Predictable: The Cover-Up Continues with a Former @mcps Assoc. Sup. Running Council Hearing on MCPS.

On Thursday, February 8, 2024, the Montgomery County Council will hold a hearing "To review findings and recommendations of Office of Inspector General Report #OIG-24-08 and discuss next steps."

That's the title of the hearing as stated in the Staff Memorandum.    

But Council staff neglect to mention that one of its own staffers is a former very, very highly placed MCPS Associate Superintendent whose positions included supervising the MCPS human resources department from 2016-2021. Now that former MCPS Associate Superintendent is advising the Council how to run an oversight hearing on MCPS internal practices?  

Why disclose an obvious conflict of interest?  Who cares about ethics?  

The Council President has already announced his decision to not put any witnesses under oath.  Why get into the messy issue of his staff person who should probably be at the witness table instead of on the Council dais?  

Exactly what did Council staffer Essie McGuire know about complaints regarding Joel Beidleman and when did she know that information?  That question will not be asked by Councilmembers. Ever. 

The former MCPS Associate Superintendent who now works for the Council has once again done an excellent job of supplying the Council with a packet of garbage for tomorrow's hearing.  46 pages of MCPS policies and procedures all easily accessible on the MCPS website via a simple link.  46 pages of policies and procedures copied into the packet for the meeting to make it "look" like Councilmembers are being given something of substance. 

The former MCPS Associate Superintendent who now works for the Council neglects to mention anything about the powers the Council has to put witnesses under oath or to issue subpoenas.  

Once again, a nice thick packet with zero substance.  

9/26/2023 SURPRISE! County Council is "briefed" on MCPS Beidleman Matter by their staff, who is (surprise) former MCPS Assoc. Superintendent & who oversaw MCPS Human Resources

"The county council shall have power to issue subpoenas for witnesses, and the president thereof shall have power to administer the oath to any witness who may be examined before the council, such oath to have all the qualities of an oath taken before any other judicial tribunal or officers, and violations thereof to be punishable as other perjuries are punishable."

The Montgomery County Council claims that they will be holding an "oversight hearing" on February 8, 2024, to review the Montgomery County Inspector General's report on MCPS.

Oversight? Really or just more theater?  

The Montgomery County Council could hold a real oversight hearing by issuing subpoenas to witnesses and administering oaths to witnesses that appear at the hearing.  

But will they? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Montgomery County Code

Sec. 2-20. Power to subpoena witnesses and administer oaths.

   (a)   The county council shall have power to issue subpoenas for witnesses, and the president thereof shall have power to administer the oath to any witness who may be examined before the council, such oath to have all the qualities of an oath taken before any other judicial tribunal or officers, and violations thereof to be punishable as other perjuries are punishable.

   (b)   All council subpoenas shall be executed by the council president or a duly authorized designee and may be served by the sheriff of the county or any person who could lawfully serve a subpoena in a civil case.

   (c)   Failure to comply with a subpoena duly issued under this section shall be a misdemeanor and any person, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00) or sentenced to not more than six (6) months in jail, or both; in addition thereto, the county may institute injunctions, mandamus or any other appropriate actions or proceeding of law or in equity to require compliance with a subpoena duly issued under this section.

 (Mont. Co. Code 1965, § 2-22; 1910, ch. 484, § 177T; 1912, ch. 790, § 474; 1978 L.M.C., ch. 20, § 1.)

https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/montgomerycounty/latest/montgomeryco_md/0-0-0-117249

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)

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

 

Only 2 Montgomery council members ask county, state to handle MCPS inquest

 

Two members said that government inspectors general, not a law firm the school district hired, should investigate its handling of allegations against Principal Joel Beidleman

Two Montgomery County Council members requested Monday that state and county watchdogs investigate the county school system’s handling of reported allegations of sexual harassment, bullying and retaliation by former Farquhar Middle School principal Joel Beidleman...

https://wapo.st/3skifXZ

Chair of County Council Education Committee Took $3,900 Campaign Donation from Firm McKnight Hired to Run "Independent" Investigation of Beidleman Allegations @mcps @mococouncil @mocoboe

 Jawando Takes Money from Anti-Union Law Firm - Montgomery Perspective

Mont. Co. Councilmember Dawn Luedtke Insists Council Does not Have Power to Remove Board of Education Members. Not one Councilmember Corrects Her. She was Wrong.

Montgomery County Council June 21, 2023 - Community Conversation - Weller Road Elementary School, Silver Spring

At the Montgomery County Council's Community Conversation on Wednesday, June 21, 2023, the County Council was asked about their power to remove Board of Education members from office. Councilmember Dawn Luedtke took control of the microphone and "answered" the question by saying the constituent was wrong about this power.

Councilmember Luedtke even went so far as to say the Board of Education's Handbook could be wrong on this issue. 

In fact, Delegate Dawn Luedtke was wrong. Very wrong.  Not only did she not know Maryland law with regard to the removal of Montgomery County Board of Education members but not one other Councilmember did either.  They all sat by as she insisted she knew the answer to this question. 

That means that even the Councilmembers who sit on the Education Committee have no idea that they have the power to remove Board of Education members from office.

What else don't Councilmembers know about their powers?  Maybe they should start reading the Parents' Coalition blog and learn about the powers that come with their elected positions.  

The question with Councilmember Dawn Luedtke's incorrect response:  

Delegate Dawn Luedtke's retraction of her incorrect response:

Montgomery County Council Education Committee members:

Montgomery College Down 9,010 Students Since 2010. From 26,147 credit students to 17,137.

Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland: UPDATED: Montgomery College Enrollment Continues Dropping as MCPS Enrollment Increases (parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com)

Day #1: New Councilmember Exposes Council's Dirty Little Secret: Votes taken behind closed doors through "polling."

Today was the first day of the new Montgomery County Council session. It was the first day of the new 11 member County Council and the first day for 6 new councilmembers, including Councilmember Kristin Mink. 

In opening remarks, Councilmember Kristin Mink said,

"I want to speak about something which I think we are all in agreement - and I think it is important to name.  After the election when I became privy to more of the Council's inner workings, I was surprised to learn that there are some processes which pre-date our current Council and current outgoing Council leadership that can in some instances remove some debate and decision-making from the public eye...

...I'm speaking about polls taken in various manners, that could be treated with the same finality as a vote on the dais, without as much public debate or oversight..."