is a "lack/shortage" of skilled workers. Well, the present "unskilled workers" as well as the shortage of skilled workers are being coerced/intimidated to deny the best possible services to children with special needs. This situation is an unmistakeable, caustic culture. If MCPS treated the professional staff with greater respect perhaps recruitment would be easier. A study of the deteriorated culture of MCPS needs to be examined as well. MCPS needs to be more open as to the variables that has led to an unacceptable shortage of skilled staff.
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