Michael Durso’s long history with MCPS draws pointed reactions to his new role

Former board member, principal with more than 44 years of education experience named acting chief of staff

Montgomery County Public Schools has hired former Board of Education member Michael Durso to serve as the acting chief of staff after the departure of Brian Stockton...

...Cram declined to disclose Durso’s pay to MoCo360, writing that a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) must be filed. Durso told MoCo360 that his pay will likely hover around a $230,000 yearly salary, although his pay has not yet been finalized and papers still need to be signed.

The chief of staff has one of the highest paid positions in MCPS. In February 2023, MoCo360 reported that as chief of staff for MCPS, Stockton made a yearly salary of $226,244...

...Janis Sartucci, a member of the Parents’ Coalition, a watchdog parent advocacy group, told MoCo360 that the group believes Durso is the wrong person to bring to the school system as it is in “recovery mode.”

Sartucci also stated that while Durso was a member and president of the school board, he had the opportunity to update the MCPS Code of Conduct in a way that could have prevented the long-term abuses of principal Joel Beidleman.

The watchdog group is left wondering: Why MCPS is “recycling” former school board members?

https://moco360.media/2024/01/10/michael-dursos-long-history-with-mcps-draws-pointed-reactions-to-his-new-role/

Report: MCPS Should Strengthen Romantic Relationship Disclosure Requirements

A report by the Montgomery County Inspector General’s office declared allegations of misconduct by senior Montgomery County Public School officials “unsubstantiated.”

However, the report that was released Wednesday did note that there were “opportunities for improvement regarding the disclosure of romantic or sexual relationships between staff, as well as requirements that MCPS staff cooperate with investigations.”..

https://www.mymcmedia.org/report-mcps-should-strengthen-romantic-relationship-disclosure-requirements/

Jennifer Gross: Board of Education has "willfully and intentionally left massive loopholes in their Employee Code of Conduct"

Jennifer Marie Gross

This article is maddening for several reasons not the least of which is the fact that MCPS is once again making ridiculous statements about what they did not know. The fact is, they don't know if there have ever been reports about him before because they have willfully and intentionally left massive loopholes in their Employee Code of Conduct that specifically state they do not have to document all concerns and they have also left a clause in that I call the "nice guys get a pass and jerks get disciplined" Since the day I forced them to implement their code of conduct and I saw these loopholes, I have tried to get them taken out and yet, as of this morning they are still in the code.

So...parents, when you see MCPS say things like, MCPS spokeswoman Gboyinde Onijala said Friday that MCPS officials were not told of any allegations of misconduct or inappropriate behavior by Reburn while he was employed. "We take all reports, complaints and concerns from community members, students and staff seriously,” Onijala said. “I feel very strongly if any allegations were brought forward, (the administration) would have acted swiftly.”
PLEASE know, that's a lie. Plain and simple.

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/bethesda/lacrosse-player-says-former-walter-johnson-girls-coach-made-her-and-teammates-uncomfortable/#disqus_thread

For anyone interested in more details of my comment above, please see this document I wrote per the request of a member of the BOE (who never responded once I submitted it). I did get a response from MCPS who stated I was instilling a culture of fear and preventing them from responding in a trauma informed way. Telling the truth about child sexual abuse and demanding systems protect children is trauma informed. 

What is not trauma informed is the MCPS spokesperson saying offensive, victim shaming and blaming things in this article like, "she wrote that “there are students and community members who have expressed concern over [Salvatore’s column] because they did not experience or witness any of the things the student mentions in her opinion piece.” That is exactly what a lot of people at Cloverly said and yet, John Vigna sits in prison for sexually abusing multiple children in an MCPS classroom. Apparently no one in MCPS has yet learned anything about child sexual abuse.

https://www.jennifergross.net/uploads/2/6/7/2/26721646/changes_needed_by_mcps__2018.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0gcpq3-CFJMaucSRsE0LabA8wDSALdVUyxVHrGua0lfbHNgd-iyBEPTZY

2018 Jennifer Gross Stateme... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

Lee Middle School Parents Voice Concern About New Assistant Principal

Some parents at Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School in Silver Spring are questioning the hiring of a new administrator who started at the school Monday, the same day she was sentenced for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Maniya Jules, 51, of Potomac pled guilty on Monday and was sentenced to 60 days in jail with all but two days suspended by a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge, according to court records. Jules was placed on three years of probation with conditions that she abstain from alcohol and receive professional treatment, according to court records. Jules was also fined $250 and the judge ordered an interlock device be installed on her car that requires the driver to blow into a mouthpiece before starting the vehicle.

Jules, who was assistant principal at Damascus High School at the time of her arrest, was cited for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2017, according to court records.

In late June, Lee Middle School Principal Kimberly Hayden Williams sent a letter to community members announcing Jules was reassigned to the school and will serve as an assistant principal.

“She is bringing a wealth of knowledge and experiences to Lee Middle school and we are looking forward to welcoming her to our community,” the principal wrote...

https://bethesdamagazine.com/bethesda-beat/schools/lee-middle-school-parents-voice-concern-about-new-assistant-principal/

Montgomery County high school teacher charged with DWI in fatal North Carolina crash

NEW: Longtime MCPS employee accused of sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend, plus violating a protective order she'd taken out against him.

NEW: Longtime MCPS employee accused of sexually assaulting ex-girlfriend, plus violating a protective order she'd taken out against him.

61yo Allen "Mitch" Waters is the building services manager at DuFief Elementary School in North Potomac. MCPS placed him on leave last week. pic.twitter.com/H8jErdEw5e

— Kevin Lewis (@ABC7Kevin) August 30, 2018

ABC7: MCPS leaders meet with concerned parents after bus driver's arrest

https://wjla.com/news/local/parents-answers-school-bus-driver-accused-sexually-abuse-special-needs-student

WDVM: MCPS hosted a meeting on issues concerning the bus driver charged with sexual assault

https://www.localdvm.com/news/i-270/mcps-hosted-a-meeting-on-issues-concerning-the-bus-driver-charged-with-sexual-assault/1389652775

Parents raise questions after Md. school bus driver accused of sex assault

...“There are still a lot of questions that are unanswered,” said Jessica Reynolds, of Rockville, in an interview following the community meeting. Her child was a passenger on Kabongo’s bus, and she  asked school officials when all surveillance video would be reviewed by investigators to learn of any other victims.

“My children have not even entered kindergarten yet, and there’s broken trust. I live in this community for one main reason — the school system,” Reynolds said...

https://wtop.com/montgomery-county/2018/08/parents-raise-questions-after-md-school-bus-driver-accused-of-sex-assault/

"The school bus camera captured video of the assault." .@mcps .@mocoboe (Bus driver is only on leave after arrest, because why??)

MCPS Bus Operator Charged with Sexual Offenses

Montgomery County Police Special Victims Investigations Detectives have been investigating the report of sexual offenses by a Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) bus operator.

The investigation revealed that on Tuesday, July 31 at approximately 12:30 p.m., a MCPS school bus transporting students receiving special education services was stopped in the area of Yates Road in Silver Spring. During the time that the school bus attendant left the bus to assist in the drop off of another student, the driver who remained on the bus, sexually assaulted the 12-year-old female victim. The investigation resulted in charges for inappropriate sexual contact.

The school bus camera captured video of the assault.

Bus operator Etienne K. Kabongo, age 62, of the 7800 block of Mineral Springs Drive in Gaithersburg was arrested on August 5 and charged with second-degree rape, third-degree sexual offense and the sexual abuse of a minor. He is currently being held without bond and is expected to have a bond review today at 1 p.m.

Special Victims Investigations Detectives are concerned that there are other victims. Etienne Kabongo, is known as “Mr. Steve” to some students, and has worked since 2006 as a bus operator, primarily driving for students receiving special needs education, at multiple schools across the County. Anyone who is concerned that a child has been victimized by Kabongo is asked to call detectives at 240-773-5400.

# # #

http://www.mymcpnews.com/2018/08/06/mcps-bus-driver-charged-with-sexual-offenses/

Alvaro recommended the district adopt an employee code of conduct that explictly references inappropriate behavior, like the code she advocated for that was adopted by the Montgomery County Public Schools.

Experts Weigh in on Efforts to Protect CPS [Chicago Public Schools] Students From Sexual Abuse

by Maureen Kelleher on July 16, 2018

...Alvaro calls lack of training for students “a major loophole” in preventing child sexual abuse. “This would be analogous to never holding active shooter drills with kids. It’s our job as adults to prevent sexual abuse. But you have to tell kids what to do if it happens. It’s just like putting seat belts on or fire drills.”

https://chicagounheard.org/blog/experts-weigh-in-on-efforts-to-protect-cps-students-from-sexual-abuse/

WTOP: Ex-Charles Co. school aide recorded sex assault of students; 2 tested for HIV

WASHINGTON — A former middle school aide was indicted in Charles County on Friday on charges of sexually assaulting students and creating child pornography of the assaults.

Charles County officials said that Carlos DeAngelo Bell, 30 of Waldorf, recorded the abuse of the middle school students in a classroom, at his home and at other locations between February and March 2016. Bell told investigators that he is HIV positive and officials fear he could have exposed the children to the virus.

Bell was an instructional assistant at Benjamin Stoddert Middle School before he was removed in December. He also served as the head indoor track coach at LaPlata High School, and previously worked as an aide at J.P. Ryon Elementary School. He was hired in the fall of 2014.

Seven victims seen in the images have been identified and police hope to speak with three other children who might also have been victims.

“Sadly there may be more cases that we are not aware of at this time,” said Sheriff Troy Berry.

Investigators want to hear from parents if their children had any inappropriate contact with Bell, officials said Monday.

The victims identified so far range from sixth- to eighth-grade students, Berry said.

So far, two of the children have been tested to determine whether they too had been infected with HIV, but the tests came back negative. It can take up to six months for the virus to be detected.

An inappropriate text to a high student launched the investigation in December — that student was not sexually assaulted...

http://wtop.com/charles-county/2017/07/ex-charles-co-school-aid-charged-sex-abuse-students-2-tested-hiv/

Open Letter to Superintendent Smith: Due to secrecy, obfuscation and an unwillingness to follow the law, the public is once again left to guess at what MCPS is, or in many cases is not, doing to protect our children.

 

"Derek G. Turner" , "jack_smith@mcpsmd.org" , MCPS Board of Education , Craig Rice , "councilmember.elrich@montgomerycountymd.gov" , Councilmember Navarro's Office , "roland_ikheloa@mcpsmd.org"

 

Good Morning Dr Smith, 

Regarding the sexual abuse of students by staff,  I have, for over the past four  years,  been demanding  MCPS follow the  law, update policy and procedures and as importantly, I have been trying to get MCPS to act in a transparent manner regarding this issue.    MCPS formed a work group due to my advocacy; a  work group which has now been disbanded with no notice.

While some very good work has been started on this issue, there remains a great deal to be done.    Due to secrecy, obfuscation and an unwillingness to follow the law, the public is once again left to guess at what MCPS is, or in many cases is not, doing to protect our children.   Based on my twenty two years of work in this field I can assure you, when people and systems have to guess what is being done, children will continue to be abused. 

Please be advised Dr. Smith, concerned parents have not been deterred by MCPS  refusal to meet with us and share information.    

  

Most recently, after making formal, repeated requests via email and in person (since August of 2015) and  a MPIA request in October of 2016, we learn MCPS still has no policy regarding social media guidelines for staff and volunteers.     This is  disappointing to say the least,  as among the dozens of employee sex offenders MCPS has had on staff over the past years, many of them have used technology to groom and abuse children.    

Parents continue to be concerned our children are being held to a higher standard than your employees.   First when our children had a code of conduct for their behaviors but the adults did not. There is now a code of conduct for employees but, not surprisingly after advocating for a year for a link to the adult code to be posted on your child abuse page and finally getting the link put up, it was quietly and quickly removed.     Presently, our children have clear standards for their electronic media use and in fact a new curriculum (announced last week) is being rolled out to reinforce those concepts.  While I fully support this initiative, I find myself again asking why my children are held to a higher standard than the adults tasked with their care.   

Narrowly focusing in on the social media issue, I ask you Dr. Smith, 

• Will you direct your employees to swiftly finish the work they have told me was almost done in August of 2015?    

• Will you investigate why (despite a recent arrest of staff who used social media to groom and assault a teen girl) your staff has still not prioritized much less completed  the employee social media guidelines?     

More specifically, I also ask you Dr. Smith:

• Will you direct your staff to complete the work necessary to fully implement the new policy and procedures put in place last year regarding abuse and neglect?   
• Will you have your staff close the loopholes and correct the errors in the policy and regulations which were implemented last year?  
• Will you direct your staff to issue one, comprehensive report detailing all aspects of the implementation of the new policy and regulations; or, is it acceptable to you to have quarterly reports (each focusing on small parts of but never the whole) spread out so there is no complete annual report on what has actually been done over the past year? 
• Will you direct your staff to comply with MPIA laws and release documents regarding the sexual harassment policy and it's implementation?    
• Will you require your staff to comply with multiple MPIA requests to provide an accurate list of MCPS employees who are tasked with implementing and monitoring this complex task?    
• Will you  tell parents how it is acceptable for your staff  (representing you at the policy management committee meeting with BOE members on 9/20/16), when asked to discuss the child abuse policy,  to state "we are not here to talk about the policy"? 

I have  and will continue to  work with the hope and conviction these things will be done in order to protect our children and prevent the inevitable harm which will occur if these actions are not taken.  Please be advised due to the work group being disbanded and a refusal on the part of MCPS to share information, I will continue to file MPIA requests to get your answers to the questions I am asking.

I emailed you in August 9, 2016 requesting a meeting to discuss this and other critically important issues surrounding the protection of our students.  I never received a response.  So,  I am again asking you if you will find time to prioritize this issue and meet.  

I hope to hear from you, 

Jennifer Alvaro

MCPS parent and advocate

Exclusive: Bowers Dissolves Sexual Abuse of Students by Staff Task Force

The Parents' Coalition has learned that Interim (probably future) Superintendent Larry Bowers has disbanded the Sexual Abuse of Students by Staff Task Force started by Superintendent Joshua Starr in 2014.   The media is no longer interested in the sexual abuse of MCPS students by teachers and staff, so there is no need to maintain a fake task force, right? 

Below is the December 2014, press conference Superintendent Starr held to talk about the work of the task force.  Much of what he says the task force will do, was never done.  The "community" that Starr claims was participating on this task force included exactly two MCPS parents, and the police department had only participated in one meeting at the time of this press conference. 

The task force no longer has a leader and no meetings are scheduled.  In fact, the task force has not met since the spring.  

Did all employees take the training Superintendent Starr claimed they would take? The public has no clue and the task force will obviously not be reporting on this.

In this video Superintendent Starr touts a robust database that he is starting to keep a list of suspected abusers.  Yet, just a few months later this database was allegedly shut down.  Apparently, the database was not such a great idea.  What other great ideas did Starr have that were immediately shut down?

Who is watching over MCPS' implementation of training, alleged new procedures, and the new Employee Code of Conduct?

Who is keeping your children safe today?
It's certainly not the Montgomery County Board of Education. 



Press talks with MCPS public relations after the press conference: 

Breaking News: MCPS finally has an EMPLOYEE Code of Conduct.

Finally, after years of arrests and disciplinary actions, MCPS has a Code of Conduct for EMPLOYEES.  Students have had a Rights and Responsibilities document for decades, but MCPS staff have not had a Code of Conduct.  That meant that what was acceptable behavior by staff varied from school to school and from staff person to staff person.

Here are some examples of what is contained in the brand new MCPS EMPLOYEE Code of Conduct.  Note that many of these activities have occurred in the past and the staff member involved was allowed to retain their job.  In fact, some of these activities were not considered to be a problem at all by MCPS or the Board of Education.  Look at what MCPS is now stating is prohibited behavior in the following excerpts from the brand new MCPS EMPLOYEE Code of Conduct. The complete Employee Code of Conduct is available below these screen shots.

  MCPS Employee Code of Conduct by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland