The Board of Education announced a new meeting for Monday, December 14 just to discuss the MCPS calendar!
The agenda is posted early. Way to go, BOE.
But - no public comment? How are all the good folks of Montgomery County Maryland going to provide public input?
Seems as if, once again, the Board of Education isn't following its own policies. As a reminder, this is right from the MCPS web:
Public Comments at Board MeetingsFor those of us who have other obligations - really - who among us isn't working or waiting for a child to return from school at 2:30 in the afternoon, you can send in your comments to BOE@mcpsmd.org. Better yet, call MCPS at (301) 279-3617.
Who Can Make a Public Comment?
The regular business meetings of the Board usually include a public comments period in which any citizen, group representative, parent, or student may make a statement regarding an item on a past, present or future Board open-session agenda, or a matter of general policy over which the Board has jurisdiction.
How Do I Sign Up to Make a Public Comment?
At most business meetings, 30 minutes are set aside for Public Comments from residents to encourage public participation. The first fifteen (15) speakers who contact the Board office by telephone on the Monday prior to the business meetings are granted three (3) minutes each to speak
And we had hoped that Josh Civin would help the BOE and Larry B. understand their responsibilities under Maryland law. Even if the BOE does not consider this a "regular" business meeting, we think some opportunity for public comment is in order.
Yes there should be public comment!
ReplyDeleteEspecially after Jim Wrathall started MCPS Task Force on Technology. Can he just use the MCPS name for his tech love group?
he wrote an email to PTAs with what seems to be a one sided statement on the health effects of radiation- it was straight out of the wifi trade industry group documents... does he work for the industry?
Makes parents think his group is MCPS sanctioned.. sounds like he's leading the push for Chromebooks far and wide, increasing the radiation far and wide.. seems like MCPS tech staff wants this guy leading the charge to get Chromebooks on every child's lap despite research showing it might not help them learn as much as smaller class sizes and well supported teachers...plus scientists are writing MCPS that the radiation is NOT a good idea.
Is this legal? his MCPS Task Force? http://www.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/A4YSLP715C02/$file/Jim%20Wrathall.pdf
Legal? What possible law would involve citizens forming a committee?
DeleteWas there any student performance data in his statement? No.
Anyone can start the MCPS Promethean Board Task Force and have a great time demanding Promethean Boards for all. Yet, there is absolutely no data to show that the Promethean Boards EVER did anything that they were promised to do.
Same for Chromebooks. All the hyperbole is lovely, but where is the data?
Mr. Wrathall already started out on a bad foot by making a completely unfounded conclusion about the surplus in the MCPS Textbook fund. MCPS has been running a surplus in that account, on purpose, for over 15 years! The surplus is used to fund other budget categories. It is a sleight of hand move in the budget. Mr. Wrathall made the leap to imagine that the Textbook surplus had anything to do with Chromebooks. As you saw at the meeting, MCPS COO corrected him on that false assumption.
Strike 2 for the Chromebook committee is their petition. They did not get "close to 1,200" signatures of MCPS parents and teachers supporting Chromebooks. Take a look at the Petition. Signatures are from all over the place, including Switzerland, and the total includes opponents.
DeleteWhere is this petition found?
DeleteDoctors, top research scientists and engineers are writing MCPS that they have their facts wrong on radiation and technology . They cant seem to deal with radon in any timely manner, and they certainly cant deal with radio frequency radiation. Where is the accountability?
ReplyDelete