Montgomery County holds special meeting to approve controversial calendar change

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - Montgomery County’s Board of Education convened for a special meeting on Tuesday that critics say should have never happened.

The meeting ended with MCPS’ School Board now officially approving a 2021-2022 calendar change that will give MCPS staffers more time off, starting with this year’s holiday break...

...Martin told FOX 5 Dr. McKnight’s team never contacted the MCEA about the calendar change. Martin confirmed teachers are only getting three half days for planning in this new schedule. 

"I think this is symptomatic of a larger issue and that larger issues is over the last 20 years, there’s been a movement in this country to strip boards of education of their power and turn over the control of our public school systems to a ‘superintendent’ who is then a ‘CEO’ and reports to know one," said Janis Zink Sartucci, a member of the Montgomery County volunteer group, "Parents’ Coalition."

During Tuesday’s special meeting, the group’s twitter handle trailed BOE members, writing in one post:

"While @mocoboe is in recess to read Robert's Rules, exactly WHAT was the procedural error last week that is being corrected today?  Resolution was voted on. Failed. Error was that it failed?" 

The group believes school board members pushed the calendar change through, not properly following voting rules. Some say Tuesday’s special meeting should not have been allowed...

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/montgomery-county-holds-special-meeting-to-approve-controversial-calendar-change