BOE Election Coverage: Three school board seats up for grabs in contentious Montgomery County race

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Voters in Maryland are casting their ballots Tuesday, including for key races on county school boards. In Montgomery County, three seats are up for grabs. At Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, no classes are being held due to the primary. While there are elections for president and Congress, the school board races have equal, if not greater, importance for voters today. Three of the seven seats on the Montgomery County School Board are on the ballot. All three incumbents are running, with a total of 14 candidates vying for the non-partisan, four-year terms...

...Some residents, like Janis Zink Sartucci from the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, expressed skepticism about the impact of the election outcomes. "I've been observing the Board of Education for over 20 years," Sartucci said. "In the past decade, I've seen them gradually relinquish power to superintendents and various MCPS administrators. Many school-related and budget-related decisions are now made outside the board's purview.".. 

https://www.fox5dc.com/news/three-school-board-seats-up-for-grabs-in-contentious-montgomery-county-race

Unofficial 2024 Presidential Primary Election Results for Montgomery County

https://results.elections.maryland.gov/elections/2024/primary_results/gen_results_2024_by_county_16.html

BOE Candidate Keeps PTA President Position, Includes 5 Councilmembers in Elem. School Culture Night event. Is this a campaign rally or a PTA event for kids?

The Montgomery County Council of PTAs (MCCPTA) Bylaws states that when an officer of the organization files for candidacy for public office they are to resign within a week. 

Individual PTA Bylaws also have language that speaks to how the organization handles it when an officer files for candidacy for public office.

At North Chevy Chase Elementary School, the PTA Bylaws state that members in their official capacities shall not, directly or indirectly, participate or intervene...in any political campaign on behalf of...any candidate for public office...

And yet, at North Chevy Chase Elementary School (NCCES) we see what is typically a night devoted to spotlighting the heritage of students turned into what looks like a campaign event.  20 MINUTES of the 2 hour Culture and Heritage Night are being turned over to 5 County Councilmembers and 10 minutes will be spent hearing from a current candidate for a Board of Education seat.  

The NCCES Culture and Heritage Night is being run by a current candidate for the Montgomery County Board of Education, Rita Montoya.  Rita Montoya is currently the PTA President at North Chevy Chase Elementary School and is actively maintained that position while campaigning.  

Montoya uses her PTA position in her campaign materials.  Montoya's day job is General Counsel and Founder of Cannabis Patient Advocacy Association but that position is not stated on her campaign information.   

Here's how the Culture and Heritage Night is being advertised to NCCES students and parents: 

But here's what the proposed Agenda for the NCCES Culture and Heritage Night looks like. Students and their families are in for a surprise.

For reference, here's what a typical MCPS elementary school Culture and Heritage or International Night looks like: 

Is the May 2, 2024, School Culture Night at North Chevy Chase Elementary School a student centered, PTA event or a campaign event?

Who is running for the Montgomery County school board in the 2024 primary election?

Three incumbents are among 14 candidates

Three incumbents are among 14 candidates vying for three seats on the Montgomery County Board of Education during the May primary election.

Board Vice President Lynne Harris (At-Large) is facing five candidates while board member Rebecca Smondrowski (Dist. 2) is up against four challengers and board member Shebra Evans (Dist. 4) is facing two, according to the State Board of Elections records as of the Friday night filing deadline...

https://moco360.media/2024/02/14/who-is-running-for-the-montgomery-county-school-board-in-the-2024-primary-election/