Parent alarmed by media reports of numerous cases of sexual abuse reported in MCPS

Some say MCPS too slow 

...“At the meetings, I kept saying ‘Where’s the police? Where’s Child Protective Services? This is not an issue that MCPS can or should handle alone, bring in the legal agencies,’” Alvaro said. “They finally invited the police to the December work group meeting. I’m encouraged that they’re finally looking at this issue, but I’m not comfortable with the way it’s unfolding. I think there’s been a lack of transparency. In theory, most of the plan could work, but the devil’s in the details and the report is so vague.”

Alvaro called for an outside independent investigation into reported incidents of sexual abuse in MCPS.

“Who kept (Bethesda-Chevy Chase teacher) Larry Flynn ... wearing an MCPS badge?” Alvaro said. “I don’t have reason to believe that MCPS has more offenders than other organizations, but I do believe that this culture they’ve created of secrecy and denial and of trying to handle everything in-house has allowed the abuse to continue. In this age of Penn State, the Catholic Church, and the Boy Scouts, there’s absolutely no excuse for any of this.”

Susan Burkinshaw, co-chair of the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations (MCCPTA) health and safety committee served as the MCCPTA representative on the work group.

“I think it was premature to present the report,” Burkinshaw said. “It was not vetted by the work group, and there are no references, no empirical data to support the recommendations. When is a Montgomery County high school student allowed to turn in a paper without references?”...