Confirmed: Board President Karla Silvestre and Vice President Shebra Evans Violated Maryland Law in Hiring Outside Law Firm without Board of Education Approval.

At today's Montgomery County Council hearing on MCPS' handling of sexual harassment allegations made regarding a recently promoted principal, questions were raised about the contract to hire the outside law firm Jackson Lewis, PC.

In response to a question from a Councilmember, Board of Education President Karla Silvestre confirmed what the Parents' Coalition had uncovered on August 23, 2023, that Ms. Silvestre was operating outside of the authority of the Board of Education in hiring Jackson Lewis PC to run an "investigation."  The video below shows the question and Ms. Silvestre's answer.    

The Jackson Lewis PC law firm was not hired by the Montgomery County Board of Education to perform any investigation.  

The law firm was hired by Ms. Silvestre, Ms. Evans and Superintendent McKnight during a private meeting that did not comply with Maryland law with regard to Board of Education actions or with regard to public school procurement laws, policies or procedures. 

Board of Education - Publications: Handbook - Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD | Montgomery County Public Schools | Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

   

Board of Education - Members - Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD | Montgomery County Public Schools | Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

Montgomery to pay $9.7 million to settle Damascus sex assault claims @mcps @mocoboe

Families of four former JV football players had alleged schools ignored looming threats before the teens were assaulted with broomsticks in locker room

The Montgomery County school system will pay out $9.7 million to settle lawsuits brought by the families of four former Damascus High School football players who said they were sexually assaulted by teammates wielding broomsticks in their locker room in 2018 and 2017, according to attorneys for the families.

“Damascus High School put a winning football culture ahead of everything,” said Timothy Maloney, a lawyer for one of the former players and his family. “Discipline, locker room supervision and student safety all went out the window.”

Most of the money was paid on behalf of victims who were attacked in the junior varsity locker room in 2018, according to their attorneys. Those attacks led to criminal cases against four of their teammates of rape and attempted rape under Maryland laws covering nonconsensual acts involving the use of an object...

https://wapo.st/453sYna

Former MCPS Transportation Director Todd Watkins Sentenced to Probation.

Todd Watkins, the former Montgomery County Public Schools Department of Transportation director, was sentenced Wednesday to 200 hours of community service and will serve three years of supervised probation.

Watkins previously pled guilty to taking advantage of his position as a public official and stealing funds.

Watkins, 56, faced probation to six months in prison for pleading guilty to one count of misconduct.

According to court records, Watkins failed to properly manage the contract for school bus purchases and the use of purchasing cards, enabling Assistant Director of MCPS Department of Transportation Charles Ewald to steal more than $320,000...

Former MCPS Transportation Director Sentenced to Probation - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

TODAY: The Sentencing of former MCPS Director of Transportation Todd Watkins @mcps @mocoboe #embezzlement #misconduct #creditcardabuse

 

Court System:	Circuit Court For Montgomery County - Criminal
Location:	Montgomery Circuit Court
Case Number:	C-15-CR-23-000712
Title:	State of Maryland vs. TODD MICHAEL WATKINS
Case Type:	Criminal - Information

Hearing - Sentencing

09/27/2023

15:00:00

McAuliffe, Michael

Chambers Calendar

Courtroom 9D - North Tower

Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland: Former Montgomery Co. School department head Todd Watkins pleads guilty to misconduct in office (parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com)

Breaking: SURPRISE! County Council is "briefed" on MCPS Beidleman Matter by their staff, who is (surprise) former MCPS Assoc. Superintendent & who oversaw MCPS Human Resources

It's a small world and the County Council can't find anyone to brief them on MCPS education issues except a former MCPS Associate Superintendent who now works for the County Council's Education Committee.  The County Council staffer is Essie McGuire and Ms. McGuire has decided that the topic for discussion at the Council's Thursday, September 28, 2023, Education Committee will be:

Discussion - Review of Initial Report Findings and Processes for Investigations of Employee Misconduct in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)

However, after stating that discussion topic Ms. McGuire has papered the Councilmembers with 103 pages of copied MCPS policies and procedures, all easily available on the MCPS website.

Ms. McGuire does not provide the Councilmembers with any information that could assist them in understanding their oversight powers.  She does not provide a list of inquiries that could be made by Councilmembers. 

Ms. McGuire is also a former Executive Director to the MCPS Chief Operating Officer.  In that position Ms. McGuire worked closely with the MCPS Office of Human Resources and was frequently included in Board of Education Closed Meetings.  

How about a new topic for the Council's Thursday Education Committee meeting?

What did Ms. McGuire know about the Beidleman allegations? If she knew, when did she know it and what actions did she take to address or investigate those allegations, if any?  

And then, how about Ms. McGuire stepping away from any Council deliberations involving MCPS Human Resources issues?   

Essie McGuire

(16) Essie McGuire | LinkedIn (note she does not list her time at MCPS on her LinkedIn resume)

Essie McGuire was hired in August of 2016 by MCPS to work in the position of Executive Director for the Chief Operating Officer.

Job description for Executive Director for Chief Operating Officer

Human Resources Job Descriptions - Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

Job description includes:  Works closely with the Office of Human Resources and Development regarding personnel and other human resources matters.

In this position she was in Closed Sessions of the Board of Education where personnel issues would be discussed.

For example:  170314 Report of Closed Sessions.pdf (boarddocs.com)

July 1, 2020, Essie McGuire was promoted to MCPS ASSOCIATE SUPERINTENDENT of OPERATIONS 

OHRD Rec Appts Public 200210.pdf (boarddocs.com) (see page 4)

Superintendent Jack Smith's "vision" with 3 administrative heads, one was Essie McGuire.

Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland: Interim Superintendent McKnight Removes Superintendent Jack Smith's "Vision for the Future" Administrators. Where are they now? (parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com)

In 2021, Essie McGuire left MCPS and moved back to old job at County Council

Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland: On June 29, 2021, MCPS Associate Superintendent of Operations Essie McGuire was in a Closed Door Meeting of the Board of Education, Tomorrow She Runs the County Council's Briefing on MCPS. (parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com)

Essie McGuire back to County Council job of staff member handling MCPS matters

20210914_2C.pdf (montgomerycountymd.gov)

MCPS Parents and Guardians Have No Idea They are Putting their Children on School Buses Owned by a Shell Corporation out of Massachusetts. Buses are Not Marked. @mcps @mocoboe

UPDATE: On September 7, 2023, a MCPS electric school bus was involved in an accident with 5 vehicles and a tree.  No children were on the bus at the time of the accident. 

*****

Electric school buses are all the rage and Montgomery County Public Schools has gotten national attention for their supposed plan to convert their entire school bus fleet to electric buses. 

But who owns the electric school buses that Montgomery County children are riding on?  

When the Board of Education was buying diesel school buses the diesel school buses were owned by the Board of Education.  But the electric school bus scheme the Board of Education signed up for at the insistence of their former Department of Transportation Director Todd Watkins (Mr. Watkins' sentencing is this week.) does not have the Board of Education buying the electric school buses.  Instead, the scheme involves a shell corporation called HET MCPS, LLC. putting school buses on Montgomery County roads.  

The HET MCPS, LLC electric school buses are apparently unmarked as shown in the image below, so parents actually have no idea they are putting their children on a school bus owned by a shell corporation instead of Montgomery County Public Schools.  

When MCPS signed up for this electric school bus scheme the company that actually bid on the contract (NOT HET MCPS, LLC) had exactly ONE electric school bus on the road in Beverly, Massachusetts.  That Beverly, MA bus was clearly marked as belonging to Highland.  

But the electric school buses on the road in Montgomery County are not clearly marked.  

Who owns the electric school buses in use by MCPS, but more importantly WHO IS INSURING THEM?  

MCPS says, "...that the contractor covers them for liability...", but who is the contractor?  

County Council Legislates Review of MCPS Bus Stops and Routes to School, But Only When There is an Incident. Councilmember: "I have no faith in you [@mcps]."

Legislation passed by the Montgomery County Council includes the following mandatory review: 

 ...To create safer routes to school, the legislation will also require infrastructure reviews following incidents in school zones, walksheds and bus stops...

Full legislation at this link:  

Montgomery County Maryland (montgomerycountymd.gov)

...“[MCPS] should only be focused on the academics that are said and let us to deal with transportation,” Fani-Gonzalez said. “I have no faith in you.”..

Montgomery County Council passes Safe Streets Act | MoCo360

Mohammed Choudhury earns $310,000 a year as the Maryland State Superintendent of Schools, and he’s currently fighting for his job. Dr. Sonja Santelises, last year, earned $445,000 in total compensation as the CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools.

 Two of Maryland's highest-ranking education leaders under fire in wake of Project Baltimore investigations

Two of Maryland's highest-ranking education leaders under fire in wake of Project Baltimor | WBFF (foxbaltimore.com)

Breaking: STATE Inspector General for Education Defers TWO Investigations into MCPS to Montgomery County IG

 

Breaking: Montgomery County Inspector General Announces Two Investigations into MCPS Matters.

 

MoCo Board of Education Violated MD Open Meetings Act Tuesday 9/19/2023 to Discuss "Internal Investigation"

It's very important to the Montgomery County Board of Education that they hide their discussions of the current "internal investigation."  It's so important that they are willing to violate the Maryland Open Meetings Act.  

For those that like to follow Maryland law w/regard to the meeting of public bodies, here is what today's meeting notice should look like. There should be a PUBLIC session FIRST and @mocoboe members should vote in PUBLIC to take their investigation discussion/vote into secret.3/3 pic.twitter.com/5qGjK8mzTA

— Parents' Coalition (@PCMC1) September 19, 2023

UPDATE: Jackson Lewis, P.C. paid $48,693 and Represented MCPS in Personnel, Policy and Collective Bargaining Matters in FY23. This was all BEFORE the Beidleman Investigation.

UPDATE:  The Jackson Lewis, P.C. law firm was being paid by MCPS to handle personnel, policy and collective bargaining matters for FY23 before the Beidleman matter was ever exposed.  

This finding is in addition to the work Jackson Lewis, P.C. did for the Board of Education in 2021.

The just released September 7, 2023, Board of Education Legal Fees Report shows Jackson Lewis, P.C. on Attachment B but not on Attachment A.  They should be listed on both Attachments, not snuck in on only one. 

ADOPTED Legal Fees Rpt 230531.pdf (boarddocs.com)

The MCPS Transparency Database shows total payments to Jackson Lewis, P.C. of $48,693 through June for FY23.  These are all payments made before the Beidleman Investigation.  

John Vigna v. State of Maryland: Statement of Reasons for Vacating Convictions and Granting New Trial

2023 State v. Vigna Stateme... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

7News asked to speak with every board member who exited Tuesday night's meeting, to find out where this investigation now stands and when the full report will be released to the public.

ROCKVILLE, Md. (7News) — 7News is working to get answers from the Montgomery County Board of Education about the scandal and sexual harassment allegations surrounding one of its principals.

Tuesday night, the board met in a closed-door meeting to discuss what they called an internal investigation and a personnel matter.

The meeting comes just four days after the board released a summary report on the investigation surrounding Paint Branch Principal Joel Beidleman...

7News asked to speak with every board member who exited Tuesday night's meeting, to find out where this investigation now stands and when the full report will be released to the public...

...7News also heard from a member of a watchdog group, who wants more transparency in this process after this closed session.

"We don’t know what the board of education has actually done, we don’t know what our elected officials have actually voted on, we don’t actually have any statements from them on the actions they want or don’t want to take," Parents Coalition of Montgomery County Maryland member Janis Zink Sartucci said...

Montgomery Co. school board silent on harassment allegations against high school principal | WJLA

Detectives with the Montgomery County Department of Police – Special Victims Investigations Division are asking any other potential victims to come forward and urge them to call 240-773-5050.

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/new-trial-date-set-for-former-montgomery-county-elementary-school-teacher-accused-of-sexually-abusing-students

Montgomery County police ask potential victims to come forward in sex abuse case

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) — A former teacher whom a jury convicted for the sexual abuse of children and later had his prison sentence vacated faces accusations from other people.

A hearing regarding the re-trial of John Vigna, who taught at Cloverly Elementary School, took place Friday. At the hearing, prosecutors said new claims of abuse by Vigna surfaced.

Montgomery County Public Schools placed Vigna on leave in February 2016 after accusations were made that he touched a student inappropriately.

Montgomery County police ask potential victims to come forward in sex abuse case | DC News Now

County Executive Marc Elrich, "...disturbing that those involved in promoting a principal did not feel an obligation to follow up on details of an investigation..."

 

Breaking: MORE VICTIMS Come Forward with Allegations of Abuse Concerning Former @mcps Cloverly Elem. Teacher John Vigna

Today, in Montgomery County Circuit Court a Status Hearing was held on the re-trial of former MCPS Cloverly Elementary School teacher John Vigna.  Mr. Vigna's previous conviction was recently vacated and a new trial has been set for 2024.

At the Status Hearing today, the Montgomery County Prosecutor revealed that new initial reports of abuse concerning Mr. Vigna have been received and are being investigated by Montgomery County Police.  The Prosecutor stated that if the new allegations of abuse are similar to the allegations in the matter before the court now, they may wish to join those allegations to this proceeding.  

BREAKING: Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury has withdrawn his request for a second contract. This follows a nine month long Project Baltimore investigation into his actions at ⁦ @MdPublicSchools ⁩.

BREAKING: Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Mohammed Choudhury has withdrawn his request for a second contract. This follows a nine month long Project Baltimore investigation into his actions at ⁦@MdPublicSchools⁩. pic.twitter.com/wLw4tfPk2L

— Chris Papst (@chrispapst) September 15, 2023

Report publicly released on Loudoun County Public Schools' handling of sexual assault investigation

LEESBURG, Va. — A report on a sexual assault investigation in Loudoun County Public Schools was released by a judge on Thursday in a redacted form.

The report looks into the handling of two 2021 sexual assaults that happened at two different schools by the same student. The unidentified then-14-year-old student was transferred to another school within the same district while he was being investigated for a reported attack at the first school. 

The report does contain graphic details about sexual assault and should be read with caution. WUSA9 has spoken with the family and made the report available with those details per the family's wishes. Click here to read.

LCPS report on sexual assault investigation released | wusa9.com

‘He needs to go’ | Taxpayer advocate says Maryland School Board needs to act now on Superintendent

(WBFF) — Some are calling for Maryland State Superintendent Mohammed Choudhury to resign, saying he’s betrayed the public trust.

A recent Project Baltimore investigation exposed how Choudhury used an encrypted messaging app to conduct state business, even though he initially denied using the app for his job...

Taxpayer advocate says Maryland School Board needs to act now on Superintendent | WBFF (foxbaltimore.com)

MoCo 360: Quince Orchard HS principal threatens students who exercise their 1st amendment rights

https://moco360.media/2023/09/12/violent-student-altercation-at-quince-orchard-hs-goes-viral-online/

Principal says students who circulated video on social media will face consequences

After video of two students engaging in a physical altercation at Gaithersburg’s Quince Orchard High School went viral on social media last week, the principal pledged “consequences” for the students involved in the fight and for anyone who recorded and shared footage of the altercation online.

“I want to assure you that actions which violate the code of conduct have consequences, not only for ourselves but for our entire school community. Consequences for those who participated, for those who took videos to share on social media, and for those who took the liberty to circulate a video,” Principal Elizabeth Thomas wrote in a Sept. 8 letter to the school community. “We will not tolerate these actions.”

Judith A. Resnik Elementary School Back-to-School Night changed due to the efforts of our Community. Thank you all.

Late on September 11th the principal of Judith A. Resnik Elementary School sent a letter to the Resnik school community changing the date of the Back-to-School Night. Thank you to everyone who wrote emails and letters, and called the school, the Board of Education, and the members of the County Council. This change could not have happened without our community speaking up loud and clear. Thank you to United Against Antisemitism for all your work, and to the JCRC for their help in supporting the efforts of this Parents' Coalition and of the Montgomery County Jewish Parents Coalition. Here is the letter.

BTSN Community Message by freestategal on Scribd

Letter from United Against Antisemitism regarding holding Back-to-School Night at Judith A. Resnik ES on Rosh Hashanah

The United Against Antisemitism organization sent the letter below to the principal of Judith A. Resnik Elementary School, and cc'd the Board of Education.

Dear Ms. Thomas,

United Against Antisemitism is a local grassroots organization that fights antisemitism in K-12 schools.

We have been made aware that your school has scheduled Back to School Night for Friday, September 15 at 6:30pm. Friday night, in addition to the start of Shabbat for Jews, is also the first night of Rosh Hashanah, one of our most holy days of the year.

Surely scheduling a major school event on one of the holiest days in the Jewish calendar at a school named after the first Jewish woman to fly in space, in a school district that seemingly prides itself on inclusivity, was an accident that you will quickly correct.

We know you will issue an apology to the community, quickly reschedule the event on an evening that respects the religious practices of its community, and will seek to schedule future events at the school by ensuring that they do not conflict with major religious observances.

Here is a link to major Jewish holidays for the 2023/2024 school year with explanations:

https://www.jcouncil.org/.../2023-2024%20Jewish...

Thank you,

Sincerely,

United Against Antisemitism

Crash involving MCPS school bus leaves 3 injured, Fire and Rescue crews say [Muncaster Mill Road]

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (7News) — Traffic is being diverted Thursday evening in Gaithersburg, Md. while Montgomery County Fire and Rescue crews responded to a crash involving a school bus that left three people injured.

Crews said they were dispatched to Miller Fall Road and Muncaster Mill Road around 4 p.m...

Crash involving MCPS school bus leaves 3 injured, Fire and Rescue crews say | WJLA

No Students Aboard School Bus Involved in Multi-Vehicle Crash [Randolph Road]

Three people were injured following a crash Thursday morning that involved five vehicles and a school bus.

There were no students aboard the school bus. The crash occurred at about 8:20 a.m. at Randolph Road and Glenallen Avenue in Glenmont, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue.

Three people were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries...

No Students Aboard School Bus Involved in Multi-Vehicle Crash - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

9/6/23 School Bus Involved in Accident on River Road

 https://twitter.com/actfortransit/status/1699466103154463198?s=20

Judith Resnik Elem. School Principal Puts Back to School Night on Rosh Hashanah, Excludes Teachers and Families of the Jewish Faith. Does MCPS think this is Respecting Religious Diversity? @mcps @mocoboe

 

Back to School Night | Judith A. Resnik ES (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

When Is Rosh Hashanah in 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 and 2027? - Chabad.org

MCEA Contract

0854.22_religiousdiversityguidelines_8.5x11_web.pdf (montgomeryschoolsmd.org)

Five Teens Arrested in Connection with Assault After High School Football Game

 For Immediate Release: Friday, September 8, 2023

Gaithersburg, MD - Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police 2nd District Investigative Section have arrested five teenagers believed to be involved in an assault outside of a Bethesda Metro station on Friday, September 1, 2023.

16-year-old Kharon Crosby of Bethesda, is facing charges as an adult, including armed robbery and second-degree assault. Additionally, two other teenagers, aged 15 and 16, have been charged as juveniles with robbery and second-degree assault offenses. Two 15-year-olds face first-degree-assault charges.

The incident took place following a Bethesda-Chevy Chase and Walter Johnson football game, where the three accused teens allegedly assaulted and robbed other teenage victims.

A male victim, along with a parent, reported the assault to police the night of the incident.

A video of the assault surfaced on social media, drawing the attention of Montgomery County Police. As a result, detectives were able to identify the suspects with the assistance of Montgomery County Public School leaders. This case remains an active and ongoing investigation, and more arrests are expected to be made.

Anyone with additional information related to this case is asked to contact the Montgomery County Department of Police 2nd District Investigative Section at (240) 773-6710.

# # #

Release ID: 23-532
Media Contact: S.D. Goff 
Categories: assault

Montgomery County Maryland (montgomerycountymd.gov)