Burkinshaw: "I just don't think implementing bad policy is a best practice and expect more from MCPS."

If I were on the Board of Education, I would not yet vote to approve this [Child Abuse] policy.

I do agree they have come very far this year, due in large part because of parent volunteers on the workgroup (which is now an advisory group, whatever that means). It scares me that without parent involvement in this process (which has met with much resistance from school administrators along the way), this process would not have come so far. But we are not there yet.

The same people who have perpetuated the problems within the system over are the years are the ones responsible for making the changes to the policy with no accountability.

The definitions the policy relies on reside in the yet-to-be-approved regulations. What if those definitions are changed before that document is approved? Policy assumptions will be negated. The policy depends on cooperation among county agencies with a yet-to-be-approved memorandum of understanding. Not to mention that at last review the current policy language was in conflict with Maryland State Atty General opinions and state law. 

This policy is just not ready, but I am not advocating to stop moving forward. I just don't think implementing bad policy is a best practice and expect more from MCPS.

My former boss used to say, "If you can't do it right the first time, when will you have time to fix it?"
This is not yet an A paper. I expect MCPS to give our kids their best work.

Susan Burkinshaw
MCPS Parent and Child Safety Advocate

 http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/montgomery-schools-abuse-policy-up-for-vote-with-critics-saying-more-work-needed/2015/06/28/2b482abe-141c-11e5-9518-f9e0a8959f32_story.html