The structural antisemitism in MCPS continues, and this time again it is coming from a teacher. Again. The call is coming from inside the house.
Thursday, November 30, 2023
Ed Department Finds Students With Disabilities Disproportionately Disciplined
For the first time in years, federal education officials are releasing data showing how the experiences of students with disabilities in the nation’s schools vary from others and the picture is stark.
Students with disabilities account for a larger percentage of those attending public schools than just a few years ago, according to findings from the U.S. Department of Education’s latest civil rights data collection. At the same time, these children are far more likely than others to be subject to restraint and seclusion, be suspended or expelled or referred to law enforcement.
The information offers a look at the situation across more than 17,000 school districts and over 97,000 public schools during the 2020–2021 school year...
Ed Department Finds Students With Disabilities Disproportionately Disciplined - Disability Scoop
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Opinion Schools should ban smartphones. Parents should help.
In educational settings, smartphones have an almost entirely negative impact: Educators and students alike note they can fuel cyberbullying and stifle meaningful in-person interaction. A 14-country study cited by UNESCO found that the mere presence of a mobile phone nearby was enough to distract students from learning. It can take up to 20 minutes for students to refocus...
Maryland lawmakers face pressure to scale back public education spending plan
The landmark legislation pumps billions into public education, but local government officials say it’s crushing their budgets.
“We're struggling. We're struggling with Kirwan,” Harford County Executive Bob Cassilly told Project Baltimore. “The news isn't good. I cannot deal with a $40 million increase in my education budget next year.”..
Tuesday, November 28, 2023
Breaking: McKnight Appoints Fox to Guard Hen House. Former Principals who had Locker Room Rapes with Multi-Million Dollar Settlement/Verdicts are put on Beidleman Action Plan Workgroup
After The Washington Post broke the Beidleman sexual harassment story in August, Superintendent Monifa McKnight announced a "Framework for Change" which included:
While we work to develop a full comprehensive plan, action in nine key areas will be initiated over the next 60 days and will be informed by: Communities of Practice: Panels of experts who will come together to recommend specific actions MCPS must take in the key areas listed below to form a comprehensive corrective action plan.
In the October 2023 Action Plan Update, Superintendent McKnight announced members to the Community of Practice Workgroup.
Included in the list of members of the workgroup are former Damascus High School principal Casey Crouse ($9.7M settlement) and former Gaithersburg High School principal Christine Handy ($4M jury verdict).
In addition, former Secretary of Justice and Service; Cardinal Theodore McCarrick of the Archdiocese of Washington DC and Special Assistant to the County Executive, Chuck Short was appointed as a Co-Chair.
One Person in Police Custody Following Assault at Springbrook High
Montgomery County Police are investigating a physical assault at Springbrook High School on Valley Brook Drive in Silver Spring.
One person is in custody following the assault Tuesday...
Exclusive: Day 1: Jane Doe et.al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education - Plaintiff's Witness Wrestler #3
Warning: This is coverage of a trial involving rape and sexual abuse.
Jane Doe et. al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education et. al. Montgomery County Circuit Court #482727V
This November 2023, civil trial in Montgomery County, Maryland was not covered by the media.
The public only learned about this trial when the November 17, 2023, jury verdict and award was reported by FOX5.
The Parents' Coalition is providing the public with rough notes from the civil trial Jane Doe et. al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
The trial was before Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Kevin Hessler.This is not a transcript. Please consult the Montgomery County Circuit Court for a copy of the transcript of what transpired at trial.
Additional postings of notes from this trial can be found at this link.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following are notes from the Plaintiff's witness, Wrestler #3 [W3]
Plaintiff's Direct Examination of W3:
W3 said he is 22 years old. Works at family salon. 2019 Gaithersburg High School grad. Wrestler in his junior and senior years.
Lights were turned on and off in the locker room.
It's been a long time, can't remember other injury.
Remembers Plaintiff walked out of wrestling room.
Q: Did you record video? Yes. Snapchat story shared with friends.
VIDEO WAS PLAYED FOR JURORS
Audio from video: stop, stop, stop, smells like shit, stop, stop, stop
Q: Why did you take this video? Way to get more people to join the wrestling team. Video shows we're fun here.
Wrestler #4 [W4] sent the video to Coach Britton.
Q. Was Coach Moore in the locker room when you recorded? No
Q. Was Coach Britton in the locker room when you recorded? No
I thought the video was funny.
I thought it was a serious incident when they suspended me. All I know is something happened, and Plaintiff left. I was scared, shocked, memory blurry.
Saw teammates in dogpile.
W1 was surprised or something when he got out of dogpile.
Saw Plaintiff walking out. He looked upset or something. Upset and angry.
Some wrestlers were surprised.
W1 said to W2, what you do? Why did you do that? Why did you go do that for?
Coach said we shouldn't do that, go do stretching. And we were told Plaintiff left the wrestling team.
Coach said that was wrong.
Cross-Examination from Defendants:
Coach came in and out of room. Not sure where he was. Generally, nearby.
Never heard the word "initiation."
Turning off of lights was random. Not every day. It happened before Plaintiff joined the wrestling team. Never saw any bullying.
Coach Britton did not tolerate goofing off.
Team was supportive of each other. Plaintiff was a good wrestler.
I took video for recruitment purposes. Saw everyone laughing, having fun. Maximum of 20 people could see the Snapchat video. Did not post video to embarrass Plaintiff. Took down the video when Plaintiff was upset. Never saw anyone hurt Plaintiff.
Redirect from Plaintiff:
Q: You were suspended? Yes
Q: You were suspended for videotaping incident? Yes
Q: For bullying and harassment? I shouldn't have been suspended.
Five Juveniles Charged in Connection to Armed Robbery
For Immediate Release: Monday, November 27, 2023
Gaithersburg, MD – Five juveniles, between 12 and 15-years-old, have been arrested and charged with an armed robbery that occurred on Wednesday, October 4, 2023.
At approximately 9:34 p.m., 3rd District officers responded to the 12400 block of Galway Dr. for the report of an armed robbery that just occurred.
The victim stated that he was getting off a Metro bus when he was grabbed from behind by multiple unknown suspects. The suspects punched the victim several times and one of the suspects held a knife to the victim and demanded his phone and AirPods. The victim complied and gave the suspect his phone and AirPods. The suspects ran away in an unknown direction.
Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified a 14-year-old male as one of the suspects and took him into custody on Monday, November 6, 2023. He has been charged with armed robbery and assault.
On Friday, November 10, 2023, detectives charged four additional suspects: two 15-year-old males, a 15-year-old female and a 12-year-old female, with armed robbery and assault. Their cases have been referred to the Department of Juvenile Services.
# # #
Maryland Teachers Union employees earn $181,000 on average
BALTIMORE (WBFF) — The Maryland teachers union is raking in record amounts of revenue intended to improve public education, but Project Baltimore is learning most of that money is not going to students.
A FOX45 News investigation into the Maryland State Education Association, better known as the teachers union, was met with strong reaction this week.
“I’m suggesting what we have seen is the creation of a jobs factory that only cares about 75,000 members they have in MSEA, cares about creating more jobs, than it does elevating education,” said Clarence Mitchell IV Tuesday morning on WBAL Radio.
FOX45 News analyzed MSEA’s federal tax filings and found revenues hit record highs last year of $26.5 million, as student test scores have plummeted. The tax-exempt organization, with a stated mission to “elevate the quality of public education,” has amassed $45.3 million in assets...
Maryland Teachers Union employees earn $181,000 on average | WBFF (foxbaltimore.com)
Monday, November 27, 2023
Exclusive: Day 1: Jane Doe et.al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education - Plaintiff's First Witness MCPD Detective Amber R.
Warning: This is coverage of a trial involving rape and sexual abuse.
Jane Doe et. al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education et. al. Montgomery County Circuit Court #482727V
This November 2023, civil trial in Montgomery County, Maryland was not covered by the media.
The public only learned about this trial when the November 17, 2023, jury verdict and award was reported by FOX5.
The Parents' Coalition is providing the public with rough notes from the civil trial Jane Doe et. al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
The trial was before Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Kevin Hessler.This is not a transcript. Please consult the Montgomery County Circuit Court for a copy of the transcript of what transpired at trial.
Additional postings of notes from this trial can be found at this link.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following are notes from the Plaintiff's first witness, Montgomery County Police Detective Amber R.
Plaintiff's Direct Examination of Detective:
Detective with Special Victims/Child Abuse unit. Received a phone call at 5 PM on February 9, 2018, from a Gaithersburg Police Officer who had taken a report from the victim's mother. She set up an appointment to meet with the victim and his mother on Friday, February 12th.
During the February 12th interview, the detective was speaking to the mother in an office and the victim was in the waiting area. All of the sudden, other people from the wrestling team that were involved in this incident began showing up at her office.
Q: How did the other wrestlers know to show up at the Detective's office while she was interviewing the victim?
The Gaithersburg High School Principal, Dr. Christine Handy had told them that the Special Victim's unit had taken over and that she was the detective.
Detective said she would absolutely never invite people that were alleged suspects to be in the same hallway with the alleged victim. The Detective left the office where she was meeting with the mother and went and searched for the victim. She found him hiding behind a door. The presence of the other wrestlers and their parents were causing him fear. The Detective said she apologized to the victim.
Later the Detective interviewed W1 because he was already there with his parents. W1 wrote an apology letter to the victim while he was in the police station. W1 wrote the letter on his own.
Detective wasn't expecting W1 (Wrestler #1) on February 12th. Detective needed to interview W1 again on February 14th.
The Gaithersburg High School Assistant Principal had conducted a good bit of an investigation that Detective said she would typically have done. Statements had already been taken by Gaithersburg High School staff prior to police involvement.
Detective said if police are behind in the investigation, they might be missing what happens on social media.
Attempted to interview W2. Attempts to contact W2 failed. Then an email was received that W2 had obtained an attorney and declined to be interviewed.
Detective was investigating 3 incidents:
- locker room where wrestlers dropped shorts to expose bare buttocks
- run through school where victim was shoved into the locker
- dog pile in wrestling room where victim was digitally penetrated
Detective interviewed W3 who recorded the incident and he had been suspended on February 12th. W3 admitted to making the video.
Detective interviewed Coach Moore. His recollection of what happened in the wrestling room was that - all the wrestlers run in, someone yelling "stop, stop, no not again." The kid (victim) never talks, then he (Coach Moore) looked up, then went back to wrestling with one of the students. Wrestlers were jumping on each other. Victim says "stop, stop," Coach Britton came in.
Cross-Examination from Defendants:
None
Maryland's teachers union spent $509,000 on travel, while counties struggle to fund public education
...According to MSEA’s federal non-profit filings, the union spent $509,013 on travel expenses last year. That amount does not include “Conferences, conventions, and meetings,” which is another $35,010.
“There is no justification to spend half a million dollars a year on travel. The receipts need to be provided,” said David Williams with the Taxpayers Protection Alliance. “And this money is going to the unions. It's not ultimately getting to the kids. And the stated purpose of the union is to help the children.”
n the last 10 years, the union has spent a lot on travel. In fact, $509,000 is on the low end. In 2013, the union spent $543,214 on travel expenses. By 2016, that number topped $1.1 million. During the COVID years, the numbers came down. But the union still managed to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on travel as most schools were shut down.
In all, over the last decade, the union spent $6,448,327 on travel expenses. That comes out to an average of $53,736 a month, every month, for 10 straight years. How does that fulfill the union’s tax-exempt mission to “elevate the quality of public education for all students”?
In addition to the travel expenses, Project Baltimore found that MSEA’s revenue and assets have reached record highs. And at least 11 employees of the union earned more than $200,000 last year in total compensation. Meanwhile, test scores in the state have been steadily declining.
“Teachers are always complaining that they don't have enough supplies,” Williams told Project Baltimore. “The union could take millions of dollars that they have and buy supplies for the teachers to make the kids have a better educational experience. The unions are failing the kids. They're failing the state.”..
Clarksburg Teen Charged with First-Degree Attempted Murder
Lekota Martin Jr. 16, was arrested Tuesday in connection with his alleged involvement in a shooting in the 20700 block of Crystal Hill Circle. He is accused of shooting into a residence. There were no injuries.
The victims contacted police to report hearing a gunshot and then discovered bullet holes inside their home, according to Montgomery County police.
Martin, Jr. also is alleged to have had a loaded Polymer80 privately manufactured firearm with an extended magazine while inside a public school. That gun was recovered Nov 17...
After Alleged Assault, Twinbrook Elementary Staff Meets with Parents
Monday morning, a group of parents and administrators gathered to learn about school safety in the wake of the allegation made last week. This was the second Parent Coffee held for this purpose, the first occurring last Friday.
A group of about 20 people were present with an equal mix of school administrators and parents. According to a participant who was at both meetings the parent turnout was about the same on Friday. Attendees signed in and an agenda was distributed. They outlined how to report an incident, safety measures at the school and asked parents to complete an evaluation form...
Sunday, November 26, 2023
Exclusive: Day 1: Jane Doe et.al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education - Opening Statements of Plaintiff and Defendants
Warning: This is coverage of a trial involving rape and sexual abuse.
Jane Doe et. al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education et. al. Montgomery County Circuit Court #482727V
This November 2023, civil trial in Montgomery County, Maryland was not covered by the media.
The public only learned about this trial when the November 17, 2023, jury verdict and award was reported by FOX5.
The Parents' Coalition is providing the public with rough notes from the civil trial Jane Doe et. al. v. Montgomery County Board of Education in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
The trial was before Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Kevin Hessler.
This is not a transcript. Please consult the Montgomery County Circuit Court for a copy of the transcript of what transpired at trial.
Additional postings of notes from this trial can be found at this link.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following are notes from the Opening Statements to the jury given by the attorneys for the plaintiff and defendants.
Plaintiff's Opening Statement (Jane Doe et. al.)
This case involves incidents at Gaithersburg High School. The plaintiff was a 14 year old freshman at the time of the incidents.
This case involves the standard of care of the school system and the school system's accountability for what happened.
In January and February of 2018, the plaintiff was 14 years old and was sexually assaulted in the school building.
The plaintiff moved to Gaithersburg and tried out for the wrestling team. He made the JV team.
Coaches Eric Britton and Daniel Moore ran the JV and Varsity practices together.
Plaintiff's first week of practice, someone started holding him down and slapping him on the rear end. Plaintiff began changing in the bathroom to avoid the locker room, but still had to be in the locker room to use his locker. Someone would turn out lights and scream "initiation time." Other wrestlers would rub their rear ends on plaintiff's face and body. Then, other wrestlers would hold plaintiff down and put their finger through his compression shorts into his rectum.
On Thursday, February 8, 2018, wrestlers posted on team snapchat that they were going to sexually assault plaintiff later that day. A wrestler posted on snapchat that they were going to "stick his sausage in [plaintiff] and make [plaintiff] lick the chocolate off of it." Plaintiff was very concerned when he saw this snapchat post.
This was not new behavior for Wrestler#1 (W1). W1 was well known for behavior issues. W1 got a pass because he was one of the stars of the team.
One incident on February 8, 2018, was caught on film by another wrestler.
Video of assault was posted on social media where it went viral throughout school.
Coach Moore was in locker room when plaintiff was jumped by other wrestlers in what is termed a dog pile. Plaintiff was held down, shorts pulled down and other wrestlers rubbed their buttocks on plaintiff and punched his testicles, then a finger in his buttocks. Plaintiff said "stop" four times and then said I quit.
Coach Moore told police he heard plaintiff say stop, stop, stop, no, but didn't bother to check and ignored situation.
Later plaintiff posted, I'm sick of you raping me, rubbing asses, punching my balls, slapping my ass." To which W1 responded, we all went through this, why do you have to be such a bitch.
Where were the adults? That is the question in this case.
MCPS violated their own rules, violated the athletic handbook by not providing effective locker room supervision at all times.
Plaintiff is a courageous young man. He knows this has to be brought to justice as the Montgomery County Board of Education has never accepted responsibility.
This trial is a time for accountability. Reject anything that says that is OK because it is boys.
MCPS had a duty to supervise. A verdict for the plaintiff is a verdict for school safety.
Defendants' Opening Statement (Board of Education, Coach Britton and Coach Moore)
Defendants' attorney started out by stating, "Mr. Maloney [plaintiff's attorney] is a good storyteller.
The wrestlers are not defendants. They are suing dedicated public servants."
Coach Britton is a MCPS special education teacher who enjoys wresting and mentoring students. He has two children.
Coach Moore is young, fit, would actually wrestle with the kids. He has a day job and has a brand-new baby.
There is only one issue in this trial. Whether or not the supervision of these students was negligent.
The plaintiff describes the incidents very differently. Listen to the testimony.
Supervision is like parenting.
MCPS has a policy that "athletes must be supervised at all times." What does that mean? It's broad. [MCPS Athletic Director] Sullivan will tell you it is defined broadly for a reason because it depends on circumstances. Middle school students need different supervision than high school students. High school students can't be watched all the time. Not possible. Just like parenting.
Coaches in high school are not required and not expected to watch athletes change. They are expected to be generally around, in the vicinity. Athletes should know where to find them. Coaches do not stay in locker rooms.
Wrestlers were properly supervised at all times.
Only person who has a different version of this is the plaintiff and "he has everything to gain."
Wrestling team has a zero-tolerance policy. Coaches had no access to snapchat.
February 8th: 3 locations - locker room, hallway, wrestling room
Video of incident: 4 wrestlers mooned plaintiff. It is a 22 second video. They were having fun. Everything is in video. They were mooning each other. Plaintiff is the only one who describes it that way.
The Board of Education recognizes this was bad. All of the wrestlers were suspended, prohibited from rest of season.
Before February 8th, wrestlers would tap each other on the butt. Coach would say stop. Call parents. There had never been a sexual assault in the wrestling team - ever.
What happened was bad, it was unexpected. It hadn't happened before.
All plaintiff's friends went to Quince Orchard High School. Plaintiff had applied for a change of school assignment and been denied. He got a change of school assignment the day after the incident, and he was happy about the transfer.
The plaintiff went to therapy after the incident, graduated on time, is thriving, therapy helped him.
The school system is not the insurer of safety of students but has to act as a reasonably prudent parent would act.
Was the school system reasonably supervising these spaces - locker room, wresting room - the answer is yes.
We were not negligent in supervision.
Next post: Plaintiff's first witness, Detective Amber R.
Parents, Principal React to Alleged Sexual Assault at Twinbrook Elementary
Earlier this week, in a post on the neighborhood engagement app NextDoor, a distressed mother posted a report about her daughter being assaulted on the playground during recess at Twinbrook Elementary School in Rockville.
On Wednesday, Matt Devan, principal of Twinbrook Elementary, sent a letter to the Twinbrook Community stating, “School administrators…are working with our school counselors, the MCPS Office of School Support and Wellness and Montgomery County Agencies to follow all the established protocols to ensure a thorough investigation and ensure student safety.”
Devan also refers to parent reactions on social media creating “a number of concerns.”..
...MCM was alerted to this incident by the Parents Coalition of Montgomery County.