During Pandemic, Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight finds Tens of Thousands of Dollars to Hire Former Student Member of BOE Eric Guerci as her Personal Assistant. Position Not Disclosed in Staff Directory.

In September, the Parents' Coalition noted that former student member of the Montgomery County Board of Education Eric Guerci was suddenly participating in Closed Session Board of Education meetings.

Why was a former student member of the Board of Education permitted to attend Closed Sessions of the Board of Education?  

Mr. Guerci's name was not and still is not included in the MCPS online Staff Directory.

On September 14, 2021, we filed a Maryland Public Information Act requesting details on Mr. Guerci's employment.  It took MCPS 77 days to answer our request.

Here is what we have learned from MCPS: 

The hourly rate for Eric Guerci is $28.00. 

He has worked 595 hours and has been paid $16,660 to date. 

In Fiscal Year 2021, Mr. Guerci worked from May 19, 2021 to June 30, 2021. 

In Fiscal Year 2022, he began work on July 1, 2021 and will continue to work until June 30, 2022. 

We also received a memo (shown below) from Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight to MCPS Executive Staff, Central Office Leaders, Principals and Employee Associations' Leaders that announced Mr. Guerci had been hired.  

Note the memo did not go to the Board of Education.  Nor does the memo note where the money for this position is coming from.  Mr. Guerci's salary means one less aide in a classroom, or one less substitute teacher, or one less school bus driver in exchange for a personal assistant for the Interim Superintendent.   

FY22 MCPS Leaders Staff Ass... by Parents' Coalition of Montg...

former Student Member of the Board of Education Eric Guerci, who was on the BoE committee that picked Jack Smith. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a better public school leader in America.” Guerci now works for MCPS Interim Super. McKnight.

 Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight Hires Former Student Member of the Board of Education Eric Guerci as her "Special Assistant," Includes him in Closed Door BOE Meetings.

What former Student Member of the Board of Education Eric Guerci said about former Superintendent Jack Smith: 

...“He’s the best in the business,” said former Student Member of the Board of Education Eric Guerci, who was on the BoE committee that picked Smith. “You’d be hard-pressed to find a better public school leader in America.”

Guerci, now a senior at Princeton, remains close with Smith. The two talk regularly over the phone — “about family, about life, about all sorts of things,” Guerci said.

Smith and Guerci worked together for a full year after MCPS reelected Guerci as SMOB, and the two developed a “special connection,” Guerci said. Smith’s abilities to push an agenda forward and send a clear message consistently impressed Guerci, he said — but the qualities that stood out the most to Guerci were showcased at one particularly memorable B–CC end-of-year event.

During a student awards ceremony, shortly before Guerci graduated in 2017, the then-SMOB sat in the audience unaware that he was a recipient of a schoolwide commendation. What stunned him when the principal called his name, however, wasn’t the accolade, but the identity of the presenter. The other winners received their honors from B–CC teachers, but there, awaiting a moved Guerci, was Smith.

“He had just taken the time out of his incredibly grueling schedule — he was working practically 24/7 — to drive down and present me with this award,” Guerci said. “To be there for me meant a whole, whole lot to me. It showed what kind of a person he is.”..

https://theblackandwhite.net/68853/news/deeply-committed-mcps-superintendent-retires-after-40-years-in-education/

Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight Hires Former Student Member of the Board of Education as her "Special Assistant," Includes him in Closed Door BOE Meetings

 

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/C4VKAD49B861/$file/210715%20Report%20of%20Previous%20Closed%20Session.pdf

Montgomery County Board of Education Closed Session Minutes show former Student Member of the Board of Education Eric Guerci has been hired by Interim Superintendent Monifa McKnight.  

Md. high school security guard accused of having sex with student again

Again. Where is the elected Board of Education? Where are their statements on this?  Superintendent Smith is the employee of the Board of Education.

From WUSA9:

The director of security at Richard Montgomery High School was arrested Friday after being accused of having sex with a student again, police said.

And:
Detectives are asking all parents of students who attend Richard Montgomery High School to talk to their children about their interactions with Mark Christopher Yantsos and contact detectives at 240-773-5400 if they believe their child was victimized.

To read the whole story, go here.

Former MCPS Teacher Shemer Moves for Reconsideration of Sentence

ORDER OF COURT

Docket Type:	Docket Filed By: Court
Docket Text:	ORDER OF COURT (BOYNTON, J.) SCHEDULING A HEARING TO CONSIDER DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR RECONSIDERATION ON MAY 18, 2017 AT 9:30 A.M., ENTERED.

--------------------
History:

DEFENDANT ENTERS A PLEA OF GUILTY TO COUNT #1 OF THE INDICTMENT. COURT (BOYNTON, J.) FINDS THE DEFENDANT GUILTY OF COUNT #1 (SEX ABUSE MINOR).

COURT SENTENCES THE DEFENDANT TO COUNT ONE TWENTY YEARS SUSPENDS ALL BUT ONE YEAR MCDC. UPON RELEASE THREE (3) YEARS SUPERVISED PROBATION WITH CONDITIONS. COURT COSTS ASSESSED. PRE RELEASE CENTER (PRC) RECOMMENDED.

COURT ORDERS THE DEFENDANT TO REGISTER WITH THE SEX OFFENDERS REGISTRY.

Breaking: BOE Attorney says Public School Classes are Free!

At today's Board of Education Policy Committee meeting, the Board of Education completely forgot that their own attorney has told them that any courses offered during the school year, for credit are available to all for FREE under the Maryland Constitution.

Ooops.

Instead, the BOE - Philip Kaufman, Rebecca Smondrowski, Patricia O'Neill and Eric Guerci - ignored the advice of their own attorney and told MCPS staff to continue charging students for classes given during the school year for credit.  

The BOE members listed above did not even make any changes to Policy JNA, even though their OWN WEBSITE SAYS THAT SCIENCE LAB FEES MAY NOT BE CHARGED.

Policy JNA

MCPS website

The MCPS website says that science lab fees may not be charged, but the Board of Education's Policy JNA says that lab fees may be charged. 

Confused? The Board of Education doesn't care. They will rip you off every chance they get. 

Tough luck parents and guardians. The rest of Maryland public schools offer free public school, but not here in Montgomery County.    

   BreslerLetter by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland