MCPS Principal sexually harassed female employees to the point they changed their appearances to avoid attention, report says

 

"Those complaints alleged, among other things, acts of bullying, retaliation, sexual harassment and unfair hiring practices," the investigation reads.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. — Years of bullying, sexual harassment and a culture where some staff felt threatened, are just some of the findings of an investigation into the former Montgomery County Public Schools Principal Joel Beidleman, according to a recently released report. 

In September, the Office of the Montgomery County Inspector General (OIG) announced that it would open two investigations related to allegations against Farquhar Middle School Principal Dr. Joel Beidleman and Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) handling of misconduct complaints. Officials claimed he was unanimously promoted during a June meeting to become the principal at an area high school – all while being under investigation for sexual harassment...

//www.wusa9.com/article/news/local/maryland/investigation-misconduct-former-mcps-principal-dr-joel-beidleman-released/65-f43e0399-bfcc-4744-8519-76b62ef38588

Probe finds ‘failures by senior management’ of Montgomery schools in Beidleman case

 

A law firm hired to investigate the handling of allegations against a Montgomery County Public Schools principal found several lapses by the school system

Investigators “found significant and troubling failures by senior management” in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) when the district promoted a principal under investigation for allegedly harassing teachers, according to a letter to county leaders released Thursday by board of education President Karla Silvestre.

The letter accompanied a summary of the report by Jackson Lewis, the law firm hired by the school district after a Washington Post story documented years of sexual harassment, bullying and retaliation complaints against former Farquhar Middle School principal Joel Beidleman...

Probe finds ‘failures by senior management’ of Montgomery schools in Beidleman case - The Washington Post

Inspector general will investigate alleged misconduct by Montgomery principal

Montgomery County’s inspector general will investigate the school system’s handling of misconduct complaints related to a middle school principal, according to a letter sent to the school board president Wednesday.

County Inspector General Megan Davey Limarzi said her office will open two inquiries: The first will scrutinize the school district’s handling of misconduct complaints against school system employees, and the second will look into all allegations of misconduct by former Farquhar Middle School principal Joel Beidleman received by July 2023 and any previous allegations that were not investigated.

The Washington Post reported in August that at least 18 verbal or written reports were submitted to the school district about Beidleman by staff members, parents and union stewards dating back to 2016. The complaints alleged a pattern of harassment, threats, retaliation, workplace bullying and other inappropriate conduct...

Inspector general to investigate alleged misconduct by Principal Joel Beidleman - The Washington Post

Inspector General Opens 2 Investigations on School’s Handling of Misconduct Allegations

The Montgomery County Inspector General opened two investigations relating to allegations that former Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) Principal Joel Beidleman was promoted despite multiple complaints of sexual harassment and bullying against him.

In a letter to Board of Education President Karla Silvestre on Thursday, Inspector General Megan Davey Limarzi wrote that one investigation will center around the school district’s process for receiving and responding to allegations of misconduct by school employees.

The other investigation focuses in on misconduct by Beidleman and allegations against him that were received since July as well as earlier complaints that were not investigated...

Inspector General Opens 2 Investigations on School's Handling of Misconduct Allegations - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Law firm report questions ‘vetting and promotion’ in Montgomery schools

Officials did not make the report public or say what would happen next. Many alleged victims have not yet been interviewed.

An investigation of a middle school principal who allegedly bullied and harassed dozens of teachers “raises significant issues about the vetting and promotion of personnel within MCPS,” the Montgomery County Board of Education said in a statement Friday after the law firm hired to examine the matter filed its first report...

Law firm report questions ‘vetting and promotion’ in MCPS - The Washington Post

MCPS board given report on principal promoted after accusations of bullying, harassment

...7News called and emailed the school board to find out when the report will be released to the Montgomery County Council and the public.

We are still waiting to hear back.

"The County Council Education Committee has said that they're going to discuss this report on September 28. Obviously they can't discuss it until it's released to them," said Janis Sartucci of the Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland.

"They can redact it all they want but it needs to come out to the public immediately, so the public can see what kind of research and investigation was done. This is what was promised, and this is what the public expects," she continued...

MCPS board given report on principal promoted after accusations of bullying, harassment | WJLA

Council Questions MCPS Promotion Process

On Thursday the Council Commitee for Education and Culture met with officials from MCPS and the Board of Education to discuss solutions to the processes that enabled Joel Beidleman to be promoted to Principal of Paint Branch High School despite being under investigation. Here is a shortened version of the exchanges between the Council and school officials...

Council Questions MCPS Promotion Process - Montgomery Community Media (mymcmedia.org)

Breaking: STATE Inspector General for Education Defers TWO Investigations into MCPS to Montgomery County IG

 

McKnight told the audience that counselors from the district’s employee assistance program were in attendance, in case leaders who were friends with Beidleman wanted to talk, attendees said.

 

MCPS hires law firm to investigate alleged misconduct of principal

...At Monday’s annual administrative and supervisory meeting for about 800 Montgomery supervisors, principals, assistant principals and other leaders, attendees reported that McKnight briefly acknowledged the report in The Post, referring to it as “the elephant in the room.” She said the school system would thoroughly investigate what she called “the allegations,” said four attendees who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on internal district matters...

https://wapo.st/3KF4NUM

Many MCPS teachers said a principal sexually harassed them. The Board of Education promoted him. @mcps @mocoboe Washington Post Interviewed 45 MCPS Staff Members.

Educators and others reported Joel Beidleman to Montgomery County Public Schools 18 times in seven years. It made no difference.

...In the living room, Beidleman told her: “You should just f--- me. Everybody thinks you should,” according to the complaint and two of those present. He turned to his co-workers and asked them: “Don’t you think she should just f--- me?” The teacher, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because she fears retaliation from Beidleman and MCPS, quickly left...

...These and other accounts detail a pattern of harassment, threats, retaliations, workplace bullying and other inappropriate conduct spanning at least 12 years across three campuses...

...Until last week, MCPS treated Beidleman as a rising star. Despite six staff members’ reports to MCPS about his conduct in 2023, officials promoted him in June to run Paint Branch High School...

...MCPS, which conducted Beidleman’s regular five-year performance review this year, did not answer any further questions about details in this story, including those asking how it tracks reports about misconduct, who is responsible for collecting them and whether the superintendent is ever informed...

...MCPS’s announcement of Beidleman’s new role was especially surprising to the social studies teacher, whose February sexual harassment, workplace bullying and retaliation complaint alleges Beidleman monitored the camera outside her classroom and grilled her when a male colleague visited...

https://wapo.st/3OuKn1Y

Planning Board Postpones Farquhar Middle School Again

Item *8

William H. Farquhar Middle School Modernization *A.William H. Farquhar Middle School Modernization and Batchellors Forest Residential: Site Plan Amendment No. 82008019C Request to amend the Site Plan and Final Forest Conservation Plan to include construction of the William H. Farquhar Middle School on a parcel previously dedicated to the M-NCPPC as part of the Batchellors Forest Residential, located on the north and south side of Batchellors Forest Road, approximately 3,000 feet south of the intersection with Doctor Bird Road, 93.64 acres, RNC Zone, Olney Master Plan Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions B. William H. Farquhar Middle School Modernization: Mandatory Referral No. 2014028 Located on the south side of Batchellors Forest Road approximately 3,000 feet south of the intersection with Doctor Bird Road, 17 acres, RNC Zone, Olney Master Plan Staff Recommendation: Approval and Transmit Comments to MCPS F. Boyd

Planning Board Postpones Farquhar Middle School Modernization Agenda Item

Item 5

William H. Farquhar Middle School Modernization *A.William H. Farquhar Middle School Modernization and Batchellors Forest Residential: Site Plan Amendment No. 82008019C Request to amend the Site Plan and Final Forest Conservation Plan to include construction of the William H. Farquhar Middle School on a parcel previously dedicated to the M-NCPPC as part of the Batchellors Forest Residential, located on the north and south side of Batchellors Forest Road, approximately 3,000 feet south of the intersection with Doctor Bird Road, 93.64 acres, RNC Zone, Olney Master Plan Staff Recommendation: Approval with conditions B. William H. Farquhar Middle School Modernization: Mandatory Referral No. 2014028 Located on the south side of Batchellors Forest Road approximately 3,000 feet south of the intersection with Doctor Bird Road, 17 acres, RNC Zone, Olney Master Plan Staff Recommendation: Approval and Transmit Comments to MCPS F. Boyd

http://www.montgomeryplanningboard.org/agenda/2014/agenda20140724e.html

Farquhar Middle School "deal" before Planning Board Feb 20, 2014

Note the Farquhar Middle School land "swap" is no longer a swap. MCPS will own both pieces of property. 

Planning Board Agenda: 
A. Mandatory Referral review of land acquisition and change in use. MCPS is acquiring approximately 17 acres of parkland on Batchellors Forest Road in Olney located adjacent to the current school site to redevelop Farquhar Middle School, which will be combined with the 18 acre site currently housing the school. The combined 35 acres will be developed for use as a school and a park. 
Staff Recommendation: Approval 
B. Release of Rural Open Space Easement granted to M-NCPPC by Pulte Home Corporation on approximately 17 acres of land dedicated to M-NCPPC as parkland as a condition of Batchellors Forest Site Plan No. 820080190/A located on Batchellors Forest Road in Olney adjacent to the Farquhar Middle School. 
Staff Recommendation: Approval with Conditions

C. Abandonment of Deed of Dedication granted by Pulte Home Corporation to M-NCPPC on approximately 17 acres of land as parkland as a condition of Batchellors Forest Site Plan No. 820080190/A located on Batchellors Forest Road in Olney adjacent to the Farquhar Middle School in exchange for Perpetual Use Easement to be granted by MCPS to M-NCPPC over 18 acre site currently housing the adjoining Farquhar Middle School.
Staff Recommendation: Approval with Conditions

http://www.montgomeryplanningboard.org/agenda/2014/documents/FinalStaffReportFarquharMiddleSchool_002.pdf

---------------------------------------------

From the Planning Board memorandum, here is all the legal work that is going to need to take place for this MCPS "deal" to be completed:

Implementing this complex arrangement requires the following actions, some of which are part of this review before the Board, and some that require the Board’s supplemental review as the proposed development moves forward: 

1. MCPS must acquire by eminent domain the underlying fee to the 17 acre parkland site that Pulte Homes dedicated to M-NCPPC as a condition of its development approvals for the Batchellors Forest subdivision; 

2. M-NCPPC must abandon the dedication; 

3. M-NCPPC must release the Rural Open Space (“ROS”) Easement that Pulte Homes granted to it as a condition of its development approvals for the Batchellors Forest subdivision based on the Release of ROS Easement Policy approved by the Board on May 9, 2013; 

4. MCPS must grant both a Perpetual Use Easement and an ROS Easement to M-NCPPC over the existing school site as consideration for the abandonment and the release; 

5. MCPS and M-NCPPC must enter into a Joint Use Agreement to establish the terms and conditions of joint operations for the new park site, specifically access and maintenance of jointly used facilities; and 

6. MPCS must construct both the new school facilities and the interim park: 

a. consistent with the concept plan submitted with this mandatory referral, and 

b. consistent with the bid documents for such improvements as approved by the 

Planning Board, as the Board will review in a later mandatory referral for 

construction of the school and interim park. 

Board wants to Condemn More Property. Remember last condemnation? What happened to swap?

On Monday, July 29, 2013, Board of Education Agenda:

Resolved, That the Board of Education authorizes initiation of condemnation proceedings to acquire Pulte Home Corporation’s interest in the parcel adjacent to the current William H. Farquhar Middle School site because the land is needed for the modernization of William H. Farquhar Middle School under Option Two, approved by the Board of Education on September 13, 2011, and the site’s owner and Montgomery County Public Schools have been unable to reach agreement with Pulte Home Corporation to convey its interest in the property...

Now, let's recall the last time the BOE went to court to condemn a property. What happened?  The BOE had to pay MORE than they had offered for the land. So, the BOE got the land, but at a huge cost to taxpayers!

Now, the BOE wants the Pulte property.  They have apparently made an offer and Pulte has said no.  So the Superintendent wants the BOE to go to court again! (Pulte is smart to say no. The land was set aside as part of open space for a housing development under construction.)

Remember also that the BOE had said they could just "swap" the Pulte property for the Farquhar property.  That was back when the BOE had been told that the Pulte property had already been transferred to Park and Planning.

Remember this bad information from MCPS staff?  The BOE used this bad information to make their decision.

http://parentscoalitionmc.blogspot.com/2011/09/fact-check-board-got-fact-or-fiction.html

The BOE got bad information from MCPS staff, made a bad decision, and now the BOE is going to go to court.  Who is paying for the wrong information, bad decisions and litigation?  You are.

Exclusive Video: BOE Committee Discussion of BOE Property: Future School Sites and Surplus Land

MONTGOMERY COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
Policy Committee 
May 10, 2013
1:00 pm
Room 120

Discussion of “Guidelines for Leasing, Licensing, or Using MCPS Property 
that is Being Held as a Future School Site.” (Policy DNA, Management of
Board of Education Property) – Judy Bresler/James Song/Bruce Crispell
(2:25) 20 minutes

BOE Committee meetings are held off camera.  The Parents' Coalition videotaped this discussion and is making it available to the public.

Entire School Site for Sale! Did the BOE Bid on this School?

This entire school site is for sale in Olney. Could MCPS use this property to relieve overcrowding?

http://www.gazette.net/article/20130618/NEWS/130619196/washington-christian-academy-x2019-s-olney-site-for-sale&template=gazette

Farquhar Middle School: Complicated Process to do what BOE thinks is just a "swap"

UPDATE:   Item 12

Discussion Rural Open Space Policy  - POSTPONED TO MAY 9

----------
On Thursday, May 2, 2013, the Montgomery County Planning Board will have a discussion around dropping Rural Open Space easements on two properties.  One of the properties is the dedicated Rural Open Space next to Farquhar Middle School in Olney.  Here is the packet on this discussion topic.

...The process required to exchange properties- the existing school site for the Park Property will be established through a complicated process outlined in separate agreements among MCPS, M-NCPPC, the County and Pulte, which will be presented to the Planning Board in the near future. The action requested by the Board at this time is approval of the policy to provide guidance to Planning Staff and MCPS to determine, if appropriate, the conditions to release the existing ROS easement from the Park Property – the first step in determining whether, and how the MCPS can move forward...

  2013 05 02 ROS Policy by Parents' Coalition of Montgomery County, Maryland

Circuit Court Smacks Planning Board for "willy-nilly" vote. Farquhar MS land swap swatted.

On November 15, 2012, Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Robert Greenberg reversed and remanded the February 9, 2012 and May 31, 2012 votes of the Montgomery County Planning Board with regard to the dedication of the 17.4 acre property next to Farquhar Middle School.

• The 17.4 acre property was to be dedicated as Rural Open Space land in perpetuity as part of the development of homes.
• The Board of Education decided they wanted the 17.4 acre property for a new Farquhar Middle School.
• The Planning Board tried to dedicate the land "willy-nilly". (See page 13 of Circuit Court Opinion)
• The Circuit Court has now said no to the Planning Board's "willy-nilly" vote and told them to go back and fix their vote to comply with the dedication of Rural Open Space land in perpetuity.  
• The Circuit Court's decision swats down the BOE's plan to take over this Rural Open Space land for use as a public school.  

20121220_Hyde_v_MCPB_revised_12.19.2012

BOE Reveals Today's Closed Session Litigation Topics

This evening the Board of Education (BOE) will hold a Closed Session.  Typically, the BOE will only say that they are going to receive "legal advice" at a Closed Session.  But, today the BOE reveals exactly which cases they will be discussing in Closed Session.  Here is the announcement from today's Closed Session resolution: 

Resolved, That the Board receive legal advice regarding the litigation pertaining to the William H. Farquhar Middle School, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Middle School #2, and Northwest Cluster site acquisition and discuss with staff these pending litigation matters, as permitted under Sections 10-508(a)(7) and 10-508(a)(8) of the State Government Article; and be it further...

Mon. June 18th: Council Committees Discussion of School Site Selection Process

Updated 9:30 AM: Note room change and call in phone number change.
Montgomery County Council's Education, and Planning, Housing and Economic Development Committees joint discussion of the school site selection process!

Co-Location “Opportunities” included!

Monday, June 18, 2012

9:30am

7th Floor CHR

Montgomery County Council Office Building

Dial in to listen 240-773-3377  3rd floor hearing room call 240-773-3333

or televised on CCM (but you know how that sometimes has the plug pulled...)

Agenda

• Summary of Joint Working Group Purpose and Recommendations
• Short and Long-Term MCPS Site Needs
• Revised MCPS Site Selection Process
• Comparison of MCPS' Process to Montgomery Parks and County Government Site Selection Processes
• Ongoing Site Selection Issues and Lessons Learned from the B-CC Middle School #2 Site Selection Process
• Discussion of Recommendation to Study Future Co-Location Opportunities

20120618_EDPHED1