From the principal today, April 26:
Friday, April 26, 2024
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Teacher arrested, accused of using AI to falsely paint boss as racist and antisemitic ***The school district will seek to fire Darien, the superintendent said.***
A Maryland high school teacher was arrested after he allegedly used artificial intelligence to create phony audio, planting racist and antisemitic words into the voice of his boss, officials said Thursday.
Dazhon Darien, a physical education teacher and athletic director at Pikesville High School, was accused of falsifying the voice of principal Eric Eiswert in January, authorities said.
"We now have conclusive evidence that the recording was not authentic," Baltimore County Police Chief Robert McCullough told reporters in Towson. "It’s been determined the recording was generated through the use of artificial intelligence technology."..
https://www.yahoo.com/news/teacher-arrested-accused-using-ai-211421739.html
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Concerns grow over proposed MCPS budget cuts, including reductions to program for kids with autism
A proposed $7.1 billion dollar budget for Montgomery County includes $3.3 billion for MCPS.
That will fund about 98 percent of the school board’s request, but because it doesn’t fully fund MCPS that will mean a reduction or elimination of some programs.
One of those programs is the special needs program at the Darnestown Learning Center which serves children with autism.
Three other programs within MCPS may also see changes in the next school year or be cut completely without funding.
Tuesday, April 23, 2024
7News takes a closer look at rising legal fees paid by Montgomery County Public Schools
"They're already significantly over budget and that is not the best use of taxpayer funds," said Esther Wells, President of Montgomery County Taxpayers League.
The MCPS Board of Education recently reviewed legal fees paid between July and December.
7News analyzed the numbers and found in Fiscal Year 2023 MCPS paid more than $462,000 in legal fees.
In FY24 that number skyrocketed to more than $1.3 million...
Monday, April 22, 2024
Montgomery Co. student charged with threats of mass violence after police discover disturbing ‘manifesto’
Andrea Ye, who uses the name Alex, was arrested Wednesday and is being held at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit where he awaits a bond hearing, police said...
#BREAKING 18yo charged with threats of mass destruction. @mcpnews allege Andrea Ye, who prefers the name Alex and identifies as male, planned shootings at Wooten HS and Lakewood ES and detailed them in a manifesto. An 18 page charging doc includes a number of excerpts:
#BREAKING 18yo charged with threats of mass destruction. @mcpnews allege Andrea Ye, who prefers the name Alex and identifies as male, planned shootings at Wooten HS and Lakewood ES and detailed them in a manifesto. An 18 page charging doc includes a number of excerpts: pic.twitter.com/CDYEhI0CXJ
— Brad Bell (@Brad7News) April 18, 2024
John F. Kennedy High School went into a Shelter-in-Place today when a trespasser came onto school grounds during lunch. The trespasser had an altercation with one of the students, and when other students approached the scene, the trespasser brandished a knife.
John F. Kennedy High School went into a Shelter-in-Place today when a trespasser came onto school grounds during lunch. The trespasser had an altercation with one of the students, and when other students approached the scene, the trespasser brandished a knife. #MCPS pic.twitter.com/S7WN4wjITy
— Allison Papson (@AllisonPapson) April 19, 2024
Wootton High School student arrested for planning shooting said he wanted to 'be famous': police
Police say Andrea Ye, whose preferred name is Alex, was arrested and charged in connection with plans to commit a school shooting at Wootton High School in Rockville.
Police say Ye was taken into custody on Wednesday, April 17 following a joint investigation by Montgomery County police and FBI agents with the Baltimore Field Office...
Saturday, April 20, 2024
ZOA Files Title VI Complaint Against Montgomery County Public Schools
From ZOA.org:
The Zionist Organization of America (ZOA) has filed a
civil rights complaint against Montgomery County
Public Schools (MCPS), alleging severe, persistent and pervasive antisemitism
in the schools that district officials have failed to address, in violation of
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The complaint, against Maryland’s
largest school district, was filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s
Office for Civil Rights (OCR) today.
The ZOA’s complaint documents years
of antisemitic harassment and intimidation endured by Jewish students and
staff, including the following:
- Ethnic slurs, such as “Jewish f—k,” “Jew-boy” and
Hey, Jew”; “Heil Hitler” salutes; and Jewish “jokes” from peers that
recommend that Jewish students should be put in a concentration camp. One
Jewish student was recently told that Hitler had not done enough and that
he should go back to Israel.
- School property throughout the district has been
defaced with swastikas.
- In December 2022, the entrance sign at one MCPS high
school was vandalized with the words, “Jews Not Welcome.” The day before,
several staff members at the high school received antisemitic email
messages.
- School staff who have publicly denied the Hamas
massacre on October 7, 2023, and who have publicly called for Israel’s
elimination are tolerated and remain in teaching positions in the
district. MCPS retained a staff member who promoted the lie that “Palestinians
are being killed and their organs are being sold.” MCPS hired this
staff member as a “diversity, equity and inclusion” teacher.
- Student “pro-Palestinian” walkouts at MCPS high
schools after the Hamas massacre disrupted school operations and caused
many Jewish students to stay away from school out of fear for their
safety. School officials tolerated the walkouts and remained silent even
after student protesters at these walkouts legitimized and encouraged
violence and terrorism against Jews and Israelis and called for Israel’s
destruction.
- At one MCPS high school, the organizers of the
“pro-Palestinian” walkout posted on social media that “There is no country
called Israel” and “‘Israel’ is a group of Zionist Jewish people from all
over the world & dont [sic] have a state.” The organizers also openly
called for Israel’s elimination, posting, “We want liberation, we want our
lands back. All of PALESTINE. From the river to the
sea.” School officials not only failed to condemn the conduct; they
allowed the walkout to proceed and disrupt classes, and later commended
the protesters for “demonstrating peacefully.”
- At another high school walkout in MCPS, a faculty
member overheard one student say, “We should bring Hitler back,” and
another student say, “Kill the Jews.” After being alerted to the
antisemitic comments and threat, the principal failed even to alert the
community or condemn the comments. Instead, the principal praised
the protesters for their “fantastic job.” Moreover, MCPS retaliated
against the faculty member who reported the antisemitic comments and
threat, by knowingly making false accusations against her and baselessly
sanctioning her.
- MCPS retaliated against other staff members after
they raised concerns about antisemitism in their schools.
ZOA National President Morton A.
Klein and Director of ZOA’s Center for Law and Justice, Susan B. Tuchman, Esq.,
stated, “The ZOA’s complaint is based on horrifying reports from parents and
teachers about the antisemitism that MCPS officials have known about for years
and have failed to address. Their indifference and inaction are a stark
contrast to how vigilantly district officials have responded when other ethnic
and racial groups were targeted.
“Members of the MCPS community have
spent years trying to resolve the antisemitism in their school district.
They’ve asked for district officials to speak out forcefully against
antisemitism, to appropriately discipline perpetrators, and to provide students
and staff with the training they need to understand how antisemitism is
expressed today and how to respond to it effectively. But these community
members have largely been met with indifference and even hostility from
district officials.
“We are grateful to the many
community members who came forward to share their painful experiences with
us. And we are hoping that the Office for Civil Rights will investigate
the ZOA’s complaint promptly and thoroughly. It’s time that MCPS is
finally held accountable under the law for failing to provide a learning
environment that is physically and psychologically safe for Jews.”
ZOAs Title VI Complaint Against MCPS 4-18-24 by freestategal on Scribd
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Board of Education Candidates Forum Results of 'yes/no' questions
As part of the BOE Candidates Forum on April 15th, organized by Moderately MoCo, one segment of the forum was a series of 'yes/no' questions posed to the candidates. Here are their answers.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Forest Oak Middle School School Building Service Manager Charged With Possessing Loaded Handgun on School Property @mcps @mocoboe
A Forest Oak Middle School employee was arrested and charged with possessing a loaded privately manufactured handgun on the school campus in Gaithersburg.
Tuesday at 12:24 p.m., Gaithersburg Police Community Engagement Officers were called to the school in the 600 block of Saybrooke Oaks Boulevard for a report of a staff member with a firearm.
William Broadus Coleman, 30, of Washington, D.C. consented to a search of his vehicle, where the officers found a loaded handgun, police reported...
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Monday, April 15, 2024
MCPS requested to testify on May 8th at U.S. House Committee on Education and the Workforce on antisemitism in MCPS
2 School Districts to Testify as Congress Expands Antisemitism Inquiry
New York Times/Yahoo News, reporter Troy Closson For the full story go here.
"The leaders of public schools in New York City and Montgomery County, Maryland, will testify about how their districts are handling antisemitism before a congressional committee next month. It will be the first time that K-12 districts have taken center stage in the House hearings focused on how schools are responding to a wave of student protests since Hamas’ attacks against Israel on Oct. 7."
And:
"And in Montgomery County, the biggest district in Maryland, a number of local schools have struggled with antisemitic episodes, including swastika graffiti, since Oct. 7. Several teachers were also placed on administrative leave for social media posts in recent months, including one teacher who signed an email with the contested phrase, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.”
And:
"The committee could cover a similar range of issues in the K-12 hearing, including discipline policies, the handling of antisemitic episodes and student protests.
In Montgomery County, for example, Silvestre will likely be asked about the status of an investigation into the social media posts of another teacher who claimed that the Hamas attacks were a hoax.
The county had been grappling with a rise in antisemitism in schools even before Oct. 7. Those included an episode this fall at one high school, where the principal said students filmed themselves “performing an antisemitic salute.”
The district said in a statement that Silvestre was eager to share how schools were tackling antisemitism and intolerance, and creating “a safe and welcoming learning environment that supports all students.”
Sunday, April 14, 2024
Board of Education Candidates Forum Tomorrow! Monday, April 15th 6:30 PM
Mail your taxes and then head to the candidates forum! Easily accessible by metro and bus, parking nearby.
Friday, April 12, 2024
Detectives Continue to Investigate Lost Knife Road Attempted Abduction; Composite Sketch of Suspect Released
Gaithersburg, MD – Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police - Special Victims Investigations Division (SVID) have obtained a composite sketch of a suspect who attempted to abduct a 10-year-old girl in the 18300 Block of Lost Knife Road. Detectives have released the composite sketch of the suspect and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying him.
On Sunday, March 10, 2024, at approximately 3 p.m., a 10-year-old girl was sitting outside of an apartment building in the 18300 Block of Lost Knife Road. The victim told police that while sitting there, an unknown male grabbed her arm and told her to come with him. The victim believes the suspect ran away when he saw police cars that were in the neighborhood.
The suspect is described as a light complected unknown race male, between twenty-five and thirty-five years old, with a thin build, a tattoo on the left side of the face and a straight piece of blonde hair. The suspect was last seen wearing a black shirt, a black sweatshirt jacket with a hood and black pants.
Anyone with information regarding this case or suspect is asked to call 240-773-5400 or visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, MD website at www.crimesolversmcmd.org. Click on the “www.p3tips.com” link at the top of the page or call 1-866-411-8477. Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000. Tips may remain anonymous...
https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Press_Detail_Pol.aspx?Item_ID=45070
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Maryland legislature passes bill banning registered juvenile sex offenders from schools
“I'm really pleased with the final product. I think it's the right thing that protects students in schools and makes sure that everybody's rights are protected,” said Senate President Bill Ferguson who promised to get the bill passed.
It took just 72 days for Maryland lawmakers to fulfill that promise.
“It did happen quick,” said Delegate Nino Mangione. “It was a shocking story that you guys did a great job with, and it proves that we can be bipartisan. We can come together and get important things done when need be.”..
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
MCPS considers adding vape, weapons detection systems, plus mandatory IDs to improve school safety
In the letter sent April 2, Felder reaffirms the district’s commitment to safety and discipline in schools and aims to address mounting worries regarding student behavior that have been “in the forefront of community discussions, among student and staff and, lately in the news.”
“Comprehensive methods … can foster higher levels of safety and minimize incidents that violate the Student Code of Conduct,” Felder wrote...
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Four Montgomery schools lose Title I money after change in poverty metric
Then an enrichment teacher at Viers Mill Elementary School in Silver Spring, Md. — where Leo is a fourth-grader — started pushing him more, recounted his mom, Laurel Kennedy. After the teacher gave him C’s, it motivated him to try harder. Leo started writing, and he loved it. Now, his dream is to become a reporter.
But the program that helped Leo discover his love of writing is in jeopardy, now that Viers Mill is losing a federal Title I grant that’s key in paying for the enrichment teacher and other positions. Three other Montgomery County elementary schools are in a similar predicament.
The four campuses are among 58 Montgomery schools participating in the Community Eligibility Provision, another federal program that gives free breakfast and lunch to all students at certain schools with high need. Through it, Montgomery County Public Schools says it is feeding more children than ever at no cost...
Monday, April 8, 2024
Opinion: Cutting MCPS autism program is detrimental mistake
As parents of children with autism (ASD) attending Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), we are not strangers to advocating for our students’ needs. We attend countless Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings, we research local ASD resources for help and accommodations, we attempt to comprehend the federal and Maryland education and disability laws, and we champion the voices for our neurodiverse children. But once considered at the forefront of special education, MCPS has taken one step forward and two steps back when it comes to taking accountability and creating the best-possible learning environments for our children on the spectrum.
In March, the dissolution of the autism program within the Darnestown Elementary Learning Center (ELC) was announced during the school’s PTA meeting and was later confirmed by MCPS central staff at the Board of Education meeting...
https://moco360.media/2024/04/06/opinion-cutting-mcps-autism-program-is-detrimental-mistake/
Thursday, April 4, 2024
12-year-old hospitalized after being hit by car while walking to Montgomery Co. school
Montgomery County police told WTOP they were called to the area of Ridge Road and Oak Drive around 7:45 a.m. for reports of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle...
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Monday, April 1, 2024
@mcps @mocoboe Board of Education to Select Superintendent Search Firm in Open, Transparent Process*
*APRIL FOOLS!
Sorry! That would never happen.
On April 2, 2024, the Montgomery County Board of Education will select a search firm to find the next superintendent in a Closed Session.
No RFP has been issued. No Bids were taken. No public process was used.
Every time you hear the Montgomery County Board of Education President say something is going to be "transparent," just remember that in MCPS land, every day is April Fools' Day!
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Locked bathrooms spark frustration among students, staff
By the end of the school day, many of the bathrooms throughout the school are locked, causing many students to travel to other floors to use the restroom.
At RM, many students have become irritated over the lack of open bathrooms at school. Searching for open bathrooms has caused several students to miss class time, interfering with their learning. Some students have expressed that they find it to be a major inconvenience to spend so much time just to use the restroom.
“It wastes my class time; it wastes my time to learn.” Sophomore Shyla Agarwal said, “I can’t take notes in class because I missed them which affects my grades on quizzes and tests.”
Many students share similar stories about having to search the school for a bathroom.
Sophomore Sara Benachenhou said, “I was on the second floor and both the bathrooms were locked so I had to go all the way to the first floor to get to a bathroom.” ..
https://thermtide.com/22277/news/locked-bathrooms-cause-frustration-among-students-and-staff/
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
New building for Joann Leleck Elementary at Broad Acres would become county elementary school with largest capacity
Issues with overcapacity and aging infrastructure made the school a candidate for potential expansion in 2019, according to MCPS. The district later decided to build a new school that is proposed to be one to three stories tall at the same site at 710 Beacon Road.
According to planning documents, the building will have a three-story classroom wing and a single-story wing that will house learning spaces, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, a kitchen, offices, a community health clinic and other support and service spaces. In addition, plans include two internal, open-air courtyards as well as 25,000 square feet of outdoor play and learning space adjacent to the building...
Parents, students alarmed by plan to postpone construction of auditoriums at new Woodward, Crown high schools
The Montgomery County Board of Education approved changes to the project scope of the reopening of Woodward in Rockville and the construction of the new Crown High School in Gaithersburg, adding an additional phase to construct auditoriums for both projects. Officials did not say when they plan for the auditoriums to be completed...
2023 Graduation Rate For Every MCPS High School; Districtwide Graduation Rate Is 89.6 Percent
According to data released March 26 by the Maryland State Department of Education, the four-year graduation rate for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students in the Class of 2023 was nearly 90%–at 89.6%.
The MCPS graduation rate declined by 0.7 percentage points compared to last year and is higher than the state average of 85.8%, down from 86.3% in the prior year. Students graduating in 2023 entered high school in 2019-2020 and a significant portion of their high school experience was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting virtual and hybrid learning environments.
The Class of 2023 saw increases in graduation rates for students who receive Free and Reduced-price Meals System services (FARMS) (an increase of 2.8 percentage points), students who are Two or More Races (an increase of 2.6 percentage points), students who receive Individualized Education Program (IEP) services (an increase of 2.5 percentage points), and Black or African American students (an increase of 0.3 percentage points)...
Now is Time to Voice Concerns About Homework Policies
Board of Education members are revising homework policies that could reduce the amount of homework for younger students and ensure that all homework is designed to reinforce skills.
A draft of the proposed homework guidelines was approved March 19 and is now open to the public for comment until April 24...
https://www.mymcmedia.org/now-is-time-to-voice-concerns-about-homework-policies/
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
RM staff discover swastikas drawn in school building
From The Tide, reporter Maya Nachman. Full story here.
RM staff discovered swastikas drawn throughout the school building on three occasions in the past two weeks.
RM Principal Alicia Deeny wrote a message to the RM community on March 12 after the swastikas were found drawn onto the stalls in the boys bathrooms. The next day, on March 13, Ms. Deeny sent an additional message sharing that the school was able to identify the student who was the source of the graffiti after they had discovered another swastika drawing in a bathroom.
Ms. Deeny sent an additional email on March 19 after more swastika drawings were found in a stairwell and door at RM. According to her email, the person who drew these symbols is still yet to be identified but the incident is still being investigated by school security and administration.
And:
This incident comes amidst a 337 percent increase in antisemitic incidents in the US since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, according to the ADL. However, before the war began, Maryland was reported to have the tenth most antisemitic incidents out of any states in the US, according to the ADL.
Monday, March 25, 2024
Three Calvert County students charged with hate crime violations
Antisemitism in Calvert County public schools, reporter Cody Boteler Full story here.
Three 13-year-old students at a middle school in Huntingtown were charged as juveniles with harassment and “violations of Maryland’s hate crimes statutes,” according to the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The students at Plum Point Middle School displayed swastikas, made Nazi salutes and “directed offensive comments” toward a classmate because of that classmate’s religious beliefs, the State’s Attorney’s Office said on Friday.
The behavior started in December 2023 and “continued over several months” despite requests to stop, according to the State’s Attorney’s Office. The victim reported the behavior to Maryland State Police Officers, who filed the charges against the three 13-year-olds.
Police were responding to an auto theft in the Burtonsville school’s parking lot
...Around 1:39 p.m., officers found a stolen vehicle in Paint Branch High School’s parking lot and attempted to apprehend the suspects who were trying to flee in a stolen car, according to Goff. The suspects then fled on foot and officers chased after them, eventually arresting the two individuals, Goff said.
The suspects were taken into custody around 2:50 p.m., according to police radio...
https://moco360.media/2024/03/11/old-columbia-pike-near-paint-branch-hs-closed-due-to-collision/
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