Two Apple Ballot Candidates Refuse to Attend Candidate Debate

Two of the Apple Ballot (MCEA) endorsed Board of Education candidates in the upcoming election have refused to participate in a candidate's forum sponsored by 6 different groups.  

The Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, MD is one of the sponsors of the forum that will be held on Thursday, September 19, 2024, at 7 PM on Zoom. 

Each sponsoring organization has prepared questions for the candidates and all of the candidates have received the questions in advance.  

Here are the questions that the Parents' Coalition has presented to the candidates.  

Questions from Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, MD:

1.  The Appellate Court of Maryland has Ordered the Montgomery County Board of Education to review the HET MCPS, LLC electric school bus contract in light of the fact that two of the MCPS Department of Transportation Directors who were integrally involved in the electric school bus bidding process awarded the contract to an affiliate of the company they were receiving kickbacks from. 

[MCPS' Todd Watkins and Charles Ewald awarded the electric school bus contract to Highland.  Highland's proposal had American Truck & Bus as a subcontractor.  Watkins and Ewald were engaged in an embezzlement scheme with American Truck & Bus. After the contract was awarded to Highland, MCPS allowed Highland to create a new company called HET MCPS, LLC and MCPS wrote the contract to HET MCPS, LLC, even though they never bid on the proposal. American Truck & Bus remained as a subcontractor on the contract.]

The Montgomery County Board of Education has refused to review the HET MCPS, LLC contract despite the Mandate from the Appellate Court of Maryland.

What kind of example does this set for public school students? 

 See:  In the Matter of AutoFlex Fleet, Inc., No. 0539, September Term 2022. Opinion by Zic, J.  This opinion is a public document from a court that held proceedings in public courtrooms.  This case is not confidential, it is not a secret and no one is prohibited from discussing this public proceeding.  

2.  The Montgomery County Board of Education paid $168,380 for a comprehensive review of the MCPS Department of Transportation.  But when the review was completed by CESO (over 80 pages) the report was shelved and never presented to the Board of Education or made public.  The Parents' Coalition made the report public.  

The CESO report reveals that MCPS Fleet Maintenance workers are in imminent danger of being crushed or electrocuted because the repair bays are not designed for the heavier electric school buses.  Electric school bus repairs risk danger of electrocution or lift collapse if bays are not set up appropriately.  

Would you support an independent, dedicated Office of Inspector General to focus exclusively on Montgomery County Public Schools so that when reports are hidden and staff are in danger of death or injury there would be someone to speak up and alert the public to fraud, waste, and abuse of public funds, and of dangers to staff and students?  

Following his arrest, additional charges were added to include possession of a firearm on school property

 

16-Year-Old Charged with Archdale Road Shooting

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, September 11, 2024

Gaithersburg, MD – Detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police – 5th District Investigative Section have arrested and charged a Clarksburg teen with attempted first-degree murder, following a shooting that occurred on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in the 19300 block of Archdale Road in Germantown.

 

The investigation has revealed that at approximately 2:59 p.m., 16-year-old Jaiden Ochieng arrived at the location in a stolen Hyundai. Moments later, when a 15-year-old male victim got off a school bus at the location, Ochieng got out of the Hyundai and chased after the victim. He then pulled out a handgun and allegedly shot at the victim, who was not injured. After the shooting, Ochieng left the scene.

 

Upon arriving at the scene, officers located two shell casings in the area of Trophy Court and Archdale Road.

 

Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified Ochieng as the suspect.

 

Officers obtained an arrest warrant for Ochieng, charging him with attempted first-degree-murder, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a violent felony and theft related charges.

 

On Friday, September 6, officers arrested Ochieng in the 13300 block of Copper Ridge Road in Germantown and recovered a loaded handgun that the suspect had tossed prior to his arrest. Officers determined that the handgun was reported stolen out of Clinton, MD.

 

Following his arrest, additional charges were added to include possession of a firearm on school property, possession of a loaded handgun and underage possession of a firearm.

 

Jaiden Ochieng was transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where has been charged as an adult. He is being held without bond.

# # #

Montgomery County Maryland (montgomerycountymd.gov)

FTC Files Amicus Brief Saying COPPA Can’t Force Parents Into Arbitration

The agency opposes efforts to invoke Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act to deprive parental rights

The Federal Trade Commission filed an amicus brief in a lawsuit brought by a group of parents who are suing IXL Learning, Inc. The FTC’s brief disputes the company’s argument that under the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act and the COPPA Rule, the schools’ agreement to binding arbitration also applied to parents.

The plaintiffs in the case – Shanahan, et al. v. IXL Learning, Inc. – are parents of school age children who allege IXL Learning illegally collected, used and sold their children’s data on their website and software in school. The parents’ putative class action lawsuit alleges that the education company violated various laws, including the Federal Wiretap Act and multiple California statutes, as well as common law privacy torts.

IXL Learning, which provides websites and school educational services, filed a motion to compel arbitration, claiming that the school districts agreed to the company’s full terms of service, including an arbitration provision. IXL Learning argued that under COPPA, school districts act as agents for the parents in the use of IXL’s educational services, and the parents are therefore bound by the full terms of service.

The FTC amicus brief clarifies that nothing in COPPA or the COPPA Rule dictates that parents and children should be bound by every part of the terms of service agreement between a company like IXL Learning and a school district, nor does COPPA support a claim that parents should be bound to arbitration in this case.

In December 2023, the Commission proposed amendments to strengthen the COPPA Rule by further limiting companies’ ability to monetize children’s data. The proposed Rule would require targeted advertising to be off by default, bar indefinite retention of kids’ data, and strengthen data security. The Commission’s review of this Rule is ongoing.

The agency filed its amicus brief in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division. 

The Commission voted 5-0 to file the amicus brief. Commissioner Andrew Ferguson issued a concurring statement.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and protect and educate consumers.  The FTC will never demand money, make threats, tell you to transfer money, or promise you a prize. Learn more about consumer topics at consumer.ftc.gov, or report fraud, scams, and bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Follow the FTC on social media, read consumer alerts and the business blog, and sign up to get the latest FTC news and alerts.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/08/ftc-files-amicus-brief-saying-coppa-cant-force-parents-arbitration

16 year old arrested with loaded gun, charged with attempted murder in Maryland [Northwest High School]

 MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Montgomery County police have arrested and charged a 16-year-old with attempted first-degree murder following a shooting near Northwest High School. 

The suspect, identified as Jaiden Ochieng from Clarksburg, was arrested in connection with a March 13 incident on Archdale Road, according to authorities...

...In a statement, MCPS expressed "great concern" regarding the revelation that Ochieng had a firearm on school property.

"We have been informed by the Montgomery County Police Department of the arrest of a 16-year-old youth near one of our schools. The charges include possession of a firearm on school property," the statement reads...

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/16-year-old-arrested-loaded-gun-charged-attempted-murder-maryland

MCPS leaders discuss increased school security, possible metal detectors

...Former county police chief Marcus Jones, who is now MCPS’ Security and Compliance Chief, said on Wednesday they are in the "early stages" of researching metal detectors. Jones revealed they’re talking with school districts that already have the security tool to see what their experiences have been like. Officials warned that this is something that will have to be budgeted for. They’ll also have to review how to build the use of metal detectors into the school day, especially at the county’s larger high schools. Another major part of the safety conversation includes security staff and clamping down on drug use on MCPS campuses... 

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/mcps-leaders-talk-increased-school-security-possible-metal-detectors?utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=trueanthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwY2xjawFJdvVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHflhSb4xrZaPPuuAfDl-l9J_LYwLMYD1l4vhDt_cOTcI7LeXTQCUZmNlkg_aem_UqQHZzlqPhZmBED2FTt9JQ

Montgomery Co. school safety includes taking ‘a hard look’ at weapons detectors, officials say

...Jones, who retired after nearly four decades with the Montgomery County Police Department, said that he’s in the process of talking to other school districts about their experiences with weapons detections systems.

“I think it’s something we need to take a hard look at,” said Jones.

He said the school system is in the “early stages” of examining how weapons detection systems could be used in the schools, but added, “I think it’s something we may be venturing into in the very near future.”

There are several issues that have to be addressed, such as budgeting and whether the systems would be workable at some of Montgomery County’s largest schools — including Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, which has an enrollment of 3,298 students...

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2024/09/mcps-school-safety-includes-hard-look-at-weapons-detection-more-collaboration-between-police-and-school-security/

MCPS Considering Weapon Detectors

...As part of security measures currently in place, Jones said that some high schools are requiring students to wear their student IDs all day. He observed the initiative at a couple of schools and says most students were wearing them...

https://www.mymcmedia.org/mcps-considering-weapon-detectors/

High Schools Will Install Vape Detectors

Montgomery County Board of Education members voted Tuesday to spend $2 million to purchase and install vape detectors in high schools...

https://www.mymcmedia.org/high-schools-will-install-vape-detectors/

Montgomery County Teacher Arrested in Connection with Fentanyl-Related Death

 

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, August 20, 2024

Gaithersburg, MD - On Monday, August 19, 2024, the Montgomery County Department of Police and Special Agents from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) executed a search and seizure warrant at the Burtonsville home of Sarah Katherine Magid, a Montgomery County Public Schools first-grade teacher.

Magid was taken into custody without incident, on the strength of an arrest warrant for violations of Maryland’s controlled dangerous substance statutes.

The investigation leading to Magid’s arrest stems from a March 2024 death of an adult male in Washington, D.C. An autopsy later revealed that the cause of death was fentanyl toxicity.

After the victim’s death, detectives from the Montgomery County Department of Police, Special Investigations Division, in collaboration with DEA Special Agents, uncovered information that the victim had been in Montgomery County in the days leading up to their death. During the investigation, it was discovered that a person named "Sarah" had been in contact with the victim. Further investigation identified "Sarah" as Sarah Magid.

Based on the evidence, detectives obtained a search and seizure warrant for Magid's home, as well as an arrest warrant. Magid was transported to the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit, where she awaits a bond hearing.

This case is part of a joint investigation between the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the Montgomery County Department of Police.

 

# # #

Bethesda Teen Charged in Connection with School Bomb Threats

 For Immediate Release: Monday, August 26, 2024

Gaithersburg, MD - A 15-year-old Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School student has been charged in connection with bomb threats made against the school on Thursday, May 16, 2024. The threats led to a lockdown of the school and the deployment of SWAT, K-9 units, and other resources to ensure the safety of students and staff.

Following a joint investigation by the Montgomery County Department of Police - Behavioral Assessment and Administrative Unit and the FBI's Baltimore Field Office, a 12-year-old Pennsylvania boy was identified as the caller.

The two are also responsible for bomb threats made to Walt Whitman High School and Bethesda Elementary School on Friday, May 17.

The 15-year-old is accused of soliciting help on social media to have someone to call in a bomb threat at his school, and paying the 12-year-old an undisclosed dollar amount. The Bethesda teen has been charged with multiple counts, including threats of mass violence, making a false statement, extortion and other felony charges related to the event.

During the incident, the 15-year-old allegedly communicated in real-time with the 12-year-old, providing information, updates and instructions as the threats were being made. The caller demanded that a certain dollar amount be paid to prevent bombs from detonating at the school.

Maryland state law prohibits charges from being filed against the 12-year-old. However, the actions of both individuals caused disruption to the school day, forcing a lockdown, and taking an emotional toll on the students, staff, and the community. After a search of the campus, it was determined that no bombs were present, and students were dismissed for the day.

The 15-year-old was charged accordingly and released to his family.

 

# # #

Exclusive: Is the move to electric school buses by MCPS cutting the use of diesel fuel?

Recently, the Parents Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland, submitted to the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) a request for diesel fuel data.  The request was honored.

MCPS shared both gallons used, and the cost associated with the purchase of diesel fuel.  The data below reflect gallons of diesel fuel used across 6 calendar years -- 2018-2023.  MCPS also submitted gallons used for 2024 -- through August; however, those data are not shown since it was not a completed calendar year. 

Several notes:

• Clearly, one can see the impacts of closing schools due to Covid19.  Monthly gallon use for 2020 and 2021 reflect MCPS's move to virtual learning.  Across the other years, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023, MCPS, overall, used roughly 3 millions gallons of diesel fuel each calendar year.  There are very slight variations across these years.

• MCPS first introduced electric school buses (EV buses) during the 2021-22 school year; operating 25 EV buses from its Bethesda School Bus Depot.

• During the 2022-23 school year, MCPS added 61 more EV buses, bringing the total to 86 operating EV buses.  According to MCPS, during the 2024-25 school year an additional 240 EV buses will be added to the bus fleet bringing the total number of EV buses to 326 EV buses.*

• In October of 2022, former MCPS Superintendent Dr. Monifa B. McKnight said that when the procurement of the 326 electric buses is complete, “we are going to be saving upwards of 6,500 gallons of diesel fuel per day, and immediately, this is going to cut costs by 50%.”** 

*Details regarding numbers of EV buses can be found at this MCPS public website.  

https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/facilities/sustainability/electric-vehicles/#:~:text=experience%20for%20students.”-,Electric%20School%20Buses,MCPS%20Bethesda%20School%20Bus%20Depot.

**https://electrek.co/2022/10/25/largest-electric-school-bus-fleet-us/

Joseph Hawkins

Board of Education Candidates' Forum Sept. 19th, 7pm by Zoom

Parents' Coalition is a co-sponsor of this important Board of Education Candidates Forum. Please attend!

Zoom link:

The Zoom link is provided by the Montgomery County Taxpayers League.  

https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tdeGopzwpHN1LXWb5bQ4svnr1N9MFDiDc#/registration

Rules remain in place for Montgomery Co. schools’ Friday night lights

Montgomery County high schools in Maryland begin their football season in two weeks and, once again, safety and security remain atop everyone’s playbook.

Many can’t forget an ugly incident that took place in September 2022 when a fight broke out on the field between Gaithersburg and Northwest high school involving players and coaches that eventually led to both programs being temporarily suspended.

Last September, after a game between two rivals featuring Walter Johnson and Bethesda-Chevy Chase high schools, a fight broke out near the Bethesda Metro station with students from both schools in which several altercations took place.

For this season, Montgomery County Public Schools has implemented some different rules for family, friends, and students, who plan to attend upcoming sports events at county high schools...

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2024/08/montgomery-co-schools-implement-new-set-of-rules-for-friday-night-lights/

12-year-old arrested for breaking into Bethesda Porsche dealership accused in additional incidents [6th Time]

Montgomery County Police have confirmed that a 12-year-old was arrested in connection to an overnight break-in at a Porsche dealership in Bethesda. 

While few details are available about the juvenile suspect, police tell FOX 5 that he has been hitting dealerships across the area. 

Police caught him just before 3 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 2 after they responded to the Porsche dealership at 11990 Rockville Pike, for the report of a burglary in progress. 

The 12-year-old suspect was apprehended and later released into the custody of his parents...

12-year-old arrested for breaking into Bethesda Porsche dealership accused in additional incidents | FOX 5 DC

Kids Are Headed Back to School. Are They Breathing Clean Air?

Clean indoor air protects against diseases such as COVID and flu, but we’re not doing enough to ensure it

Across the U.S., kids are headed back to their classrooms—just as COVID nears a fresh, late-summer peak. Somehow, four years into a viral pandemic that everyone now knows spreads through the air, most schools have done little to nothing to make sure their students will breathe safely.

We—and especially our children—should be able to walk into a store or a gym or a school and assume the air is clean to breathe. Like water from the faucet, regulations should ensure our air is safe.

“Air is tricky. You can choose to not partake of the water or the snacks on the table, but you can’t just abstain from breathing,” notes Gigi Gronvall, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and an author of a 2021 report on the benefits of improving ventilation in schools.

The COVID-causing virus SARS-CoV-2 is far from the only airborne risk in schools. There are also other respiratory viruses, smoke from wildfires, mold spores, off-gassing from plastics and other compounds, air pollution from traffic and industry, and allergens that worsen asthma and add to sick days. Yet federal air standards are stuck in the 1970s, when they were mostly aimed at protecting people from secondhand tobacco smoke, says Joseph Allen, director of the Healthy Buildings Program at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health. Fully updated standards for buildings are years or even decades away.

It’s hard to assess just what schools have or haven’t done to improve indoor air quality. No one—not one federal agency—collects nationwide air quality data on individual schools. Schools could use federal money to update air filtration and ventilation during the height of the pandemic. But a 2022 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey of school districts found that only half had taken simple steps such as opening windows or doors or using fans, and even fewer had upgraded ventilation systems...

Kids Are Headed Back to School. Are They Breathing Clean Air? | Scientific American

Northwood HS at former Woodward Site: 43 buses

First Day at Northwood Brings Optimism Mixed with Traffic Challenges

...According to officials from the MCPS Department of Transportation, 43 buses entered another parking lot to deliver students. Meanwhile southbound SUV’s trying to make turns into the school grounds were impeded by bike lane posts. They had to maneuver a Y turn which led to backups in both lanes. Some parents mistakenly used the bike lanes to exit school grounds amid the first day confusion.

https://www.mymcmedia.org/first-day-at-northwood-brings-optimism-mixed-with-traffic-challenges/?fbclid=IwY2xjawE6yGtleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHVWFQV2EprWSmGf-PoxdD7t20BulQQQ3gkAaNJhcgvEqK93gAt3bOknr8A_aem_Ui4LX4rNJgDgjoyYZbkHnQ

Montgomery County Stops Monitoring Wastewater for COVID-19 [Motto: The less you know, the better.]

 

COVID-19 Wastewater Surveillance in Montgomery County

https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/covid19/data/wastewater-surveillance.html#data

O. Shannon Middle School Team Leader on Leave Following Indictment for Embezzlement

Erin Kelly is on leave from her position as an Odessa Shannon Middle School team leader for alternative programs, following her indictment by a grand jury for allegedly embezzling $161,000 from a dance studio in Rockville.

Kelly is listed with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) as “unassigned” as she doesn’t have a physical location in the school system, according to a district spokesperson.

According to the indictment, Kelly is charged with stealing $161,986 between Jan. 1, 2017 and May 31, 2022 from the Dawn Crafton Dance Connection in Rockville.  Grand jurors believed that Kelly “fraudulently and willfully” stole the money “while acting in the capacity of fiduciary.”..

https://www.mymcmedia.org/shannon-middle-school-team-leader-on-leave-following-indictment-for-embezzlement/

"I think MCPS has wanted to have a fresh start,” Taylor said. [So he hired back Essie McGuire who approved $168M Electric School Bus Scheme.]

Superintendent Thomas Taylor's idea of a "fresh start" is to bring back an MCPS administrator who failed to supervise the approval of a $168M electric bus scheme that has crashed and who failed to oversee the administration of the MCPS Department of Transportation.  

County Council Staffer Essie McGuire Approved Electric School Bus Scheme for @mcps When She was @mcps Associate Superintendent in 2021

New Montgomery superintendent excited at chance for a ‘reset’ in district

...“I am so excited at the opportunity, like every educator, the notion of having a fresh start. I think MCPS has wanted to have a fresh start,” Taylor said. “Our community wants the school system to be fantastic, and we are excited at the opportunity to reset expectations, reset norms and to focus on our kids and limit distractions.”..

https://wapo.st/3XwKKxB